Dear Frances

Today is your birthday. Happy Birthday!*

Since the days are gone where we lived together and I could just make you a cake and stuff, here is a whole blog post beautifully crafted just for you (and whoever else happens to read this. Hi everyone!)

Because, I assume, other people will want to read this, I thought that, instead of getting all lovey and gooshy in your face (although I LOVE YOU YOU ARE MY FAVOURITE), I'd instead take a trip down memory lane (or mammary lane...) to look at the things that we first watched or read together, or that I might never have experienced without you. This being a thing that I write about all the time, and I don't know, it might be interesting. Let's see!

So. Some things we watched/read together:

• The Graduate- I think, mainly because it was in (500) Days of Summer? But also because, you know, we were nearly graduates and it seemed compulsory to watch it. And it was goooood.
• Pamela by Samuel Richardson- I mean, we didn't so much read this together as we formed a support group that allowed us to get through it. I think the greatest function of the support group was skipping the seminar to do online shopping instead, which was very very handy! You're a good accomplice.
• Daniel Day-Lewis, in general- So we took this one unit that meant we had to watch My Beautiful Laundrette, and it was AWESOME and DDL was heavenly, and THEN we stayed up most of one night watching this weird film and then also MBL again, and the next day we couldn't walk and laugh at the same time but it. Was. Worth. It.
• United States of Tara- There was a time when we both had a Diablo Cody obsession (I mean, I'm not really over mine...) and so we watched United States of Tara together, obviously totally legally because it's been shown on UK TV and everything... Ahem. But it was awesome and LONG LIVE TARA even though some mean TV bosses already killed her *SIGH*.

And, you know, 

But then there were also things that you knew about and I did not, and you introduced me to them and they were awesome. I actually have a list that's too long to just put here, but you know, thanks for all those things, but especially these:

• Gone With The Wind- It's always going to be a Christmas film to me, because that's when we watched it for the first time, and that's when we still watch it, every year. It's become one of my favourite parts of Christmas, but also just one of my favourite things. 
• When Harry Met Sally- Before I'd seen this, I'd never had any contact with Nora Ephron and her amazingness. I mean, it might have taken me a few years to catch on, but Frances... you GAVE ME NORA. Thanks for that!
• I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith- I feel like I take in a lot of book recommendations and then they fly out of my head about a day later, but THIS did not, and I really really like it now. In fact, today's post was just going to be a review of I Capture the Castle with a 'Happy Birthday' on the end, but... I sort of didn't get round to reading it. But still. I really love it.
• Gilmore Girls- I may still get events confused and there are still chunks of it I haven't seen, but I would never have seen any of it without you, and then I would never have LUKE in my Personal Book of Major Crushes. (That's not a real book. But it probably should be.)

So, thank you Frances for these and all the other things you put into my face and my brain and made me watch or read. More importantly thanks for being the loveliest, and you know, for keeping in touch and all. I think we do a good job of communicating for people who hardly ever see each other, and long may it continue, is what I say! And, you know, have a lovely birthday day!

Also, CRY BABY:

P.S. Everyone else: What I'm saying is, it's nice to have friends! Is the gist of this. Also, make sure you watch and read allllll of these things. I'm serious!

*Note: You might not want to search Tumblr for Happy Birthday gifs, for you will find many children going 'wow, you're finally 14' and feel ANCIENT.