Three birthdays today, in ascending order of importance to me

Wishing a very happy birthday today to all of the following:

• adamek, better half of ailsaek
• suecochran, old and dear friend, fellow filker and occasional accompanist
• and last but by no means least, she who gives meaning to my life and solace to my heart—the one and only Songbird, singing_phoenix. Over seven years now we've been together, living in the same house and in separate ones...and while it's true we've had our ups and downs, on the whole my life is immeasurably better for her having been a part of it. Thank you, my darling...and here's to me telling you so in person very shortly.

It's almost time to "Light One Candle"

Last weekend, I had the delight and privilege of leading GAFia's annual holiday housefilk crowd in this song, with sffilk fittingly providing guitar accompaniment (thank you, Michael). I thought it apropos in light (so to speak) of the fact that the yearly Jewish festival of lights known as Chanukah begins in just 13 days.

But as with any song, nobody does it like the one what wrote it...especially when they have a beautiful choir of children backing them up. So I present to you this YouTube clip of the song being performed by its author, Peter Yarrow, and his equally famous old friends and bandmates Mary Travers and Noel "Paul" Stookey, with chorus, from a PBS special of theirs a few years back. Pete's lyrics take what would otherwise be simply one creed's celebration of its own holy occasion and turns it into an even more holy and stirring anthem of hope and justice for people of all faiths, creeds and backgrounds.

"Light One Candle" by Peter, Paul and Mary with the New York Choral Society Kids

Once again, the annual bulletin from the FBI

Transcribed verbatim from the FBI.gov website:
( Suspect was last seen wearing a bright red suit with white fur trim... )