I am unable, mostly, to celebrate my birthday with the full "21" honours it may deserve. I am sad to say that at this part of my life, I am inflicted with a painful, energy-sucking disease:
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
My: Muscle. Algic: Pain. Encephalo: Brain. Mye: Spinal Cord. Itis: Inflammation.
My: Muscle. Algic: Pain. Encephalo: Brain. Mye: Spinal Cord. Itis: Inflammation.
It causes me great pain and disability throughout all areas of my life, and it is disappointing to admit that I am now unable to see the people I have met throughout these 21 years. Although I cannot see my friends, I have collected from them 21 things that make me up. It's undoubtedly not nice being unwell, but all that is certainly lessened by the nice things I have received here.
ONE
For years, and even now, Dave has been suggesting books and games for me. He'd say, "Loz, I think you should read this, it's really really good." And I'd dismiss it, and forget about it, now I'm not sure why, I was just too scared to try anything! He'd keep at it though, and try so very hard to encourage me. Eventually he'd sit with me while I would play the game or left me alone to read the book, and after time, I'd come back and I'd say: "Dave! That was brilliant! Oh my goodness! Best game ever!" And I can honestly say that this has happened more than three times. Of course, I have now learnt to appreciate if someone tells you "You will like this", because they are thinking about you and are being kind enough to share something with you - I now believe that we should all take the time to respect this. - Loz
For years, and even now, Dave has been suggesting books and games for me. He'd say, "Loz, I think you should read this, it's really really good." And I'd dismiss it, and forget about it, now I'm not sure why, I was just too scared to try anything! He'd keep at it though, and try so very hard to encourage me. Eventually he'd sit with me while I would play the game or left me alone to read the book, and after time, I'd come back and I'd say: "Dave! That was brilliant! Oh my goodness! Best game ever!" And I can honestly say that this has happened more than three times. Of course, I have now learnt to appreciate if someone tells you "You will like this", because they are thinking about you and are being kind enough to share something with you - I now believe that we should all take the time to respect this. - Loz
TWO
You are sentimental and display deep emotional attachments for everyone you have encountered in your life, maintaining friendships that last years despite very light contact. - Phil
You are sentimental and display deep emotional attachments for everyone you have encountered in your life, maintaining friendships that last years despite very light contact. - Phil
THREE
For me, meeting people one on one is better than meeting in groups. Quite nicely, David thinks the same. When you spend time with him, he's able to make you feel that you're the most important person in the world. Which is great! - Adam
For me, meeting people one on one is better than meeting in groups. Quite nicely, David thinks the same. When you spend time with him, he's able to make you feel that you're the most important person in the world. Which is great! - Adam
FOUR
When David is mean about people it's almost always about the same people I also don't like, and for much the same reasons. For someone as friendly as David, it's nice to know we are similar when such a thing occurs, and it is a great relief to one's sanity. - Oscar
When David is mean about people it's almost always about the same people I also don't like, and for much the same reasons. For someone as friendly as David, it's nice to know we are similar when such a thing occurs, and it is a great relief to one's sanity. - Oscar
FIVE
You see the good side to everyone, no matter what they’ve done. - Jason
You see the good side to everyone, no matter what they’ve done. - Jason
SIX
No matter how terrible he feels, he is always thinking of other people and trying to make them feel happy and comfortable. - Naomi
No matter how terrible he feels, he is always thinking of other people and trying to make them feel happy and comfortable. - Naomi
SEVEN
You are full of hope, light and creativity which you can instil into others, and the will to never give up. - Andrew
You are full of hope, light and creativity which you can instil into others, and the will to never give up. - Andrew
EIGHT
Reliability. I like to make plans for everything. I don't mind doing something spontaneously, but I'd enjoy it much more if it had been planned. David thinks likewise. If he and I make a plan, I'll look forward to it and it will happen. He's one of the most reliable people I know and it's certainly a very admirable quality. - Adam
Reliability. I like to make plans for everything. I don't mind doing something spontaneously, but I'd enjoy it much more if it had been planned. David thinks likewise. If he and I make a plan, I'll look forward to it and it will happen. He's one of the most reliable people I know and it's certainly a very admirable quality. - Adam
NINE
You are always compassionate and understanding of whatever ailments befell your friends and peers, putting them first. I could come to you at any point in the day and you would take five minutes for me, to at least hear me rant, you would not judge me despite the fact that I would turn up late and I knew it bothered you. I could be hungover or still drunk from the night before, or have even gotten high and you would basically just take me as I was, as if I was good to work with, still coherent, still thinking clearly, you would just get on with me and not treat me like any less of a person or lecture me about how I was wasting my life away. - Phil
You are always compassionate and understanding of whatever ailments befell your friends and peers, putting them first. I could come to you at any point in the day and you would take five minutes for me, to at least hear me rant, you would not judge me despite the fact that I would turn up late and I knew it bothered you. I could be hungover or still drunk from the night before, or have even gotten high and you would basically just take me as I was, as if I was good to work with, still coherent, still thinking clearly, you would just get on with me and not treat me like any less of a person or lecture me about how I was wasting my life away. - Phil
TEN
He never gets angry in situations and levels of pain where any other normal people would break down and cry or at the very least get grumpy and be very short with people. Trust me I know how ratty and unreasonable I get just from having migraines, the similar pain of which is a fraction of what David has to endure regularly. It's when I feel this bad and, knowing he feels worse, I realise all the more how lovely, strong and such a good friend he is when he is trying to take care of me. - Naomi
He never gets angry in situations and levels of pain where any other normal people would break down and cry or at the very least get grumpy and be very short with people. Trust me I know how ratty and unreasonable I get just from having migraines, the similar pain of which is a fraction of what David has to endure regularly. It's when I feel this bad and, knowing he feels worse, I realise all the more how lovely, strong and such a good friend he is when he is trying to take care of me. - Naomi
ELEVEN
As children, we were lucky enough to have a family video camera. With this, Dave and I spent hours and hours using our creative minds to write scripts, act, film and just play around. It was mainly Dave who wrote the scripts and was doing most of the camera work and was a very calm director. We had a right laugh watching the tapes back of our work and it is nice to see that we actually thought about what we were to film, I mean, come on folks, it's got to be interesting! - Loz
As children, we were lucky enough to have a family video camera. With this, Dave and I spent hours and hours using our creative minds to write scripts, act, film and just play around. It was mainly Dave who wrote the scripts and was doing most of the camera work and was a very calm director. We had a right laugh watching the tapes back of our work and it is nice to see that we actually thought about what we were to film, I mean, come on folks, it's got to be interesting! - Loz
TWELVE
The nicest and wittiest guy I know who can make a whole room laugh without using a dirty word. - Andrew
The nicest and wittiest guy I know who can make a whole room laugh without using a dirty word. - Andrew
THIRTEEN
You have the potential to change lives! Create future amazing people, with the biggest and best imagination in the world. - Jason
You have the potential to change lives! Create future amazing people, with the biggest and best imagination in the world. - Jason
FOURTEEN
David has a good understanding of "classic" "British" comedy, and has written some great comedy sketches. They are a joy to read, and are very inspiring. - Oscar
David has a good understanding of "classic" "British" comedy, and has written some great comedy sketches. They are a joy to read, and are very inspiring. - Oscar
FIFTEEN
For being my best friend and always being there for me. - Andrew
For being my best friend and always being there for me. - Andrew
SIXTEEN
One of the happiest parts of my life has been at the end of a school or college day and I get to walk home with my Brother. Sometimes I would have art last lesson, and I could see the front gates from my seat, and usually my class would over-run, and I'd see my brother standing there, rain or shine, just outside the gates, waiting for me. I'd run down the stairs and couldn't wait for him to tell me funny stories about his day to cheer me up. When it got to college, our timetables were different, so I didn't get to walk with him so much. But one of the funnest (is that a word?) days was after a tiring and slightly dull day at college, I met Dave, and we set off for home. It was super windy and we had such fun trying to walk against the strength of it. And of course, it got to the point where Dave left college, and I still had one year left, and it was one of the loneliest years of my life, walking to and from college in silence, thinking about him at university. - Loz
One of the happiest parts of my life has been at the end of a school or college day and I get to walk home with my Brother. Sometimes I would have art last lesson, and I could see the front gates from my seat, and usually my class would over-run, and I'd see my brother standing there, rain or shine, just outside the gates, waiting for me. I'd run down the stairs and couldn't wait for him to tell me funny stories about his day to cheer me up. When it got to college, our timetables were different, so I didn't get to walk with him so much. But one of the funnest (is that a word?) days was after a tiring and slightly dull day at college, I met Dave, and we set off for home. It was super windy and we had such fun trying to walk against the strength of it. And of course, it got to the point where Dave left college, and I still had one year left, and it was one of the loneliest years of my life, walking to and from college in silence, thinking about him at university. - Loz
SEVENTEEN
David and I share many common interests. If I've read, or watched, a line that I quite liked, I'll often slip it into conversations later. I'm always making these small little references, but nobody ever seems to get them. David on the otherhand, with his lovely bookishness, often does. - Adam
David and I share many common interests. If I've read, or watched, a line that I quite liked, I'll often slip it into conversations later. I'm always making these small little references, but nobody ever seems to get them. David on the otherhand, with his lovely bookishness, often does. - Adam
EIGHTEEN
One time David arranged an extra-curricular workshop but nobody showed up but me. Despite this, David persisted with the workshop anyway, as he rarely shies away from having faith in the ability of others and helping them find that. - Oscar
One time David arranged an extra-curricular workshop but nobody showed up but me. Despite this, David persisted with the workshop anyway, as he rarely shies away from having faith in the ability of others and helping them find that. - Oscar
NINETEEN
You inspired me and others to do what we believed to be better. - Phil
You inspired me and others to do what we believed to be better. - Phil
TWENTY
You always know the right thing and the right answer to every problem I have in my life which in turn makes me happy and then laugh about how much of a total genius you are. - Jason
You always know the right thing and the right answer to every problem I have in my life which in turn makes me happy and then laugh about how much of a total genius you are. - Jason
TWENTY-ONE
He is the kindest, cleverest and most considerate person I've ever met, and I feel lucky to know him: he's a mixture of all my favourite people: Stephen Fry, The Doctor, Sherlock Holmes, Derren Brown and Professor Brian Cox. I never thought such a cool guy would exist, and yet here he is turning 21 :)
Hope you had a great birthday, and that we get to celebrate many more, my very dear friend. - Naomi
He is the kindest, cleverest and most considerate person I've ever met, and I feel lucky to know him: he's a mixture of all my favourite people: Stephen Fry, The Doctor, Sherlock Holmes, Derren Brown and Professor Brian Cox. I never thought such a cool guy would exist, and yet here he is turning 21 :)
Hope you had a great birthday, and that we get to celebrate many more, my very dear friend. - Naomi