well it's not quite january yet, but since i'm not coming home till june i am putting out the birthday wishlist now. you know how dylan thomas says in child's christmas that there are the useful kinds of presents and the "useless" presents? can i just say that this year i only want the useless kind? party heels and high boots and flirty skirts and dresses i won't be wearing till i get home and children's books and flowers and fun things - i could do with more frivolous things in my life now - particularly as i have an exam scheduled on my birthday. i would really not mind:

a) gift cards for anthropologie or something off the list.
b) books! there is the amazon wishlist for reference, but you know, as with books, surprise me. gift certs for amazon are also perfectly good.
c) ebay gift certs so i can recklessly go on bidding on completely useless and frivolous things.
d) a potted orchid