Reasons to be thankful - all beginning with the same letter. The lovely curiouswombat gave me W.

Wilkes - my maiden name, and thus my family. My Dad was amazing, funny and clever, and I still miss him a lot. Mum is still with us, if a little frail, and very dear to me. And my brother has two lovely children, one just married and working on a PhD in ancient stone axes, and the other getting All Of The Prizes for studying Hard Sums at Oxford.

Writing. - I've always enjoyed writing, but the world of fandom really liberated that side of me. Now I'm actually doing "serious" writing as part of my MA course, with a piece of original YA fiction, and working on some other stuff for a writers in schools project.

Watching Buffy - because I had to fit it in somehow, didn't I? Nearly a decade after the show finished, and I still love rewatching episodes and reading amazing fic and meta - such a deep, layered universe, and so many intriguing concepts which still absorb me. Plus, nekkid Spike.

Women's liberation - well, feminism in general, to which I owe a great deal, as do all women of my age and most others. I have a vote, I was paid exactly the same rate for the job as a man, I was able to make my own choices about working and families. And I got to read Luce Irigaray and Julie Kristeva. Modfied yay, then.

Wonderful daughters - Two, both now out in "the real world", one a gorgeous blonde, the other a fabulous brunette, both interesting, intelligent, talented, kind and overall just good company. I am shameless in my pride in my lovely girls.



Warwick University - because they accepted me on my MA course and let me do it part time, so I have two years in which I can talk my way into auditing extra classes and use the library and have access to amazing resources like JStor. OK, it's not Durham, but it's a lot more convenient!

WriterconUK, which will be returning to its normally-scheduled slot in August, which means certain amongst us need to get down to a few more details around now, but which is always a highlight of my year - fandom friends, all happy to be geeky, sharing jokes and ideas and talking into the wee small hours.

Well-and-truly-married - Dave and I were married in August 1978. I was a child-bride, honestly, barely legal. (If you believe that...) - and I am still enormously thankful for my husband, who is also my best friend, my support in calamity, my companion in fun and exploration.

If anyone wants a letter, feel free to ask. Oh yes, that's me in the icon, for folks new round these parts.