You're welcome! Hope you had a great birthday!

Oh by the way, have you seen the updated Dare family tree? Apparently we're now married.

Hey Asty! Thanks for both the birthday wishes and the "dandy lion" last week.

Thanks for the friend request!

It's a bloody travesty I haven't befriended you before now. :3

Thanks Rew!

I was really surprised when people didn't seem to be taking my point seriously, so I wondered if maybe I should've changed the tone of my original post. I'm relieved though by what you and Mr Spork have said, since it means I'm not the only one here who believes it's an interesting point, even though at first glance it seems trivial. As you said, words and labels are very important indeed.

If it makes you feel any better, I agree with your sentiments in the Northern Hemisphere chauvinism thread.

I'd never actually thought of it that way, to be honest--blind spots are the largest right underneath your nose! (Also, I can't help but think that all the antagonism you received in that thread--by almost all of my fellow NH'ers, I believe--really tends to cement the fact that it's genuine chauvinism and an elitist attitude that prevents them from thinking in any way differently or of considering that there's an underlying import to the way we label and give things names. After all, names are extremely important.)

As for the awards, it probably would be best to refer to them as mid-year and end-of-year (or New Year?) awards.