I DID have a glorious birthday. It was truly wonderful, the best in years, and not only because of Rosetta Stone. It was just really, really nice. Thanks for the luck-wishing. I'm sure enjoying the hell out of it. It reminds me of when I was first starting to learn French and how obsessed I was -- everything was input, I would collar anyone within reach (back then, by paper letters sent through the mail; now by instant message), music and film were my sources apart from (and before I had) classes in school. The first French I learned was street signs and any public writing in Montreal -- it was all around me when we went there on vacation a couple of Augusts in a row, and I was completely fascinated. My French obsession was definitely not from France. Anyway, it's a deep pleasure to be learning a language again, and a sort of specific pleasure to be learning it mostly because of my own initiative. It's a struggle, without a course.