HNT - Three Wishes 2008

Every year at Christmas time, Osbasso suggests a theme of giving for HNT. The "three wishes" theme is one in which you're supposed to pick 3 other HNTers (hopefully people you don't already know well), and endow them with gifts -- these are "fantasy" gifts -- the idea is the thought behind it. Over the years this has been a fun exercise for me, because I've tried to pick new people each time and always look for someone new to learn about.

This year, however, I wanted to focus on three HNTers who, in and of themselves, are gifts to ME -- and because of this, I thought I should at least give them something back -- yes, a little something pretend, but a little something nonetheless. So, yes, I'm violating the terms of the theme, but I think I'm still following it in spirit because I think it's important to pause and pay tribute to three of the many bloggy friends I have made thanks to the HNT movement.

Lime, Bookbinder and Lecram are three bloggy friends I made over the years since participating in the weekly HNT. They have become not just bloggy friends, and though I have yet to have had the pleasure to have met any of them in person, they have made that positive difference in my life that friends can have. Each of these three people are creative, funny, insightful, playful, fascinating, intriguing and just good fun. Reading their blogs and exchanging communications with them over the years has enriched me greatly, so I thought the very least I could do is give a little something back to them.

Lime - Lime's blog posts, stories about her personal adventures and musings about the universe are interesting enough; but it was really cool to learn, through various correspondences with her, just how much the two of us have in common. In some ways she was like a long-lost sister. What I'd like to give Lime (and I'm not even sure this is something she would want, but rather something I'd love to see) is to give her her own annual 1 hour television variety show called Christmas at Lime Mountain. On it she'd include family, friends, share stories, amuse and entertain millions. I think it'd be a hit. Okay, actually, it would be a gift for us, not her. But I think she'd still have fun with it.





Bookbinder - Simply put, this friend (whose blog is locked down due to some personal issues I'm not at liberty to discuss -- those of you who recognize his new handle likely know who I mean and why I'm not revealing his name nor linking to his blog - the blog is now invitation only to protect the innocent) was easy to shop for: A case of beer (a good Canadian beer like Moosehead) and a box of classic Playboy magazines with the tasteful, sexy classic Betty Page-style pictures. Bookbinder is an easy man to please and we share such similar tastes of the finer, yet simpler pleasures of life.






Lecram - I'll never forget the first time I stumbled upon Lecram's noir-style HNT story one Thursday. Utter brilliance and a great merging of the weekly HNT ritual with creative storytelling -- I've used similar techniques borrowed from this master in my own HNT posts. I have continually returned to his blog to read more of his creative fun and have also had the distinct pleasure of reading more of his work (he is a phenomenal playwright) and even seeing recordings of performances of plays he has written. His brilliance needs to be shared with more people, and for that reason, I would endow him with the funds to do a world tour of one or more of his plays, like the wonderful "Tale End."



The gift of friendship that these three friends have given to me has meant way more than any of the imagined gifts I could come up with for them. I'm truly appreciative and consider myself blessed.

Happy HNT - Merry Christmas, or whatever translation of the seasonal greeting that bests suits your own viewpoint of the world.