A thank you to Tanya...

I think it was early in 2001 or maybe late in 2000 that I actually found an old "King" tape and put it in the cassette player of my car. I started to hear the songs on there in a way I hadn' heard them before. I got a hold of "Star" then, and I continued to totally fall in love with your music. I didn't know it at the time, but looking back, I think I was preparing for the end of the not-so-great relationship I was in.

By March 2002, and I was living alone in a little seaside town outside of Vancouver with my two cats. I ran across Slumberland by accident, and signed up when I found out there might be a chance you'd be touring. I had never been on any message boards before ~ my little brother had a nasty experience, and I was a bit paranoid.

I eventually discovered how great it was to be able to come on and write back and forth with various people all over the world, many of whom I had NOTHING in common with, other than the fact that we all loved your music. Due to my new found freedom, I spent a lot of time on the board, discovering new music, new friends, etc. I loved the fact that through IMing I could have these long, cathartic, back and forth conversations, but still be selective about who I talked to and how much I said. It was GREAT!

After your show at Richards on Richards that year, I went home and was SO exhilarated, I just HAD to talk to (or write) someone. I had been IMing back and forth with a certain British Slumberdude, Peter, so I sat down and wrote a big excited review of the show, and emailed it to him, rather than IMing. I don't know if that made a difference, but that's when we started to email each other regularly.

Peter became my Online Human Journal (poor guy) and got the brunt of my bitterness when I really needed to write things down. But exchanging letters like that with someone in another country can be SUCH an eye-opening experience. Not just to their world, but to your own as well. Plus, he's got really great taste in music, and he became my music guru. :)

What made it really great though, was the fact that he became my new best friend, and that was IT. There was no romantic involvement, he knew about my crushes and escapades on 'girls nights outs' etc, and I knew about his. I tried to coach him whenever I could, into asking girls out, or sending them flowers, or whatever. It was fun! Even back then, I wanted to write you a thank you for 'indirectly introducing' us.

Peter decided to take a waaaaaay overdue holiday in May of 2003, and we had'talked about how fun it would be if he ever came to Vancouver. So, he planned his trip, and I was suddenly faced with possibly losing my new best friend... I was scared to death that things would change.

Well things TOTALLY changed. We completely hit it off, and within an hour of picking the poor exhausted guy up at the airport, I knew that I didn't want him to go back to England. Ever.

Of course, he had to go back, but since that May, Peter has been to Vancouver five times, including a six month stay last fall. Now I'm living in the UK, in the same house where he mixed all those great CDs! Each of us has had a number pf personal difficulties over the past couple years, and I for one, can say that I don't know what I would have done without him. Sorry if that sounds cheesy. It's true though. :)

We were both back in Vancouver recently to visit, and to pick up my two cats who are now here with us (What an ordeal THAT was!). While in Vancouver, we were having dinner at our favourite pasta place (on Hastings), and he PROPOSED!!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! It was a complete surprise, because we really hadn't talked about it much. But it was perfect, perfect timing and everything.

So I thought this was as good a time as any to express my gratitude, because if it weren't for you, I would never have met Peter, or any of the other super Slumberbuddies I've made on here. I can't tell you just how much your music and lyrics have meant to me over the years... and I have no idea where I would be right now if it weren't for you and Slumberland... from the top, bottom and middle of my heart... thank you.

Lots of love and hugs,

Moonbeam
(Corrie)
xoxoxo