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Max Barry wrote the novels Syrup, Jennifer Government, and Company, and the serial Machine Man. He also created the online game NationStates and once found a sock full of pennies.

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Thu 27
Aug
2009

Stranged

Max Finlay loves to strangeOne morning recently I climbed the stairs to my study, coffee in hand, and found a pile of books on the top step. There was a Swedish Jennifer Government, a Polish Company, and four or five others. The front panel of my computer case was missing: I eventually found it inside the roofspace, along with my Richmond Tigers scarf.

I went back downstairs and confronted my daughter. “Have you been moving my things around?”

She grinned, one of those ridiculously beautiful ear-to-ear smiles, and said: “I stranged your room.”

Since then, Fin has stranged my study several more times. Once I heard movement up there, called out, “Are you strangeing my study?” and she giggled and admitted yes. She loves to strange.

Today she turns four. Happy birthday, bunny. Thank you for strangeing my life.

Comments

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Machine Man subscriber Danni Matzk (#357)

Location: England
Quote: "Eagerly awaiting the European Tour."
Posted: 336 days ago

She's so sweet, and getting so big.

Happy Birthday, Fin :)

Machine Man subscriber Arnab (#3918)

Location: Brisbane
Quote: "Now, I don't know Max, I've never met Max, or know anything about him, but I have it on good authority, that he is, in fact, a werewolf."
Posted: 336 days ago

I'm pretty sure it's illegal to be that friggin' adorable.

Machine Man subscriber Karen (#2180)

Location: at home
Quote: "Question authority, not your mother!"
Posted: 336 days ago

How can she already be turing four - she was just born!

Brittany O. (#1688)

Location: Montana
Quote: "hello sunshine"
Posted: 336 days ago

Nothing like waking with a case of insomnia to a Max post! Happy birthday Fin. Correct me if I am wrong. This says strange... How cute.

Ajna (#3795)

Location: USA, or so I'd have them think...
Quote: "And on the third day, Max Barry said "Let there be light!", and shortly thereafter, I assume, he was told to "Be quiet, it is way too early for that crap.""
Posted: 336 days ago

Someone else woke up to this post with insomnia? There's a trend! (An aside. If you wake up at 5:15 everyday, the most painful experience ever is to wake up at 4:45.)

And for Fin: Happy Birthday, from an Internet stranger (the best kind)!

I think that when Fin is a teenager and her (or her friends) find your blog pages on her, it will be "entertaining."

Marleen (#2741)

Location: Berlin, Germany
Quote: "I want more expensive shoes in one place than I've ever seen in my whole life."
Posted: 336 days ago

Oh my God, how cute is that??

Joscelyn (#754)

Location: California,USA
Posted: 336 days ago

oh goodness, really 4? that means ive been reading this here blog that long because one of the first comments if not the first I made was about naming her. and oh she is just too cute, Happy Birthday

Machine Man subscriber gStein (#585)

Location: 127.0.0.1
Quote: "That's not change! That's more of the same!"
Posted: 336 days ago

@Joscelyn: i was trying to figure out how long i've been reading max, and it's been easily 5 years (found out about nationstates mid 2004)

Frédéric Meurin (#2820)

Location: France
Posted: 336 days ago

Shit happens. Happiness does too. Happy birthday Fin.

Emily (#1135)

Location: ceruleantown.com
Quote: "The sky is falling..."
Posted: 336 days ago

Wow... four already? That means I've been here a long time too, I remember all the posts you made when she was first born.

Machine Man subscriber Katrina (#847)

Location: SF, CA
Quote: "Good sex is like good Bridge: if you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand." -- Mae West"
Posted: 336 days ago

omg that's so cute. Yay for little girls o/

Picto (#64)

Location: United Kingdom
Quote: "Who is more foolish, the child afraid of the dark or the man afraid of the light? - Maurice Freehill"
Posted: 336 days ago

Strangeing? Oh, the things that children come up with. Happy birthday to her! :)

How did the public write go, Max?

Maarten schroders (#4382)

Location: West Terschelling, Netherlands
Quote: "why yes I do hate God, thats nothing personal, I hate all insane powerhorny mass murdering pschycos that tell me what I should do"
Posted: 336 days ago

shes gonna make some guy (or girl, never know) very happy by stranging their own house, nothing like finding your suitcase buries under the basement to take away the stress of a otherwise hectic morning.

Happy birthday Fin.

I just realised, a whole lot of anoumynous people, mainly geeks and other lowlifes are all being kept up on the life of your daugther, man is she gonna hate you when she grows up :p

Machine Man subscriber Todd (#3429)

Location: New York
Quote: "It's fun to have fun but you have to know how."
Posted: 336 days ago

My favorite posts are always about Fin.

Allison Maxted (#327)

Location: Caledonia, Ontario, Canada
Quote: "Why do the mice keep voting for the cats?"
Posted: 336 days ago

Has she been watching the Edukators?

Aaron the Evil HR Guy (#2252)

Location: Denver
Quote: "'The HR Department is a breeding ground for monsters' Michael Scott"
Posted: 336 days ago

You know I'm a single guy, never been terribly interested in kids (they're expensive!) but I've always thought Fin was absolutely adorable and your stories and pictures always make me smile! If I ever have a momentary lapse of reason and end up having one of my own, I hope she's just like Fin!
Happy Birthday Fin! I hope you sock dad for lots of presents!

Hugo Edwards (#3925)

Location: Philadelphia
Quote: ""Science!""
Posted: 336 days ago

How cute/adorable/a million other related adjectives. Happy birthday Fin!

Machine Man subscriber Randy (#2374)

Location: Ravena, NY
Quote: "I could write a book about being lazy. I just don't feel like it."
Posted: 336 days ago

Ah, kids...the greatest life changing experience that you wouldn't trade for anything.

Machine Man subscriber Katie Ellert (#207)

Location: Calgary AB Canada
Quote: "Where's Lola? WHERE'S LOLA?!?!"
Posted: 335 days ago

I can't believe she's four already, I remember when you guys were about to have her!

Happy birthday Fin!

Also, I think I have to agree with Todd, that some of my favorite blogs are those about Fin. She's super cute. :)

Elos (#4422)

Location: Poland
Posted: 334 days ago

Happy Birthday to Fin!
I just had to post a comment, as you mentioned Polish 'Company', which I read last Sunday.It was so great! If you have a gigantic readers' list somewhere, you can add me:))

Machine Man subscriber Morlok8k (#4133)

Location: Pluto
Quote: "I like stuff..."
Posted: 332 days ago

I assume "stranged" is a made up word, but as an American, I would not be surprised if it was a term used in Australia. Either way, it's cute.

Machine Man subscriber Xavier Desroches (#1840)

Location: Longueuil, Qc, Ca
Quote: "Smile, Tommorow Will Be Worse... - Murphy"
Posted: 324 days ago

The first thing I taught about when I looked at Fin's picture BEFORE reading was :
- Wow... she was just born yesterday...

The first thing I taught about when I looked at Fin's picture AFTER reading was :
- So annoyingly cute.

Happy birthday miss. I'm sorry four being late ;-)

Michael Ricksand (#2212)

Location: Terra
Quote: "You do not have a right to be stupid."
Posted: 311 days ago

I'm pretty sure Fin's the textbook definition of So darn ke-yeeewt! (Or as we Swedes say: Så förbaskat söt!)

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