Thank you all very very much
I really appreciate your well wishes a lot!
From the birthday perspective this really was a great day as I had a really nice celebration with my family and got some really nice stuff too.
From other points affecting my life at the moment I must admit life is not quite as good as it should be. I haven't told many so far but the results of my university work I got recently were not what I had hoped for. I did pass, but it is far below what I had hoped for and expected and is very little in return for all the work I had with it. On thursday I will learn if the mark (it would come down to something similar to a C) will affect my plans for the future more directly as to just lessen my chances for applications for jobs and stipends, namely by keeping me from being given the chance to write my dissertation. For someone for whom studies are really a most integral part of life all this is really a stab where it hurts most.
And as for events beyond the narrow scope of personal life I think that this evenings TV program on one of the few channels that does not report about today's national elections actually befits the outcome of those elections very well (the are airing episode III, the revenge of the sith)
Germany is now to be ruled by a coalition of parties from whom I expect really a lot of harm to come. These are not the best days of my life
The much the more do I appreciate your well wishes friends