My little buddy, Danny the Sun Conure, died today of sudden respiratory distress.

I was assigned to hand-raise this tiny, charismatic baby bird on the first day of my very first job ten years ago, but didn’t end up able to let anyone else take him home.

I can’t imagine the new year without his maniacal laughter at the shrieks B horror movie victims and the countless video game characters I attempt to kill in every possible way (not to mention the endless snuggles – whenever he felt like it, anyway). Monopoly Middle Earth will ever be safe from the dreaded Sun Nazgûl.

Seeya, little love.