Today (well technically the 30th) [Stuart ‘Aq’ Langridge](https://kryogenix.org/) enters yet another decrepit year on his prolonged marathon of bothering us all. Not long now and he will be fully fossilized. I am not sure what an angry ginger fossil looks like, but I am pretty sure it is hilarious.

I first met Aq in 1999 at the [Linux User Group I formed in Wolverhampton](https://wolveslug.org.uk/). Since then we have been the best of friends. We have weathered changing companies, moving countries, setting up businesses, various relationships, trying to sell houses, and spent approximately a third of our lives trying to outfox each other in debates (of which many of you may have overheard on [Bad Voltage](https://www.badvoltage.org/), [LugRadio](https://lugradio.org/), and [Shot Of Jaq](https://www.kryogenix.org/shotofjaq.html)).

At every step of the way in my life Aq has been there. He has been a friend in the truest sense of the word; he has motivated me, inspired me, told me when I am being an idiot, and kept me focused on the most important things in life. When I moved to California I was really genuinely worried we would drift apart as friends, but I am delighted that we are as close as we have ever been.

As such, I for one am thankful that approximately 125 years ago he was born on this day.

Tonight I expect to [read tweets](https://www.twitter.com/sil) as he celebrates, complaining about terrible music and the overly frothy head on his pint, while hypothesizing on yet another computer to buy that isn’t a Thinkpad. Oh, and liking ridiculous yellow sports cars. And thinking *Fear Of The Dark* is Iron Maiden’s best album. Irrespective, it is a worthy celebration.

Thanks, comrade, for everything. 🙂