a small thing i made for you

happy birthday,
cat

i wanted to give you something that lasts a bit longer than a text. so here's a little corner of the internet about you - the memories, the songs, and a few things i never want you to forget.

what makes you, you

you feel everything.
that's the best thing about you.

somewhere along the way the world tried to tell you that feeling deeply was "a lot". it isn't. it never was.

you remember the details other people breeze past. you notice when someone's a little off before they've said a word. you show up. you love people properly - the kind of properly that's genuinely rare.

so today isn't only "happy birthday". it's thank you for being exactly like this.

the origin story

the day you saved me

what a wild time. also, what a wild story we captured below (burke!)

cat listening at the cafe
"who's burke?"
cat reacting to the answer
pizza night with the crew
pizza with the crew

a story we'll never live down

scott

remember going to the bar and scott talking to that girl from brazil for 12.5 seconds, and then telling me i had rizz level 1000 hahaha

scott plaiting cat's hair
scott...learning??

another one for the record

big buck hunter

cat playing the arcade game
someone here is in danger (probably behind the camera 🫣)

things you've taught me

you taught me to curl

honestly, what a favourite memory. i still have the video of you yelling out enthusiastic, positive encouragement from the other end of the rink. what a gem.

cat teaching matt to curl
you, teaching me. the patience of a saint.
cat in a curling match
you, in a real match, being excellent (no surprises).

a great day, start to finish

the golden larches

the larches, the light....the dog!! 😅😅

the drive out to the mountains
cat laughing at the dog in a backpack
matt and cat at the top

i'm not sure i've ever seen you laugh harder than you did at that dog.

the soundtrack

a playlist, and the nights behind it

sooo, i have a habit of turning up at your most stressful moments.

there was the med school application - possibly the most stressed i have ever seen a human being. you were up to your eyeballs; i was up until 3, maybe 4, keeping a client from lawyering up. neither of us should have been awake. but i have such a glow about this memory - not only because you somehow solved that freakin payment gateway, but also because the music was deliciously comforting while we stress-worked in different rooms.

NEVER MENTION THE CREDIT CARD (lol)

cat eating at her desk, working late

so i put together this playlist of songs that remind me of that night - yet hopefully to never be repeated

words to keep

so you never have to go looking for them

i hope you remember that feeling everything deeply is a strength. it means you love deeply, care deeply, and show up for people in a way that's pretty rare. that's your superpower 🤗
i'm really glad i know you, cat.
thanks so much for being you.
i hope you have the kind of day you'd give everyone else.

sending you lots of love

matt

ps. and yes, kiwis are still the worst, i know.