I -- wow, I have even more respect and love for this story now and I had ridiculous quantities of both beforehand.

That xkcd strip you mention is pretty much my very favourite, so I'm -- so incredibly glad the sentiment made it in, and that you thought of the strip specifically. That's brilliant.

I was too tired to mention it the first time around, but the apple peel metaphor is my single favourite line of the whole story.

I still love you so much for writing this.