Don't make me use my handbag!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Celebrations!
Geez... I had a thoughtful, theological introspective (yeah, those two can go together without me being God, honest!) post to write, but that's gone out the window for now. I guess that's what happens when you leave blogging to 10pm on a weeknight.
Before I get into the subject at hand, I found a book in the public library (where I spend about a quarter of my lunchtimes these days) about Christians who suffer from insomnia. I've only read the first chapter, but the basic premise is that once you get over the various fears and concerns and bitterness etc. that generally accompanies insomnia, it can be a precious gift to any Christian (in terms of opening up intercessory prayer and contemplation times, I think. I haven't got that far yet). It's actually a thought I've had myself many, many times ("God, am I struggling to sleep because you want me to pray/get closer to you?"), so it's intriguing to see it published. I'll let you know if I get anywhere with it.
Anyway, the primary celebration I've just returned from is my sister's going-away family dinner (at the Matterhorn restaurant in Cuba Mall - VERY tasty. And I got $30 off thanks to one of the many vouchers in the Entertainment Guide - great deal!). I don't have much to say about it, other than that I'll miss her, and wish her all the best. And that my parents are once more making plans to go and visit her when she's over there (then again, they seemed pretty set this time last year of accompanying her over - which would mean that I'd be preparing to go to USA RIGHT NOW, but you know. These things [don't] happen).
The other celebration will be tomorrow night. Actually, it's not so much a celebration as drinks after work. But there was yet another step taken today (two, actually) towards me being made a solicitor. Starting from next week, I'll be half-secretary (mornings) and half solicitor, with the ratios changing (for the better) pretty quickly. I'm very pleased. And, after the drinks, Izzie and I are off to see (the wizard) Steven Curtis Chapman. Which will be nice.
In other news, I got a (long-awaited) painting today from my wonderful friend Charissa (via her Dad, apparently. I was at lunch). It's an awesome painting based on an iconic photo from our Chile mission trip, with a very fitting bible verse across it (which my workmates wondered about!) I was quite surprised, honestly, because I didn't know she was such a good painter! I have such arty friends, it's truely cool.
Finally, a few comments:
Abbey: Yep, you're irreplacable. No question about it.
Mel: You found Howick Elim stunningly different from Dunedin Elim? Explain how, please! I'm curious! I did only go to one (night) service, which could be the 'problem'...
Sam: Stop being a sympathy-monger about your insomnia, you fool!
Oh, wait...
Becs: Nope. I've done longer. Anyone remember what the official word count was on that REALLY long one (maybe a year and a half ago?)
Katie: I'd be keen to try a motorbike. Maybe one day. I don't think Dave P will ever let me try his, though!
Angus Khan: Gus... replacement? I think I'm going to be sick. :-) But see my reply to your comment in the actual comments. Um, yeah.
Aunt Donnave: Aw... you got me. Not only was it late, but I'd been drinking cocktails all night. That's my excuse.
Sara: Hey, 'incomparable' is like 'irreplacable', but at the start of a friendship. Remember: SAAAAAAWWWWWWAAAAAHHHHH... FWEEEEEND!
Carmi: Don't forget the chutney (okay, okay, I know you didn't comment, but I had to say it. Your face had to say it. I think it's illegal to have more written in parentheses than out of parentheses. I should know, I'm half a lawyer. Which makes me 'law'. I AM THE LAW!)
Pom: See my comment-reply. You should write to Corban and say: "Hey, you're just jealous. Jealous of MY PLACE in Carmi's heart." Yeah. Yeah. That'd be funny.
Heh, chutney.
Finally, as both a reward for those of you who have read the entire post and as a substitute for the aborted theological post that never was (tautology much?): KILLING THE BUDDHA. A site about searching for God. Includes an article about a Buddhist exploring evangelical Christianity, and one about an unbelieving daughter in a praying-in-tongues family. To be honest, I haven't read it too much, but it's not preachy (in fact, I'm not even sure it's in support of any one religion, more like seeking/faith in general) nor even iconoclastic.
On the other hand, maybe I just wanted to use the word 'iconoclastic' in a post. You decide.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
The Auckland Blues...
10 Rules for knowing you're wrong.
Ah. The four-day weekend has come to an end. And it was a good weekend - not too long, not too short (although an extra half-day wouldn't have gone amiss). I left work an hour early on Friday night to hurriedly pack (you know me, I can't just throw stuff in a small bag). Unfortunately, as my sister had just left to go on holiday with my parents, this also involved cleaning the house as best I could given the available time.
Which wasn't very good.
Anyways, Jeremy and I arrived at Dave's place in Hastings at about 11:30, after a four and a half hour drive (with a 30 minute stop at trusty Maccers) in the dark. With a foggy windscreen and a Jeremy whose grasp of English was rapidly failing. Perhaps it was the altitude. Nonetheless, this didn't deter him from trying. Oh, the hilarity. A nice glass of Chardonnay and a chat with Dave's model-plane building father preceded hitting the sheets, which Jeremy and I did in Dave's rather cool sleepout/flat 'round the back. Neither of us slept well.
On Saturday, after a scrummy (yes, scrummy) pancake breakfast, we set off at around 10 for Auckland, sending sporadic texts to our future host, the Carmster, and our friend Jess, who had unfortunately (for her - fortunately for us!) had a tire-puncture on her motor-scooter and thus missed the bus to her friend's (actually, our friend - Rach B. [not THAT Rach B.!]) wedding in Hamilton. We arrived at Carmi's at around 4:35 (as I has predicted to the minute about four hours' prior to that), to find Carmi talking excitedly on the phone to none other than Miss Abigail! Whom we all enjoyed an all-too-brief "hello" with. Carmi walked with her boys (who would later be known as her "Boyfull of Cars!" in a Spooneriffic moment of Freudian insight) to the beach, and we returned exhausted (hey, we'd been driving all day!) to her mother's delicious South Afican cooking. Mmmm mincey-cheesey-thing-on-rice. This was, naturally, after we had gone to the local supermarket to purchase some chutney. And other items. After dinner, we grabbed the Jess-monster from her flat (after briefly admiring her admittedly mind-bogglingly-cool attic space!) and headed to Mission Bay, where we enjoyed a drink (ranging from a cappucino to a frangelico), a laugh, and a corner booth. We ended the evening by joining the 'skanks and hoons' (as they are apparently officially known) on Queen Street, driving our packed car up the road blasting Simon and Garfunkel as loud as the speakers could handle it. Some were impressed; others were very unhappy to be told that Jesus loves Mrs. Robinson more than she will know. Whoa-oh-oh. Methinks they just didn't get it. That night, I slept head-to-tail in the same bed as David. I did not sleep well.
Sunday morning brought a long-deserved sleep-in and preparation for the lunchtime party - Cutting Edge style. Having purchased the pre-cooked chicken and trusty Coke from the supermarket, we waited an hour after the official party start time... and then the people arrived. Typical. CE-slackness surpasses bounds of city, status and labelling. Carmi's friends were...
Were...
Hehe, I'm just doing that to annoy her. She seems to care what we think about them. Fair enough, I guess. But she can rest assured - and I'm sure she knows so by now - that they are, in fact, cool enough. The infamous Corban appears to be more of a Dave replacement than a Sam replacement (possibly some combination of the two of us, but less weird); while the Sara girl is less like Abbey and more like Jo, I think. Actually, she was rather... incomparable, to be honest. I think that's a compliment. I can see how Carmi and she would 'click' so well.
Anyway, after lunch (I should add that there were other people at the party, who were also friendly, interesting people, but I didn't get to know them that well) we watched a whole bunch of CEOscar videos (still funny, mostly) and played the name game (with the famous names in a hat, two teams, three rounds of guessing... my Wellington friend calls it Super-charades. I snobbed that suggestion). Jeremy went to visit his cousin for the evening, while Dave and Carmi and I went to watch Carmi's team (most of whom were at lunch) play indoor netball. Which did look like fun, and Carmi's team do seem to have some talent. Dave joined them for the game, he was pretty good. Like a stretchy monkey. Regardless, they lost. But they were winning for the first half. We went to Carmi's church shortly after, Howick Elim. I was simultaneously surprised at how similar it was to Dunedin Elim and at how much I had 'moved on' from that style of church. And yet, I recognise that it actually IS different strokes for different folks - that WORKS for some people. Not for me (well, mostly). I can see Carmi fitting in well there.
We went to Denny's after church with Jess, Sara and Corban (apparently Denny's [a chain family restaurant open 24 hours] is a post-night-church tradition - I know of other Auckland churches who do it too). Dave and I decided to go on Jess' scooter - halfway each. Dave did the first part no worries. I almost died multiple times. Seriously, I probably shouldn't have jumped straight onto an Auckland street with that thing. Luckily they were mostly carless. But not only was I not used to steering a bike, I was not used to the clutch and the brakes being so close to each other. All the death-defying foolishness aside... that made it so much more fun! I mean, yeah, could have been seriously hurt, but hey... you gotta go some time. Living on the edge.
Ironically, it's probably the deep-fried ice cream I had at Denny's that would have had the bigger impact on my health. Whups. Nothing of much note happened at Denny's, except that Sara immediately got into my good books by ripping into me at every possible occassion. You gotta respect someone like that. She kinda ruined it by turning to Carmi every ten minutes and asking if she was being too harsh. Still, you reap what you sow. And so(w) she did. We said our goodbyes to Jess, again. I hope I'll see her again this year, she's such a great girl. That night, I again slept head-to-tail in the same bed as David. I did not sleep well.
Monday was zoo day. We all went to the zoo. Auckland zoo. On Monday. The weather held up (until the end of the trip), and Jeremy rejoined us. Not only were Dave, Jeremy, Carmi, Sara, Corban and I there, BUT... Steph M. and Chris A. (BOTH of whom I haven't seen in about 18 months and was missing a lot!) came! That made the trip perfect. We saw every animal there, except the liger, which is pretty much my favourite animal. Long story short (sue me, it's bed-time), we left at 3, said our goodbyes (actually, that should come before the leaving, shouldn't it...), and drove. We arrived in Taupo at 6:30pm and decided against spending the night there, as we had planned (and booked). We ate a big pub meal (yeah, I put on 2 kilos over that trip. I'm working on it!) and hit the road at about 8. We arrived in Wellington before 1am, thus ending our Fantastic Voyage.
On the road South, I had texted my Dad to tell him I would be home a day early, and would he please leave the key in [x secret place] as per usual? He did not get that text until today. Which lead to some interesting Sam-holding-a-suitcase-and-backpack-and-pillow-and-maps-and-V-and-sleeping-bag-whilst-trying-to-open-suitcase-to-find-keys-and-open-door-and-not-let-the-cats-in-nor-wake-my-parents escapades. Not only this, but my bedroom had been completely rearranged, my sheets stripped, and a huge dehumidifier humming away where my bed ought to be. So, after tidying it all up, I got to bed.
I slept well.
Today, my sister had her farewell party (from 3-10-ish, if you count the hanging around afterwards and chatting). I would have liked some "me time" (and I did get some, but not enough), but hey, it's my sister. And it's a one-off. It turned out to be quite fun, and I ended up with a degree (not an ACTUAL degree, silly) in making Cosmopolitans (New York themed party). And I think Kate enjoyed it, too. Which was very cool.
I would quite like to post my thoughts, rather than my experiences (I wonder why that is. Do I think they're more important? More interesting? Relevant? Me?), but I'm too tired and it's late. Hopefully I'll elude to them later. I don't even know if that's the right word. It could be a type of chutney for all I know (obligatory surrealist in-joke number 2...) I'll just say that I had fun, and I miss those people a lot. And that I'm very glad that they've all made new lives for themselves, and are working those lives well, with cool friends who love and appreciate them.
And that I miss them a lot.
Tonight, I will sleep well.
P.S. Hey, Dave L.... did you pick up on the fact that I wasn't actually in Dunedin last week? Just checking. :-)
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Cutting Edge Week
Well, so it seems. Full of Cutting Edgers, at least. Obviously there's the Carmi/Jess/Steph extravaganza of the coming weekend. Friday lunchtime will be had with a Mr Dan J., possibly with an Andrea M, or not. They're up for the CE National Conference. Today was lunch with Paul R. and Jo-Jo, which was fun. And of course, there was Easter weekend, when I made a suprise visit to Dunedin and caught up with all my friendsdown there. So, it really is quite crazy.
I do have a confession to make, though. I did not buy nor consume a Subway (TM) wrap yesterday. I chickened out and bought chinese instead. I just did not have the testicular fortitude, as they say. I have another confession. I bought and consumed a Subway (TM) wrap today. I think it was the company, the companionship, the fellowship (The Fellowship of the Wrap) that gave me the strength. And so I tasted, and so it was good. It WAS good, wasn't it? Yeah. I'd wager that I even prefer it to the taste of the bread subs. I KNOW! That could be because of the novelty of it, of course, so we won't jump to any conclusions. I'm not sure why it cost more than the regular bread subs, though. It seemed to have less filling, but I could be imagining it. And, before I leap to another paragraph (which, technically, I should have done at the start of this sentence), I'll confess that I lied about going to Dunedin over Easter. I wish I could have, but I didn't. I only included it to manipulate you. I'm Wicked.
In other news, we have an interview at work tomorrow for the Office Junior position. I may get to participate in the interview, or I may not. Regardless, this is a definate step towards pushing me out of a job, and into another (as solicitor, in case you missed that point). Which will be joyful.
Things with God are a bit iffy right now. For once (!) it's my fault (obviously it isn't true that it's ever God's fault, per se, but I'm leaving this in because it FEELS true) , I'm a dirty sinner. And I'm coming to terms with how much of a bad person/Christian/friend I am/can be. Which is fun.
The show is going... well, it's going. I'm still not too fussed about it. There seem to be two reasons: firstly, the show is actually not as good (enthralli1ng, powerful, musically hooking, fun, Disney) as Beauty and the Beast (and I don't get on with the cast as well). But secondly, I think I'm having a lot of trouble finding my characted, whom I have decided to call Frank. As you do. As I'm a chorus member, I don't have a character given to me, but we've been told to create them. Of course, then the director gives us lines or directions that are completely out of character, so we have to adapt to it (yesterday we rehearsed a scene in which all the male characters have to spend 5 minutes oggling and making crude remarks about the new secretary. I found it surprisingly disturbing and difficult... Not fun.). But that's much harder without a clear (ish) picture of the character you're playing in your mind. So I've got some homework to do there.
Maybe I'll blog from Auckland next...
Monday, April 17, 2006
Back to work
And just in time, too. Another day might have been boring (while one less day might have been too short) - not that I'll be upset when this coming weekend arrives! So, tomorrow I have another - the last for quite a long while, methinks - boss-less work day of sending out newsletters and requesting information under the Privacy Act. And answering phone calls.
At lunch time, I will do three things. Firstly, I will purchase and consume a WRAP from Subway, under inspiration from Carmi (see her blog for details). Secondly, I shall go hang out on the corner of Lambton Quay and Willis Street for 15 minutes and "Observe" (a project all members of the musical are required to do by tomorrow, in order to get our business-acting accurate). Thirdly, I intend to go to the Police Station and file a complaint (I woke up yesterday morning to find two rather large dents in my car, as if someone drove into it. With another car), primarily for insurance purposes.
In the evening, I shall take Matt (not that Matt, another one) to Porirua to rehearse for the show. We shall be doing solely acting, as far as I am aware, so it may not last long. Scene 6, the prelude to the song "A Secretary is Not a Toy". A sentiment I currently agree with, but not for much longer, matey, up up up I'm going. Soon we will have a secretary and a full-time office junior to play with. Muhuhu, hahaha. Muhu. Hah. Denny Crane.
As William Shatner would say.
And, of course, the question on everybodies' lips today is: Est-ce que les chauves-souris recoivent leurs piqures de rage annuelle?
Finally, a positive note about Easter. Many times we've all heard the complaint about Easter and chocolate not having a connections. Apparently (according to this one article), the Cadbury family (yes, THAT Cadbury) where originally Quakers who sold chocolate (initially as hot cocoa) as an alternative to alchoholic beverages which were plaguing the working class back in the early 19th Century. So, next time you eat or buy Cadbury, know that you're supporting temperance and the like. Or at least, you would be, if your money were somehow going back to the early 19th Century. I wouldn't be surprised if the current owners of Cadbury don't share the same beliefs (then again, maybe they do! That would require more research, which I can't be bothered to do. So nyah.)
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Wheeeee!!!
No, seriously: Wheeeee!!! If you DON'T find that funny, play in 10 times in a row. With your speakers as loud as you can stand them.
If that doesn't work, write to your MP.
Oh yeah, it's Resurrection Sunday. Which is nice.
Saturday, April 15, 2006
Happy Holy Saturday! (Batman!)
So, it's Easter. Thank God. It has been a very, very long week. Even though it was actually a short, four-day week. And now it's a four-day weekend (number 1.). But with the boss away, I'm left with all the work that I can do by myself. Which, let's face it, actually IS paper pushing. Nothing exciting, except when interesting phone-calls/faxes come through. So I'll be able to honestly say to her that I'm glad she's back, on Wednesday.
That'll earn me brownie points.
So I think that this is the relaxing do-nothing weekend, whereas next weekend (also four-days for me, GO ANZAC!) is the party on down in Auckland weekend. Wicked.
Speaking of WICKED, I should probably do a plug. I'm currently reading a book called Wicked, and there's a great musical based on it too. It's about the Wicked Witch of the West, before she became Wicked. And how things in the land of Oz are really not at all like they seem... highly recommended (the book is currently getting pushed in bookstores like Dymocks because of the recent release of a sequel - check it out!)
And, speaking of musicals... still not getting into the one I'm doing right now. I'm missing out on several things I'd do (like go to visit Dunedin) because of rehearsal times, and that's not helping. Still, I'm optimistic. It certainly has potential to be a good show. I'll see what I can do.
I've decided that I want to go see Stephen Curtis Chapman live in concert in two weeks. It's $48, but it's right in town, and I think it will be very cool. Anyone keen to join me?
I'm going to make some lunch now. Yum. Okay, you can go. See you later. Maybe... tomorrow...?!?!?!?
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Altruism is not so altruistic...
This rather amazing new study found that "those who reported helping someone else even only once a year were between 40 percent and 60 percent less likely to die than those who reported helping no one at all during the previous 365 days. "
Say what you will, but between 40 and 60%? That's a pretty intensely robust effect. It really makes you want to help someone, eh?
In other news, happy 100th birthday, Pentacostalism! I have yet to see anyone suggest that it's actually about 2000 years old, but that's a rather facetious argument... Wow, 580 million+ people are Pentecostal? That's 1 in 12!
Finally, you've heard of Pimp my Ride? How about Pimpy my Kit Kat?
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Life is full of surprises.
Like, how fast time flies, some times. Not only this weekend, but the past eight weeks (since I started work) have just dashed by like a man on fire (starring Denzel Washington). This is especially interesting when compared with my unemployed season, where every day seemed like a week.
Another surprise was how I could eat 25 or more Easter Eggs on Friday/Saturday and yet find myself having lost weight the next day. Also suprising was the fact that I got only 30 minutes of sleep last night (that's not the suprising part, I knew it was coming. All the chocolate, you see), and yet I didn't care at the time. See, normally people with insomnia get grumpy, bitter, and angry when they're suffering. Strangely, last night I just accepted it. I didn't take my sleeping pill (because I only have one left!), I didn't even really think about anything. I was just lying there, peacefully. It probably would have been different if it were a night before work, rather than a Saturday. And it would have been worse if I hadn't had that shocking night of sleeplessness quite recently too. So, very interesting.
On Wednesday night I'm volunteering at the Community Law Center. That will be fun, my first shift. I get to sit in and take notes for the lawyers who are advising the clients. I'm not really sure what to expect, but it should be a great experience. I'll learn a lot, and be helping people. And meeting people.
Easter in a week. A four-day weekend. While I'm not looking forward to it as much as the next one (yay trip to Auckland!), it'll be very nice to have a good breeeaaak. I'd like to do something, too. Hmmm. Part of me regrets not going to ChCh then, to see Beauty and the Beast, but I can't really afford it (not financially, I guess I mean in terms of needing recuperation time). I'm tempted to rent an XBOX 360. That could be cool. Buuut I dunno if I will.
What's that over there? Isn't it a badger, with a gun?
Saturday, April 08, 2006
So I get to work on Friday morning...
... and my desk (and the desks of the other 5 non-boss full-time staff) is COVERED in Easter eggs! I'm talking over 40, of various sizes (including a few of the big cardboard-box style one). AND a bottle of wine, and a $50 entertainment card. That's the kind of boss I have. She goes away for an 11 day holiday in Tahiti over Easter, so she gives us an early Easter present. How nice.
It also means that I have no boss next week. Well, I mean, I do, but it's going to be quite different. It's only a four-day week, though, so I don't think there'll be any big problems (touch wood. And knock on wood. Which you can't do without touching it, I think). In other news, she introduced me to a client as "Sam, who's going to be one of our staff solicitors shortly." Now THERE'S a positive sign. I'll keep you all updated.
Three rehearsals so far. The first two had been disappointing, to say the least. The musical didn't grip me, inspire me... I'm sure part of that was because I don't have a specific role (i.e. I'm chorus), but another part is the show itself (and the fact that it's a comedy with music. Unlike Beauty and the Beast, which I'd call a musical drama, with comedy. Different focuses. Which would give you a lazy eye, you'd think. Hmm). But I think it's slowly revealing itself, and could be quite a challenge. To be honest, though, I'm definately not as confident in the lead actors as I was with B&B, but again, I'll give it time. I think it's helping that I'm getting comfortable with the cast (read: they cracked up at a couple of my jokes on Thursday night), makes things easier. Again: updates will come. 5 hour rehearsal tomorrow, maybe with some dancing. That will be... interesting.
And I finally get a chance to wear a suit. Hah!
Gotta go. Maybe I'll write more tomorrow afternoon. Who knows?
The Shadow knows.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Happy Birthday to me...
Yeah, Scott got it, yesterday was my Christian Birthday! I always make a point of remembering it because, well, it's kinda important to me. :-)
UNFORTUNATELY for you, I only have five minutes to blog right now. And I'm gonna stick to that time.
I've found that in our Christian faith, there are a number of points on our spiritual cycle. There are the highs, the lows, and the in betweens. Spend too much time at a high or a low and it seems that the general rule is for the cycle to change again. I've been at a reasonable high now (not a high high, a reasonable high), and strangely I *haven't* slipped into the whole "life is good, things are easy, let's get slack" downward spiral. I guess that means it's not an inevitable step. Where I'm at at the moment is a notch down from that reasonable high (yes, I hate talking about my spiritual life in terms of highs and lows, but that's easiest to convey right now). That notch is the level of what I call the "positive struggle". That's where you KNOW there's a better/higher level (because you've just been there), and you're frantically scrambling back up the Travelator (TM) to reach it again. It only takes a short period of relaxation to get to the 'resting point' of apathy, or a consistent effort to reach that high again.
"Gonna get that Hiiiiiiiiigh! Yeah, yeah! Wake me up before you go go..."
Those are just some of my thoughts at 7:48 on Wednesday 5th April, 2006. Go for God, have a great day.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
THIS IS NOT AN APRIL FOOLS JOKE.
Our house...
is out of chocolate.
Revelation 9:6 "During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them."
Why, the one night when I REALLY FEEL LIKE CHOCOLATE (especially in the form of a black forest gateau, but I wouldn't be picky) do we NOT HAVE CHOCOLATE?
It'll be all right, I suppose. I guess I'll just have to eat TWICE AS MUCH tomorrow. One of the benefits/dangers of working across the road from a Starmart, I suppose. And above a cafe, I might add.
Tomorrow is the beginning of my eighth week at work. I'm getting used to it now. Some might say that I'm even enjoying it. I will say, in all seriousness, that I have had cause to ponder whether in fact I could imagine a better job for me, especially at this point in time (which excludes anything film-related - although I'm wondering if I would find that as fulfilling, anyway?). It really is a marvel that God has found me this job. I wouldn't say that lightly, either. I mean, it's not what I would have thought to be PERFECT, but that just goes to show how wrong I'd be. And how no-one really knows what would make them happiest.
Not even YOU! (Finger-pointy gesturification)
I had my first rehearsal today, for my new show. Which will henceforth be known as either 'How To Succeed...' or H2S (or H2$). Smaller group of people this time, and it's an amateur production. Two actors from Beauty and the Beast (one of whom is directing). AND, lo and behold, an old friend from Wellington East Girls who I haven't seen in eight years. That was nice.
Anyways, I'm not in the most creative mood tonight, so I'll leave this blog here. It was really only meant to be a filler anyway. Hopefully it won't be long before my next one... largely because Tuesday is another significant anniversary of mine...
The clever ones among you will check LAST April's posts to find out exactly what that is, in order to respond appropriately on that day. The lazy ones will wait until the post (or until someone wiser brings it up in the comments). Who can find it first, hmm?