[MSN Spaces] "When you're rich, you're not crazy; you're eccentric."

So maybe I lied in my first entry. You might get semi-regular updates.

Interesting night last night. Holly invites me out to an open house night at UVic for her Toastmasters club. All I know is that Holly'll be there and she'll be speaking. So I show up and we file into the room. Holly had taken a seat in the second row, so I sit beside her. There goes any semblance of possible anonymity I might have entertained.

The meeting starts and several short speeches are given. It was interesting. Humour was present so the speakers remained entertaining. Then we come to the Table Topics portion, where a topic is presented and people are given a chance to give a short, impromptu speech on the topic. The topic? What would you do if you won $5 million in the lottery. There was time for five speakers. The floor is opened and we go through four speakers (three members and one "exchange" member from another group). The gist of their talks: philanthropist, too-much-trouble-wish-never-won, pay off debts/travel the world, $5 mill is not enough so spend it all. The floor is opened again and I decide to throw myself at the mercy of the crowd on a whim. I make the most interesting decisions when I don't think. What would I do? $5 million is piddly, so I'd need closer to $5 billion to satisfy my desires, but... I'd have a Jay Leno-esque vehicle collection, work only when/if I want to, swing dance, and become the eccentric rich guy that everybody loves but thinks is nuts. I could go running down the street in half a clown costume, slippers on my feet, singing "God Save the Queen" at the top of my lungs if I wanted to. Why? Because I CAN! And there's the inspiration for the title of this entry: "When you're rich, you're not crazy; you're eccentric."

Forgive me for glossing over the first three speakers; this is *MY* blog afterall.

For those that knew me before I started dancing, I probably would never have even entertained the idea of actually getting up and speaking back then. It was likely always part of my personality, though, just hidden away and blocked by other things. I guess that was more for the people that have only known me since I started dancing... The feeling of being able to do that kind of thing now is ineffably good. (<---- Thanks, Ms. Grammarian. Holly, you can tell her that if you want. )

So the meeting ends and Holly and I go wandering around the campus. Been so long since I've done that. After awhile, we end up in MacLaurin, just outside the David Lam auditorium (I never liked that auditorium...). We're hanging out in the corner (no reading further into that) and suddenly the lights go off. So then we're hanging out in the corner.. in the dark (definitely no reading further into that). The occasional person comes and goes, until this one guy pops around. I'm assuming he was part of the facilities management or campus security or whoever actually does the job, but he went around locking all the doors. "OMG, we're trapped in MacLaurin!!" Eventually, the time to leave rolls around and we wander to the door. Light push and it opens. That was too easy. Rather anti-climactic after all the build-up of "WE'RE TRAPPED!" I did.

If you're wondering, I've spent enough nights in ELW in my day... so I know you don't actually get locked in, but it was funny regardless.

So Holly, that makes three (out of four!) mentions of you in my blog, and one entry purely inspired by you.

(Christabel, you might appreciate this one...) Thank you, please come again!

That is all.