Validation

Well, I only went and bloody won it. The iPod, that is. Needless to say, I'm a bit pleased about it, if only because it meant I got an email from a proper, real life famous person.

Mostly I'm pleased about it because its made me feel wanted, and accepted. Which sounds really quite pathetic when I write it down, but there you go. I am, in general, a miserable bugger, and fitting in has never been one of my strong points. So to win something that relies on people liking me/something I've said feels odd, but gratifying. This feeling, one of being part of a gang, is what I'm enjoying most about the TYSIC so far. I've always liked the idea of doing daft things, just because I can, so to join a group of people of different ages, in different countries, who feel the same, well... I feel like I fit in somewhere.

I love the fact that there's people who, when faced with the idea of passing an iPod around the country and filling it with music they love, for the benefit of someone they've never met, have said 'yeah, great idea, lets do it!'. Most people, I'm sure, would ask why, or point out that the iPod could be stolen, or lost, or just dismiss it as a stupid idea. Knowing that there's people who think like me, who want to do something silly but fun just for the joy of doing something silly but fun makes me smile. Knowing that I'll be taking part in equally silly but fun projects for the next 10 years makes me smile even more.

Thank you, Mark Watson, and thank you, fellow TYSIC's, for letting me join your gang. You're all lovely, lovely people.