I no longer want to die an interesting death - OK God?!

When my friends and family back home were fussing about me being so far from home and the potential dangers to me (they know I used* to be jinxed), I would just say: "Look, I've always wanted to die an interesting death so as long as it's not boring, don't worry about me"! I don't actually want to die yet (yet? EVER!!) but what I meant was I wouldn't mind if I got a few headlines and went out with a bang.

As one friend who's in the Polis said to me in a very stern voice: "Now listen here young lady (he did call me young, he DID!) I've watched many a person die an unusual death and not one of them looked like they were having fun"!

Anyway after my brush with what was nearly an interesting (if not unique) death I've changed my mind. In Galle, we've just had the scariest rainstorm ever. Thunder, lightning and floods. The office is full of people today all stifling giggles at my tendency to leap out of my chair with every crack! Anyway my boss came in to tell me to switch off and unplug everything which I did. Just before I unplugged we heard a very loud crackling noise rippling through the office and everyone set off to investigate.

Half an hour later, thunderstorm over, none the wiser about the noise, I sit down to get on with work and what do you know? The hard drive's done in. Apparently the loud crackling was my hard drive being struck by lightning. Just as well I decided only minutes before to stop using it as a footrest then isn't it? Just as well my mother doesn't read this blog don't you think? And just as well I've decided I'm no longer jinxed and I no longer want to die an interesting death wouldn't you agree?

What kind of headlines would you get from that anyway?

"Volunteer catapulted by lightning into next door fruit shop"

- 'if she wanted a banana, she only had to ask' wept local shopkeeper / tuk tuk driver / translator / hotelier.

- 'if only she'd not decided to put her feet up on the computer and do her work like we're (not) paying her to' lamented her boss.

'she'd do anything for attention but I never thought she'd take it this far. Ah well' sighed all of her mates in Glasgow, collectively, before returning to their drinks.

Exactly, rotten headlines. Dead! And forgotten! Couldn't get much worse. So my message to God, or Buddha or whoever it is that created this planet and decided I could spend a bit more time here is this: thank you very much and I take it all back, I don't want to die an interesting death. I'll just be happy living an interesting life. I'm even referring to my being jinxed in the *past tense! I must mean business. Right, storm's gone and I've got work to do before I go swimming. Maybe I can swim TO the pool!