"This call will be recorded for training purposes."

This morning I woke up to find the back window of my car had been smashed in. Everything in my car had been rifled through, yet strangely nothing had been stolen. Apparently a choral score of "Messiah" and my Melways, does not rate highly enough. So, now I await a glass repairman hopefully sometime before today's forecast thunderstorm and showers.

Despite this, levity surrounds me after an encounter last night between the flatmate and a telephone sales person. He was rung by some representative trying to sell life insurance. I am terrible at trying to get rid of phone sales people. Only last week was I accosted by someone trying to raise money for the "cure for Diabetes, which is *really* close". Her begging tone was more than a little pathetic, and being diabetic, I have heard the stories of a cure "just around the corner" for about 10 years now. But, I paid up some money, almost in an effort to get her off the phone.

No such easy way out for the flatmate. The sales representative delivered their well rehearsed spiel, probably outlining the ways in which life insurance will be of benefit to him and his loved ones. His response was simple and direct. He replied, without a trace of irony, "I have seen a psychic recently, and she said I am going to live for a really long time. So I don't need insurance." The sales person quickly hung up the call, to the flatmate's smug satisfaction, and my unceasing surprise.

Clearly I need to work on my people skills.