My year is completely made. And to think, we’re only four months in, but I doubt I can top this (wedding doesn’t count, yo).

So a few months ago I decided to spice things up in the office. I was stricken with the Midwest winter doldrums, and needed something to laugh about. I don’t like laughing at other people, and I do have a sense of humor that appreciates spontenaity and randomness. What a perfect marriage, I say.

One Friday I decided that I was going to start an inter-office chain mail, minus the letter, and hope people caught on. My plan was to mail a few small, seemingly pointless and random office items to someone else in another part of the University. For the inaugural send-off I chose a row of staples and a few paper clips. I simply labeled them with a Post-It note that read “Here are the items you requested. Thanks.”

And off it went to an unsuspecting, and what I would (hope) assume would be a confused employee. Secretly I was hoping that they would figure it out and continue it on.

Well life as usual caught up with me, and I got busy and forgot about this. My original plan was to continue it once a week, to spread the hilarious tomfoolery, but alas.

Until today.

A coworker (who was in on the original scheme) comes to me and says “You’re hilarious. You sent [name] some random items again didn’t you?”

“Uh, no,” says I.

“Shut up, c’mon stop playing with me. You know what I’m talking about. I was just in her office ready to pee myself it was so funny!”

I really didn’t know what was going on. I was clueless.

As it turns out, my prank must have lived on. Someone in our department got a blank envelope, inter-office, that simply contained toothpicks and a pair of ice tongs. TOOTHPICKS AND TONGS. My successors have gotten even more creative, apparently employing alliteration to their choices. Genius!

This, to me, is beautiful, simple humor, and has made my month, my week and quite possibly my entire year.