As ironic as Alanis Morissette doing the ironing

I've been working from home today and was in the middle of a call when there was a knock on the door. There is often a knock on our door as the postman (or just as likely some delivery company these days) delivers the latest offering from Amazon. However since I started on my path to minimalism I just haven't been buying things (except the earplugs previously mentioned) so what could be in the small cardboard box that our friendly local postlady was proffering?

I assumed that it was for one of the girls but no, my name was on the label. I wracked my brains, what had I ordered? Nope, couldn't think of anything. I studied the package carefully, enjoying the Schrödinger moment for a while. I noticed that the 'from' address said Oxfam.

Now I am a big fan of Oxfam I have in the past given a lot of money to them (though I have now switched my donations to the Against Malaria Foundation), I've done some charity fundraisers for them, I steward music festivals for them and, of course, the vast majority of my decluttering donations (including a box of 15 mugs) go to my local Oxfam shop. So we have a history.

Isn't it ironic, don't you think?

Yes, at a time when I am actively getting rid of stuff, Oxfam sent me a note thanking me for my support and a mug! What's more it is a lovely tin camping mug which I really like. I don't need it though. I already have a tin camping mug, albeit a boring blue one. So the blue one will be going to the Oxfam shop. All a bit pointless really and something I wish they hadn't done.

So it is ironic that a few days after I give them a load of old mugs they give me a new one. That made me think of the Alanis Morissette song and so I gave that play on Spotify. I'd not heard it for a long time and enjoyed listening to it again, though some of the lyrics call into question her understanding of what irony actually is.

That then triggered a dim and distant memory of a comedian years ago doing a routine about exactly that. Something about how 'rain on your wedding day' was not particularly ironic unless it happened to be a weatherman getting married and he'd chosen that day specifically because it had the least chance of rain. Or something. So then I had to go and see if I could find that clip, and I did. It was a very youthful Ed Byrne.

I watched it again for the first time in 20 or so years and enjoyed it just as much. So in a way, the mug has added some value after all!

I've wondered a bit off topic there but that's the joy of writing a secret blog that nobody reads! (except for you of course)