Surprise! ... by Barbara (Ruth)

I have been struggling with this post subject because Angela picks hard topics because I have always stated quite emphatically that I am not, in any way, a fan of surprises. It comes down to three reasons:

1. I don't like feeling stupid. And if you are able to surprise me, then I must have missed something. Ergo, stupid. 
2. I am VERY jumpy and I don't like being scared. I can't stand scary movies, I usually scream or swear (or both) in a suspenseful movie when something explodes/jumps out/leaps on something. My friends know that sneaking up on me will illicit foul language and anger in swift order. They still think it's funny.
3. I would rather anticipate happy events than be surprised by them - it makes the enjoyment of them last longer. For instance, if my bff in Vancouver showed up on my doorstep, I'd be thrilled of course. But if I knew about it in advance, I'd be able to look forward to it and savour the fun we'd have. And to be honest, I'd be able to plan. I'm a big fan of planning.

Last year on my birthday my department decorated the area outside my office, got me to wear a Princess sash and tiara, had fancy cupcakes, and generally did a lovely job making me feel special.

This is me, peaking around the corner to check for
any "surprises" that might cause me to say something
"office inappropriate".

This year they toned it down - I came out of my office at 11:30 and found 20 or so of my team waiting for me with the Best Birthday Cake of All Time (Baskin Robbins Jamocha Almond Fudge) and a card. It was wonderful! And yet... like last year, I felt a tad awkward.

Jamocha Almond Fudge. There is no better ice cream cake IMHO.

This is what I think people are like when they REALLY REALLY like surprises:

So I figured it out. What I really like is serendipity (GW): the occurrence or development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. By definition, there's no potential for negative here. For instance, I love being surprised by good news, a unique and/or unexpected gift, running into a friend in an unexpected place, or finding money in last spring's coat pocket. Those are all surprises in a way, but a subset, I suppose.

But mostly? This is the only kind of surprise I think is funny: