And the winner is...!!!!

People really DO win on lightlight's blog.... I am pleased to announce that the winner of the first annual Wandering through contest is.......

(Drumroll, fanfare, dimmed lights)

Chris M!!

Chris was the first person to submit an entry to the contest and the one to do it through fairly novel means- through facebook. So it is only fitting (in a cosmic sort of way) that he was randomly chosen from a little pink basket containing slips of paper with the names of the 18 lovely people who took part in the Wandering Through contest.

Congratulations Chris!! Thank you for taking part in my contest... a fun gift now awaits you. I'll update this post with what Chris got once we've worked out the financial stuff, contacted our lawyers and agents, figured out the taxes, ensured he is not a minor and scheduled the press conference etc.

Also we need to finalize the customs and other paperwork with Ferrari.

So, I was torn about how to decide the winner of this contest- on one hand I had my favorites amongst the entries but on the other, it didn't feel write to judge people on the basis of what was essentially their choices and opinions. So for the grand prize, I decided to go the lucky draw route.

But for the 4 runner up prizes, I decided to do a mix of 2 random lucky-draw selections and 2 'sentimental favorites' that I thought deserved to be recognized because I loved their entries. This is primarily because the runner-up prizes are super cheap haha!...

So the following people will receive mixed CD's with the best songs of 2008 according to everyone's responses to the contest (so breathe a sigh of relief - it won't be full of Mayer songs):

Lucky-draw runner ups: Vivek (whose wit and eclectic choices deserved to win) and Chanbong(whose answers are as cool as she is)

Lightlight's 'Sentimental Favorite' runner ups: Papa, Heather My dad's characteristic humor and way of putting things and Heather's lively and warm reflections sounded just like them. Those two entries made me smile throughout. (Papa, don't worry, the mixed CD is substitutable with other goods like Virginia peanuts or uni ball pens)

And now for the most important part: To all 18 of my lovely friends (Tulip, Mike, Chris, Heather, Chanbong, Rebekah, Eric, Daisycat, Claudia, Violet, Saffron, Bluebell, Kam, Pine Tree, Vivek, Vlad, Papa and Itenerant) who participated (some more willingly than others, ahem) a big, huge, heartfelt THANK YOU!! I now have so much sympathy for people that have to choose winners in contests because you truly want everyone to win. Alas, given my penurious circumstances that is not possible but you're all winners in my heart and you all rock!!! I had a great time looking through everyone's responses and I realized all over again what interesting, cool people I know. I LOVED reading all your entries and hopefully you will enjoy reading them too...

And now a stern word to those who failed to participate, despite my begging, cajoling or yes, threatening you. I will not say more but you know who you are, and most importantly I know who you are (I'm looking at you, mummy and BIL. You too Lotus). There's always next year to redeem yourself.

Jokes apart, thanks everyone- it was a blast!! And with that, I close the book on the First Wandering Through Contest.