I'm 41 and single. I've managed to accumulate a fair bit in the way of assets over the years, so I decided the responsible thing to do was to draw up a will. I'm not sick, I'm not suicidal, I am however very aware that there is the very real risk of a traffic fatality or me developing an illness given that until the last 6 months I have not led a particularly healthy lifestyle. And I do not want the government deciding what to do with my stuff. Hence the will. I have an appointment with a lawyer Fri. morning to draw it up so I spent yesterday afternoon & evening listing my assets and putting down who I want to leave them to. My big asset classes are my retirement savings, my car, my musical instruments, and my jewellery.

I own a lot of expensive jewellery much of it antique, and other than family pieces that I inherited that I want to keep in the family, I'm leaving all my jewellery to friends.

But I don't know what jewellery my friends would prefer to get so I thought I'd call them up and ask for their preferences. Here are some of the responses I got.

AL - are you sure you're ok? Is there something I need to know?
MAT - Have you gone off your meds? are you suicidal, can I drive you to the hospital?
Maureen - What aren't you telling me?
Carol - you haven't been drinking have you?

I had a great deal of trouble convincing each of them that I was ok, and that I was just trying to be a responsible adult.