Last week was my birthday.
Thank you! Very kind of you.
No, I don’t mind you asking: I turned 29.
Yes, 29.
Yes … just like last year.
Yes … and the year before that.
How about we change the subject, if you don’t mind. Any other questions?
What did I get for my birthday?
Well, books mostly.
I always get books.
I got so many this time, it will be hard to read them all before my next birthday.
Yes, that will also be my 29th. Stop asking!
Anything else? Oh, yes, now that you mention it. I also got a plastic C.
Yes, a C.
Made of plastic.
I am rather proud of it.
Surely you would be proud, too, if you got a plastic C for your birthday.
Who gave me the C?
The nice people of Cancer Research UK.
It’s called a CRUK Future Leader in Cancer Research Prize.
Yes, a =>Future<= Leader.
I’d rather you wouldn’t put that much emphasis on it.
Why do you keep on saying it means I am not a leader yet?
Don’t be so negative. Surely it means there is hope I might get there some day.
No, I wouldn’t hold my breath either.
Let’s change the topic and I’ll tell you something funny …
My institute created a video to celebrate the event.
It shows me talking about my research.
Thanks for the witty comment, but no, that’s not yet the funny bit.
What’s funny is that I sit on my pregnancy ball …
No, I’m not, don’t be silly … It’s really just pies.
Yes, I sit on an inflatable ball because of my bad back.
Yes, many people have back problems at the age of 29.
Anyhow, so what’s funny is that I am sitting very low and the person interviewing me is pretty tall, so I am always looking up to him .. and all the time the camera is aiming straight past me … right at my Hulk action figure.
You can press a button on its chest and it goes ‘H U L K … S M A S H’.
Yes, most scientific leaders have Hulk action figures in their offices.
Especially the future ones.
Honestly, you need to stop asking these questions.
How about you just shut up and watch the silly video for a while:
Florian
Scientific B-sides 
congrats man!!
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