irst things first: I loathe surprise parties. While many relish the flood of dopamine that comes from having an important event or life moment sprung upon them (surprise!), for others the feeling is akin to being plucked out of your current existence and transported to another moment in time with little preparation, groundwork or forewarning. The very nature of a surprise - to the delight of some and the extreme displeasure of others - edits out the building blocks leading up to the main event, which researchers have found may make us happier and