I was browsing the Law Review supplement of an unmentionable national newspaper last week when I noticed the claim that there are now over 200 City lawyers in London earning more than £1 million a year.
How can good ol' Birmingham compete, I asks myself? Then to the intellectual rescue comes the perennial note from my old (but still pretending to be 40-something) friend Nick Venning extolling St Basil's and their 28-mile yomp over the fields and stiles of the Shropshire Hills next Saturday and, of course, giving me my annual scolding for personal failure to attend.
I must dig out that life-sized cardboard cut-out that I despatched to their Exmoor Challenge back in 2002!
A quick investigation yields that a magnificent 540 people are taking part this year, including some 200 legal brethren from Brum's own Square Mile.
This sets me to wondering which city's 200 lawyers are the better lawyers and which pursuit – £1 million or 28 miles of blisters – is more laudable?
Now, as you good readers will know, Bright is very cautious at taking too much of a strong stance on such issues but, should anyone care to discuss it, the Shropshire Hills sounds like the moral high ground to me.
I'm told that the St Basil's event will raise something like £920,000 short of a million but still seems like a splendid effort!
And while we are on Venning ...
I know it takes the old boy a bit longer getting around these days, but when I receive his latest accolade ten days after the event it really is a bit much.
He scooped the coveted Inspiring Leader title at this year's Birmingham Young Professional of the Year Awards, and much deserved.
But I fear BYPY, far from being technological whiz-kids, are still using pigeon post.
Never mind.
Venning fought off stiff competition from fellow nominees Kathrine Ohm Thomas, general manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel, and Guy Barnett, managing partner at Blakemore Solicitors, in a live vote by guests at the awards ceremony.
In addition to Nick's day job as PricewaterhouseCoopers' global envoy, he has been instrumental in setting up THRIVE, a forum bringing together big businesses in the city, with the support of The Birmingham Post, to debate and promote the importance of active corporate social responsibility in business.
He is also a leading figure for The Prince's Trust.
Joy Stefanicki, chairman of the BYPY committee, said: "Everyone on the night felt that Nick was a worthy winner."
Don't expect him to win the St Basil's yomp, though.
That would be a stile too far.
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Is this a cricketing first? On Wednesday, a lost bail halted play as St Phillips Chambers continued their successful run in the John Bright Trophy with a 32-run victory against Pinsent Masons.
The mystery was solved when it was worked out Pinsent Masons opener Tom Eastwood had unknowingly left the field at Britannic Park, Moseley, with the missing bail, which had dropped into a pad flap after the ball had hit his stumps.
Unhappily the game also saw Pinsent captain Darren Culbard helped off he field with a severely pulled hamstring after trying in vain to beat a brilliant boundary throw from Simon Davis that clipped the stumps.
On Thursday, an impressive Ernst & Young side beat trophy holders PricewaterhouseCoopers by nine wickets. Key performers were pace bowlers Dan Brockman and Simon O’Neill, who between them conceded just 16 runs bowling four eight-ball overs, and James Raine with his untroubled unbeaten 35.
Optimist of the week was the nameless Wragge & Co player, who after working late turned up immaculately kitted out in whites at 8.30pm, some 30 minutes after his colleagues coasted to a seven-wicket win against Bond Wolfe on Tuesday.
Recent results
Tues May 29 – PwC 184/4 in 16 overs (A Bancroft 36 rtd, S Kookana36 rtd, I Birch 35 rtd, T Hussain 33*) Challinors 142/5 in 16 overs (R Bannigen 35 rtd, A Thomson 27, S Kookana2-10). PwC won by 43 runs
Tues June 5 – Bond Wolfe 58 in 9.7 overs ((K Gamble 3-5, R Whipp 3-5) Wragge & Co 61/3 in 7.4 overs (K Gamble 18*, G Wright 2-18, R Pinning 1-10). Wragges won by seven wickets
Wed June 6 - St Philips Chambers 166/5 in 16 overs (M Barnes 36 rtd, M Weaver 25 R Brennan 1-12, A Reynolds 1-13) Pinsent Masons 134/4 in 16 overs (A Edmondson 36 rtd, G Paul 27*, S Crawford 1-13). St Philips won by 32 runs.
Thurs June 7 – PwC 91/6 in 14 overs (J
Matharu 24*, D Brockman 1-8, S O’Neill 1-8) Ernst & Young 93/1 in 10.3 overs (J Raine 35 rtd, T Hussain 1-14). Ernst & Young won by 9 wkts.
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Travelling man Roger Monkman, he of the Birmingham Chamber Press and PR office, found himself just outside Ramsbottom in deepest Lancashire at the weekend, without any clothes.
No, not in the buff, sillies.
He did actually have clothes, just not the right ones.
He had journeyed north with long-suffering wife Bev, to have dinner with friends at a swish restaurant a few miles away, and suddenly realised he had left his entire evening attire at home.
Not to be beaten and with a couple of welcoming drinks already consumed, Monkman jumped in a taxi to M & S in nearby Bury to pick up replacements.
That done he made his way to the pay desk, where, while being sorted out by a dour-looking 40-something, he asked: "Is there anywhere around here I can get a taxi?"
"No," was the reply. "But if you go to the information desk in the food hall, they sometimes call taxis for old people!"
A chastened Monkman claims to be "a youthful looking 63".