I'll thank them, too.  Actually, my lucky stars are those that I observed and learned about.  Those that gave me clues, hints and, finally, some hard evidence to support a hypothesis that came to my mind awhile back.  Yup, those are my lucky stars, alright.  Too, the simple fact that when you look up you are looking square into the "faces" of your ultimate evolutionary ancestors...... that is awesome.  Every element. other than hydrogen was forged in a stellar nuclear furnace.  That means every single atom in your body, except hydrogen, was the direct result of stellar processes.  Actually, rather than thanking our lucky stars, we should be thanking stars, in general.  Look up and say "howdy!"  With a special thanks to those stars abundant in carbon!  R CrB would be a nice place to start.    

Personally, I feel more like thanking those people who, consciously and deliberately, taught me to think critically.  Additionally, I'd like to thank those that *reminded* me to think critically.  Moreover, I'd like to thank those that continue to encourage me to think critically, when I may have a momentary relapse into non-critical thinking. 

As to the three "promises,"  we have heard those before, haven't we?  Same old, same old.  Here they are in short form:

1. Give it a chance.  What, 30 years of effort doesn't count as a "chance?" 

2. Keep in touch.  Code words for "continue to send me money."  If you don't sned me money and buy me gifts, you won't be giving K a chance (see #1, above) and I, who am a true expert at this, will make you feel utterly useless and guilty for not keeping "me" happy by stocking my lavish mansion with all manner of goodies.

3. Don't show the 4 old  techniques to anyone.  If you do, I will lose a "customer" and the resultant chance to bilk them for thousands of dollars, just like I'm doing to you.  They won't see the "magic" of our special relationship. What relationship?  Ahhh, c'mon, you haven't forgotten have you?  The relationship where you "think" I'm running the whole show, but really I haven't a clue who you are..... Yeah THAT relationship.  See how they are all tied together, my pretties?