Perspiration Pals - 20th June 2021

Hello! Happy Sunday everyone. Or possibly not, because some fool left me in charge of the hosting duty, which could go rather sideways.

“When I was a child, they told me I could be anything I wanted, if I just put my mind to it. Thirty years on, I don’t feel any more like a cuttlefish than when I started. Either they were lying or there’s been some sort of confusion.”

Actually, being a cuttlefish has never been one of my ambitions, but I have been through a few phases. There was lawyer phase, until I realised that my dad (a solicitor) seemed to be permanently busy and stressed. Then there was the marine biologist phase, which is a fancy way of saying “I want to work with dolphins”. Then I was going to be a biochemist until… complicated. What actually happened was that I accidentally became an accountant (very careless), which was fine until I realised that it was likely to end with me either killing myself or someone else. So now - actually, I don’t think I’ve ever told you what I do, have I? I think I shall continue to be enigmatic for a while, although feel free to amuse me with your guesses. And what I FINALLY discovered amid all of that was that I wanted to write, which is still a work in progress. Since I have so far not managed to become an international bestseller, you’re stuck with me waffling at you instead.

Did you have any childhood dreams? Realised or unrealised? Astronaut, chef, president of the UN? Do share.

To official business. I am on day 19 of Sweat, which was a lower-body HIIT and strength workout, plus active-static abs EC. I am now dead, so please excuse me if I’m a little slow responding. Food will be consumed. Feel free to share more specific details than that about your own munchies.

To recap this week, we’ve heard some bittersweet news from Choco-Magda, been teased by Toasty with Cookie’s new travel accessory, learnt about hypnic jerks and muscle contraction from Ivett (thanks to you lot I’ve spent the last three days wandering around humming “Adenosine triphosphate! Adenosine triphosphate! to myself), and sent warmest wishes to Adrienne, plus heard some intriguing things about Lynna’s hair and concluded that sprouts are the best vegetable. At least, that’s what I took from that conversation.

And so another week draws to a close - or leaps off the starting block, depending on your view. Give it your best shot, Pals. How bad can it be, right?

Finally, stealing a line from the brilliant Stephen Dubner of Freakonomics, “Take care of yourself, and - if you can - someone else, too.”

PS If you’ve made it this far, take a gold star for perseverance.

PPS If you’ve been lurking out there and wondering if you’d like to dip your toe into our limpid waters, do come on in. Levels of sanity vary, but we’re an encouraging bunch and would love to meet you.

PPPS I had lovely cuttlefish pictures lined up, but all of them are too big, so we are without meme. Abandon meme, all ye who enter here. I can’t get no meme-reaction. Sorry.