I'd much rather be doing something else
It wasn't really the plan to end up focusing so much of my time trying to work out how to tackle the climate crisis. Yet here we are.
I used this photo in a recent climate action workshop, as part of my introduction to who I am.
With all that brown and beige in the background you can probably guess the decade I was born in.
The hair probably gives it away too.
As does the bike.
I shared the photo because, let's face it, we all need a bit of a laugh when we're about to spend three hours talking about an existential crisis.
I also shared it to make another point.
No, not that I have been a campaigner for low carbon forms of transport since the age of 6. Even I'm not that odd.
More that that photo represents a time when I didn't have a care in the world.
Other than when I'd be allowed out of my nan's front room and out onto the street on that Budgie.
Fast forward to today and at times it can feel like every waking hour is dominated by the climate crisis.
Once you've engaged with it, it can be hard to see much else.
And that really doesn't feel great at times.
It's why I try to do what I can to team up with others to explore what we can do.
It's also why, 45 years later, you'll still often find me out on my bike. Yes, because it's the greatest form of environmentally-friendly transport around - but moreso for the fresh air, the exercise, the chance to give my head a bit of a rest.
So the point I was making in that workshop, in a roundabout way, was that I'd really rather not be running this workshop today.
I wish we didn't have to worry about this stuff.
I'd rather be campaigning for my beloved Liverpool FC to become a fan-owned co-operative (with guaranteed match tickets for me, obviously).
But here we are. And even though it really makes my head hurt at times, I'm up for doing what I can. We do still have time. There are still things we can do. And we need to get a move on.