I’ve always wondered. Every swimmer says they hate the early starts. So swim later. YOU HAVE ALL DAY TO SWIM! The races are often at night. Pools are indoors. It makes no sense!!

This matters to me because our community, and individuals within it, tend to be labelled and stereo-typed based on aggregate statistics. I believe this matters as we can’t talk about empowering and engaging while disempowering and perpetuating stereo-types.

I am adopted which is a life sentence of separation from my family and medical history and I find this situation very difficult as I age and face the fact I will never know the truth. Others should care about this because IVF technicians are making babies without recorded histories and we can expect they will fill the mental health system in the same way adoptees have due to unknown heritage and separation from mothers at birth.

Because I know far too many asexual people damaged by prejudice and discrimination not only in everyday life, but by health professionals attempt to ‘cure’ their natural sexual orientation.

I think fear drives the majority of our choices, in both positive and negative ways. I love hearing people talk about how it impacts them.

I believe that we are moving toward a world where altruism is not just a nicety, but a necessity. I’m interested to know what it is that makes people want to help. Is it a case of not knowing that you’re helping? Or is it a more conscious act?

It is a critically important question.

I am perturbed by the conflicting stories around whether Harper Lee actually consented to publication. And that plays with a bigger question in my mind about artist’s legacies and what happens to their unpublished or unreleased work posthumously.

We seem to spend a lot of time telling people they’re wrong (and even stupid) – in politics, in the media, on social forums. Nobody ever seems to change their mind. It all seems a bit boring and pointless. Can we change the way we communicate and actually have an effect?

It’s a global issue and no country has found a workable answer.

Some countries use a year of compulsory military service as a rite of passage for young adults. Looking at our 18 year olds today, some might say we need to bring in this kind of enforced ‘gap year’ for the good of the individual and of our whole society. And of course, it would strengthen the country militarily to have a national service corps. But at what cost? Would this be worth it?

Well… Douglas Adams cared.