London to Edinburgh
So I am in Scotland.
Diren and I are currently in a bar having a gin and tonic, it's 9pm.
"Gin and tonics make me write sick emails bro, it must be scientific."
Kartal, D.
It's a weird old bar and we had to open a bookcase to get into the main bar area.
I was told there was free refillable popcorn so I was sold immediately.
We have our laptops with us as we have work to do as we've been out all day.
Why are we in Scotland?
​We took one of our members out for dinner.
Lorna, winner of the Vegas challenge.
​We hired a car and drove out to her home town (in the arse end of nowhere).
Her nearest McDonalds was a 25 minute drive away.
No wonder she doesn't drink. How is she going to get a McFlurry on a hangover Deliveroo'd that distance away.
Lorna has been dealt one of the toughest hands of anyone I know at life.
I wanted to ask her face to face about it more today and I can't tell you how mad it is that someone in her position not only was brave but audacious enough to commit to my Academy.
I won't disclose too much of her personal life but a lady from a small town in Scotland who couldn't walk unassisted gave the JSA challenge a go.
She fucking owned it and won it too.
From what I hear the support systems gave up on her several times but she didn't give up on herself.
It's not often I sit in a room with someone who is more audacious than me, I was taken back a bit throughout the entire day.
Not only did I find out what a strong Scottish woman was made of today.
It actually made me realise how fucking soft the rest of us are.
​Moaning about how we're busy or tired from our big weekends.
Making up in most cases trivial shit.
​None of us have ever had to move house because we can't use stairs to only mention a few.
Point I want to make is this.
3.5 months ago a lady who couldn't walk unassisted entered our JSA Vegas challenge saying "I have nothing to lose".
She'd seen loads of specialists who couldn't help her.
​She went and fucking won it too.
I spoke to Lorna and told her that Las Vegas may not be the best place for her to celebrate and we offered a cash prize instead.
​I asked her today what she'd spend it on and she said she's told me she's going to use the money to go swim with dolphins.
I am absolutely fucking buzzing about that.
So today from me, in Scotland.
I'm going to tell you to have a bit of Lorna about you and stop being such a fucking pussy.
3 months from now I could be in your front room with you telling me how you "couldn't believe I actually won!"
​You won't win without taking part, I can assure you that.