Each month, two of the SDS Young Persons Sport Panel will pair up to write an article for the website so we can all get to know them a little better! This month we hear from Thomas Boers and Rory McKinna.
Thomas’ Report on Rory:
With everything going on, most people sit bored at home. Not Rory though. No, he’s definitely keeping busy. He’s at college twice a week studying product design as it’s a very hands-on course. Out of everyone at City of Glasgow College, his class is in most often. Can’t say I’m not jealous! Right now he’s busy designing a lunchbox for a company called Joseph Joseph. And that’s just school.
There’s also sailing, the garden (which has never looked so good), his various businesses and a “small” flock of around forty chickens! But seeing as it’s winter right now, it’s too cold for them. Them being both the sailors and the chickens. So the sailing has been moved online and the chickens into a polytunnel. This way they’ll keep on laying eggs throughout winter.
The sailors have moved from the cold waters to the comfortable waters of the internet, by virtue of Virtual Regatta, an online sailing simulator. Through practically any device you can imagine, it simulates sailing races and keeps the sailing community together in these trying times. Added benefit; since you’re on your own you don’t have to worry about the use of profanities, so you can quite literally swear like a sailor! They even race for actual prizes!
Rory’s also been attending several conferences. Normally they would be in person, but again, strange times, so they’ve been moved online. Reduced risk for spreading the disease, but sadly also reduced chance for mingling with people. This would be the way to get sponsorship deals, but even now it’s going okay.
With Christmas fast approaching, another one of Rory’s businesses is picking up: his Christmas tree-rental, a concept I was incredibly intrigued by. He’s got several pot-grown trees that customers can rent and put in or outside their homes to be decorated and loved throughout the holidays. And then after all the festivities are over and the neighbours start to judge the decorations that are still up, Rory will collect the tree and grow it on for next year! It’s amazing, and he’s really picking up steam. The most busy time to deliver the trees seems to be around the 2nd week of December, and by the 1st week of January most have been collected. It seems like most people tolerate decorations two weeks before and two weeks after Christmas. I personally disagree with that and think that it’s acceptable the whole year round! But Rory is probably the expert on the topic.
So, the lockdown outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, just stay home just stay home just stay home.
Rory’s Report on Thomas:
With everything going on, most people sit bored at home. Including Thomas (in a good way though)!
Thomas is currently studying forensic science at Robert Gordon University, the work for which is his main priority at the moment. After finishing a lab report, he is now preparing a presentation on (and I can honestly say I have never heard this one before) culpable homicide and murder! However, almost all of Thomas’ work must be conducted from his home, which he shares with several flatmates.
On this note, upon interviewing Thomas, he had just recovered from an early Christmas dinner that he and his flatmates held as one of them was returning home early and would have otherwise missed out on the festivities. Now debating whether it was worth while taking the decorations down, only to put them back up in a couple of weeks, Thomas launched a survey asking if Christmas decorations:
- Should go up two weeks before Christmas.
- Ten days before Christmas (the Dutch tradition, as Thomas is from Holland).
- Are acceptable all year round.
Apparently the results were overwhelmingly in favour of all year round, although Thomas reckons that the respondents were answering sarcastically, which I hope is true!
Unfortunately, there was little to talk about regarding Thomas’ sport, wheelchair basketball. Due to the pandemic, all competitions and training have been postponed and will not return until next year. Despite this, Thomas is keen to get back on the court. Which he’ll need to be, as he’ll have to work off two Christmas dinners!