groupon, bootcamp and lime pot de crèmes

I can tell you now, Groupon is going to be the end of me. What’s Groupon you ask? Really? Where have you been?

Groupon is a new(ish) sales concept, probably made up by some crazy old dude sitting in his basement, swigging a bottle of ‘Beam and smoking some pack of yellowed cigarettes he stashed away for a rainy day, way back in 1962. Whoever he is, he is now a rich motherfucker, because the concept of Groupon has taken off… mainly due to suckers like myself.

Groupon works on the premise that each day they present you with a new deal. It’s usually some fandangle deal offering you upwards of 80% off some meal or shopping or laser-liposuction (no joke) and if enough people sign up, “The Deal Is On!” and you get the discount. If not enough people sign up then well, I’m guessing the deal isn’t on. The catch is that you only have 24 hours to decide if you’re in. Once the time’s up, the deal is closed and we move on to the next deal.

The way this shit works its magic on me is that I’m what the Hokkien folk of the world call… kiasu.  I don’t ever like to lose, regardless of whether it’s competitive sports, Pictionary, an argument with Panu or even that stupid beach holiday competition where I lost to a fat guy in a mankini (but really, out of all those, I loathe losing at Pictionary). Groupon isn’t even a goddamn competition and I still don’t like to lose.

So due to this slight character flaw of mine, I get a little trigger happy when I see my daily (daily! They do this to me daily!) Groupon email. And a few weeks ago, when an offer came through for UNLIMITED (unlimited! Like, I can go All Day Every Day) Bootcamp sessions for £20 (£20! That’s CHEAP!) I signed up.

Idiot.

(Ok at this point I should point out that yes, while it’s true that even though I’ve paid £20 I don’t actually have to go, I should also let you know that while I am kiasu, I am also very very very stingy. It’s the Chinese in me. I ain’t wastin’ my £20.)

I went for my first session of Bootcamp on Thursday last week and what can I say? I contemplated feigning injury 10 minutes in because THEY MADE US SPRINT ONE KILOMETER as warm up. I can only sprint 50 meters, motherfucker, and that’s on a good day.

Our trainer is a cold hard bitch, wrapped inside the body of a gorgeous, ever so lovely, ever so soft spoken lady that even when she tells you to push through your pain, somehow it kind of sounds like she’s asking you to please have a seat and here, here’s a big slice of Victorian sponge to help you through your pain. So you just do it, because she’s so goddamn nice.

On Friday last week, I could not walk.

On Tuesday this week, I could walk again. I considered going to another session but it rained! Hallelujah!

Last night, I actually went again.

I came home battered and bruised, hungry, and totally deserving of more than just grapes for dessert. So I started to potter around in the kitchen and decided to make use of the Le Creuset ramekins I got as a prize for turning 31. I didn’t have many supplies so I couldn’t get up to much mischief (oh could I go to the store? Sure I could. Did I want to? Hell no.) but…

I had cream… tick

I had sugar… tick

I had eggs… tick (ok they may be Panu’s eggs I’m sorry, baby!)

I even had a lime! yay!

Welcome to lime pot de crèmes a la Karen of Citrus and Candy… (grrr mine as not as pretty as hers… I don’t like to lose at this either but I seem to do it often).