It's a second #yearoffirsts (renamed #yearofmagic). So when the opportunity came up to do an abseil, something I've never done EVER, the question "why not?" could not deliver any real answers in the 10 seconds I took to consider it.

There are too many reasons why I should do a stupid and, let's face it, pretty useless act.  Although my mother disagrees and said "can't you shave your head instead". 

1. My friends get to laugh at me and take photos of my fat *rse on the way down. (Blackmail will not be tolerated.)
2. I get to create a new word for 'fear of weeing in public'.
3. It will keep me out the pub on the Friday night before.
4. I'll be motivated to weigh so much lighter so I don't break the ropes.
5. Apparently, there's no training required. And those that know me best know I don't do any real training.
6. I'm fairly resilient.  Embarrassment and humiliation is quite easy for me to overcome, although the last public humiliation I undertook was appearing on the Generation Game in 1989, so it's about time I offered myself up to world to laugh at.  Fear of heights is another matter altogether (see point 2 above). 
7. It will raise much needed money for worthy charities.

In fact, the only reason why not to do this is if I don't get enough sponsorship.  Hey - please DON'T SPONSOR ME!