To think the human body is a bit of a bodged kob?

[DisgraceToTheYChromosome]

I've been awake since 0400 with a trapped nerve in my neck, now in its 8th day. The pain is manageable, but the random tremor as the nerve heals pisses me right off. And spring is here, so my feet are driving me mad by sprouting pompholyx. Horrible itchy little bastards.

Broken limbs, life theatening infections, exploding at both ends: these I can deal with. It's the niggles get me down.

I don't mind being eaten by a predator as long as I've had some time swimming around in a pod, smiling, chirruping and having recreational dolphin sex.

And after the business of delivery as the deliveries are about to get off your hands and leave you free to live again the bit that made the deliveries possible starts packing up and generates heat and even worse sleepless nights. Yep, crap.

At the moment: seed corns, a bit of plantar fasciitis, some dry skin, dodgy thyroid and that's not including the knackered vertebrae or the root canal work.

Apart from that I'm fit and well.

The tuna fishermen wouldn't be much fun for you.

How about being an albatross? They live a long time (there's a Laysan albatross out there somewhere who's in her 60s), they can fly endlessly with minimal energy expenditure, they get to see the world as they travel vast distances, they form life-long pair-bonds but get months on end to themselves when not nesting.

Im sticking with the eagle, total freedom
surely nothing can compare to being able to fly?

The albatross is a harbinger of bad luck isn't it?
Mind you I doubt it cares about the petty concerns of humans ?

Most baby animals are up on their feet and walking within minutes of being born. How come we have to wait on average 13 months, for ours to walk?

Why do cows and many animals survive quite happily, eating only grass. Apart from the less advanced brain, they still have all the bodily systems we do. How come we need such a varied diet? I wouldn't mind having 4 stomachs if that is all it takes.

Humans aren't as advanced as we like to think.

Grazing animals have to spend all day eating just to get enough calories, that leaves very little time for developing any kind of tangible or intangible technology

Then again dolphins have the bigger brains, their inner life may be something approaching that of humans

In terms of its level of sophistication, obviously the actual experience of humans vs dolphins would be mutually unintelligible and utterly foreign ?

Disgrace - much sympathy for your neck pain

I get Pomphlox eczema on my hands - needs to avoid getting hands wet as much as possible, how then to keep DC's & house clean and not have constant D&V bugs from not washing after the multiple bum changes

Most baby animals are up on their feet and walking within minutes of being born. How come we have to wait on average 13 months, for ours to walk?

I thought it's because if human babies were born with all those capabilities, their brain, and thus head, would be too big to be born.

I'd hate to be a dolphin, or anything that lives in water. Imagine not having a cosy bed or home to go to. I'd hate to have to sleep underwater.

Teething is a design flaw.
Breast feeding should be a lot easier to master than it is.

BeaufortBelle - I sympathise about the thyroid - mine is buggered too - and about the root canal - tomorrow morning is going to hurt my jaw and my pocket .

Come to think of it, I'd be a domestic cat. Very easy life. Meow for food, sleep and go and crap in the neighbours garden.

Magelanic That's fine as long as your servants haven't had you neutered.

Fair point!
But the lure of sleeping for most of the day.....

Andrewfogg I'm half way through my treatment - just need perm crown fitted now. It was fine and painless. Good luck.

Thank you BeaufortBelle - that's reassuring as to the pain in the jaw - just leaves the pocket!