The finalists of BBC Scotland’s Sports Personality of the Year limbered up for the last round in Edinburgh, jogging up and down Cathedral Lane between the Paolozzi sculptures and the St James Centre. While EMc and I watched the preparation of the ring from the steps of St Mary’s Cathedral on York Place we identified that perceptions of the term “relationship” differentiated services such as Facebook and LinkedIn from Twitter. We left the temporary ampitheatre just before the grand finale, showing our disapproval of a competition that was bound to end in a brutal boxing match.

Later on I spotted EMc again crossing the road back down the hill towards Broughton Street. It was amazing that I recognised him given the transformation in his appearance in the couple of hours since we had parted. He was an online avatar come to life: a two-dimensional dark-haired female cartoon character with enormous black eyes, wearing a bright red triangular dress.