I was most amused to read this, as I've been doing it - or, rather, a somewhat sillier version - since I was a kid.

When I was in the first few years of secondary school, I had a marvellously flamboyant drama teacher who used to start off exercises by saying aloud "a-one, a-two, a-diddly-diddly-doo". And then we'd all start, immediately, no more faffing around.

And somehow the habit got lodged in my head, and I use it - usually only mentally rather than aloud! - for things like getting out of bed or making myself get up from my computer when I'm thirsty but have got stuck reading things online rather than going to the kitchen for a drink.

Like, er, right now, actually. A-one, a-two...