Dear stress, I think we should break up...

It's only Monday and already this week is starting to feel like the last – that is, stressful.

I haven't had time to pee, let alone post a weekend in numbers for your guys (and I know you've been anxiously awaiting it, haven't you?).

The only bright side is that I have my evenings to myself again, after writing, submitting, rewriting and resubmitting some freelance work last week (which not only took up any and all free time I had, but also taught me how badly I handle even the most constructive of criticism).

I'm feeling like a big old elastic ball full of stress and adrenalin at the moment, which is so not my preferred state of being.

And that's all I have time for kids...

Goodness I'm tired.

What a week.

Nearly glad we didn't snag U2 tickets, because I don't think I could summon the energy (I know, sacrilege right?)

Anyway, more from me next week, when hopefully work simmers down to a mild panic.

Shelving my cynical nature for a moment to post this:

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone
(and someone in particular)

Also, loved this post secret pic. I don't drink coffee, but I love the sentiment.

WIAT

Seriously guys, you can play along if you like...

WIAT...
1x cup of tea
40g HiFibre Bran with 125 ml fat-free milk
1 x cup of tea
3 x Woolies plain ricecakes with marmite
3 x Ryvita with cottage cheese and black pepper
20 almonds
1 x small apple
1 x cup of tea
750 ml water

See? I don't do too terribly at work (my day also included a one-kilometre swim by the by). It's when I get home, hungry, and start snacking that's the problem. Case in point – the four slices of toast with cheese and three shortbread fingers I consumed for dinner last night. Bad form Jade.

Look, I'm famous

Wrote a little bucket list over here today. Enjoy reading about my unlived life...

Yes! Look! Creativity!

Supreme jealousy

Was in the kitchen just now preparing my lunch of cardboard Ryvita and cottage cheese, when one of our art directors just casually mentioned that she's not in the office tomorrow – nor the two weeks after that. The lucky, lucky girl is hopping a plane to Istanbul tomorrow, and shortly after that heading to Florence and Milan, for a little solo holiday.

I could die of jealousy at the moment, because
a) I've never been to either city, but would love to see them both.
b) I haven't been on holiday – to a foreign place at least – for a year, and someone with itchy feet like mine gets serious withdrawal symptoms.
c) Loner that I am, I find travelling alone to interesting places very, very exciting and soul-nourishing. Elizabeth Gilbert, tell me how I can make it happen for me...

So anyway, given that I'm not independently wealthy and am tied to the office for the next six months at least, is there any generous millionaire type out there who wants to make my day and offer to fund a round-the-world trip?

Anyone?

Crickets. Damn.

Up The Creek, baby...

As awesome as a long weekend is, taking leave on a Friday inevitably means piles of work awaiting you on Monday morning.

Since I have deadlines coming out of my ears at the moment, I shall have to forgo a proper post today.

Instead, here's my weekend at Up The Creek, condensed for your reading pleasure, into a word cloud. Enjoy...

Click to enlarge k?

Okay so anyone who knows me knows I love to bake. This was evident from the number of birthday presents recently that were in the baking/tea drinking vein.

I just need put it out there first: I don't bake very well, I just enjoy it (especially the eating the fruits of my labour part, although I would never actually bake anything with fruit in it).

Anyway, the lovely Dorothy Black sent me this link to some beautiful cupcake designs. Man, some people know their way around an icing gun. These are my favourite so far:

A housewife's work is never done, and it's okay to get confused sometimes.

Holy smoke, the detail!

Bad batz maru is hands down the most awesome grumpy penguin in the world.

Cookie monster cookies. Can it get any better?

Okay I don't want to sound like a grouchy old lady here, but I'm having a case of ... well, I suppose it's more road annoyance than road rage.

I myself am not the world's greatest driver – not by a long shot. I don't always stick to the speed limit, I have been known to treat stop streets as yield signs when there aren't too many other cars around, I always go through orange lights and I had that quite spectacular near-fatal accident not too long ago.

But still. I am getting really hacked off about people going through red lights.

Accidentally, once in a while, if you're stuck in the middle of an intersection ... whatever, it happens. But people seem to be doing it consistently these days. As though a stop light simply means 'Keep going, you won't have an accident until the opposing lights turn green. And hey, if you're still 100m away when the light turns red, maybe just hit the gas so you go hurtling past it at breakneck speed. Rules of the road? Whatevs.'

But when I'm standing on the side of the road waiting to cross, and the light has gone RED and the little blinking man has gone GREEN, your pedal-to-the-medal road hog behaviour means you nearly killed me you fucking asshole idiot in your dirty tinpot Nissan with its smashed headlight. And leaning back in your seat and leering at my skirt does not me want to rip your eyeballs out any less.

Okay, maybe it was road rage after all. Can pedestrians get road rage?