Work, work, work

I don't think there is enough tea in the world to keep me going...I just have to get through the 2nd.

My gruntle is dissed

Fuck it, I want to be in the 1%. Show me the money.

Reality check

Last night I came home from work and I was thinking about what I needed to do (ironing, put away dishes, budget, make bed, do filing, load of washing, finish reading Antigone, do notes on Antigone comparisons, complete readings, makes notes on readings, start mindmap for essay, find at least three or four more references, reorganise bookshelves), and reflecting on my day at work (a bit frustrating, lack of concentration and focus, lots of wasting time), and I was all set to gripe. And then I realised – ha – I’m all on my own in my lovely flat. I may be sore, fatigued, forgetful, grumpy and feel vaguely guilty, but at least I’m all on my own in my lovely flat.

That counts for a lot!

Gas

Gas is standing between me and my ability to cook all the lovely meals detailed below. The stove has a leak. I'm glad it was discovered and that I don't smoke.

I figure if I was ever in any real danger, the hamsters would have snuffed it. The gas man (and yes, I made plenty of gas man cometh jokes before he came round) assured me that carbon monoxide only really comes from the boiler. I'll be watching the canaries hamsters carefully anyway.

Praise the effort, not just the smarts

This is an old article, but I found it really interesting. It's derived from a book called NurtureShock and it discusses the 'inverse power of praise', and how often tossing out "you're so clever" comments at kids, rather than "you tried really hard at [specific task]" can do more harm than good. The theory is that when a child is simply told that they're clever, they become less likely to want to try something new, or learn something new, because they're afraid of failure. Praising the effort, or encouraging the "practice makes perfect" philosophy means that children are less likely to give up before they've even begun.

Just like with all these theories, I'm sure the best answer lies between the two, but this jibes, I think, with my own experiences. The Mother and The Father were extremely into the "what you put in, you get out" school of thought.

Really interesting article. Link below.

The power (and peril) of praise

Nomnomnoms for the week ahead

Monday: Roasted pumpkin and orange soup
Tuesday: Indian food at work event
Wednesday: Gnocchi with basil pesto and parmesan
Thursday: Corn chowder
Friday: Minted pea risotto
Saturday: Clam sauce and homemade pasta
Sunday: Fridge and cupboard rummage

Stuck choosing a fantasy or sci fi book?

Be stuck no more.

I'm ok, I have a flowchart!

Tackling The Thing

I've been dancing around my readings and my books for weeks now, too terrified to engage with the material and panicking myself with dire predictions as to my doom. The essay looms, and that's the scariest of all.

Finally, today, I knuckled down. And of course, I enjoyed it. And got stuck in and can't wait to get stuck into the other stuff. I am an idiot, who really needs to get over herself.

Lamb roast

The best part of the roasted lamb, is the cold lamb and mint sandwiches you can make with the leftovers. Leigh taught me to do this, along with other vital skills. But the lamb sandwich making skill is the most vital.