Post the Sixteenth: Dealing With Stress

Lately I've been feeling a little overwhelmed at work. I've been assigned a lot of big projects with tight deadlines. I like it, because it means that I am getting lots of hours and that my work days go by quickly, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming.

Today, while I was working from home (there's a bus strike on right now), I had a moment of feeling like I just wasn't going to be able to do it. I wasn't going to have everything done on time and everyone at the office would consequently hate me just a little bit. I decided to take a break.

I had two options: Throw a temper tantrum, or make Cream Puffs.

A few years ago my sister-in-law gave me a most beauteous book: Cupcakes, Muffins & Baked Goods: A Collection of Easy & Elegant Recipes. It is one of those gem-of-a-cookbooks that has a photo for every single recipe. On page 52 is a recipe for raspberry éclairs and the picture is divine. Seriously, I wanted to eat the page right out of the book like some sort of demonic hobgoblin.

But for some reason I was scared of making them. They looked so dainty and intricate. Surely my troll hands would destroy them and surely I would be brought to tears any time I saw a pastry thereafter. So the book got tucked away in my stash of food porn so it could be ogled on occasion when foodies came over to visit.

Recently I rediscovered the book and, consequently, my love for those dreamy-looking desserts. Feeling empowered and ready to tackle something new I decided to make them. They were so easy to make and OH MY GOD WERE THEY GOOD! Choux pastry? Easy. Whipped Cream? Easy. Raspberries? Yummily easy. Lemony Frosting? Easy. Quick to assemble and even quicker to eat.

Conquering those fruity beasts filled me with a calm euphoria.

So, back to my decision. Temper Tantrum, or Cream Puffs?

The answer I came to is sitting in my fridge. Yummmm.

The next Andy Warhol, clearly.

Post the Sixth: Sexy Cat Sweaters

It's that time of year when we break out our lights and trees and nog of eggs in celebration of what some people call Christmas and others dub the more PC term "Holidays". Over the past few years a yuletide tradition that is very dear to my heart has been spreading like wildfire, particularly in the indie/hipster scene. It is the Ugly Sweater Party.

The Ugly Sweater Party is just what it sounds like: a party at which everyone wears ugly sweaters. Some party-goers make a competition out of the event by trying to find a sweater that will out-ugly all of the sweaters in attendance; not an easy feat.

How do you decide what it is exactly that makes a sweater the ugliest of sweaters? Is it the tacky colour combinations? Is it the overuse of sequins? Perhaps it is the bizarre pairings of images on the sweater? Recently a friend of mine recalled a sweater that featured the Virgin Mary and Mrs. Claus baking cookies together, which is, of course, the true meaning of Christmas.

My favourite variety of "Ugly" Sweater is the Cat-Lady Sweater. I put 'ugly' in quotations because the extremes that Cat-Lady Sweaters reach are more than that. Some Cat-Lady Sweaters are so mind-blowingly ornate in their depictions of our feline friends that they can only be described with this word: SEXY.

I Google Image searched "sexy cat sweater" and would like to share with you my top picks from the results. Happy Holimas!

Image from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1W7Q70fop_Qzz1rWlVMPjTPPHzJsB8z-1GY0nahNSUoxII7goUwlPyjO5hgfma85Qo952nJncwF3OWi-0zGGNzFpzFeYP55voSTVGlyWrfEZYk35ldXb3mR9gs1QttVn6Pr0PoF0nhLe1/s1600/il_430xN.176138484.jpg

Image from:  http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltwa2s7n0E1r4gk8oo1_500.png

 Image from: http://shitmycakesays.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/cat-christmas-sweater-for-cat-lovers.jpg

Image from: http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltnkvwFMC11r4gk8oo1_500.png 

Image from: http://www.brightgreenlaces.com/

Image from: http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltv8ggbLVI1r4gk8oo1_500.jpg

Image from: http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltyrp5hBdz1r4gk8oo1_500.png

Image from: http://laurenoutloud.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tumblr_luzsv2elRq1r4gk8oo1_500.png

Image from: http://www.alleewillis.com/awmok/kitschenette/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-13-at-1.17.39-PM.png

Now, just in case those weren't enough for you, here are a few HONOURABLE MENTIONS (these sweaters do not have any cats on them, but they are still very special):

Image from: http://www.traemcneely.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/wpid-sexy-sweaters-11.jpg

Image from: http://s3.amazonaws.com/kym-assets/photos/images/newsfeed/000/199/263/tumblr_lumbov5hu11r4gk8oo1_500.jpg?1321221837

Image from: http://ny-image3.etsy.com/il_fullxfull.115129667.jpg

Post the Second: In The Beginning

The thrill of the odd one blogging compelled me to look at inspirational images by Google Image searching "in the beginning". I found something very, very special. Here it is:

 

Image found at http://www.starrtours.com/tours/details/116/highlights

Inspiration: FOUND! Here are some questions that come to mind when viewing this glorious find:

1) How did this beautiful Caucasian couple get to the jungle?
2) What does the blonde's strapless dress look like?
3) What is the man's workout regimen?
4) Does the lion know of the tiger's undying love for him?
5) How many more seconds does the zebra have to live?
6) What are the parrot's thoughts on climate change?
7) Why is the elephant being left out?

I've taken the liberty of finding some answers. Feel free to find your own answers and post them in the comments or keep them to yourself to savour alone.

1) Paddle boat from Miami. The parrot led them the rest of the way from the shore.
2) Swan Cloud Dress in Pink from ModCloth. Though not a huge fan of the style, after reading the very first sentence in the description she couldn't resist. Could you? "Look up at the sky, is that fluffy white cloud gliding across the dusk horizon a swan?"
3) Eat a ham steak for breakfast with a wheat grass smoothie and then 800 crunches 3 times a day.
4) Yes.
5) 127.
6) The parrot has always wanted to move to Moscow to pursue its dreams of wearing a Russian hat. Climate change would make Moscow more temperate and therefore bring the parrot closer to achieving his dreams.
7) Tusks are scary.