Thanks Lizzie - very happy to share it, as I've always found it really useful when other people do the same. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself - but hopefully this year will be a bit better.
I've really benefitted from other people's transparency, so I wanted to do the same
It's 8 years since I started my business, so I wrote about what I earn, what I spend, how I find work, and what I’ve learnt from 8 years as a self-employed content strategist lapope.com/2026/04/06/w...
I am so ashamed. I've been to not one but two garden centres today. Who am I? When did this happen to me?
I feel like I could do whole zine of just stupid things tech bros say
Good luck. I did one hilly half in my running days, and my advice would be to hydrate and get those electrolytes. I skipped one water stop and got such a bad cramp that my toes decided to curl under my foot and could not be persuaded to re-emerge.
I already take prescription iron daily, but I'm trying to add new plant sources (nettles and dandelions) in the meantime in the hope that they might be more bioavailable.
I have an update to this. I need an iron infusion (learned this via a secure message from my GP). There's a waiting list, of course. And despite the fact I live in a city with two hospitals, I can't get this locally. I'm going to have to go to one that's a 40 min drive away.
So true. Something I've been thinking about a lot, but didn't include in the end was that I think SLAs can gently help the get the best out of a lot of stakeholders by stopping them doing things the easy way/the way they've always done them.
Thanks Lizzie! This one has been in the works for ages.
The blood test form thing drives me up the wall. In 2026 I can't see any reason why the patient/their carer needs to collect a physical form from the GP.
That sounds like my perfect day out.
This looks blissful - and the walk sounds amazing as well.
I have worryingly pink cheeks despite a heavy coating of factor 50. And I'm not even that pale.
I had a truly awful week this week, but sunshine and three hours in the woods with the dog this morning had undone most of the damage. I get an absolute rush from spring days like this: the sunshine, seeing the bees back out and about, stuffing my bag full of wild garlic, cleavers, and violets.
So sorry Jack. She sounds like an excellent woman.
7. 24th Feb: Call blood test line again. Book test for first available date: 10th March.
8. 10th March: Go into work at 6am so I can leave at 11am in order to get to my doctor to collect blood test forms before they close at 12.
9. 10th March: Travel across town to blood test surgery.
4. 23rd Feb: Call my doc to book blood test. They don't do them because they don't have a nurse at the moment. They tell me to call another surgery.
5. 23rd Feb: Call the other surgery. They say I need to call the blood test line.
6. 23rd Feb: Call the blood test line. They are closed.
2. 18th Feb: Call back. Ask to book an appointment. They tell me the best option is to go to a different surgery as it needs to be face to face.
3. 21st Feb: Travel to other side of town for appt. Doc does not examine me. Says I need a blood test and a wrist support from Amazon 🫠
Waiting at a random doctor's surgery for a blood test, so just for fun, here's all the touchpoints it took to get here:
1. 17th Feb: Call my surgery on my lunch break. Learn that they are closed from 12-3 every day.
I had wiped this from my memory, but it's absolutely perfect for what I need, thank you.
Perfection
Mark Zuckerberg sits on the front row of a fashion show. He is a pasty, sweaty awkward looking beacon a sea of chic people.
Do you have a favourite embarrassing, unflattering, or unhinged image, gif or quote from a tech overlord?
Please can you share it with me? It's for A Thing. The more cringe the better.
A plastic seed tray and cover, filled with little coir seed pellets wrapped in paper
Four seeds in the palm of my hand, they are bean-shaped, very dark purple with pink speckles.
Seeds planted: nigella, cornflower, nasturtium, calendula, chamomile, borage, California poppy, sweet peas, stocks, and scarlet runner beans (the prettiest seeds ever?)
Think I'm going to plant all my seeds this weekend. I'm too excited to wait any longer.
Just looked at my cash reserves. No boat. Maybe a piece of cake this afternoon or something though.
4 clients paid their invoices this morning. I feel like I should go out and buy a boat or something.
Love that for you, Kristina. Making the smart choices (unlike me).
That sounds delightful
Like a scoop inside the bun? Because wow.