Substance Abuse

Got 4 hours' worth of sleep last night (or thereabouts), an indirect consequence of "new" responsibilities that end up taking up a lot of time, require a lot of writing and an above-average number of meetings, much to the bemusement of those lucky enough to have a quiet August.

The bastards. Well, at least I manage to squeeze in some social life.

So, before (as a sort of appetizer for dinner) I dive into a 64-page overview of an arcanely complex technology programme (printed on actual paper to provide some relief to my eyesight, which has recently pushed the 13-dioptre limit on my prescription), here is the one tip that is getting me through the e-mail torrent, the meetings, the 37C heatwave and the sleep deprivation: Chocolate.

Trust me. With half a Cadbury's 200g bar, a little focus and copious amounts of , you can't go wrong.

Caffeine totally spoils the effect, by the way.