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The Chicken Salad War: Chapter 11

Here is the next chapter of The Chicken Salad War! As with my previous books, I’m making a draft of the novel available for public commentary, so that you all can help make it awesome. Constructive criticism is welcome! Tell me what you liked, what you didn’t, where my typos are. 

Posting a little early today because I'm traveling, and I need to get the laptop packed, but I'll see you all tonight when I'm back in Chicago!

Chapter Eleven At AO3

Chapter Eleven at Google Docs (it starts at chapter 10, scroll down!)

You can also access the folder containing all sections of the book here.

Happy reading! 

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Why do they even make apps for ADHD. You want me to use my 24/7 handheld immediate distraction device? To manage my 'gets distracted too easily' disorder? Ooooh we developed the perfect tool for managing your anemia. Its hosted in Dracula's castle. 👍

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Oh yes! I actually did a post about it here. Which I had actually completely forgotten about, to be honest :D I'll have to make a note to at least do a short story at some point. Needs some research still -- I'm familiar with Mari Lwyd but not overly. Maybe another "Eddie and Gregory do matchmaking with supernatural beasts" story ala the Svichwurm.

So, I was reading one of @copperbadge ‘s shivadhverse stories (specifically this one : https://archiveofourown.org/works/61274209 )

https://archiveofourown.org/works/61274209

And I suddenly remembered that their culture was part Welsh for reasons…

I found myself wondering how they might have incorporated this delightful bit of Welsh culture into the general Askazer-Shivadlakia mayhem?

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Oh yes! I can't remember if I posted about this here or not already. The reading is on July 25th, and there are livestream tickets available for $20 (ish, it's in GBP). I'm going to be hosting a viewing on the night of, for friends in brickspace. I encourage others to watch or to get a group together to do the same!

"Director Phoebe Kemp said in a statement: “Twelfth Night already toys with gender and performance – it feels like Shakespeare wrote it for us. This reading is about joy, solidarity and showing what’s possible when trans and nonbinary artists are at the centre of the story.”"

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The Chicken Salad War: Chapter 10

Here is the next chapter of The Chicken Salad War! As with my previous books, I’m making a draft of the novel available for public commentary, so that you all can help make it awesome. Constructive criticism is welcome! Tell me what you liked, what you didn’t, where my typos are. 

I'm plowing my way through the comments! It's been useful and inspiring, so please don't feel self-conscious about speaking up!

Four more chapters to go after this!

Chapter Ten At AO3

Chapter Ten at Google Docs (includes Chapter 11 as well)

You can also access the folder containing all sections of the book here.

Happy reading! 

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Hey, this is awesome! What a great gif and I'm so glad the post helped out! Thanks for tagging me so I'd get to see it. :)

Kaybid

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since you are who comes to mind when I think of going to random american cities: I've recently been informed that the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond is well worth a visit! thought I'd pass along in case you're ever in the area : )

Oh, I'm sure it is! I mean, I like a bad museum as well as a good one :D It was one of the museums I had marked to investigate when I visited R, but he lives too far from Richmond for it to be an easy trip. But rest assured it's on my "places to see if I can" google map :D

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Mum and I both like mushrooms but my stepfather doesn't, so mum doesn't often cook with them at home. But I cook with them a lot, so I told her I'd make her my new specialty, teriyaki mushrooms.

It's just sliced mushrooms sauteed until soft and golden, then cooked on medium for a few minutes with teriyaki sauce, but they're hard to ruin and they taste fantastic. So for dinner tonight we are having savory mushroom slider burgers Except Dad Who Gets Extra Cheese.

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The Chicken Salad War: Chapter 9

Here is the next chapter of The Chicken Salad War! As with my previous books, I’m making a draft of the novel available for public commentary, so that you all can help make it awesome. Constructive criticism is welcome! Tell me what you liked, what you didn’t, where my typos are. 

I'm plowing my way through the comments! It's been useful and inspiring, so please don't feel self-conscious about speaking up!

Chapter Nine At AO3

Chapter Nine at Google Docs (it starts at chapter 8 -- scroll down!)

You can also access the folder containing all sections of the book here.

Happy reading! 

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Fun update, the lab emailed me today asking me to leave a review if I liked their service. I can imagine it's tough to get people to leave reviews on their STI tests, given there's still stigma around such things, but I'm pretty sure they don't want the humorous remarks I would make about the early morning booty call.

I know that blood and urine tests are generally pretty automated, like fluid goes into machine, results come out of machine, machine sends results to your MyChart or whatever.

But it is still extremely funny to me that I had my routine STI screening yesterday and the lab started texting me that my results were coming in...around 3am today.

Like "U up? Because you don't have the clap!"

Stoked to hear it, friend. I'll go right out and have some more safe sex but not before dawn on a Wednesday.

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PIZZA SUCCESS.

I forgot to take a picture of the cooked pizza before we devastated it, but the folks liked it and that's the important part. And now they know how to make it, so they have vowed to try it on their own and send me photos. Updates as warranted.

My parents love to watch cooking shows, particularly America's Test Kitchen and the YouTube show Food Wishes. My mother finds the voice of Chef John, host of Food Wishes, extremely soothing, which is funny because he has a wildly unusual vocal cadence. If you've never seen a Food Wishes video, look one up and brace yourself.

Yesterday they stumbled over ATK's Detroit Pizza segment, and then looked up Chef John's video about it, and Mum texted me to ask if I ever made Detroit pizza. It's pretty much the only kind I make, so she asked if I'd make it with them when I visit home in a few days. She even spent this morning shopping for the right kind of pan. She's thrilled that I make my own pizza sauce, so now she's making a grocery list for what she needs to buy before I arrive. I also pointed out that there's a Jet's Pizza on the way from the Austin airport to their place, so the plan is to pick me up, stop at Jet's to get a "benchmark", then go home, where we will sample Jet's while I make the dough (which needs to rise slow and cold overnight) and the sauce, and the next day we will make our own.

I am bringing home, in my checked luggage, a bag of King Arthur pizza flour and a bottle of my preferred pizza sauce seasoning (Mie Radici brand).

It's both funny and sweet that a love of Detroit pizza appears to be genetic, even for a family that has zero historical connection to Detroit.

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I don't know if tumblr will let us include links in asks yet, but Popular Mechanics published an article about a genetic mutation that is discovered to cause orange and calico cat fur

I love that the subhead references why ginger cats are.....like that. :D

It's interesting reading! I have trouble following discussions of genetics, always have -- I understand the theory of the punnet square but I can never quite get a clear grip on it in a functional sense. Still, cool to see the science being done!

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God, I love tiny collapsible things. I wonder what the sound quality is like -- I mean, obviously it's not going to be hi-fi but I've never much been bothered by variances in that kind of thing. I'd love to hear one in person. (I mean, I'd love to own one, but ones in working condition start at around $900 on eBay.)

[ID: Three images; top image is a small metal disc with a handle at the top, labeled Mikiphone in the center, and reading "Pocket Phonograph" as part of the legend around the name. The second image shows the Mikiphone unfolded; the case has formed a base on which a vinyl record rests, and out of the base at the back is protruding the speaker, while at the side the needle arm is ready to drop. The third image shows one Mikiphone collapsed, as with the top image, and another unfolded but without a record on it, demonstrating the interior workings.]

“Mikiphone” - portable pocket gramophone. Swiss made 1924

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Here's the video I was asking about last night! I overestimated my parents' appreciation for absurdity -- they ended up confused (my mother) and more interested in what kind of horse it was (my former Future Farmers of America stepfather) but they did enjoy it, even if they weren't as amused as all of Tumblr is.

Oh yeah there's a part 2 of the horse desensitizing that I love.

🐎: Hey what's with that tiny predator, the one you're hold- WOAH WHAT THE FUCK WHY IS IT UP SO HIGH

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The Chicken Salad War: Chapter 8

Here is the next chapter of The Chicken Salad War! As with my previous books, I’m making a draft of the novel available for public commentary, so that you all can help make it awesome. Constructive criticism is welcome! Tell me what you liked, what you didn’t, where my typos are. 

I'm plowing my way through the comments! It's been useful and inspiring, so please don't feel self-conscious about speaking up!

Chapter Eight At AO3

Chapter Eight at Google Docs (Includes Chapter Nine)

You can also access the folder containing all sections of the book here.

Happy reading! 

[copperbadge]

My mother: I had a great idea for a service business. You know how every week or so you have to go through the fridge and get rid of the food that went bad because you forgot you had it?

Me: unfurling the big ADHD flag Well, I buy less produce and I freeze a lot of stuff so I don't have to do it as often, but sure, I know the feeling.

Mum: Well, I thought that there could be a service where someone comes to your house and cleans out the stuff that's going bad.

Me: Riding an elephant through the living room with the ADHD flag rippling behind me That's a cool idea! You could add on a fee for them to cook some meals with anything about to go bad.

Mum: Of course I could never let a stranger go through everything in my fridge and move stuff around. They probably wouldn't remember where the mustard lives.

Me: Unboxing a vivid silk Undiagnosed AuDHD flag That's a good point.

Me, internally: Maybe they could offer psychiatric services as well.

Mum: I could call it A Fridge Too Far.

Me: I have never been more your child.

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My parents' newest fascination in YouTube videos is funny horse video compilations. Now, I've checked and they haven't seen the sped-up horse desensitization training video where the trainer menaces the horse with a cat. And it turns out there are no end of not-as-funny desensitization videos keeping me from finding the good one, so I am begging the tumblrhive -- somebody has the link, please, share it with me so I can astound them.

ETA: Found! Thank you @zalein ! Link in notes but I will also reblog tomorrow.