I’ve started a new thing I’m calling Short Story Sunday. I’m releasing some of my older stories to celebrate my upcoming Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine debut. I’m a little bit nervous, and a little bit excited, and a little bit stressed, and a little bit proud. Because it marks a new phase in my writing […]
Stress Free Virtual Dinner Party
It’s hard to stay connected in lock-down. You can’t meet in person, but you can get online and host a Virtual Dinner Party. No, it’s not the same, but it’s better than nothing. And as the important thing is to be together, and because most communications suppliers (e.g. Zoom or Skype) limit free plans to […]
The Dance of Death
Don’t know about you, but I’ve been preoccupied with death. Shouldn’t be much of a surprise to you, I’ve written about death and momento mori before. The lists of Covid-19 infections, deaths and recoveries make grim, yet compulsive viewing as I grapple with the scale of it. And when you add the scams on top, […]
Stress Free Medieval Dinner Party
Turns out to have been a really long time since I wrote a Dinner Party, and for a while there I was really stuck on what to do, but then I watched The King and now I’m doing a Medieval Dinner Party. Though I suppose more technically it should be called a Banquet. Food We […]
Alice ‘mid the Starships
“Normal” people get caught in social media quagmires, but I run down a different kind of internet rabbit hole. When I first saw this image I was intrigued because it’s a Victorian glass lantern slide titled ” Oh there, ‘mid the starships, Alice, I know a”. And I was really curious about the starships. The […]
Stress Free London Blitz Dinner Party
Just recently I’ve read (and written) a few stories about World War II London. I’m inspired to write a Stress Free London Blitz Dinner Party. Food shortages not withstanding, it’s easier than you think. Food Yes there were food shortages, and rationing – mainly meat, tea, dairy, sugar and manufactured sweets. Fresh vegetables were hard […]
Stress Free Bushfire Dinner Party
This Stress Free Bushfire Dinner Party is a bit of a cheat because if you’re having a Dinner Party and a bushfire breaks out, it’s time to abandon the party and activate your bushfire plan! Having said that, I was inspired by local tv coverage of a cafe madly making lunches for the volunteer firefighters […]
Stress Free K-Drama Dinner Party
Still binging on K-drama, but wanting a Stress Free K-Drama Dinner Party to share some of the food I’m seeing. I’d especially like to try Haejang-guk (Hangover Soup), but that’s not a dinner thing. I’ve tried Jajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce) (yum!) but that’s more of a lunch thing. And I’ve had Tteokbokki (Spicy Stir-fried Rice Cakes), though they’re more […]
Stress Free Steampunk Dinner Party
I’m laughing a little, because this Stress Free Steampunk Dinner Party, is an almost but not quite Stress Free Victorian Dinner Party, because Steampunk is a futuristic science fiction genre powered by Victorian steam technology. Food I’ve selected dishes from a menu given in Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management: Dinner for six persons (September) I. […]
Stress Free Dinner Party When You’re Not Hungry
While a Stress Free Dinner Party when you’re not hungry seems like a contradiction, it does sometimes happen that for one reason or another you lose your appetite. I find that when I’m not hungry, small snacks are easier to face than big meals, so for that reason, we’re going to use the principles of Nouvelle […]
Stress Free Dinner Party to Comfort a Friend with Depression
Let me start by saying that a Stress Free Dinner Party to Comfort a Friend with Depression is not the end of what you can do. Beyond Blue recommends you watch for the signs of depression, listen to your friend’s experiences, talk about what’s going on, and encourage them to seek help. I recommend you […]
Stress Free In-laws Dinner Party
I have to start by saying you can’t have a stress free event when your guests stress you out. That makes today’s Stress Free In-laws Dinner Party a somewhat questionable proposition. If your in-laws stress you out, book a table at a restaurant and focus on deep breathing to help you get through the event. If, […]