Writers' Workshop General Chat Thread

[chaos_Leader]

I wonder, is this how a mad scientist feels?

I was just cooking up some rice, and wanted to put something a bit more exciting than a fried egg over it when it was done. One hour and one raided pantry later, with some kitchen shenanigans in the mix, and I think I'm on to something:

Ingredients:
- One can of condensed cream of mushroom soup
- One can of diced tomatoes
- One can of chicken (will probably substitute chicken cooked myself later)
- One half onion, finely chopped
- One clove of garlic minced

Procedure:
- Saute onion bits in pan with oil/butter
- Combine canned goods and add to pan with onions
- Cook on medium heat and reduce sauce (add spices and seasonings to taste)
- Add small amount of flour to thicken sauce

It ended up actually really, really tasty, so much so that I had to write it down to remember it later (and it was excellent over the rice). I've already got some thoughts of other veggies I could add into the mix, as well as variants and additions to the sauce itself. All I don't have for this thing is a name.

Apparently a combination of hunger, restlessness, a well-stocked kitchen, and being forced to wait for rice to cook is a recipe for culinary innovation.

 

[canisaries]

speaking of cooking...

Spoiler: someone in one of my chats shared this

terrifying

 

[Misfit Angel]

That is beyond vile. I am now in favor of cooking licenses and jail time for cooking without one.

 

[CrystaI]

That is what I called Real-Life horror.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Has anyone else ever had this experience: being called back on a job application and having no idea who the company is or what they do?

 

[InfiniteBakuphoon]

@Beth Pavell
I wouldn't know anything about that, because I barely get calls back about job applications at all...

 

[Misfit Angel]

Not quite a return answer to an application, but a few weeks back I got some mail from a local activist group. For some reason, they thought that I was a combat veteran of Desert Storm and they wanted my assistance to help veterans returning from Afghanistan reintegrate into civilian life.

Maybe I'm blocking out the horrors of war that a two year old me would have experienced and I actually am a war veteran.

 

[Beth Pavell]

It was waste of time anyway. Never work for a man who a) Doesn't know who he's supposed to be interviewing and when, and b) Can see from your CV that you're completely inappropriate for the role and invites you to interview anyway

 

[AceTrainer14]

I hate that with interviews. I've had so many interviews where it's gone really well and the people have been really chatty, and then when I get rejected they'll say either I'm not qualified enough for it or don't have the required skills, both things you'd think they could tell from my CV. The latter always grinds my gears as the people usually never actually ask me during the process.

 

[Beth Pavell]

It's not just UK recruiters who don't read CVs then, that's slightly cheering. Skim-reading I can understand, if you've got a stack of fifty to assess and all the usual managerial responsibilities to do as well. You'd think it wouldn't take much more than half an hour at the very most to read the shortlist

 

[Misfit Angel]

The one job I got, working in a restaurant kitchen, I only got because I listed plumbing as one of my off-skills. I very, very clearly remember the person who interviewed me say "well, good, if the sink breaks down you'll be able to fix it". It never did quite break down, but it was bound to at some point, that thing was so many code violations wrapped together.

At least they read my paperwork, I guess... then again, if they actually paid attention to it, they'd have known that I had no experience working in a kitchen prior to that.

Maybe that's why they let me go, my cooking skills weren't up to snuff and the sink wasn't breaking as much as they expected. I should have used my expertise to manufacture a few disasters that only I could have fixed.

 

[Flaze]

Add my hat to the "can't find a job" ring, even with a degree in software engineering v: My country's in such a bad state that companies are looking for people with either a lot of experience or who are geniuses and pick up things right from the get go and sadly, try as I might, I'm neither of those things

 

[AceTrainer14]

Saw this tweet yesterday and I think we all can relate. Pretty much the only time I ever write is at midnight when I realise I've done nothing and I probably should.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Alright, I'll admit it. Though wild blackberries are more flavourful than anything you'd find on a supermarket shelf, they do sometimes require a certain bloody-mindedness to harvest. And being prepared to be scratched, stung, and covered with goosegrass burrs

 

[canisaries]

blackberries are ripe over there already? ours aren't yet

found this out yesterday as we had no food and i had to embrace my ancient heritage by feeding on whatever berries there were in our garden

 

[Beth Pavell]

Well, I'm a lot further south, as I recall, which would explain it. I ought to have started harvesting them last week, in hindsight. The first berries are on the overripe side, and the rain is rotting them faster than I expected

 

[AceTrainer14]

I'm going to be in England soon, I'll have to keep an eye out for some blackberries while I am traversing the countryside. Though it'll be coming into Winter a bit more heavily by the time I get there.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Heh, first you're asking us to describe our hot summer weather, and then you're going to be in England during our winter? Poor, poor bastard.

 

[AceTrainer14]

It is a tad unfortunate timing on my part XD I probably won't be there by the time winter has really kicked off though, so I should be able to avoid all of that.

 

[Beth Pavell]

You know, House may often be a deeply silly show, but it does have some great lines.

"You're the doctor: I'm the mother. I outrank you. Deal with it."