Postcards from a former self saying "How you been?"

[cupcake_goth]

• I can't believe I didn't mention the blood ice cream! (I apologize to my non-carnivore friends.) Salt and Straw, a chain of fancy ice cream shops, had special October flavors, including Dracula's Blood Pudding. Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, heavy cream, and (pasturized) pigs' blood. Of course I had to try it.
  
  It does have a mild iron aftertaste, but if you didn't know it was made with blood, you'd probably think it was spiced sweet cream ice cream with a hint of chocolate. I found it delicious, and now have 2.5 pints in my freezer. And because I have decided to be extra fancy about my cliches, I eat it from a dark red pressed glass bowl (Avon Cape Cod) with a silver spoon designed to look like the handles are human bones. Vampire Witch Queen life!



• Last night I wrote a new GCS post, which will go up Wednesday. This is the one I expect to start a war in the comments. You see, the never-ending argument goth argument has resurfaced across social media, especially in FB groups and reddit: "If you don't listen to the "original" goth music, you're not a real goth! Other dark interests don't count!" With a side of "Gatekeeping helps keep the scene alive!"
  
  I was ... really angry when I wrote the post. I don't think my rage completely shows in the text, but I was angry enough to drag out all of my goth reference books and throw quotes around. Anyway, I expect angry rebuttals in the comments, and I'm going to have a good time moderating them.



• The Stroppy One comes home tomorrow, yay! And then I leave for Burbank on Friday, to visit loved ones, yay! (And omg day trip to Disneyland.)



• My 50th birthday is fast approaching. I'm not freaked out by it; in fact, I'm looking forward to hitting that big milestone. However, I have no idea how I'm celebrating it. I have a vague understanding that the Stroppy One has some sort of plans, but what they are? No clue. Which is fine! He loves planning surprises, and I'm one of those odd people that likes surprise celebrations.



• I now have all the equipment to film videos (ringlight with phone mount, remote for phone camera, lavalier mic), so filming test videos to learn how to edit is the next big project. My goal is to have some videos up on YouTube through Dec. and Jan., and launch the Patreon in Feb.

Comments

[madgastronomer]

There was blood ice cream in town and you didn't say anything in time for other people to get some?

Anyway. I have three recipes for blood-and-chocolate custard and one for blood pasta. And probably another couple for blood pudding, of course. Wanna do a sanguinary dinner sometime?

ETA: Can also do roasted beef heart, which, if you have not had it, is amazing and delicious.

[staxxy]

hurrah for all of these things and WHERE did you find the blood ice cream?

[sistawendy]

I'm afraid the Tickler and I have a date planned for your actual birthday. If you do anything public that night, I hope you have a fabulous time without me.

[melchar]

You are cute and adorable and young! Best wishes on the on-coming 50th! [I turned 61 on Hallowe'en [best birthday day ever]] Good travel luck for the Burbank/Anaheim trips - and may Disneyland be under-attended on the day you visit!

[cupcake_goth]

Wait, didn't I mention the blood ice cream here? Auugh, I'm sorry. (But I do have 2.5 pints of it in the fridge, so maybe we should get together sometime soon and hang out, which we need to do ANYWAY.)

Yes, I want a sanguinary dinner. YES. Which leads me to another question: do you have a good recipe for black pudding? Any that are commercially available in this country have nitrites, which the Stroppy One is allergic to.

[madgastronomer]

I do, I have one or two in my Scottish cookbooks, verified by a north country Englishman as tasty. I will try to find them tonight. Feel free to remind me.

Do you want to look at a date? I think at this point I'm booking for December or January, alas.