It was surprisingly functional! But also eldritch and terrifying.

It’s telling that “when prepared well” often means taking the bird apart and preparing the different cuts appropriately. That means sacrificing the centerpiece in favor of different-looking dishes. But a whole world of possibilities opens up when you free yourself from traditional aesthetics.

That is a very fair distinction! Appreciate the clarification.

I was in a story like this once! It turns out that using a messenger bag for twenty years gives you arthritis in your left shoulder before you even turn forty. Uh, good luck? Bodies sure aren't totally optimized.

I read John Bellairs’ The Dark Secret of Weatherend when I was ten. It scared me in a way I enjoyed and I went about devouring the rest of his books. I loved how they turned the mythology of Catholicism into a horror setting. I also loved the Edward Gorey illustrations. Been a horror fan ever since.

When I came back to the U.S. after living in Japan it was a blessed relief to have retail employees once again ignore me.