Things Are Getting A Little Spicy Around Here With These Sheet Pan Zesty Stuffed Poblano Peppers 🌶️⠀

Want to maintain or improve your writing skills in your target language this summer? Try this 30-day writing challenge for June: Every day, answer the following prompts in your target language. Good luck!

Write a short letter to someone you haven’t talked to in a while.

What are your future career goals?

What’s your favorite childhood movie? Why?

If you could learn to cook anything this summer, what would it be and why?

List 5 (or more) things that make you happy.

What is your morning routine?

What is your night routine?

Who is one influential person in your life? Why?

Write a poem about someone (or something) you love :)

List 5 of your pet peeves.

What’s something about yourself that you want to improve?

What’s one place you’ve always wanted to visit? Why?

What’s one thing you’re looking forward to this summer?

What’s one of your favorite things about yourself? Why?

Write a haiku about summertime.

What are your future career goals?

Who’s your celebrity crush? What do you like about them (besides how cute I’m sure they are lol)?

What’s your favorite summer memory?

Translate 3 of your favorite quotes into your target language.

Write 3 things that scare you and why.

Write about a challenge you’ve overcome!

Who is someone, dead or alive, you would love to meet? Why?

Who is your best friend and why do you love them?

What is your favorite item in your room?

What’s one book you had to read in school that you DIDN’T like? Rant about it.

What’s one good memory from school?

List an insecurity, then refute it by reminding yourself how great you are :)

How do you think someone would describe you?

How do you relax after a stressful or difficult day?

What was your favorite part of this month?

If you participate in this challenge and post your prompt answers, make sure to tag me with #studyingsenseless or #writingchallengejune ! I’ll be doing it too :)

This is a compiled list of some of my favorite pieces of short horror fiction, ranging from classics to modern-day horror, and includes links to where the full story can be read for free. Please be aware that any of these stories may contain subject matter you find disturbing, offensive, or otherwise distressing. Exercise caution when reading. Image art is from Scarecrow: Year One.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: tense, dread-inducing horror that preys upon the human psyche and aims to frighten on a mental or emotional level. 

“The Frolic” by Thomas Ligotti, 1989

“Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, 1970

“89.1 FM” by Jimmy Juliano, 2015

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 1892

“Death at 421 Stockholm Street“ by C.K. Walker, 2016

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, 1973

“An Empty Prison” by Matt Dymerski, 2018

“A Suspicious Gift” by Algernon Blackwood, 1906

CURSED: stories concerning characters afflicted with a curse, either by procuring a plagued object or as punishment for their own nefarious actions.

“How Spoilers Bleed” by Clive Barker, 1991

“A Warning to the Curious” by M.R. James, 1925

“each thing i show you is a piece of my death” by Stephen J. Barringer and Gemma Files, 2010

“The Road Virus Heads North” by Stephen King, 1999

“Ring Once for Death” by Robert Arthur, 1954

“The Mary Hillenbrand Cassette“ by Jimmy Juliano, 2016

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, 1902

MONSTERS: tales of ghouls, creeps, and everything in between.

“The Curse of Yig” by H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, 1929 

“The Oddkids” by S.M. Piper, 2015

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson

“The Graveyard Rats” by Henry Kuttner, 1936

“Tall Man” by C.K. Walker, 2016 

“The Quest for Blank Claveringi“ by Patricia Highsmith, 1967

“The Showers” by Dylan Sindelar, 2012

CLASSICS: terrifying fiction written by innovators of literary horror. 

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

“The Interlopers” by Saki, 1919 

“The Statement of Randolph Carter“ by H.P. Lovecraft, 1920

“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Pierce, 1893

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, 1820 

“August Heat” by W.F. Harvey, 1910

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

SUPERNATURAL: stories varying from spooky to sober, featuring lurking specters, wandering souls, and those haunted by ghosts and grief. 

“Nora’s Visitor” by Russell R. James, 2011

“The Pale Man” by Julius Long, 1934

“A Collapse of Horses” by Brian Evenson, 2013

“The Jigsaw Puzzle” by J.B. Stamper, 1977 

“The Mayor Will Make A Brief Statement and then Take Questions” by David Nickle, 2013

“The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold, 1926 

“Postcards from Natalie” by Carrie Laben, 2016

UNSETTLING: fiction that explores particularly disturbing topics, such as mutilation, violence, and body horror. Not recommended for readers who may be offended or upset by graphic content.  

“Survivor Type” by Stephen King, 1982

“I’m On My Deathbed So I’m Coming Clean…” by M.J. Pack, 2018

“In the Hills, the Cities” by Clive Barker, 1984

“The New Fish” by T.W. Grim, 2013

“The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon, 1977

“In the Darkness of the Fields” by Ho_Jun, 2015 

“The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, 1948

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, 1967 

HAPPY READING, HORROR FANS!

I will gaze at the moon and cleanse my heart.

Zeami (via thequotejournals)

Sometimes people say terrible things when they’re scared. They don’t mean to, but they can’t help it. They lash out because if they can see that their words hurt someone else, it makes them feel as if they aren’t completely powerless.

Jonathan Maberry, Dust and Decay (via thequotejournals)

So very accurate

Dear New Poly Partner,

Being with you, I feel flooded with butterflies, warm-and-fuzzies, and daydreams. At the same time, I appreciate the depth we’ve already created together in such a short period of time. I feel really grateful to have you in my life and I’m so excited that we’re exploring together. 

I know you’re new to poly and it can feel intimidating and scary. I want you to know a few things about me and my viewpoints on this as we move down this path together.

My established relationships are not a threat to you. They’re not something you have to compete with, be better than, or worry about. I’m happy to tell you anything you want to know about them. You’re not in the way, taking time away from someone else, or upsetting the balance.

Being poly doesn’t mean I date or sleep with just anyone. I’m picky and am not interested in adding someone who is mediocre into my physical or energetic space. You offer me something special that no one else does. I care about you and feel energized by our connection.

While I’ve had other relationships before, this is the first time I’m having our relationship, and that’s as new to me as it is to you. I don’t know what’s going to happen and can’t predict every breakdown that we may encounter along the way. 

What I DO know, is that I’m committed to establishing open communication and talking to you about how I’m feeling as we deepen together. I want for you to feel safe enough with me and our connection to do the same.

I don’t have an empty box that I want you to fit into, nor am I using you to fill holes in my life that other partners have left empty. My life is full of love, depth, richness, and I want to share it with you.

This feels exciting, fun, scary, sweet, intimidating, tender, beautiful, deep, and intriguing all at the same time.

I care about you and really looking forward to deepening, growing, learning, and sharing together.

xoxo