Couldn't resist

101 reasons had this logo of International Slushpile Bonfire Day. I'm tempted to send the link to my first readers to let them know that I really mean it when I say that they can throw one of my stories back at me if they don't like it.

International Slushpile Bonfire Day
May 31, 2007

It's sounds anti-ecological, but I know how good it feels. Today I recycled a semesters worth of Med School classes. I'm really looking forward to finishing for good. If they still bought used paper by the pound...

Eurovision

Since Eurovision seems to have become the reservoir from which all the shit of the Universe squirts out to hit the fan, here's the song I'm voting to represent Spain this year.




Bonus points to anyone who identifies the video that this parody is based on.

I don't have Aperger's (but I knew that already)

Your Score: Unaffected

Result: 22. Your score isn't an achievement, it just is.

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge's Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. The test is not a means for making a diagnosis, however, and many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger's report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives. You scored less than 32. Make your own assessment of that

Link: The Asperger's Syndrome Test written by beachbummer on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Miss Snark is no more

101 reasons writes her a great eulogy and even refrains from making any petty and sarcastic comments.
Yes, she will be missed. I wonder where agents go when they stop blogging?



Banner provided by 101 reasons

Preventive Medicine and Scout Sex Ed

Today I went to this compulsory Preventive Medicine jig organized by my University to give students a taste of what a scientific investigation might possibly feel like. Needless to say, I didn't learn much.
However, when we were sitting on the grass during recess, L told us she's teaching a sexuality course to 14 year old Scouts. Apparently, the technical details have already been covered by another tutor in a previous course and she only has to focus on making sure these teens understand that sex is a complex phenomenon that requires maturity, common sense, communication, blah, blah, blah. The coolest thing was that all the girls started talking about their first times, which was informative.
Also, L confessed that she felt clumsy around condoms, so we showed her how to unroll one over a cooperative toe someone volunteered.
We didn't keep this quiet, but we didn't turn any heads. Gotta love Spain.
Fun was had by all.

IROSF reviews "Pretty Little Thing"

The IROSF review of Helix #4 is up!

Here's what Lois Tilton has to say about "Pretty Little Thing"

A young woman stalks a psychopathic murderer by using herself as bait. But she ends up with two stalkers following her instead of the one she intends to trap.

This piece is told from the alternating points of view of all the characters. The thought processes of the psychopath and the obsessive are both interesting, but I can't help thinking the story would have worked more effectively without the woman's point of view, explaining her scheme.

She praises this issue of Helix and recommends "Gherem" by Mike Allen and Charles Saplak

As always, thanks for the review.

Critical Ink

David de Beer reviews Helix #4 on his blog.

This is what he has to say about me:

Sara Genge wrote a clever little story for Mytholog, that I enjoyed enough to place on my MAM of the Flashies list.

Anitta is being followed by two distinctly different men.

A story told in three contrasting pov's, all in first person and rather cleverly working on the premise of thought-diaries, a, I suppose, theoretical advancement of online blogging to some extent.
Very clever, entertaining, and more than a little creepy at times. The dark, savage undercurrents are skillfully executed, and the story never loses its intrigue.
Two nits - 1, the Darwin references is a bit of a wrong perception of what Darwin and natural selection actually means, but can be forgiven since they belong to Claude, and his understanding of natural selection is the same misguided perception held by the public at large.
2, some inconsistency with Claude's pov, and a few stretches of credulity in the plot.
Overall, a thump of a good read, well worth the time and one really can't say too much about this for fear of spoiling the plot.

I'm glad he got the Darwin references. I tried to use the totally screwed up Darwinism as a way to show that the character is seriously sick.

Thanks for the review! Glad you liked the story.

Keep 'em coming.

Daily Cabal

Dear Diary II, Monday's story at www.dailycabal.com, is getting nice comments from readers.

Gnomenapping got a nice comment on Speculations.

It's so nice to hear from readers. Thanks!

MAM nominations

David de Beer has nomitated "Go Home", which appeared in Mytholog, for his own private prizes. He calls them the MAMs, and the rules are quite peculiar. "Go Home" competes in a cathegory called MAM's BOB of the Flashies.

Thanks to David de Beer. That is certainly an interesting concept he's playing with there.