#221squee

Yeah, that tracks. I knew I probably wouldn't like them so I didn't bother -- usually anything that's heavy on the tomato flavor is a no-go for me. I don't know how exactly chip companies produce tomato flavoring, but it's never been something I enjoyed. And I think maybe chip makers kinda know their tomato flavor isn't great, because those do tend to be the ones that are so weakly seasoned it almost doesn't matter.

I really don’t know! I haven’t changed anything recently.. last time I changed my theme I also changed my icon to this one, so if you’ve seen it before then, I have no idea what the problem could be. I see it fine...

It's time for some Post Office Bounty! I am bad at checking my PO box but always delighted to find treats when I do. Up top, some delightful random flavored chips from @221squee, thank you! The takoyaki chips are very pungent -- they taste very nice but they do smell very strongly of fish -- and the "Chip Star" consomme flavor was delightful, I ate them all in like a day or two. I have to admit I haven't tried the foie gras flavor yet...I have had foie gras before but that's how I know it's, uh, a powerful flavor. I'll get up the courage eventually. :D And I love the card!

I always know when I get a package from @shirokou that it's going to be full of fun stuff -- there are some wonderful enamel pins (I'm going to have to redo my Ita bag for the new year!) and stickers, and I'm excited to learn about these diviniation dice that came with such a fun rolling mat. I'm going to be doing some tarot reading tonight so hopefully I'll do some dice throwing too!

And so many lovely cards! There's one in the middle that you can barely see because I wanted to make sure I covered up any faces, but I always love seeing the photo card every year! (And loved hearing about the new pup.)

The glittery gifts up top is a fun 3-D card from @scifigrl47 , and next to it the basket of boughs is from @delphia2000, thank you both for the holiday wishes! There's some pretty sheep from T in Berwyn (glad I offered some comfort and entertainment this year!) and a wonderful polar bear with some penguins from @kimmiesue13. I got a fun Christmukkah card from Josh & Kris (man the card also reminded me about the holiday I invented, Christisntspringhereyetmas, but there's always next year to celebrate that). Finally, a beautiful and indeed terrifying owl card from Wendy (it's so eerie, I love it) and some awesome glittery snowmen from Traylor.

It’s time for POST OFFICE BOUNTY! Two days later than I promised at least one person who sent me stuff, MY APOLOGIES :D

@lololovescheese sent me the second most horrifying owl in the world, I both fear and love him. Prowly now has a pal on the shelf where he lives when it’s not Halloween! (Also I don’t know when you sent the package but it genuinely did not make it into my mailbox until two weeks ago at the absolute earliest, sorry the Chicago post office still blows.)

@shirokou sent me some delightful enamel pins -- I saw the cats-chewing-their-own-tails kickstarter or possibly shop a while ago and almost bought some, so now I have some, hooray! I’ve put the lion on my bag for traveling. Also the lovely card and the very Whovian notebook, which has a nice heft to it!

And some cards! Top image, clockwise starting with the bear, is a lovely bear in snow from @delphia2000 (I salute the Frozen North!), one of the Art Institute’s snow-covered lions from @celticjade13 and the sticker that proclaims it was carried by dogsled (love the dogsled cards!), and lastly a vibrant rainbow unicorn card from @froofie and Biscuit. Deebs and Dot send their love to Biscuit :D

Lastly! A very Mandalorian holiday from @scifigrl47 (which also came with some delightful presents but I tore into them earlier :D), a peaceful snowman from @trayker (so much glitter!) and a Krampus meting out punishment from @221squee. I recently got to witness a LARP where a Krampus dragged one of the players around in a sack, so this was especially timely!

Thanks as always to everyone who sends stuff! If you’d like to say hi the slow way, you can always send mail to Copperbadge, PO Box A3309, Chicago IL 60690. 

I went to my PO Box this week and had SO! MANY! TATOCHIPS! I don’t know if anyone else calls them tatochips but I do sometimes, and I was walking around my living room singing a little song about tatochips to myself. I had two boxes of flavor!

So here are my tasting notes:

From R (not my R) in the southwest -- let me know if you have a handle I should use, also love the cactus card: 

Fried Corndog and Mustard HEB brand: Delightful. Delectable. This is a mild, less piquant variant of the hot dog chip than some; I don’t think they used much paprika if any. It’s meaty but not too beefy, and the mustard is hinted at. There’s no cornmeal flavor per se but I’m here for the hot dog anyway.

Mixed Berry Lemonade HEB brand: WHY. SO SOUR. OH THE SOUR. I AM FORSAKEN. There is a hint of berry which is peculiar but not unpleasant; then it’s just SO MUCH CITRIC ACID. I feel like a mixed berry potato chip sans lemonade would have been preferable. Hell is empty because HEB is here. 

From @221squee who also sent me the delightful koi card -- I will have to pay a visit to the exotic chip store at the Destiny USA Megamall:

Black Pepper Rib Tip (Lays?): Steaky! They have a real beef flavor, hint of pepper; it’s easy to do smoke flavoring badly but they were sparing with it. Also they come in a vertical tin but they’re in a horizontal plastic tray inside it, which is an amazing combination of absurdist and practical and made me laugh. 

Black Pepper and Cheese “Italian” Pringles: These are meant to be cacio e pepe, yes? They are peppery and cheesy! A nice balance. I prefer slightly less pepper flavor but they’re by no means inedible. Although the bar for potato chips being edible is significantly lower after Mixed Berry Lemonade chips killed God. 

Garlic Baguette Sun Chips: I have had garlic baguette chips before but not Sun Chips, which adds to the experience. I opened the bag and was immediately enveloped in a cloud of garlic, but the chips -- while definitely garlicky -- have a nice buttery flavor to them that emphasizes the “garlic bread” aspect. The texture of the sun chips implies a crispy crust which adds zing. 

More post office bounty as promised! @221squee​ sent me a package with haggis crisps, a hilarious owl mask and ear-saver (the only one I own!), and a beautiful card featuring the Colorado flag, which I have to say I recognize because one of my colleagues was remote from Colorado even before the pandemic and always wears a Colorado flag mask. 

I think this might be the second version of haggis crisps I’ve tried -- they’re kind of like hot dog chips, in that they appear regularly but not consistently -- and I really liked them! The pepper flavor is mild and they have a certain meaty essence to them I like. 

I have to say that the card is dated November 11th, but the package didn’t arrive until very late December. I suspect part of that is a result of whatever caused it to show up with a massive hole ripped into it:  

[Description: A repurposed cardboard box with a Target logo on the tape, which has a massive rip bisecting it.]

Post office bounty! Hooray! 

 The holiday lights card, Texas pralines, and HAGGIS CHIPS are from @221squee — don’t worry, I got the package much earlier this week and popped the pralines into the fridge so they’re fine, but I have also eaten most of them :D the chips I agree are mostly “peppery with meat”, but they’re delicious! 

The delightful glittery owl card is from @junker5, I’m always glad to entertain!

The KitKats are from a reader in Tokyo, I’m sorry I don’t have your handle but let me know if you want to! Those KitKats, guys, are THROAT LOZENGE flavored and I was absolutely excited to try them because WHAT THE HECK. It turns out they are delightfully minty with a menthol finish, and pretty great! 

And the lovely owl bookmark is from @memprime! I’ve put it in the book I’m currently reading, about breaking the Curse of the Cubs. 

POST OFFICE BOUNTY. OH man I am so late posting some of these.

Top, we have a package of the amazing and the strange from @221squee, who sent me cash, chips, and cards from Thailand, including an amazing “ghost card” with the legend of a ghost woman on it. Also that white packet with the squirming centipedes on it is centipede cough drops. Not gonna lie, I was nervous to eat them when I thought they were some kind of snack, now that I know they’re cough drops I’m even more hesitant. That said, I swear to try them for science. Thank you so much for the wild gustatory adventure I’m about to have! 

Middle photo, clockwise from top left: 

a lovely holiday card from @kayquimi which by request I am pretending got lost in the mail for a few months :D Proceeds from the card go to ODIS, which provides legal services for immigrants, so hooray! 

The red and gold print, which I believe is of a Kabuki actor, and the mystifying but charming little owl envelope and polaroid snap of a beverage case, come from a random Tumblr follower -- glad the packing spreadsheet helped you! 

The postcard of the buildings is from my own dear Chicago, the Riverview Condos, which are not far from where I used to work! Thank you @ntro9, I’m so glad you enjoyed Russian Tea Time and Pret.  

And the superheroes going on strike is from UNION AGITATOR @scifigrl47, who points out that the Atom’s protest balloon merely reads UNFAIR. 

AND FINALLY, bottom photo, thank you very much @superqueerpasta for sending me the astounding Tom Of Finland rubber stamps you came into possession of. I plan to make a lot of art with them :D :D Tell your ma I’m grateful.