Addresses the "social by design" part of our life while countering isolation stereotypes. Living alone isn't a pity party for one, it's a way of making life your beyotch! 🤭

WELCOME! Hi, I'm Baz, and I'm your community host. Please take the time to introduce yourself to the community! I'll start, and you can use my format or one of your own. ======================= My name is Barry Baz Morris. Baz is a nickname I picked up over 50 years ago in the UK, when I was a wee lad of 18 living near the Scottish border in the Northern English town of Hexham-upon-Tyne. I've been writing since the 4th grade (age 9). However, I worked in medicine, higher education, and the architecture/engineering/construction industry as a proposal writer and manager until I semi-retired in 2024. In this community, I share what I know and love about living alone; I’ve found that it doesn’t have to be a pity party for one, and that there is, indeed, and art to getting comfortable with and thriving living solo in a coupled world. 📬 My newsletter site is: https://barrybazmorris.com. 🧵 I'm on Threads, too: https://www.threads.com/@barrybazmorris ======================== OK, your turn!

Community is important. We all have different levels of need when it comes to social interaction. For example, just hearing about my friends social calendar can totally stress me out. Sometimes I wonder how can she possibly attend all of those events and still remain sane? What is your preference for including some form of community in your solo living plan? - Game night? - Book club? - Coffee meetups?

=============================== I had some ingredients and asked ChatGPT to give me a recipe for the Instant Pot using them all. ============================================================================== Ingredients I have on hand: ------------------------------------------- 1. Chicken breasts (5 boneless/skinless) 2. Golden potatoes 3. Bell peppers (orange) 4. Taco seasoning packet 5. Canned diced tomatoes 6. Black beans (canned) 🌮 Instant Pot Chicken Taco Stew =========================== Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes (plus ~10 for pressure build/release) Total Time: ~30 minutes Ingredients - 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 4–5 golden potatoes, diced into 1-inch cubes - 2 orange bell peppers, sliced - 1 (14–15 oz) can diced tomatoes (with juices) - 1 packet taco seasoning (or 3 tbsp homemade mix) - 1 cup chicken broth (or water + bouillon) Optional toppings/add-ins: - 1 cup frozen corn or 1 can black beans (drained) - Shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese - Sour cream or Greek yogurt - Fresh cilantro or green onions - Tortilla chips or warm tortillas for serving Instructions 1. Layer the pot: potatoes on the bottom, chicken, peppers, diced tomatoes, with juice, frozen corn, taco seasoning, water/broth 2. Cook: 3. Shred & stir: 4. Serve: Variation: Creamy Taco Stew After shredding the chicken, stir in ½ cup cream cheese OR ½ cup sour cream/cream until melted and creamy. This thickens the stew into a rich, Tex-Mex style filling for rice bowls or burritos. 🔥 Tip: Leftovers freeze well — shred chicken fully, cool, and store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. ============= I'll let you know how it turned out!