I hate when Coulson or May are mad with each other or worse yet DON'T trust each other!
Feb. 5th, 2026 10:22 pmMost humorous (potential) Olympic doping scandal ever!
Feb. 5th, 2026 09:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brithistorianHi everyone! Still here, still super busy, but I saw an item in the news today that I had to jump on and share with you: The most humorous (potential) Olympic doping scandal ever!
The event: Ski jumping.
The rule: In order to prevent ski jumpers from going full flying squirrel with their suits, they undergo a 3D body scan, which determines the dimensions (and hence the surface area) of their suit.
The allegation: It has been alleged that some ski jumpers are having their penises injected with hyaluronic acid to make them bigger and thus net them extra cloth in the crotch of their suits. It's not a lot, but given the tight margins of victory in some Olympic competitions, it could make a difference.
The ruling: WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) has said they have no definitive evidence that this has ever been done, and in fact they aren't even sure that this would fall under the definition of doping, but they do say they'll be looking into it.
Meanwhile, I'll be over here laughing.
Economics
Feb. 5th, 2026 08:44 pmysabetwordsmithThe Impact Fee Illusion
Why “growth paying for growth” often leaves cities weaker, not stronger.
The public discussion usually starts something like this: a new development brings new residents, more traffic, and greater demand for public services. Roads, schools, pipes, and parks don’t build themselves. Someone has to pay for them. Asking growth to pay for growth sounds fair. It sounds prudent. And yet, many cities that rely heavily on impact fees still find themselves financially fragile. They struggle to maintain infrastructure, stretch operations thin, and quietly drift toward insolvency.
( Read more... )
Why “growth paying for growth” often leaves cities weaker, not stronger.
The public discussion usually starts something like this: a new development brings new residents, more traffic, and greater demand for public services. Roads, schools, pipes, and parks don’t build themselves. Someone has to pay for them. Asking growth to pay for growth sounds fair. It sounds prudent. And yet, many cities that rely heavily on impact fees still find themselves financially fragile. They struggle to maintain infrastructure, stretch operations thin, and quietly drift toward insolvency.
( Read more... )
#73 Midmorning Meeting and Musings (part 2 of 2, complete)
Feb. 5th, 2026 08:44 pmdialecticdreamerMidmorning Meeting and Musings
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 2, complete
Word count (story only): 1608
[Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 11 am]
:: The meeting with Win isn’t anything that the older Teagues could have anticipated. Part of the Edison’s Mirror (Teague Family) story arc. ::
Back to part one
:: Thanks for reading! ::
Deirdre looked away sharply, staring out the plate glass window with unseeing eyes. “If she comes home with me, that’s how it has to be.” The words scraped out.
Win’s brows steepled downward, tugging closer together the longer she stared at the other woman. “Why?”
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 2 of 2, complete
Word count (story only): 1608
[Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 11 am]
:: The meeting with Win isn’t anything that the older Teagues could have anticipated. Part of the Edison’s Mirror (Teague Family) story arc. ::
Back to part one
:: Thanks for reading! ::
Deirdre looked away sharply, staring out the plate glass window with unseeing eyes. “If she comes home with me, that’s how it has to be.” The words scraped out.
Win’s brows steepled downward, tugging closer together the longer she stared at the other woman. “Why?”
( Read more... )
Conversations with my father
Feb. 6th, 2026 01:16 amnanila[phone rings in my hotel room]
Me: “Hello?”
Concierge, sounding very uncertain and slightly bemused: “Um, hello, is that Nanila, who just checked in with us today?”
Me: “Yes, that’s correct.”
Concierge: “Um…I have a gentleman on the line who would like to speak to you. I…I think he’s your father? I’m so sorry, I’m really not sure.”
Me, chuckling: “That sounds like him. Did he say his name was [Firstname Lastname]?”
Concierge: “I couldn’t understand him when he said his name. I think it’s my phone line.”
Me, drily: “Please don’t be sorry. That will be one of two things: his accent, or he hasn’t got his teeth in.”
Concierge, now relaxing a bit and giggling: “Would you like me to put him through?”
Me: “Please do, thank you.”
*pause*
Me: “Hi Dad, how are you doing?”
Dad: “I tried to call you but I kept getting the prison! Where are you? Are you in XX hotel?!”
Me, patiently: “Yes, Dad, I’m in the hotel.”
Dad: “What room are you in? I need to write it down. Are you sure? Are you okay?”
Me: “Dad. I’m in Room NN. I am fine. And if this is the prison then it’s had a tremendous facilities upgrade.”
Dad: “Oh, okay. Was the traffic awful? Are you very tired? When do you want to meet for dinner? Should we go to the sushi place? Do you remember the sushi place? I need to put my teeth in!”
Me: “Yes, yes, whenever you want to eat, yes, yes, and yes, you do.”
For anyone who has met me in person and has thought to themselves, “This woman has no idea how to hold a conversation like a normal human being,” this is 100% where I got it from. Thanks, Dad.
Me: “Hello?”
Concierge, sounding very uncertain and slightly bemused: “Um, hello, is that Nanila, who just checked in with us today?”
Me: “Yes, that’s correct.”
Concierge: “Um…I have a gentleman on the line who would like to speak to you. I…I think he’s your father? I’m so sorry, I’m really not sure.”
Me, chuckling: “That sounds like him. Did he say his name was [Firstname Lastname]?”
Concierge: “I couldn’t understand him when he said his name. I think it’s my phone line.”
Me, drily: “Please don’t be sorry. That will be one of two things: his accent, or he hasn’t got his teeth in.”
Concierge, now relaxing a bit and giggling: “Would you like me to put him through?”
Me: “Please do, thank you.”
*pause*
Me: “Hi Dad, how are you doing?”
Dad: “I tried to call you but I kept getting the prison! Where are you? Are you in XX hotel?!”
Me, patiently: “Yes, Dad, I’m in the hotel.”
Dad: “What room are you in? I need to write it down. Are you sure? Are you okay?”
Me: “Dad. I’m in Room NN. I am fine. And if this is the prison then it’s had a tremendous facilities upgrade.”
Dad: “Oh, okay. Was the traffic awful? Are you very tired? When do you want to meet for dinner? Should we go to the sushi place? Do you remember the sushi place? I need to put my teeth in!”
Me: “Yes, yes, whenever you want to eat, yes, yes, and yes, you do.”
For anyone who has met me in person and has thought to themselves, “This woman has no idea how to hold a conversation like a normal human being,” this is 100% where I got it from. Thanks, Dad.
Exceptionally rare cuteness afoot!
Feb. 5th, 2026 06:39 pmchanter1944That's not hyperbole. This one's truly gasp-worthy.
Over at Love And Hisses, they have a male tortoiseshell foster kitten! Yes really, a male tortie! They're also fostering his equally tortie sister, plus two sweet tabby boys, all of whom are being treated for or monitored in their recovery from a medical issue. Things are looking better every day over there, and oh my goodness, a male tortie...!
I've never met a rare male tricolor cat. The closest I've ever come is one fictional representation purring in Adrien Agreste's ear, and one childhood misunderstanding of a sweet brown tabby's coloration. Someone in the old livejournal tortielove community had one, which was amazing enough, and there were a couple stories of others around - one calico, one dilute calico with extra toes. Maybe some day I'll actually meet one, and then someone will have to pick me up off the floor! XD In the meantime, I'll be enjoying the adventures of Ollie the male tortie and his friends in north Alabama.
Over at Love And Hisses, they have a male tortoiseshell foster kitten! Yes really, a male tortie! They're also fostering his equally tortie sister, plus two sweet tabby boys, all of whom are being treated for or monitored in their recovery from a medical issue. Things are looking better every day over there, and oh my goodness, a male tortie...!
I've never met a rare male tricolor cat. The closest I've ever come is one fictional representation purring in Adrien Agreste's ear, and one childhood misunderstanding of a sweet brown tabby's coloration. Someone in the old livejournal tortielove community had one, which was amazing enough, and there were a couple stories of others around - one calico, one dilute calico with extra toes. Maybe some day I'll actually meet one, and then someone will have to pick me up off the floor! XD In the meantime, I'll be enjoying the adventures of Ollie the male tortie and his friends in north Alabama.
Food
Feb. 5th, 2026 06:20 pmysabetwordsmithThis simple diet shift cut 330 calories a day without smaller meals
People who switch to a fully unprocessed diet don’t just eat differently—they eat smarter. Research from the University of Bristol shows that when people avoid ultra-processed foods, they naturally pile their plates with fruits and vegetables, eating over 50% more food by weight while still consuming hundreds fewer calories each day. This happens because whole foods trigger a kind of built-in “nutritional intelligence,” nudging people toward nutrient-rich, lower-calorie options.
( Read more... )
People who switch to a fully unprocessed diet don’t just eat differently—they eat smarter. Research from the University of Bristol shows that when people avoid ultra-processed foods, they naturally pile their plates with fruits and vegetables, eating over 50% more food by weight while still consuming hundreds fewer calories each day. This happens because whole foods trigger a kind of built-in “nutritional intelligence,” nudging people toward nutrient-rich, lower-calorie options.
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
Feb. 5th, 2026 06:14 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cold.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows, one female and three male cardinals, and a starling. A small flock of other birds high in the trees may have been more starlings or perhaps mourning doves.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/5/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/5/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows, one female and three male cardinals, and a starling. A small flock of other birds high in the trees may have been more starlings or perhaps mourning doves.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/5/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/5/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Thankful Thursday
Feb. 5th, 2026 04:58 pmmdlbearToday I am thankful for...
- Finally getting a phone call made, and finding that (as usual) it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. NO thanks to my phone phobia -- should have done it a month ago.
- The Harwich - Hoek van Holland ferry. Would be more thankful if the night run afforded more time to actually sleep.
- Ordering stuff online.
- A nice warm fuzzy blanket to wrap myself in. NO thanks for a body that feels cold in the evening no matter what the air temperature is. ALSO no thanks for deliveries that make me get out of my nice warm fuzzy blanket to answer the door.
- Good Drugs.
- Filk cons I can get to by public transit.
Community Thursdays
Feb. 5th, 2026 12:24 amysabetwordsmithThis year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...
* Posted "What Are Couple Goals And How Do We Achieve Them?" in![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
goals_on_dw.
* Posted "Sighting a Siberian Superstar: Local birder secures rare red-flanked bluetail for life list" inbirdfeeding.
* Commented inawesomeers.
* Posted "What Are Couple Goals And How Do We Achieve Them?" in
goals_on_dw.* Posted "Sighting a Siberian Superstar: Local birder secures rare red-flanked bluetail for life list" in
birdfeeding.* Commented in
awesomeers.Autobio: Crazy Boys Get Money
Feb. 5th, 2026 12:15 amlb_leeCrazy Boys Get Money (D Stories)
Summary: Two teens in Texas hook and heist their way out of danger. True story.
Series: LB autobio (D Stories)
Word Count: 8100
Notes: Winner by a long shot of the February fan poll. Depending on how this story is received, I’ll be pulling out more regarding this period of my life, a series called “the D Stories.” Normally I would break it into 3 installments, but due to the nature of the content, I have chosen to upload it all at once. I feel professionally obligated to disclaim that this story is not appropriate for anyone under 18… but this was my life when I was younger than that, and it's both insulting and degrading to say that my youth is unspeakable to the very age demographic it happens to.
Content warnings for anti-black racism; coerced, underaged, bad sex work, and (separate) consensual, okay teenage sex, along with the circumstances surrounding both. More information is in the comments.
Summary: Two teens in Texas hook and heist their way out of danger. True story.
Series: LB autobio (D Stories)
Word Count: 8100
Notes: Winner by a long shot of the February fan poll. Depending on how this story is received, I’ll be pulling out more regarding this period of my life, a series called “the D Stories.” Normally I would break it into 3 installments, but due to the nature of the content, I have chosen to upload it all at once. I feel professionally obligated to disclaim that this story is not appropriate for anyone under 18… but this was my life when I was younger than that, and it's both insulting and degrading to say that my youth is unspeakable to the very age demographic it happens to.
Content warnings for anti-black racism; coerced, underaged, bad sex work, and (separate) consensual, okay teenage sex, along with the circumstances surrounding both. More information is in the comments.
Wildlife
Feb. 4th, 2026 10:02 pmysabetwordsmithWhat is the American red wolf?
The American red wolf is the world’s most endangered. This species is found only in the United States, and fewer than 20 remain in the wild. It is one of the most endangered mammals on Earth.
Now, an unprecedented partnership between universities, government agencies, and biotechnology companies is using the latest genetic tools to save this iconic predator from extinction. The effort represents a new model for how technology may reshape wildlife conservation in the decades ahead.
The American red wolf is the world’s most endangered. This species is found only in the United States, and fewer than 20 remain in the wild. It is one of the most endangered mammals on Earth.
Now, an unprecedented partnership between universities, government agencies, and biotechnology companies is using the latest genetic tools to save this iconic predator from extinction. The effort represents a new model for how technology may reshape wildlife conservation in the decades ahead.
Birdfeeding
Feb. 4th, 2026 09:58 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cold.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows, several cardinals, and a starling.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/426 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/426 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows, several cardinals, and a starling.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 2/426 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 2/426 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Cuddle Party
Feb. 4th, 2026 09:52 pmysabetwordsmithEveryone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
( Read more... )
We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!
( Read more... )
#72 Midmorning Meeting and Musings (part 1 of 2)
Feb. 4th, 2026 09:45 pmdialecticdreamerMidmorning Meeting and Musings
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 2
Word count (story only): 1344
[Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 11 am]
:: The meeting with Win isn’t anything that the older Teagues could have anticipated. Part of the Edison’s Mirror (Teague Family) story arc. ::
On to part two
The library opened at ten in the morning. Edison, holding Mac’s hand securely, tugged the door open as soon as the librarian unlocked it. “Hello, Mister Addamson,” the boy greeted. “Aidan and Vic have an errand to run later, so it’ll be just the two of us for a bit. Is that okay?”
The man’s beetle brows drew down, obscuring his equally dark eyes in their shade. “Are you two planning to take permanent markers into the bathroom to color in the hexagonal tiles on the wall?”
He waited a beat. Another. Beneath the thick eyebrows, his nearly black eyes glimmered with amusement.
( Read more... )
By Dialecticdreamer/Sarah Williams
Part 1 of 2
Word count (story only): 1344
[Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 11 am]
:: The meeting with Win isn’t anything that the older Teagues could have anticipated. Part of the Edison’s Mirror (Teague Family) story arc. ::
On to part two
The library opened at ten in the morning. Edison, holding Mac’s hand securely, tugged the door open as soon as the librarian unlocked it. “Hello, Mister Addamson,” the boy greeted. “Aidan and Vic have an errand to run later, so it’ll be just the two of us for a bit. Is that okay?”
The man’s beetle brows drew down, obscuring his equally dark eyes in their shade. “Are you two planning to take permanent markers into the bathroom to color in the hexagonal tiles on the wall?”
He waited a beat. Another. Beneath the thick eyebrows, his nearly black eyes glimmered with amusement.
( Read more... )
I wrote something WOO HOO
Feb. 4th, 2026 11:41 aminnitmarvelous_ogYou can find my fanfic HERE.
It's a post Avengers Endgame fanfic featuring Pepper and Morgan.
It's a post Avengers Endgame fanfic featuring Pepper and Morgan.
Ugghhhhh, being sick sucks!!
Feb. 4th, 2026 03:27 amfauxfoxWell, it has finally happened. After 6 years of very carefully masking, I have finally caught a germ and I am SICK sick. Probably just a severe cold, but between the body aches, the feeling that I have gargled broken glass, and fatigue, I feel like I've had my ass beat. I had forgotten how much it sucks to get sick.
The only thing I can figure since I mask so religiously is that I touched something while at the laundromat and then, like, touched my face not thinking. The good news is that I don't have a cough or more than a very low grade fever. I think the chances of it being covid are extremely slim, but it's always a possibility.
So! I am essentially quarantining. It's not like I do much anyway but taking the time to really rest and not push my body. I already have enough chronic illnesses, the body needs proper rest. It is a little isolating, but it be what it be. I would rather miss my best friend than spread my germs to her household.
Unfortunately I have had a really hard time getting back into painting the past week and a half because I'm just so fucking tired all the time. It just takes so much energy to pick up a paint brush right now. But I'm going to try a little bit everyday but not to push myself to exhaustion.
I have had a couple of very lovely people making sure that I am staying fed and with household necessities and even a wonderful cape blanket which has been lovely with the extremely cold weather we've been having. Feeling very very grateful and lucky today.
When I have more energy, I will be trying to link some of my artwork, both photography and watercolor, here for you to see. I'm quite proud of it. in the meantime there is quite a bit on Kofi already. The link to it is in my last post before this.
The only thing I can figure since I mask so religiously is that I touched something while at the laundromat and then, like, touched my face not thinking. The good news is that I don't have a cough or more than a very low grade fever. I think the chances of it being covid are extremely slim, but it's always a possibility.
So! I am essentially quarantining. It's not like I do much anyway but taking the time to really rest and not push my body. I already have enough chronic illnesses, the body needs proper rest. It is a little isolating, but it be what it be. I would rather miss my best friend than spread my germs to her household.
Unfortunately I have had a really hard time getting back into painting the past week and a half because I'm just so fucking tired all the time. It just takes so much energy to pick up a paint brush right now. But I'm going to try a little bit everyday but not to push myself to exhaustion.
I have had a couple of very lovely people making sure that I am staying fed and with household necessities and even a wonderful cape blanket which has been lovely with the extremely cold weather we've been having. Feeling very very grateful and lucky today.
When I have more energy, I will be trying to link some of my artwork, both photography and watercolor, here for you to see. I'm quite proud of it. in the meantime there is quite a bit on Kofi already. The link to it is in my last post before this.
Poem: "The Evolution of Self-Publishing"
Feb. 3rd, 2026 10:08 pmysabetwordsmithThis is today's freebie. It was inspired by a prompt from elinox. It also fills the "Breaking the Rules" square in my 2-1-26 card for the Valentines Bingo fest.
( Read more... )
elinox. It also fills the "Breaking the Rules" square in my 2-1-26 card for the Valentines Bingo fest.( Read more... )