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teilzami · 5 days
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Let's help Armco with identifying these guys! Erm... I don't know. Absolutely unrecognizable
I would say he has zero brains, but he even remembered their names. Usually he calls them Iceland and Edward Fitgerjealgd
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middleland · 1 month
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Dodder by Picsnapper1212
Via Flickr:
This orange "spaghetti" is called dodder. It is a parasitic plant with no chlorophyll to manufacture its own food. It twines itself tightly against the stem of host plants and absorbs nourishment from the host. The sprawling strands are each about 1/16th inch in diameter. Dodder is in the morning glory family.     
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joeinct · 2 months
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Armco, Middletown, Ohio, Photo by Edward Weston, 1941
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dirtydragonthoughts · 5 months
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I'm finally getting around to reading Transformers: Exiles and
omg. It is so bad. Like, bad on multiple levels.
I read Transformers: Exodus a few years ago. It was... OK. Definitely not a great work of literature, and there were some "huh" moments in it, but it was fine. But now I'm starting on the next book. I didn't look at the TFWiki entry for Exiles until last night, but just the Errors section is absolutely sending me. (The idea that the book was panic rewritten by Hasbro just before publication would explain a LOT of the issues I'm seeing.)
As someone who loves the franchise, it physically hurts that this guy was paid to write this. It is completely phoned in. Now, I'm sure he was writing on spec, and was probably handed an outline or specific plot points/characters that needed to be included, but even with that limitation it could have been a LOT better.
Anyway I'm going to jot down some of my impressions in this thread because I want to make sure I remember why I didn't like this book, years down the road when I see the book still sitting on my bookshelf. (If I even keep it, that is up for debate.) I'll even keep away from the things mentioned in the Error section of the wiki entry, since that's low-hanging fruit.
(If you enjoyed this book I'm glad for you, but I am down to just hate-reading it now. Sorry about that.)
Impressions will be behind cuts in case you don't want to spoil yourself for this masterpiece. XD
I've finished Part 1 and some of the things that stuck with me have been:
There's a thing in fiction writing that's often bandied about, how you should show and don't tell. It's hard to explain to new authors what this means, and why it's a bad thing. Well, this book has about a million examples. Instead of showing how a character is feeling, it just tells us. Optimus was stressed. Optimus was worried. Prowl was irritated.
Related to the showing/telling thing, this book loves just giving a laundry list of things that happen, regardless of how important it is. For example, we got a whole paragraph on what happened after a race on Velocitron. None of these details mattered to the story in any way, but we still got a whole half page of detail about it:
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We got a multi-page scene of Prowl cultivating an informant. He gets named (Armco). A few chapters later Prowl brings him in saying "Here's someone who can keep his mouth shut" and then IMMEDIATELY someone tries to blow up the Ark, and Armco falls out of the plot, never to be seen again. RIP Armco, we never knew ya.
Weird character note: The Autobots show up on Velocitron and discover there's a schism in the leadership there, with factions forming on both sides. While the Autobots are preparing to leave the planet, the "bad" leader says something relatively innocuous to Optimus, who then punches the Velocitronian in the face. This sets off a giant battle between the two factions, whereupon the Autobots dip and go through the space bridge. Brilliant.
More when I finish part 2.
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casadabiqueira · 8 months
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ARMCO Steel
Edward Weston, 1922
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Against the purpose-built monolithic grand prix tracks of modern times, [...] the Monaco Grand Prix is an anachronism. It is next to impossible to overtake on streets that are narrow and lined with Armco barriers. If it was proposed today as a location to race cars at 180mph, those making the presentation would be led away by men in white coats and administered mind-altering drugs. Similarly, if it were mooted that it should be removed from the calendar, on grounds of safety, there would be uproar, not least from the drivers. This race is sacrosant. From "Senna Versus Prost" by Malcom Folley
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nordschleifes · 11 months
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chapter seven — el perdedor
➝ when that fateful day in montreal is repeated in belgium, charlie is sure that the fairy tale with fernando has come to an end. she just didn't expect that she hadn't been the biggest loser that afternoon.
➝ word count: 7,3k
➝ warnings: fight, cursing, bribery, an angry cat, smut
➝ author's note: tagging @christianpulisic10, @alonsogirlie and @enaticosencantados as requested.
Sitting inside the plane, tears were streaming down Charlie's cheeks. She was trying not to cry in earnest in fear of disturbing the two other passengers beside her, a man dozing against the window and a woman in the middle seat who was immersed in the movie. But, she wanted to. She needed to. She needed to get all the frustration and anger consuming her out.
She needed to do something other than ruminate on the fact that the fairy tale of just over two months between her and Fernando was over, ending in the worst possible way.
Fernando had just come off of an incredible streak, one that not even the most optimistic of his fans could have imagined. After the unsatisfactory race in Barcelona, he was fully motivated to get back onto the podium in Montreal.
— It was like I said yesterday, that was our last race off the podium, nena — Fernando had murmured to her, the morning before the first free practice of the weekend, while they were still in bed together.
Driven by that desire to turn the tables, the two agreed to use a more aggressive setup than Lance's. However, against Max Verstappen's practically unstoppable RB19, they needed much more than a good strategy and a perfectly tuned car.
They needed luck.
— Is Max in trouble? — asked Fernando, a few laps after his first stop, during the safety car caused by George Russell. At that point they were in second place, more concerned with fending off Lewis Hamilton than chasing the championship leader through the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
— He hasn’t reported anything, why?
— He’s braking too early in the turns.
— Understood, I'll check — she said as her eyes scanned the telemetry charts, comparing the two drivers' lines and noticing that Max's braking line was longer and smoother than Fernando's. “Something's wrong”, Charlie kept repeating to herself, as he watched the lap times continue to fall, lap after lap.
Then, Charlie got a message from Max, in a way. The engineers at the race support room in Silverstone informed her that he had complained of overheating brakes and had been advised by the team to cool them. After a brief conversation with them about what to do and the possibility of Max retiring, she opened the radio channel with Fernando.
— Max has problems with his brakes. Difference dropping one second per lap. It's time to attack, Fer.
— Copy — he replied.
Watching him chase the RB19 around the track like a predator was fascinating to Charlie. The way he found the tenths of a second in each curve, passing within what seemed like millimeters of the Armco barriers sent a shiver through her body. It was sensual, wild, a kind of dance.
— You have DRS available — she said, as soon as she saw the three letters light up on the screen, an indication that Fernando had closed the gap enough. The closest he'd been all season.
And then, at the hairpin, when Max braked, his wheel locked. Losing the apex of the corner, he headed towards the gravel trap, opening the door for Fernando to pass and take the lead on the Casino Straight.
— Yes! C’mon! — he said into the radio, as Charlie took a deep breath, trying to contain herself as much as the garage cheered effusively. She had to concentrate on helping him build up a lead over Lewis, while Verstappen struggled with his own car before pitting and retiring.
When the dark green car crossed the finish line, she felt like she was on cloud nine. On the other side of the radio, Fernando roared in celebration, as if he was letting off the pressure of ten years without a win in Formula 1. All those years of frustration, doubts and challenges in other categories, in search of that feeling, that moment, those seconds when the work had finally come to fruition.
It was a mission accomplished. The plan had finally worked.
Meeting him after the race, drenched in sweat and champagne, was another thrill. The effort not to kiss him right there in the pit lane, in front of the world, was overwhelming, despite him not making an attempt to hide his delight at seeing her. He hastily shoved the first place trophy in the hands of his press officer to run towards her, picking Charlie up and twirling around with her in his arms.
— Thank you, thank you, thank you — Fernando repeated in her ear, while she laughed, tears streaming down her cheeks — Thank you so much.
— I have to thank you — Charlie said softly as he set her down on the ground — You're amazing, Fer.
— And you're beyond amazing, nena — he replied, before hugging her again, the champagne that was still on his overalls soaking into the front of her uniform polo, leaving a damp spot.
Two more wins followed, one in England and one in Hungary. At both races, the feeling of seeing him happy and on top of the podium was sublime for Charlie, not just because she'd done her job well and helped him achieve his goals for the weekend. It was the smile on Fernando's face, the pride in his eyes when he heard the notes of the Spanish anthem, the way he hugged her when he finally saw her in the pit lane each time.
And just when everything seemed perfect, everything fell apart.
Sunday's race at Spa, the last before the summer break, had been a replay of that catastrophic afternoon in Canada when they were both at McLaren. When Charlie heard Raúl tell her that there was a problem with the fuel consumption, a pit formed in her stomach.
This couldn't be happening again. It couldn't. She didn't deserve this, Fernando didn't deserve this, especially not when they were so close.
— The injection system is feeding the power unit erratically, consumption is above normal — the performance engineer said, pointing to the screen where the graphics foreshadowed the impending disaster.
Charlie felt her heart pounding in her chest.
— Is there anything we can do?
— At that point, all we can do is retire the car to see if we can save something from this power unit.
— Is that coming from mission control? — she asked, trying to buy herself some time to try to put into action some breathing exercise Hannah had taught her.
— Yes, and Mike already gave the okay.
Heaving a sigh, Charlie pressed the button next to Fernando's name.
— Fer, we have a problem that we can’t resolve. We're going to have to retire the car — she said, as she braced herself for a catastrophic response. An outburst of curses or worse, him fighting with her over the radio. “Please, Fernando”, she begged mentally, while he remained silent, seeming to process the information that his race was over.
— Understood — the driver muttered.
As soon as the car pulled up in front of the garage, Charlie took off her headphones and left them on top of the pit wall. She was beside herself with sadness and dread. She tried to assure herself that the team made the best decision for their championship ambitions, she couldn't help but think of how frustrated Fernando would be about it.
At that moment, it was killing her.
She watched as he climbed out of the car and handed Mikey, his mechanic, his HANS device, and walked toward the back of the garage without even taking his helmet off. Charlie ran after him, crossing the pit lane to try to catch up.
— Fernando! — she exclaimed, as he walked towards the paddock — Wait, Fernando.
However, Fernando continued to ignore her, making no effort to take his helmet off as he walked into the Aston Martin motorhome. The guest area was full, and all eyes were fixed on him, then on her. "I must look like an idiot", Charlie thought to herself, as she climbed the stairs. 
She was out of breath by the time she reached the door of Fernando’s drivers room, but the door was open. She could see that he’d finally taken off his helmet and balaclava, his hair damp with sweat and sticking up at odd angles.
— Fer...
— What? — he asked gruffly, as he unzipped his overalls, revealing his black fireproofs.
— I'm sorry — Charlie said quietly.
The driver stared at her, not seeming to believe what she was saying.
— You’re sorry? Do you think that being sorry is of any use?
She blinked, stunned.
— I…
— Your sorry does me no good, because, in the end, I'm not on the track. I'm not doing what I love to do!
— I know…
— Why didn’t you let me stay out? — Fernando exclaimed, taking a step forward — Why didn't you ask me if I could continue?
— The car wouldn't have made it to the flag — Charlie stammered, her hands feeling clammy and cold.
— I could have figured it out, I could have.
— There was an issue with the fuel injection system, there was no way to keep going without severely damaging the rest of the power unit...
— Of course, for you there's never a way to keep going. The solution for you is to always accept the circumstances and do nothing.
— I never said we shouldn't do anything — she snapped.
— But you accepted that there was no resolution instead of talking to me and analyzing the alternatives.
— Do you think there's time to debate options in the middle of a race? Especially with you going 300km/h?
— It’s better than taking whatever shit life throws at you! You've been doing that since your McLaren days, haven’t you?
— Fernando, we don't need to talk...
— Actually, we don't need to — he said, cutting her off — You know I'm right. You know you’d been content for too long with that shitty team, with that fucking engine, and now that you have a chance to fight for more, you give up, just like you’re back there.
Charlie swallowed hard. Fernando didn’t know it, but by the end of her time at McLaren, she felt like she had stayed with the team far longer than she should have. Her working environment there was chaotic, made worse by the issues with the Honda and Renault engines, and the team’s inability to be competitive. But McLaren had taken her on fresh out of university and gave her a career in Formula 1, so she felt obligated to stay out of gratitude, even as things deteriorated season after season.
— You know why I was there so long...
— You stayed for the worst reason possible — he exclaimed — Staying only because your grandfather only likes English teams, that's ridiculous!
— He has his reasons...
— Stupid reasons that had you stick with a shitty, uncompetitive team when you could’ve moved on to bigger and better things! — Fernando shouted.
— Why does it matter? — Charlie said, raising her voice to match.
— It matters because you keep acting like you still work for McLaren and that all you can do is just give up! 
The rational part of Charlie begged her to turn her back and leave Fernando talking to the walls, to leave him to take out his own frustration with the awful afternoon he'd had. However, she couldn’t help but stand there.
— What do you mean by that?
— You keep acting like a fucking loser!
His words landed like a punch to the gut.
— A loser? — she murmured, feeling her throat tighten and her lower lip quiver.
— Yes, that’s what I said. Are you deaf?
— Fernando…
— Charlotte, just get out of here and leave me in peace.
She thought of thousands of things to say at that moment. However, all Charlie could think to do was to leave the room. She walked to the engineers' office to pick up her backpack, feeling disoriented. “I have to go, I have to get out of here”, she thought, as she walked out of the motorhome, down the paddock, straight through the exit turnstiles, all without pause.
While waiting for the Uber, Charlie sent a quick message to Raúl, making up an excuse for having to leave before debriefing with Fernando. The last thing she needed was for him to say even worse things in front of everyone else.
In less than three hours, she was flying back to England without a second thought. There was no reason for it. It was all over.
— Miss? — someone said, touching her shoulder as she stared out the window. Charlie startled a bit before turning her head to see that there was a flight attendant standing in the aisle, a worried expression on her face — Do you need anything?
She hesitated for a few seconds, her mind searching for something plausible to say.
— No, I’m okay.
— Are you sure?
— Yeah, it's just something in my eye — Charlie lied, rubbing at her eyes in an effort to cover for herself.
— Well, if you need anything, we're here for you.
— Thanks — she replied, giving a sheepish smile.
After landing, Charlie drove to her grandparents' house to pick up Ron. Her grandparents always watched Charlie’s cat while she was out of town. As she put the cat’s carrier in the back seat, Amanda asked about her puffy eyes and red nose, irritated from rubbing it on the sleeve of her team sweatshirt.
— I'm fine, grandma, don't worry — Charlie said, as she sat in the driver's seat, forcing a smile.
If only she believed what she was saying.
Returning to her empty apartment was dismal. It was the start of summer break for Charlie. For the next four weeks, there would be no Formula 1, no traveling, no simulations to analyze, no videos to watch, no plans to make.
In a way, it was a good thing, as it would give Charlie the time and attention to focus on other things. She was determined to use the break wisely. She had a bookcase to assemble after buying it for her office over three months ago. There was a faucet in her kitchen that was leaking and needed to be fixed. She needed to organize her vinyl record collection after dismantling it to find one specific record to show Fernando during a video call — one of what seemed like hundreds that they’d had over the past few months.
“Forget about him”, Charlie told herself, shaking her head in order to physically push the thought away. He was part of the past, a reminder of something that no longer existed. The Fernando of the past few months was just a ruse. The real Fernando was the guy she’d known for so long. The real Fernando was the two-time world champion, demanding and uncompromising, who said and did what he wanted without regard for how his actions affected other people. The Fernando that she’d come to like was just in Charlie’s imagination, he never really existed, not even in her dreams.
 "Was it all just a lie?", she asked herself, as she laid down on the bed with Ron purring at her feet.
She fell asleep with that question on her mind.
The first week of the summer break was tedious. Charlie busied herself with household chores, trips to the factory, and visits to her grandparents, not allowing herself a moment to think. It was intentional — she wanted to distract herself and not allow herself to imagine what it would be like to spend her summer break in Switzerland, especially not at a particular villa in Lugano.
But the second week was torture. With the factory on lockdown and a mandated restriction on the work she could do, her avenues for distraction were limited. She’d accomplished all of the chores around the house she’d wanted to do, as well. With no reason to leave the house, she found herself trapped in a cycle that consisted of drinking wine, watching LOST and feeling frustrated every time her cell phone’s screen lit up and it wasn’t Fernando.
After what had happened at Spa, she hadn't received any calls or texts from him. In fact, it was as if he had disappeared entirely, as not even his Instagram had been updated after the race. Charlie didn't want to admit it, but the lack of updates made her more anxious. She couldn’t even find recent photos from fans that had him tagged. What kind of Formula 1 driver was he to not post a single photo of his summer vacation?
That was the question she asked herself on Saturday night, when the doorbell to her flat rang.
— I’m coming, calm down — Charlie yelled, as she set her glass of wine on the coffee table and extricated herself from her sofa. She’d been lying on it with Ron on her chest for the last few hours, watching something mindless on television. It was strange for someone to ring her doorbell, and her first thought as she opened the door was that it would be Rita, her elderly neighbor, asking for her help with something.
But, it wasn’t Rita. 
Standing in the doorway, wearing a black T-shirt, looking forlorn with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, was Fernando. However, it wasn't the clothes or the messy hair that caught Charlie's attention. It was the sadness present in his eyes.
— Good evening — he said softly.
— What are you doing here? — Charlie asked, her voice as dry and unimpressed as she could make it.
— I came to see you.
She snorted.
— As far as I last knew, you said you didn't want to see me anymore.
The driver let out a heavy sigh.
— Can we talk?
— We're already talking.
— Somewhere more private, I mean.
Charlie pursed her lips. Her neighbors definitely didn't need to see her arguing with Fernando Alonso in the hallway. She stepped aside and gestured for her to come in. He couldn't help but smile as he walked past her, into the living room of her flat.
Closing the door, Charlie took a deep breath before turning towards him. The driver was standing in the middle of the living room, looking around curiously. Seeing him in her flat gave her an odd feeling, until she realized something.
That was the first time he’d been to her flat.
— How did you find my address? — she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
— I spoke with HR — Fernando replied with a smile.
— And they gave you my address without saying anything?
— Of course not. They told me they couldn't hand over sensitive information about another employee, even someone who works closely with me. I tried to argue that I needed your address to send you a birthday gift, but they didn’t buy that.
She blinked.
— My birthday isn’t until October.
— I know.
Charlie hesitated, trying to puzzle out the situation.
— So, how…
— I made a personal appearance in the HR office and had a conversation with an intern. If you want an important tip for life, always have an envelope with you, you never know when you'll need it.
Charlie was shocked.
— You bribed an intern to get my address?
— Bribery is a very strong word, Charlie.
— How else would you describe it?
— I prefer “gratitude for services rendered”.
Running a hand over her face, she couldn't believe what he had done.
— And how much did my address cost?
— Less than Lewis’ mechanics cost me in 2007, that's for sure.
— How much? — Charlie repeated the question, placing a hand on her hip.
— A hundred pounds and an autograph.
She snorted, half outraged, half impressed by his audacity. Charlie couldn't fathom how troublesome that had been. Bribing someone for personal information could lead to serious problems within the company, both for him and the intern. But at the same time that she was pissed off, a part of her was in awe of all that effort on his part.
— What do you want, Fernando?
— I already told you, I wanted to see you.
— Well, if that's all, you’ve seen me, so you can go now.
— Charlie — he murmured, in a sad tone — I want to talk…
— What could we possibly have to talk about, Fernando?
— Charlie, you know what we have to talk about, and that’s what happened in Spa…
She shook her head.
— If you skipped out on your vacation to come to Northampton…
— Charlie...
— Just to complain about your fucking fuel injection system, you can leave right now, because I won't listen to any more of it…
— Fuck, Charlotte, I came to apologize! — he exclaimed, interrupting her.
Charlie felt her heart skip a beat.
— But…
— I came here to apologize to you — he repeated, in a lower tone — I came here to tell you that I was an asshole to you, and I’m sorry. I was upset about what happened at the race, but I shouldn't have any of the things I said to you.
— But you did say those things — she whispered.
— And I regret every word of it — Fernando continued — I regret saying that you act like a loser, I regret saying that your reasons for staying at McLaren were stupid. What I regret most, though, is when I asked you to leave me in peace.
— Why? — Charlie asked, feeling her throat tighten.
— Because it’s been horrible. It hasn’t been peaceful at all. Not having you by my side is the worst thing in the world, Charlotte. If living in peace means not having you with me, I would rather live in hell.
— Fer...
— I'm serious, Charlie — he said, stepping forward — I don't want you to leave me in peace. I want you to make every second of my life hell. Make my life an eternal torture if you need to. Please, make my life hell. 
Her eyes burned with tears.
— I accept everything you do to me if it means I find heaven on your lips — Fernando whispered, his eyes wet — Torture me, destroy me. But please, don't leave me, Charlotte. Don't leave me alone. Because that is the real hell. 
Charlie's lower lip quivered as her chest filled with a familiar, overwhelming warmth. Leaving Spa like she had had been horrible, almost as if she was leaving her own heart behind, and she’d found out the hard way that it was exactly what she’d done.
When she turned and left Fernando’s driver room, she’d left her heart with him.
— Come here, dickhead — she finally said, opening her arms.
Fernando stepped towards her, enveloping her in a tight embrace. With her head nestled against his neck, Charlie closed her eyes and allowed the tears that had been building to spill down her cheeks onto the fabric of his T-shirt. A few seconds later, he pulled back slightly, looking down at her. His eyes were red, and his cheeks were damp.
— Thank you — he whispered, resting his forehead on hers.
— For what? — she asked quietly.
— For not giving up on me.
She smiled as she brought a hand to his face, gently cupping his cheek.
— If I didn't give up on you even when you were the biggest asshole in the world, I wouldn't give up on you now.
Giggling, he moved closer to Charlie's face, kissing her gently. The taste of their tears mingled with the taste of the wine she had been drinking. After a few seconds, the driver pulled her face away slightly, his nose brushing her skin.
— Mi cielo. Mi paz. Mi luz — he murmured, pecking her lightly between the words.
Charlie couldn’t understand what his words meant, but hearing them in his delicious accent were enough to make her melt in his arms and kiss him even harder. As she felt Fernando's hands sliding down her back towards her ass, something inside her started to burn, her skin tingling.
She needed more than hugs or kisses.
She needed to fuck him.
Tugging on the front of his shirt, Charlie started to lead him through the corridors of her flat towards her bedroom. They stumbled on the way, unable to keep their hands off each other, divesting each other of their clothes as they walked. It would be almost funny to an outside observer, with arms getting trapped in t-shirts, a lock of Charlie’s hair ending up in Fernando’s mouth in the chaos, the stumbling and grasping and groping at the wall to find the bedroom lightswitch. However, as soon as Charlie felt the edge of her mattress behind her legs, a wave of warmth ran over her skin.
— Mi nena — Fernando purred as he placed her on the bed, his teeth grazing her neck — Te extrañé tanto, mi cielo.
— Fuck, Fer — Charlie grumbled, bringing her hands up to his shoulders, nails digging lightly into his skin.
And then, a loud hiss made Fernando yelp and stand up, looking startled at something above Charlie’s head. Following his gaze, she realized they weren't alone in the room. Standing on Charlie’s pillow with his back arched, fur standing on end, and ears back, was Ron.
— I think someone isn't happy that we interrupted his nap — the driver said to her, with a smile. Then, he stretched out his hand towards the cat — Hello…
However, if he expected the cat to sniff his hand in greeting, he was wrong. Ron gave Fernando a warning growl, even louder than before, before swiping at his hand with his front paw. Charlie pushed Fernando off of her and stood up.
— No, Ron, not like that! — she said, scolding the cat as she picked him up and set him on the floor — Be nice! We’ve already talked about this.
As she watched the orange cat bolt from her bedroom, Charlie ran a hand over her face. She had forgotten about Ron’s tendency to nap on her bed. She was embarrassed, but at the same time, she certainly didn’t blame the cat. He had been snoozing peacefully in the dark before being so rudely interrupted by the presence of a stranger, after all.
— Ron, huh? — she heard from behind her. When she turned around, she found Fernando sitting on the bed, a mischievous smile on his face — I guess I know your cat’s name now. 
— Yeah, that’s Ron — Charlie replied.
— I didn't know you were a Harry Potter fan.
She blinked.
— I’m not… Not really.
The driver raised an eyebrow.
— But Ron is one of the characters, right? With red hair? I remember watching one of the movies with my nieces.
— I think so, but his name isn't Ron after Ron from Harry Potter.
— Where is his name from, then?
— Ron Dennis — she replied.
Fernando’s face fell.
— Are you joking?
— No, he's named after Ron Dennis.
Fernando laughed, incredulous.
— Did you name your cat after the guy who hates me?
— Yeah — Charlie said, closing the bedroom door.
— Charlotte! — the driver exclaimed.
— What? — she replied, with her hand on the doorknob — Are you bothered by my cat’s name?
— Of course, you named him after someone that hates me!
— Why do you think I chose that name?
Fernando blinked, looking shocked.
— Do you hate me? — he asked softly.
Charlie snorted, before stripping off the cotton bralette and shorts she was wearing, along with her panties. Then, placing her hands on her hips, she glared at him.
— Does it seem like I hate you?
Fernando was staring at her, his mouth open for a reply that seemed to get lost on the way to his lips. His pupils dilated as he took in every detail of her body, almost like he was trying to memorize details he’d seen dozens of times, from the fair and soft skin from her belly to the tattoo in her ribs of a V10 engine.
 Charlie walked towards him, stopping in the space between his legs.
— I asked you a question — she said, her voice hard and serious.
— What was it again? — he mumbled, his eyes fixed on her breasts.
Charlie shook her head before touching her fingers to Fernando’s chin, gently tipping his head up to bring his gaze to hers. 
— Does it seem like I hate you?
— No.
— Because I don't — she said softly, her fingers stroking his cheek — On the contrary. I quite like you, Fer.
Leaning on his shoulders, Charlie straddled Fernando's lap, her knees pressed against the mattress. The closeness of his skin to hers made her shiver, a mixture of excitement and anticipation that made something tingle just below her navel.
— Nena — the driver murmured, his hands drifting down to her ass, giving it a gentle squeeze.
— I like you quite a bit, my dear — Charlie continued, as she felt his beard brush against her skin as he buried his face in her neck — And my cat's name doesn't mean anything anymore.
— Mi cielo — Fernando whispered, before bringing his hands to her cheeks and slowly lying down on the bed. Then he kissed her slowly, his tongue patiently exploring her mouth, as if their week apart had dulled his memory of what she felt like, and he wanted to remember every inch of her again.
Pulling away slightly, Charlie unbuttoned Fernando’s jeans. With a laugh, she pulled them down with his underwear. Fernando smiled as his erection was revealed.
— Do you have a condom, or do I have to go to the car and get one?
She rolled her eyes as she positioned herself on top of him.
— Only if you go downstairs like that.
— Like that?
— Naked — Charlie said, with a smirk — It would be fun to see.
— Do you think your neighbors would appreciate it? — he asked, his fingers pressing into her hips as she brought her hand to his cock and pumped it a few times.
— My neighbors include a gay couple and an elderly widow. The sight of a handsome man like you walking naked down the hall would probably be pretty exciting — she replied, bringing her face closer to his — But, I don't think we need a condom today.
— Don't you want to see me running to the car naked?
— I don't want them to see you naked — Charlie said, towering over him — That's for my eyes only. 
Pulling her hips down onto his, Fernando let out a growl as he penetrated her, while Charlie let out a long sigh, the pleasure coursing through her body like a warm wave. They had already had sex dozens of times, in many places and positions, but the first few seconds always felt like the first time they became intimate on that night in Imola, like settling into a warm bath.
— All good? — he asked through clenched teeth.
— Yeah, my dear. And you?
— Yeah, just — Fernando stopped moving for a moment, seemingly to try and catch his breath — You're going to drive me crazy, nena.
Charlie chuckled.
— We’ll see — she replied, moving her hips slowly, gasping softly as she felt his cock brush against a specific spot inside her.
It didn't take long for them to find a rhythm that they both liked, with Charlie resting one hand just above the tattoo on his abdomen to steady herself. The sound of their bodies colliding mingled with their sighs and moans, as well as her wetness, which was already forming a shiny layer on his cock.
— Fuck — Fernando groaned, his hands making their way up her stomach until he could cup her breasts. The way he was touching her, with his rough fingers massaging her sensitive nipples, made heat course through Charlie's body in ever-increasing waves.
— Yes, Fer, yes — she moaned, tightening her hold on his hip, rubbing her own clit against his pubic bone. Charlie felt as if she were in limbo between agony and ecstasy, her muscles tensing as she chased her release. It was tantalizingly close, but still too far away. 
Suddenly, Fernando decided to take matters into his own hands. He planted his feet on the mattress for maximum leverage, gripped Charlie's waist tightly and began to thrust, angling his hips so Charlie canted forward a bit, giving her more friction where she wanted it. The sudden change in pace had her letting out a loud moan, her nails digging into his arms.
— You're going to come… For me… Mi cielo ? — he asked through gritted teeth, his fingers pressing into her skin harder with each thrust. The driver seemed to be clinging to the little self-control left in his body to get her closer to her orgasm.
— I… Yes, fuck, yes!
— Then… Come — he growled, practically as an order.
And then, Charlie came undone. 
Pressing her knees against his ribs, she felt her body become seized by the tension before relaxing, the pleasure coursing through her like an overwhelming tsunami. Beneath her, Fernando gave a few definitive thrusts, his voice strained as he called Charlie by her full name as he released himself, deliciously hot, inside her. Still shaking, she collapsed on top of him, her eyes half-closed and her heart racing in her chest.
They stayed in that position for what seemed like an eternity. There was no reason to move when she felt complete, with Fernando inside her, hot and pulsing as he gradually softened. There was no reason to move, not when she was enjoying being back where she should have been all along, where she always wanted to be.
— Are you okay, nena ? — Charlie heard Fernando whisper below her. Cocking her head, she found him looking at her with a tired little smile on her face.
— I’m wonderful. And you?
— I'm great, actually.
— Good — she replied softly, smiling.
A few seconds of silence followed, the two gazing at each other as if neither of them knew what to say. For Charlie, there weren’t words that felt adequate enough to describe what she was feeling. That almost unbearable feeling of joy and desire and satisfaction that filled her chest and made her want to laugh and cry at the same time.
— I missed you — Fernando whispered, caressing Charlie’s cheek with his fingers.
— I missed you too — she said, smiling. Fernando smiled, bringing his lips to hers and kissing her gently, one hand sliding down her back, resting against the base of her spine in a gesture that felt equally affectionate and protective. It was a simple contact, but it felt so intimate that it made Charlie wish that time would stop, so that they never had to leave.
However, it was not to be.
The sound of Ron meowing and scratching at the bedroom door made her let out a long, frustrated sigh.
— I think someone isn't happy — Fernando muttered.
— He must be hungry — Charlie replied, snuggling his head on the driver's chest, trying to enjoy every last moment she could with him — This is normally when I feed him.
— Do you want to get up?
— No, but I need to get up. If I don’t, he will whine all night.
He placed a kiss on her forehead.
— Stay here, I'll get you something to clean you up — Fernando said, as he put her on the mattress and finally got out of Charlie's body. The empty feeling had her pressing her thighs together, trying to push away the discomfort.
— You can get one of the flannels from the bathroom — she instructed as watched him get out of bed.
— Where is that? — he asked, his eyes scanning the room, doubtlessly searching for his underwear.
— Second door on the left — Charlie replied, stifling a laugh when she realized he had a hand on his own cock — And you don't have to hide your dick here.
Fernando looked over his shoulder at her, a sly smile on his face.
— You're a naughty little thing, you know that? — he said, before taking his hand away and stepping out of the room. As Fernando disappeared into the hallway, Charlie saw Ron slip inside and jump onto the mattress. He sat at the edge of the bed, watching Charlie carefully.
He gave her a meow that sounded like a whine.
— Oh, my love — Charlie murmured, reaching out her hand to scratch his tufted ears. He backed away a little, before leaning his head closer and sniffing her fingers, which probably smelled like a Formula 1 driver to Ron. However, the cat soon relented, pressing his head into her hand — I'm going to feed you, okay? Just wait a little bit.
Fernando returned to the bedroom, already in his underwear and with a damp flannel in his hand. With a small smile, he sat on the edge of the bed, close to her legs. His presence made Ron hiss as the tip of his fluffy tail twitched angrily.
— No, Ron — Charlie scolded him again while scratching under his chin — No fighting with Fernando, he's my friend.
— Friend? — he asked, raising an eyebrow at her, resting a hand on one of her knees.
— Yeah, friend. My friend.
— Just your friend?
— Yes, is there a problem with that?
— No, Charlotte — Fernando replied, gently swiping the damp fabric over her labia — I just wonder if you let all your friends clean your pussy after having sex with you.
— Well, do you let all your friends ride your cock, Fernando? — Charlie asked, mimicking his sarcasm.
He chuckled, pulling his hand away from between her legs.
— Not all of them — the driver said, causing her to raise an eyebrow — Only one, actually. The prettiest one.
— Do I know her? — she asked, sitting up in bed.
— Yes, you see her every day in the mirror — Fernando replied, giving one of those smiles that made Charlie's heart melt — I'll take this to the laundry basket. Do you need anything?
— No, I’m fine. I need to get up and feed Ron.
— Want your clothes?
— I'll get something from the closet — she said, as she got up from the bed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. However, before going to the wardrobe, Charlie felt one of Fernando's hands slide around her waist, stopping her for a few seconds. When she turned her face, she found him staring at her with a goofy smile on his face.
— You're beautiful — he murmured.
— You already said that.
— I don't mind repeating myself.
— And I don’t mind hearing you repeat yourself.
— You’re beautiful. The most beautiful woman in the world.
She gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek before walking to her dresser, grabbing the first clothes she saw. Afterwards, she walked to the kitchen, Ron following after on her heels. She put a scoop of kibble in Ron’s bowl and crouched next to him, encouraging to eat, but watching his owner interact with the interloper seemed to make Ron lose his appetite. After a few minutes, though, he started picking at the food in the wide, flat dish, his head shaking as he crunched.
— Good boy. Now, it’s time to go to bed — she said, after Ron had seemingly eaten his fill. She walked back to the bedroom with Ron following after her again, jumping up to his usual spot next to Charlie’s pillow. However, upon seeing Fernando lying on the bed again, Ron hissed and left the room. "I'll sort this out tomorrow", Charlie thought to herself. Charlie laid down next to Fernando, and he threw his arm around her waist, pulling her body closer to his.
— Good night, nena — Fernando whispered, kissing her neck.
— Good night, Fer.
The sun was shyly peeking through the crack in the curtain when Charlie woke up the next day. Stretching a hand across the sheets, she found it strange that they were cold. As she opened her eyes, trying to clear the remnants of sleep from her vision, she found that she’d woken up alone. She was a little puzzled, but went to the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. 
The silence inside the apartment was unsettling, especially with the knowledge that she’d fallen asleep in someone’s arms, and that someone was nowhere to be seen. However, as soon as Charlie entered the living room, she felt her heart warm.
Fernando was sitting in an armchair near the sliding door that led to her flat’s balcony. His face was illuminated by the sun’s rays that managed to break through the cloudy Northampton summer sky. His eyes were closed and his head was tipped back, and he seemed to be in his own world. As she got closer, Charlie noticed that Fernando was chewing on something.
The grumbling of an irritable cat made Fernando open his eyes and look down to his feet. Ron hissed at him again, clearly disturbed by Fernando’s presence, but too stubborn to actually move. After years of being the only male in the household, he clearly felt threatened by the arrival of another, especially one who stole his owner’s attention and affection. Fernando just smiled at the ginger-colored instigator. 
— I didn’t think cats liked peaches — he murmured, taking another bite of fruit, the juice running down his chin, some of it getting caught in his beard. He swiped at the edges of his mouth with his fingers as the remnants made them glisten in the sunlight.
Charlie watched without saying anything, and felt something tingling below her navel, and felt her heart racing a little. The shine on his lips reminded her of the times when Fernando had laid her in bed and taken her to her climax with his mouth. The memory of him between her legs, his eyes locked on hers as he pleasured her with his tongue made her melt.
It was then, seeing Fernando looking so comfortable in her flat, remembering their nights together, that made her realize just how much she had missed him.
Charlie had missed their stolen kisses and touches, the words murmured with desire in her ear. She had missed his stubble brushing the inside of her thighs, his tongue and fingers circling her clit, the satisfied sounds he made when he felt her pull at his hair.
Charlie walked quietly toward the balcony door, watching as Fernando took another bite of the peach. Then, as he chewed, he turned his face to her, giving her a small smile.
— Good morning, nena — he murmured, his mouth still full.
Without saying anything, Charlie eased herself into his lap, wrapping one of her arms around the back of his neck. Then she brought the thumb of her free hand to his chin, wiping away the juice and fruit pulp caught in his beard and bringing it to her mouth, savoring the sweet notes of fruit on her tongue.
However, nothing was sweeter than the way Fernando looked at her.
— Good morning — Charlie said, before kissing him slowly and deeply, enjoying the taste of fruit on his lips. It was sensual, almost erotic, and unlike anything she’d ever done. But she felt comfortable like this, like it was just part of their daily routine.
Pulling her face away from his, she nestled her head into the crook of his neck, eyes closed against the sunlight. "This is heaven", Charlie thought, as she felt Fernando caress her arm.
— Have you been up long?
— About 20 minutes, I think. Ron woke me up.
Charlie cocked her head toward Ron.
— He did?
— He climbed on top of me and stared at me for a while. When I tried to pet him, he started grumbling.
She sighed, looking down at the cat. Charlie felt bad for not taking their introduction more slowly, but there was nothing to be done. It wasn’t like she was expecting Fernando to drop by any time soon. 
— Yeah, I don’t think he likes you.
— What a surprise, another Ron that hates me — he muttered.
— Well, unlike the human Ron, this one can be won over.
— How? Do I need to neatly slice up my fruit before eating it in front of him?
— No, we can start with treats. This Ron doesn't care how you eat your peaches.
— The human Ron does.
— Well, that’s just one of his problems — Charlie sneered as she stood up from Fernando’s lap. — You’re familiar with how bribery works, so let’s bribe this cat.
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power-chords · 1 year
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Edward Weston, Steel: Armco, Middletown, Ohio, October 1922.
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justanotherdrfan · 1 year
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Doohan ain’t doing ok.
Poor thing was a passenger in that accident. Luckily he got out safe before the car turned into a flaming ball!
Update: looks like a swimming pool error in judgement was the cause, damaging the rear and why the rear kicked out up the hill into the armco barrier.
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lxsolocam-blog · 1 year
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New England Dragway in Epping New Hampshire. Richie Broughton's "Comanche", he walked away with minor injury. Take note of the water pipe guard rails, more than few cars got torn up, before swithing to armco guard rails.
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teilzami · 1 month
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More freighters! Bros from AAA-class, Reserve and Armco
There was eight "Pittsburgh" siblings (so few), and Reserve with Armco were a part of the Columbia Transportation Division. Guess who else was in the Columbia's fleet? Edmund Fitzgerald.
"My neighbour is weird and hungry neighbour"
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middleland · 2 months
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On the Alert by Picsnapper1212
Via Flickr:
A young groundhog checks his surroundings to be sure no predators are nearby.  
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mikeepoo · 2 years
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Over my lifetime the winters here have become far less severe, at least a lot fewer truly cold snaps. We rarely had “snow days” it was always dependent on how cold it was. If it wasn’t getting close to -40 you were going to have to get on that bus. Heaters wouldn’t keep up, and the windows had an 1/8th of an inch of permafrost on them. We had a tricky descent, to a bridge that wouldn’t pass as adequate infrastructure almost anywhere. There was more than one morning where the Armco barrier ended up keeping us from a certain cold, and violent death. Now I ask myself, for what? I suppose to condition us to the idea that our personal safety will always take a back seat to becoming useful, productive, and compliant members of society. Still it beats my forefather’s time when it was -52, gale force winds, and a steep grade for miles in both directions on foot.
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f1 · 2 years
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Romain Grosjean to race for Lamborghini in 2023 and 2024
Grosjean drove for Renault, Lotus and Haas during his F1 career Former Formula 1 driver Romain Grosjean will return to racing in Europe next year with Lamborghini in sports car racing. The Frenchman, 36, has competed in America's IndyCar series since escaping from a huge fire following a crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix. Grosjean will race at Le Mans 2024 for Lamborghini's elite class 'hypercar' entry, run by the Iron Lynx team. "It's an honour to be joining Lamborghini," he said. Grosjean will race in a lower class GT3 Lamborghini in 2023 - starting with the Daytona 24 Hours in January - while developing the new Le Mans Daytona h (LMDh) hypercar, which will compete in the World Endurance Championship and American IMSA series in 2024. Sports cars introduced a new hypercar class last year and has attracted several big manufacturers back to endurance racing, most of which will begin competing in 2023 in time for the 100th year anniversary of Le Mans 24 Hours. "The new LMDh is a beautiful car," Grosjean said. "I'm lucky to have seen it - and an incredible project in endurance. It's becoming a very exciting category with all the constructors coming." Grosjean never won a grand prix during a 10-year F1 career - he finished second twice - before coming perilously close to losing his life in his final race. He collided with a barrier on the first lap at Bahrain's Sakhir circuit, his Haas car bursting into flames and wedging itself into the Armco. Grosjean escaped with burns to his hands and gained the nickname 'the Phoenix' after he appeared from his car, which was engulfed in flames. He will also contest his third season in IndyCar in 2023 racing for Andretti Autosport, the same team Britain's Jamie Chadwick will join next year in the second-tier Indy NXT series. The wrecked cockpit from Grosjean's crash in Bahrain via BBC Sport - Formula 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/
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thenewsfactsnow · 2 years
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Despite Crash Ferrari's Charles Leclerc takes pole in the last-lap
Despite Crash Ferrari's Charles Leclerc takes pole in the last-lap #formulaone #monactograndprix2022 #charlesleclerc
Charles Leclerc, Formula One Driver on Saturday took a sensational pole position in the Monaco Grand Prix despite crashing on his final lap. With his first run in Q3, the Monegasque turned in the quickest lap of the entire weekend, but on his second pass, he pushed a bit too hard and clipped the Armco as he entered the chicane, breaking his front suspension and sending him across the kerb and…
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fanthatracks · 2 years
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The architecture of Andor, reviewed by an architect
Architect Morphologis takes a look at the architecture of Star Wars: Andor.
I’ll utilize my professional experience in the field of architecture to examine the Architecture of Andor. Follow me on twitter! https://twitter.com/Morphologis Talk to me live on twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/morphologis Want to chat with me about architecture? Join our ARMCO discord community today! https://discord.gg/s74t7FQ We were recently lucky enough to be a part of a roundtable featuring…
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