#three and a half hours average daily

[castielsupernatural]

but could a normal person do THIS??

[carry-on-my-wayward-butt]

in-school-suspension was honestly so extremely funny because i had undiagnosed Problems Disorder and unironically i LOVED being sent to ISS.

average day of ISS (sent there for 3 days because i was late to a class three times within a 9-week period):

arrive at school and say a silly dramatic farewell to my besties

stop at each of my classrooms to receive makeup work from my teachers which always ends up being some bullshit worksheet or textbook busywork

arrive at ISS portable and go through the daily rigamarole intro of "you are Bad and you should Feel Bad. welcome to Bad Class, a confirmation that you will never make anything of your life, you horrid creature. you are not allowed to speak, eat, or feel joy. no doodling or reading, if you don't have makeup work or homework i will assign busywork to you. fuck you. *spits*"

spend the next 4 hours doing my busywork. it is QUIET. i can CONCENTRATE. the work gets DONE EARLY.

the work only took 2 hours maximum, i spend the other 2 hours writing fanfiction manually in a composition book pretending that I'm doing textbook work. i am having the time of my life.

our lunch time is the 10 minutes between the two lunch periods. there is no line, because there's only ever 5-15 ISS students. i get to EAT instead of STANDING IN A LINE for half an hour and only having 4 minutes to scarf down my garbage.

at the end of lunch, we are led in a big duck line through the school and we each get to stop off at our usual classes and pick up work to do. i already did this in the morning, so i use my time to say hi to my friends and figure out what the homework will be tonight.

for the last 2 hours of the day i do my homework. IT GETS DONE. this is the ONLY time during high school where homework gets done. zero exaggeration. i never did homework unless i was actively in a classroom with no choice but to do homework.

we get the usual outro of "this has been your day in Bad Class, because you're a Bad Child. some of you will be here tomorrow, some of you will not, but i'll see you again in a couple of weeks, because you are Bad and will always be Bad."

the school day is over, i did not encounter any of my bullies, i did not have to 'participate in class'. i got all of my work done and then some. i got to work on my fanfics. i hang out with my friends after school and talk to others on myspace/facebook.

it is the best three days i have in recent memory.

i will be there again, probably on purpose.

[muffinlance]

State of the Muffin Report 2023-24

Happy belated birthday to my fanfics! Little Zuko turned six back in March. <3 

Behold, my annual roundup stats, because you can get fanfic from the math teacher but you can’t get the math out of the fanfic:

[id: Screenshot of an excel spreadsheet showing my 2023-24 word counts. Important info is that over six stories, I wrote 104k words, for a monthly average of 8.6k and a daily of 284 words. End id.]

Fanfic:

After not touching the birthday fic itself since 2019, Little Zuko v the World is finally finished! Woooo.

Otherwise, a slow-but-steady sort of year on the fanfic front.

Serious Face Writing & RL:

Li’s Friends has now raised $4,206.21 USD for wildlife charity, not counting gift matches. <3

Finished the second book in my original fic series, Fox’s Tongue; The Skin Stealer’s Son officially launched yesterday! (Affiliate link, so that if you happen to buy it, Amazon pays me extra money for the privilege.)

I also created a secondary tiny human, and she is a DELIGHT. She was last seen a half hour ago crawling after her brother like a particularly aggressive tripod, Hop on Pop in one hand, and slap-screaming at it until he read it to her. My children. <3

Year Six (2024-25) Goals

Fanfic: 

Gonna finish the new case of Dark Night in Ba Sing Se. Gonna finish it so good. (This is a donation fic for the winner of my Fandom Trumps Hate charity auction and is therefore due by the end of the year, so woo artificial timelines! Ah external motivations, how I missed you from my school days.)

I’m incredibly excited for Blindsiding Badgermoles, and have that same lovely external motivation in the form of my sensitivity reader, so planning to focus on that this year.

Finish the current book of Towards the Sun. We’re currently on the final field trip, so that should be very doable. —I say, using the exact same wording for the third year in a row. Honestly this one’s less a goal than a joke to see how many years it’s actually going to take me. And hey, I’ve been making progress! We now have the delight that is Lady Jun! Third year’s the charm?

Serious Face Writing & RL: 

Get a solid start on Fox’s Tongue Book Three, Face of the Wolf King.

Get out large print editions of the first two books.

Continue raising children.

Special thanks this year goes to First and Secondborn, who blessed me with the ability to still manage over 100k in a year, which is way more than I anticipated at this time last year.

Cheers,

MuffinLance

[bitterrobin]

Either I make multiple housekeeper ocs for my au or at least half of Wayne Manor is kept boarded up indefinitely. Sorry to burst people's bubbles but there is no conceivable way Alfred by himself is cleaning the entire mansion.

I've grown up helping my mother (who otherwise works alone w chronic back pain) clean middle to upper class homes here in SoCal. In very white oriented areas with housewives and large families with dogs and good financial situations. Now, there's a huge difference between large modern homes that have only two maybe three floors and the entire floor plan of a mansion that's at minimum built in the 1800s and has 30 rooms. But fundamentally the problems with upkeep are the same. You need to sweep all the floors, mop, wipe the baseboards, vacuum every carpet. You need to wipe clean windows, fans, HC units, lightbulbs, staircases, every surface used constantly - kitchen countertops, bathroom counters, showers/bathtubs/toilets. You need to do laundry, not only clothes, but towels and bedding used by the owners and the rags you use to clean. Fold that laundry. Make the beds. Take out every full trashbag and haul it out of the house. Wash dishes daily. Put those dishes away. Occasionally remind the owner that maybe a light needs fixing, there's a hole in their daughter's sweater, the dog peed inside, that their son tends to stuff trash under the couch cushions and now they have an ant infestation.

On average, with my help, it takes my mom 4-5 hours for one two-floor house. Takes longer by herself. That's not even getting into the amount of people and pets. If there's kids, you need to clean after their spaces more than the adults. With babies, there's diapers and toys all over. With dogs or cats there's always always fur to pick up. The bigger the family, the busier they are, the messier the house. And thats all for a housekeeper that visits every week and gets paid in numbers ranging from 6$0 to $100. (And often people will forget to pay you and you have to stretch out your budget for weeks and weeks and then they pay you and they forget again next month).

For Alfred, as an official butler and employee, he lives at the manor. There's no cost for him that comes from travel (no car to pay for fuel) or cleaning supplies (Bruce probably pays for them). But everything else? Not to mention the added chaos factor of BEING VIGILANTES. Alfred not only upkeep the house they live in, but prepares food, clothing, scheduling, and cleans the Batcave and feeds the bats, at least two large dogs, and one cat. Theres multiple cars and vehicles, guns, weaponry, technology to watch out for (and I know the average fanon enjoyer doesn't know Harold Allnut should be doing that). He picks Bruce's clothes and dresses him for godssake. Hell, Alfred even operates the Batcomputer when needed every night. He does their medical care (and people forget about Leslie yet again, even regarding her relationship w Bruce, still. still.) That's too much for one old man.

Realistically, either Bruce has a full house staff like nobles used to have, or Alfred simply does not do as much as people think. He's old. Forever aging. There's not going to be 20+ plus rooms ready all the time for people to sleep in. At best, the residents of the Manor are Bruce, Tim, and Damian. At best, their bedrooms are kept clean daily. All the other bedrooms are cleaned maybe monthly. The rooms that aren't bedrooms (foyers/attics etc) maybe every other month. Groceries are multiple day events. Same with cooking full meals, dietary plans. Galas and business functions require weeks and months. The pets take days for veterinary care and training. The kids all together take weeks, days individually and together. And they not only look at you as a butler but as family. You are responsible for their wellbeing, emotions whether you like it or not (bc Alfred frankly enables Bruce too much but thats for another day).

Only saving grace he has is that recently not many people live there anymore. Stephanie and Helena and Kate and Barbara shouldn't be living there in the first place. Dick and Jason have their own places. Tim and Cassandra are up in the air but I don't think they spend 100% of their time in the Manor because they're young adults with various circumstances.

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

Dratini, perhaps? I love that blue noodle...!

Unlike many dragon-type pokémon, keeping a dratini as a pet is feasible. Maybe not recommended for beginners, and most certainly far from convenient, but possible. That is, if you possibly have the space!

While they are pretty thin with their worm-like physique, dratini can get pretty dang long. On average, fully-grown dratini average at nearly six feet, but some have been said to surpass that by another half foot if properly cared for (FireRed). This would certainly be something that many pet owners would have to adapt to, but many people care for large snakes with little problem, and dratini could most likely make themselves comfortable coiled up in whatever space is available to them. Thankfully, these pokémon are quite light and not very strong (Ultra Sun), so handling them isn’t too much of a challenge outside of volume.

Here’s the thing though: the habitats that wild dratini make their homes in aren’t very easy to replicate in the home, which makes this a pokémon with some pretty rough ease-of-care. Wild dratini make their home beneath rapidly-flowing waterfalls in order to protect them from predators while they grow (Crystal). I will point out, however, that a normal pool of water might suffice if the dratini feels safe and secure. Regardless, you will need to invest in a watery habitat for your dratini to spend at least some of their time in, which could be cost-prohibitive for owners who don’t already have such a resource on-hand. As a note: handling a dratini in the water is much more difficult then on land due to their impressive swimming strength, besting fishermen for hours in the wild (Moon), so you will definitely want to invest in training for if you need to move your dratini out of this area for whatever reason.

If you are one who is grossed out by animals that shed their skin, you’ll definitely want to look elsewhere. As the first stage of a three-part evolution line, dratini lifestyle is all based around growth: a healthy, growing dratini will be filled with energy and will shed their skin entirely numerous times in their life, or even nearly on a daily basis (Silver, Gold, Ultra Moon). Despite the energy building up within them, driving their growth, dratini live a very low-key lifestyle. They aren’t picky about their food, and spend most of their time quietly going about their day (Ultra Sun). If you’re looking for a playful, personable pokémon, a dratini might not be for you, but those who enjoy the presence of their pet with no action-oriented strings attached may find them a lovely companion.

Thankfully, living such a low-key lifestyle, dratini aren’t very aggressive. This is critical considering some of the concerning moves that they can use. From paralyzing rays like Thunder Wave to draconic maneuvers like Dragon Rush and Outrage, dratini can really pack a punch. Safely keeping a dratini would require a keen awareness of their mood and body language, especially when in the water with them.

Overall, keeping a dratini could be entirely feasible for someone experienced with high-maintenance, high cost pets. Experts in handling dragon-types would find dratini a breeze, while newbie owners may struggle to meet their needs and may find themselves in danger if their pet ever lashes out. I will leave the pet-worthiness of this species to the potential owner’s discretion.

As a bit of a post-ranking note, though: adopting a dratini is notoriously difficult and expensive, which may also be a good reason to look at other species first. Dratini are so exceptionally rare, earning them the nickname of “Mirage Pokémon” due to their low numbers (Diamond/Pearl/Platinum) cause by both their limited habitats and the financial value of their shed skins (Sun).

[thechillsquid]

Weird Grunkles- Blind Eyes Au

Little Drabble writing for the au cause I can

—

Dipper stared long and hard at one of their puesdo-grunkles, Bill, for what felt like an hour before he finally couldn’t stop himself from speaking, “How in the world did you get up there? More importantly, why?”

Bill was by far one of the weirdest people Dipper had come to know since coming to Gravity Falls, only really being beaten by Toby Determined by just barely. The guy was of an average build, about a head shorter than Stan (and just as wrinkly), with strange tattoos along his arms and legs that the boy was about 90% changed daily.

It took a moment to actually get a response, Bill staring back through his curtain of white-streaked curls before shrugging, “Squirrels were looking at me funny, kid, someone’s gotta chase em off.”

The preteen quietly repeated that to himself before asking slowly, “Are you… like stuck up there?”

He got a beaming, almost painfully wide, grin, showing off one golden canine and the gap between the older man’s front teeth. “Perhaps!”

Really Dipper couldn’t fathom half the shit he saw Bill do, espically when he was apparently older than Stan and Fiddleford (and trying to get any answers about any of the three’s ages was a nightmare he’d long given up on trying to figure out). The guy wasn’t exactly strong like Stan or much of an academic like Fidds, but he was sly and scarily insightful. As well as probably insane, seeing as he was most definitely pushing 50 years of age at the least and still got into situations like this.

This wasn’t even the first time this week that Dipper had spotted the guy in a spot where no one should be, like on top of the totem pole or balanced in tree branches. It was weird and unnerving and Dipper was fairly certain the guy wasn’t actually human.

“I’ll get a ladder…”

“Ask Specs, good ole Fez’s got a fear of heights,” Bill practically spoke in a sing-song, settling down so his back was against the tree’s trunk now. “Thanks, kid!”

Dipper just nodded slowly and went to find grunkle Fidds.

This town was so weird…

[milesluna]

My Favorite Games of 2023.

Hi. Hello. Thanks ever so much for clicking on this page. Happy to have you.

First thing's first: I'm a little freak when it comes to video games. I don't feel the need to beat most games I play. From Software is one of my favorite studios in the industry and I've never finished a single one of their games. This means, fortunately, that I get to play a LOT more games than the average bear.

I've written up some blurbs about my top ten favorite games from 2023, but before that here's the list of every game I remember playing this year that left any sort of lasting impact on me (in no particular order):

Dead Space Remake Resident Evil 4 Remake F-Zero 99 Humanity Dredge Metroid Prime Remastered Anemoiaplois Alan Wake 2 Baldur’s Gate 3 LoZ Tears of the Kingdom Counter Strike 2 Hunt Showdown El Paso Elsewhere Jusant Slay the Princess| Remnant II The Finals Street FIghter 6 Lethal Company BattleBit Remastered Don’t Scream Homebody The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog Pizza Tower World of Horror Super Mario Wonder Mr. Sun’s Hatbox Fifa 23 Sea of Stars (Demo) Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update)

And the games I played that were NOT released in 2023:

Unpacking Persona 4 Golden Picross 7 The Order 1886 Shovel Knight Dig Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Spider-Man: Miles Morales Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Project Zomboid Quake LoZ The Minish Cap Drill Dozer Wario Land 4 Pokemon Pinball Resident Evil Revelations Summer of ‘58 Trackmania TwinCop We Were Here Visage Cursed Halo CE Half-Life 2 (I probably play this once per year) Witch Hunt Red Dead Redemption 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Borderlands 3 Brutal Legend Cultic Slay the Spire PUBG Rez Infinite Batman Arkham City Alan Wake Alan Wake: American Nightmare Max Payne LoZ: Majora’s Mask 3DS Metroid Prime Metroid Prime 2 Tunic Everhood Final Fantasy VII Final Fantasy VII Remake GOODBYE WORLD Yakuza: Like a Dragon Critters for Sale Dome Keeper Phasmophobia Hades Nintendo Switch Sports

Now that you understand the kind of freak you're dealing with…

Let's dive into my top ten favorite games from this objectively fucked up year.

10. El Paso Elsewhere Developed by Texas indie studio Strange Scaffold, El Paso Elsewhere is a Max Payne-clone with vampires, an opinionated narrator, and lots and lots of bullet time. As a small studio punching well above their weight class, Strange Scaffold leans into abstract, PlayStation 1 minimalism when it comes to visuals and pairs them with a soundtrack that will make your hands sweat. The vibes are here and they're ready for the end of the world. I'm personally also a big fan of everything this studio stands for.

9. Mr. Sun's Hatbox I want you to imagine Metal Gear Solid V. Now I want you to imagine that game as a 2D, level-based, slapstick platformer you can play with up to three friends. If you think that sounds stupid, you'd be right. And it's beautiful. As you build up a secret army of soldiers with various skills (and disorders), you'll start to develop *favorites*. This game constantly asks if you're willing to send those favorites on a harrowing mission and risk losing them forever… or if you'd rather send an idiot you recently captured who blinks constantly and can't kill anyone without fainting.

8. Dredge Every year I feel like I find one game that falls into the “just one more round” category, and baby… Dredge was it for 2023. As a weary fisherman in strange waters, you'll make the most out of your 12 measly hours of sunlight only for your daily voyages to inevitably pull you into the darkness of night, and night is when things get weird. Rocks emerge from the fog that you swear weren't there before, your equipment malfunctions, and you're pretty sure you just saw something in the water… something big. Despite only containing a small collection of islands, the world of Dredge manages to feel vast - perhaps vast enough to swallow you whole.

7. Resident Evil 4 Remake I was curious to see what sort of changes would be made to the timeless classic and father of modern 3rd person shooters, Resident Evil 4. I wasn't let down. RE4 Remake takes all the things that didn't age well about the original, tossed them out, and replaced them with only good things. And MORE things! It's campy, fun, and better than a game of bingo.

6. Jusant I really feel like this one didn't get the recognition it deserves. Jusant is a rock climbing game that combines the quiet contemplation of Journey with the mechanical specificity of Death Stranding. Unlike Death Standing, though, there is very little story to interrupt your flow. There are plenty of collectible bits to find for those curious to learn more about what happened before the events of the game, but the environmental storytelling does most of the heavy lifting. For me, the joy of the game comes from how it feels. Right trigger controls your right hand grip, and left trigger controls left hand grip. Plan your route, manage your stamina, and climb high above the clouds in search of answers.

5. F-Zero 99 This. Shit. Slaps. I've never been a big F-Zero guy, but this MADE me one. The “battle royale”, 99 player format is the perfect fit for the ruthless, high octane world of the game. Races last about three minutes, and friend, they are the most intense, white-knuckled three minutes of your life. The decision to make your boost meter the same as your health meter started in F-Zero 64 (I believe), and it is so much more HARROWING in this game when another player could side-swipe you mere meters from the finish line and blow you to bits. Sadly it's only playable via Switch Online, but it made me cheer, laugh, and scream enough this year to earn a spot in my top 5.

4. Alan Wake 2 Remedy makes weird games that also manage to exist in the AAA space and for that I will forever love them. Although Alan Wake 2 resembles a 3rd person shooter survival horror, I'd honestly say it's more of a narrative game than anything else. There's sidequests, there's puzzles, there's upgradeable skills, but at the end of the day the characters, world, and story are what kept me playing. If you haven't checked them out recently, you should definitely watch a story recap of the original games before diving into this sequel, but the wild swings for the fences this game takes are well worth that small price of admission. There's a god damn musical number, for Christ's sake.

3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom I've really got nothing to say about this game that most people don't already know. It's incredible. The fact that Nintendo made a game that redefined an entire genre and then made a SEQUEL to it that ups the ante is remarkable. To be honest, I've only cleared the Rito, Zora, and Goron cities. I got a bit tired of exploring the depths and guiding Koroks to their friends, but I can't deny the sheer level of complexity and polish on display here. I saw someone on TikTok build a functioning Mecha Godzilla in this game. Good God. I've heard that the ending of this game is one of the best in the franchise, and if I'd seen it this year then it may have wound up higher on my list, but for the time being I'll continue picking up this masterpiece from time to time, chipping away at it until the day comes that I can finally smack the tits off thicc Ganondorf.

2. Half-Life (25th Anniversary Update) I know I'm gonna get shit for this, but I don't care. This year was the 25th anniversary of Half-Life and Valve released an update that made playing it (and it's online Death Match) much more accessible. I threw it on my Steam Deck out of curiosity, expecting to play for 20 minutes. I could not put it down. It is unbelievable how modern this game still feels. I simply had so much fun sprinting through the corridors of Black Mesa with a dozen weapons strapped to my back, blasting aliens and military Spec-Op chumps as a 24(?!) year old theoretical physicist.

1. Baldur's Gate III This game is fucked up, man. The sheer amount of writing in this game scares me. We can all talk about how BIG this game is, it deserves it, but the thing BG3 does better than any other role playing game I have ever experienced is actually encourage roleplaying. I've played through Act I four times now, with four different groups of friends, and it has felt fresh every time. I have seen the same events play out in so many different ways that it boggles the mind, but in every one of those play sessions I see players asking themselves “What would my lil guy do here?” rather than "what is the best thing to do here?" The game rewards players constantly for just trying shit and the D&D 5e rule set means playing like the character you said you were from the start leads to frequent Points of Inspiration. Maybe one day I'll see the end of this story (probably not), but I don't have to in order to feel a connection with BG3's world, characters, and most impressively, the characters I made myself.

Honorable Mentions for 2023

5. Dave the Diver 4. Homebody 3. Sea of Stars 2. Humanity 1. Super Mario Wonder

Top 5 Favorites NOT from 2023

5. Metroid Prime 4. Final Fantasy VII Remake 3. Cursed Halo (Halo CE Mod) 2. Red Dead Redemption 2 1. Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (3DS)

Games I didn't have a chance to play from 2023 but still want to when I find more time...

Viewfinder Venba Chants of Sennaar Thirsty Suitors Hi-Fi Rush Moonring Armored Core VI Laika Aged Through Blood Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

OKAY THANKS BYE!

[plumbum-art]

Have some wholesome asks, since I'm on a mission to make sure people take of themselves!

10, 13 and 27 :)

Bonus ask: favourite public transport moment? We live in the same country, so I know you've got stories.

10. would you slaughter the rich?

very wholesome ask lol. how about tax them for a start

13. when was the last time you ate?

i had a snack for coffee this afternoon

27. about how many hours of sleep did you get?

last night? about 6h i think, which is average for me

bonus: fav public transport moment

ohgod DB, we all know the pain. i spend half my years at school and all my student years commuting by train on a daily basis. so many "wonderful" moments to choose from. one time in december i was visiting my parents. on my way back home the train had to stop in the middle of nowhere because of heavy snowfall (classic). me and some other passengers had to take a taxi and the driver asked us for our destination. not having any sense of orientation in me i declared my home is "just about half an hour" away, so we went there first. it turned out to be an 2h drive..the driver just looked at me with empty eyes, as we finally arrived. the other three passengers still needed to be transported home. it was a long night for poor taxi men

weirder asks

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Wednesday SpaceTime 20240918 Series 27 Episode 113

Recent volcanism on discovered on the Moon

Scientists have discovered evidence of volcanism on the lunar surface as recently as 125 million years ago.

The Strange phenomena people will see at Moon's south pole

When astronauts return to the Moon’s surface as part of the Artemis 3 mission to the Lunar south pole, they’ll experience a very different environment to that which the Apollo astronauts witnessed more than half a century ago.

A new crew arrives at the International Space Station

The Russian Soyuz MS-26 capsule has successfully docked with the International Space station just three hours after its launch aboard a Soyuz 2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in in the central Asian republic of Kazakhstan.

The Science Report

Study shows up to 19% of dementia cases could be linked to vision problems.

Over 52 million tonnes of plastic dumped into the environment every year.

The growing amount of incorrect AI generated data being generated.

Alex on Tech: are the new iPhone 16s worth it? 

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[kidlit-queen-competition]

Train fact: the longest* train ever

like all things to do with railways, you can get pretty granular and pedantic with this one, so this is likely to also be the longest post ever. Sorry, but actual facts (and pretty pictures) under the cut!

The longest passenger train in regular service is Australia's 'Ghan, a luxury tourist train that runs between Adelaide and Darwin, and averages 774 m/2,539ft in length. that's twice as long as the Empire State building is tall.

(id in alt)

The reason I say "in regular service" is because the longest passenger train EVER was run by the Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland, to celebrate 175 years of Swiss railways, and that was more than twice that long at 1,910m/6266.4ft. Almost an entire Kentucky Derby worth of train! It had to go incredibly slowly, maxing out at 35km/h, to avoid overloading the electric systems of the railway and local power grids.

[Video desc: a youtube video from CBS news of the recordbreaking passenger train. The train is made up of several red electric trains coupled together, and moves through alpine landscapes of mountainds and coniferous forest. It is so long that it is visible only in coils, like a snake. Some shots show the train leaving one tunnel while entering another, or driving under a viaduct while the tail end crosses it, and several shots show people watching and taking photographs.]

But, the thing with passenger trains is that they have a lot of rules and regulations applied to them that freight doesn't have to follow. So freight trains get HYUGE.

The average American freight train (I consider the USA to be freight trains' natural habitat because there is a whole bunch of wide open space for for them to crawl around) is 5400 feet long, and the standard in Europe is around 3000ft. That's a 10-20 minute walk at average adult walking speed, just to go from end to end. You know when you stop at a level crossing, and a train goes by, and it seems like it's going by forever? That was probably one of these.

But the average frieght train is peanuts to mining trains. Trains came from the mines, and they still dominate there. The biggest trains in the world are consists of ore and coal, run by tiny crews from extraction point to export. This has always been true.

For example, the Datong–Qinhuangdao railway in China runs coal trains daily that are 2.614 km/8576 ft long. That's more than 1.5 miles, or three times as long as the burj khalifa is tall. And that's the standard for that line.

(id in alt)

But that doesn't break any records.

The longest production train, running regularly, is the Sishen–Saldanha railway line's maganese/iron ore train. These trains are four kilometers long. 4,000 meters, almost half the height of the highest peak on earth, in wagons full of metals. Too long to be seen in a single photograph- the one below was stitched together from four separate pictures, taken from the air:

(id in alt)

and that's still not the record!

The record for longest frieght train is held by BHP, an Australian mining company. It was made for the record, but the capacity is still there. This train ran on june 21st 2011, and was 682 wagons long, over seven kilometers. Almost twice the length of the Sishen–Saldanha's, and a quarter the height of Olympus mons. If you stood this train on its end, it would be taller than Mt Denali. If you started at the front of the lead locomotive, and ran as fast as you physically could, you wouldn't reach the last wagon for an hour.

There are entire branch lines shorter than this train.

Unfortunately, there are no good photos, because nobody in space had time for railfanning that day, but there are plenty of pictures of other BHP trains!

(id in alt)

[shmowder]

Termites + Clara and getting a toy with their meal

Sticky would pretend he's above it, that he doesn't care about kiddie toys. He'll order whatever Artemy orders to try and feel included with the adults. Except that his tastebuds are still of a 12y overdosing on nuggets daily, and he can not handle anything more spicy than ketchup. He managea three bites before his eyes start watering as he battles the spiciness while Artemy watches unimpressed.

Capella actually doesn't want a toy, but she still orders a meal with one anyway. It was to take home with her and keep as a souvenir of this outing. She's the one being addressed by the waiters and the person who goes to the cashier to correct an error in the order if Artemy wasn't around. While the fast food meal isn't what she usually eats, she finds herself intrigued by the simplicity of the flavours. She enjoys the sugary soda more than she'll ever like to admit, although Notkin clearly shares the sentiment and offers her his cup later as they leave.

Notkin immediately orders a toy meal along with Clara. The both of them end up having a blast using their mini figure toys to stage a fight on the table, using ketchup as fake blood and doing sound effects with their own voices. It's a theatrics show, and they use stale fries as woobly swords for their toys. He doesn't end up eating much but takes advantage of the free soda refills to stock up on 4 or 5 cups when no one in the staff is looking. He ends up "winning" the mini figure fight after tricking Clara into a trap with a paper crown. Taya is over the moon impressed. He soaks up her praise like a sponge and retells her the fight she just watched when they leave the diner... but more dramatically.

Khan actually enjoys the "grown-up" food courtesy to his family's eccentric tastes. His taste buds pretty much got used to most things other kids wouldn't even try. He tries not to say anything when he feels Sticky glaring at him from the other side of the table, half finished glass milk in hand. He absolutely hates the soda and can't understand why anyone would like something so sugary. He orders an average meal and splits it with Grace, insisting she's doing him a favour. Ends up criticising the food within earshot of the waiter multiple times. Makes everyone–Clara and Notkin especially– Clean the food mess they threw on the floor while playing around before leaving.

Taya didn't just ask for a toy. She asked for all the toys there in the whole diner! Although with Haruspex's current lack of stable income, she was content with just one toy and a meal. Immediately giving her toy a name and showing it off to everyone who would make eye contact with her for a split second, even telling the strangers sitting on the other tables about her beloved awesome toy... Only to become bored of it midway through the meal and move on to observe the entertaining fight show that Clara and Notkin are improvising. Her happiness is contagious and other adults ends up giving her some of their desserts just for being adorable. Artemy has to run after her and take her back to their original table after she enhaled half the cake from a stranger kid's birthday table.

Murky clearly wanted a meal with a toy. Not only was it blatantly obvious, but she was very bad at hiding it. Shaking her head when asked about it by the cashier and hiding between Artemy's legs. She didn't budge when questioned and refused to admit that she wanted a toy. At least Sticky was there to pick her food order for her, pancakes with syrup and strawberries. Even if the restaurant stopped serving the breakfast menu by this hour, him and Capella made a valid argument for an exception. Thankfully, it did work, and Clara's plan B of breaking into the kitchen and using her magic on the cook didn't have to come into action... today. Before leaving, Taya entrusted her toy to Murky and told her to keep it and take care of it, especially after Murky gave her one of the strawberries.

Clara immediately goes for the dollar kids menu, absolute zero shame. She briefly glances over the laminated paper menu to look at Artemy and make sure that he is the one paying, correct? Before picking the most expensive dish on the kids' menu, Behold! a three dollars meal, with a complimentary toy. She's the one having the most fun out of the rest of the kids during this outing and being playful in general. Making Grace throw M&M at her to see how many can she catch midair with just her mouth. Turns out... 25 out of 56. Not bad, not bad. She ends up leaving the diner with the paper crown still atop her head.

Grace didn't want to burden the haruspex. She was already grateful for just being invited, really. So she picked the cheapest thing on the menu, small fries. Smiling at Artemy's concerned gaze as he decided to just let her be. She sat content on her side of the table, watching Clara and Notkin playing together. She indulged Clara's games and was pleasantly surprised by how delicious the M&Ms were when Clara insisted that they switch roles and Grace should try catching them instead. Then the M&Ms turned into fries, salad pieces, and finally, chicken nuggets as it became clear that Clara just started the game as an excuse to share her food with Grace. Which counterproductivly ended up with two-thirds of it on the ground instead, courtesy to both of their bad aims.

[mrsrookhunt]

I’ve been waiting for Ango 😈😈

Anyway, can you please do Ango (and any other bsd guy) with a s/o that’s REALLY and I mean REALLY tall, like 6’10.

If you don’t think that’s a good idea or it’s not interesting just disregard this. Have a good day/night! <3

Oh my god I came here to write the bsd men in bed but sOMEONE HAD TO GIVE ME NEW INSPIRATION AHAHAHAAHAH

Absolutely.

As a short bitch myself... I'm so happy to imagine being tall.

A Small Problem

Ango Sakaguchi X Reader

Ango, in his infinite wisdom, had fallen for you, his darling, his other half...

But that was only apparent to you and him. The near daily comments on your 1-whole-foot height difference made him more than insecure.

Ango had never considered himself tall nor short to begin with, being at a good, solid height of 5'10.

He was tall to most women, and average to most men. It was a good balance.

When he met you, it was online. You spoke, sometimes for hours, into the early morning after he finally got off of work. After three months of dating, he was certain, with one-hundred percent of his soul, that you were the one.

Within the next month, he'd emptied out his savings into buying a ring for you, a suitable house, and redecorating said home into a cozy place fit for both you and the possibility of a small family (or pets, let's be real).

Finally, in your sixth month of dating, you'd gotten the unexpected funds to fly and see him for the first time.

Overwhelmed with joy, Ango had absolutely no reservations about finally meeting you, overjoyed that he would finally get to put that ring and that house to use.

When he met you, he was dumbfounded, jaw slack with shock for just a moment. He couldn't believe you were so... tall.

For a moment, you worried that he found you unattractive, but those worries washed away as the most delighted, sweetest young lover's smile broke onto his face, like six months of pure love expressed in one fleeting moment.

His biggest worry at the time was, how was he supposed to be the big spoon?

He wasn't embarrassed to take you around town, showing you off to everyone he knew.

You never took him as someone into PDA, but he regularly rested his head on your shoulder.

While he may not have judged you for your height, others did. Many of his coworkers laughed with what he was certain was envy of his catch, but hurt him deeply nonetheless.

When you accepted his proposal, he was monumentously happy, putting himself through hell and back to arrange a wedding as soon as possible.

However, through all of this happiness, you saw that something dampened his spirits, just slightly, as well.

After discovering that he was treated poorly because of you, it nearly broke your heart. You knew you had to help him in some way, making a point to give him extra snuggles and kisses, knowing he wasn't quite ready to open up about it.

There were times when he did cry with you. He wasn't used to being made fun of, and even more than that, he felt powerless over the situation. He loved you more than the world itself, but he also couldn't leave his work, and who's to say his coworkers at another job would treat him any better?

You start making jokes about his coworker bullies as if he were a small child needing reassurance, likening them to small children who couldn't handle a man and his partner.

It makes Ango feel tremendously better to have you on his side, comforting him. There was a time when he wondered if you saw him the same way, as weak and small in comparison to yourself. But you? You treated him like an equal. And that's all that matters.

Keep joking with him, keep loving him, and you won't have a problem.

"I've got a small problem, my love."

"Oh? And what's that honey?"

"You." ♡♡♡

[shrineofdolls]

i used to walk daily but then I started noticing it was hurting my body to walk so much (i would average three miles a day) (cw: medical rant and negligence from doctors)

it feels strange. i was doing what i thought i was supposed to do via the guidance i always heard from doctors and that terrible therapist, but it didn't help much. the walks felt great and it would tire me out but i would be in pain afterwards, especially in my back and right calf. i tried talking to a doctor about this a year an a half ago, but she was completely unhelpful and also she refused to see me again until i stopped smoking weed. i haven't found another doctor since then and i believe that specific doctor stopped working at the clinic i was using. I'm scared to be told i need to stop smoking weed before I'll be taken seriously. she thought some of my issues related to my physical pain and stomach problems were being caused by weed, despite me mentioning some of these issues started before i smoked which in turn lead me to seek alternative medicine in the first place.

i have reduced my weed intake significantly since then, though hilariously enough i feel i am in more pain. i feel guilty because i apparently can't use weed to manage my pain if i want to be taken seriously by a doctor. ibuprofen worsens my stomach issues so i limit my usage of it. i don't drink alcohol often. i think this year I've drank four alcoholic drinks, and that was because i was invited to ian's work events. i am trying to be as clean and straight edge as possible to prove to a doctor that i deserve to be taken seriously about my health. i am taking my health seriously.

if they tell me they won't see me until i do an arbitrary task then i drop the doctor and look for a new one. I've been put on so many waiting lists and then rejected because they tell me my issue isn't the same as somebody who's been through chemotherapy and has a weakened immune system, etc. my pain isn't enough to be taken seriously even though it majorly affects my life. i can't work on my comic longer than an hour or two every day because of my arm and back pain. it's stupid. then i take a healthy walk and it still leads to more pain. when does it stop? where do i go that is friendly to transgender people AND will take my pain seriously?

anywho, now i walk once or twice a week, sometimes three times a week if i feel especially physically good. i still usually aim for 2 to 3 miles, but I'm finding my body isn't able to do that as easily anymore and my right calf acts up. I'm basically limping by the end of my walks now lol. i feel like a lazy piece of shit. i feel major guilt as if I'm not doing enough for my health. i worry i caused my health issues. i fear i did this to myself but I don't know how i did it.

strange how the body changes, and how outsiders of my body tell me its in my head or an issue with me over doing it, or whatever excuse they can pull from their pocket. so they admit that my body isn't built to work the same as an adult man then? but they still suggest better diet and more exercise...and yoga. lol. believe me i do what i am directed to do, but i am still in pain.

performing healthy actions doesn't reverse or fix the problem. I'll still do it just to prove this because if i let up even a little bit i know they'll turn me away again (doctors, specifically).

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #250

New tats in your near future? Probably not, but I wouldn't say it's impossible. My dad gifts me and my sisters Christmas money every year, and while I'm leaning towards saving it for other stuff this year, I might cave and get a tat, idk.

How about piercings or re-piercings? It's looking like I might get my nose re-pierced for Christmas.

Are there any rooms in your house that you don’t go into every day? Mom's bed and bathroom, dining room.

Have you ever kissed someone who has previously kissed someone you hated? Lol yes, I used to despise his ex because of my own history with her. We're chill now.

Do you have any relatives with red hair? Not that I know of.

Have you ever known anyone who committed suicide? Yes.

Have you ever had rabies? No.

Do you know anyone who ever had to get a rabies shot? Uhhhh possibly?

Ever eaten deer? Duck? Squirrel? How about lamb? None.

What is your least favorite ice cream flavor? I haven't tried too many, but I know I really don't like strawberry.

Have you ever been tempted to steal? GUYS as a kid I was obsessed with Dory and one day I went to a friend's house and she got a Dory toy from McDonald's and I loved it and wanted it and I remember I considered taking it lmfao, but ultimately I didn't.

Would you rather travel to Ireland or Japan? Ireland.

Does tickling turn you on? No.

Have you ever video-chatted with someone you met online? I've AUDIO chatted, but not with video, it makes me uncomfortable.

How many siblings does your best friend have? One.

Have you ever dated someone who was emotionally or mentally unstable? Yes.

Have you ever had a reptile for a pet? Multiple.

Did you attend Sunday School as a child? Solely because I was forced to.

Who was the last person you cuddled with? My boyfriend.

Your boyfriend/girlfriend isn’t around but their phone is. Do you look through it? No.

Have any of your exes ever given you roses? While we dated, Jason did.

Do you think your last ex ever thinks about you? Certainly not romantically, but in the sense that she's a bitter person, I'm sure there are times she thinks of me poorly.

Would you rather have salad or french fries for a side dish? French fries, I'm sadly not thrilled by salads.

Which one of your relationships was the shortest? Well, if you even wanna call it a "relationship," Juan and I were together for literally less than 24 hours.

Which was the longest? Jason, three and a half years.

Would you feel hurt if your last ex is in a relationship? Nope.

Are you going to be getting any new pets soon? No.

Do you like BBQ sauce? Nope.

Should the guy always pay for the date? lol no

Do you know anyone who has autism? Me, my niece, my friend...

Do you use Instagram often? I use it daily. I look way more than I post.

Do you have a Pinterest account? I do, don't browse it much though.

What is one question you don’t like being asked? Hygiene questions because as a person that struggles so much with deep depression, I have a hard time with self-care, and most people don't get it until they experience it.

Who is someone you know who is talkative? My nephew.

When was the last time you saw one of your uncles? It's been years upon years.

Who was driving the last time you were in a car? My mom.

How many times do you talk on the phone a day on average? Zero.

Do you like your bed? I wish it was softer.

Are you tanned? No.

How old is the last person you kissed? 31.

Has there ever been a time where you found yourself to be completely overdressed or underdressed? I don't think so.

Do you wish you were more busy or less busy? I wish I was slightly busier. Not overwhelmingly so, but just a bit busier, because my life is very dull.

Last person you shared food with? Girt; I tried mac and cheese off his plate on Thanksgiving, but I didn't really like it. I'm picky with mac and cheese.

Have you been a happy, angry, or sad person lately? Sad and frustrated.

When was the last time you wore a dress? Oh jeez probably not since my older sister got married like eight years ago.

When was the last time you laid in bed with someone else? Thanksgiving night.

What’s something you remember about kindergarten? I didn't wanna shut up during naptime lmao.

Is there a person you talk to every day with? My mom, and it's extremely rare Girt and I don't message each other.

Does your best friend have a job? Yes, he's had the same job for like... 12 years, I think? Possibly more?

What do you think of people who have sex before marriage? IF you're worried about sexual compatibility, honestly I think it's a good idea to know before marriage. But ultimately, this is purely a personal choice, it's NOBODY else's business when you decide to start having sex.

Do you drink regular or diet soda? Regular, because I despise diet sodas. I'd rather just not drink a soda than drink diet, it's disgusting.

What's one of your favorite artists/bands, and least favorite song from them? Ozzy has a number I'm just not interested in, I don't have a song that REALLY stands out, but for Rammstein, I cannot stand "Seemann," which is crazy because the fandom seems to have a soft spot for it.

Have you ever seen them live? I haven't seen either. ;-; Ozzy's touring career is done (he keeps trying, but his health has stopped those plans many times now), and Rammstein doesn't plan on touring again for I think at least two years according to Paul, they just toured for multiple years straight.

Are you registered to vote? Yes.

Do you consider graffiti to be true art or just messy? I mean, it can be both, and "messy" isn't even inherently bad.

Do you currently have a fan on? Noooo, shit's cold.

Do you take a lot of pictures? No, sadly.

What's your McDonald's order? Quarter pounder or McDouble to save money, fries, Coke.

What do you do when you can't fall asleep? I browse my phone or much more rarely these days, get up to get back on the laptop. Both you're not supposed to do lmao.

Do you know anyone who keeps a Christmas tree up year round? No.

Who were you last in a vehicle with? My mom.

What's the strangest video you've ever seen? Hell, probably an Unus Annus video at some point. What a fucking YEAR that channel was, god I miss it. Mark and Ethan made something so amazing lmfao.

If Kirby absorbed you, what power would they get? Overthinking everything imaginable. :^)

What's your go-to appetizer? French fries.

Have you ever received a present that made you cry? Yes.

What's something you are addicted to? Technology.

When did you last receive a business card from somebody? I willingly took a business card from someone when I went to Pride this year. ... I think? Or did I just take a picture of her socials? Idr.

Would you try that Flamin' Hot Mountain Dew? Isn't that so wild? Okay, as a Mountain Dew and hot Cheetos FIEND, I would TRY it, but I don't expect to like it, honestly.

Do you own any adult coloring books? I do, but I honestly don't really use them.

Do you have any chores you need to get done? I need to dust my room.

Have you ever had a bad sunburn? I've had sun poisoning, and that was hell.

Name three of your favourite crepe toppings. I don't think I've ever had a crepe.

Do you watch How I Met Your Mother? What did you think of the ending? I've seen episodes casually, but I've never watched it willingly.

Have you ever played paintball? Did you get hit? No, this doesn't appeal to me at all. I've heard that shit hurts.

How do you feel today? Tell me about it. I'm... better than yesterday. I had an anxiety attack last night that really upset me. Today, I've tried being more productive and conscious of what I'm doing, and I've started a very popular self-care app.

Do you ever use a laptop in bed? For over five years at least, I LIVED in my bed doing this. It was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. My body fucking withered; I went through muscle atrophy in my legs, and in more recent news, we think this is why I've had two different x-rays where I've been informed I have weak bones. I sit at a desk with my laptop now, I refuse to bring it back to my bed.

Have you ever eaten Caribbean food? I don't believe I have.

Where did you last fly to on a plane? To/from Illinois.

Have you ever been evicted? Why? Yes, because Mom couldn't keep up with rent.

Have you ever worked as a manager or supervisor? No.

Do you eat at a table or on the couch? I either eat at my computer desk or on the couch.

What was the last thing you voted for? A Tumblr survey, I think.

What’s the longest you’ve ever stayed awake? Why did you do it? Three days, because I was manic.

What are the five apps on your phone that you use most often? Instagram, Facebook, Pokemon GO, Dragons of Atlantis, DragonVale.

[darkmaga-returns]

The harmful effects of too much “screen time”, especially with social media, have been known for years. Social media is legendary for its addictive enticement. When Technocracy first defined itself in 1934 as the “Science of Social Engineering”, it launched technology 0n a trajectory to destroy mental health, not to help it. Now Technocrats are harnessing AI to push the world into a simulacrum, or anti-reality. ⁃ Patrick Wood, TN Editor.

Whether it’s internet rabbit holes or endless social media interactions, a new poll finds the more time you spend obsessing over what’s happening on your screen, the worse your mental health gets.

According to the survey, the average American feels like they lose three days per month while consuming online content. The poll of 2,000 Americans revealed that 36 days of our year are lost to scrolling, streaming, and bingeing content. It’s even worse for younger people. Gen Z Americans feel like they lose closer to five days per month.

The comprehensive study on media consumption trends by Talker Research also revealed that excessive content consumption can result in feelings of guilt, with the average respondent having three pangs of guilt per month. On average, Americans consume about six hours of content per day, with Gen Z Americans consuming closer to seven.

In honor of World Mental Health Day, the data split respondents based on their self-reported mental health and found that poor mental health and media consumption appear to have an uncomfortable connection.

Those with “very poor” mental health lose nearly six days per month to content consumption, while 19% of those who say their mental health is “very poor” estimate that they lose 15 or more days per month. In comparison, those with excellent and good mental health lose the fewest days (2.7).

This also aligned with feelings of guilt. Those with“very poor” mental health feel guilty most often — roughly seven times per month. Nearly half of those polled (42%) admit they feel like they consume “too much” media, and 36% say their mood is “often” negatively affected by something they see on social media.

Gen Z Americans were the most likely to feel like they consumed too much media, with 66% agreeing with that sentiment. Interestingly, those with “very poor” mental health were also found to be the most likely to use TikTok regularly (38%) and the most likely to report being “very likely” to be on their phone while watching something on television (46%).

Dr. Sham Singh, a Harbor UCLA-trained psychiatrist at Winit Clinic, offered three helpful tips for managing screen time to alleviate feelings of guilt.

Implement a “Tech-Free” Zone. “Creating designated areas where technology is off-limits in your home can significantly impact your daily habits,” Singh says in a statement. “For instance, by making your bedroom a tech-free zone, you promote better sleep hygiene and relaxation, free from the distractions of notifications and screens. Similarly, establishing a tech-free dining room encourages meaningful conversations and family bonding during meals. These intentional spaces reduce screen time, foster healthier interactions, or enjoy quiet moments.”

Set Phone-Free Intentions: “Before you reach for your phone, I advise you to take a moment to set a clear intention for its use,” says Singh. “Ask yourself what you need to accomplish—whether it’s checking messages, researching a topic, or responding to an email. This practice encourages a more mindful approach to technology, helping you avoid the trap of mindless scrolling. Having a defined purpose lets you stay focused on your task and minimize the likelihood of getting sidetracked by social media or other distractions.”

Reflect on Content Consumption: “Keeping a journal of your experiences with various types of content can be an enlightening practice,” Singh suggests. “After consuming media—be it social media, news articles, or videos—take a moment to jot down your feelings and thoughts. Did you feel inspired, informed, or drained? This reflection helps you discern which content enriches your life and which might feel like a time-waster. Over time, you’ll develop a clearer picture of your media consumption patterns, enabling you to make more informed choices about what to engage with in the future.”

Read full story here…

[suzieb-fit]

Essay time.....

So this is a bit frustrating....

I never get hungry.

And I was already very careful with my diet before starting this programme.

Fasting 15hrs daily, on average. Fasted walking/training. No refined carbs of any kind. No bread, potatoes, pasta, rice etc. No probs.

Yes, I was eating more frequently, but only by one more meal the vast majority of the time.

Then into the HBD thing. Two days of nothing but veg. No problem at all. Not hungry.

First week of phase two.....Adding protein and a bit of fruit. Three meals, five hours apart. Not hungry.

Yesterday, which marked 13 days since I started this programme, I was hungry not long after a big dinner of beef, a pile of veggies and avocado with grapes.

Fine waking up this morning.

Breakfast at 7am. By 10am and I was hungry again.

This is not at all normal for me!

Anyway, not a huge problem.

Oh, and last night I found out that pimento seeds are in the nightshades catagory! So they gone now, along with tomatoes and peppers. Really hoping it helps relieve the mucus thing.

Anyway, on to today.

Half an hour early walk. Pretty dull and drizzly, but the weather doesn't stop me.

Breakfast back at home.

Grapes with my walnuts for a change. And cream in my coffee!! I've honestly been counting the days! What a lovely coffee that was 🤩.

Then a resistance band workout from Fiton. More towards the cardio side this time. Plenty of strength work too.

Then another little walk before lunch.

Plain omelette with salad, avocado and more grapes. Mixed herbs, salt and pepper. Should have had my daily apple rather than grapes again, but I was on autopilot, and the grapes were right there, lol.

Dinner will be chicken, the rest of the avocado and a pile of veggies. Dried basil. Hold the pimento!!

That's my Sunday!