September 14, 2026 - Wholesome Badass: A Work in Progress

Black-and-white line drawing of one person subtly tipping a bicyclist off balance while shrugging and thinking, “sheesh...always so dramatic.”

Rattle the Cage, Judge the Reaction

September 14, 2026 No Comments

If I can rattle your cage and then stand beside your reaction looking calm and reasonable, I can create a defining contrast: you unstable; me credible. Your distress is excellent leverage. I get to have my way with you and come out

Black-and-white line drawing of two stick figures in a leaking boat. One figure wears a life vest, holds a life preserver, and says, “You need to calm down,” while the other figure looks distressed and bails water out of the boat.

The Advantage of Appearing Unbothered

September 14, 2026 No Comments

I am beginning to recognize and more effectively name and navigate familiar systems, patterns, and personalities. In power imbalances, the person with more status or authority can seem even more credible when appearing almost completely unaffected — mildly inconvenienced at