Source: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPLSvMwBo/

I saw there was graffiti on the top floor of this abandoned building. This reminds me of the skyscrapers in DTLA that are abandoned and also been vandalized.
How do people do this?

PSA: ...to anyone who can no longer attend a Smithsonian event, your email confirmation with the tickets has a "cancel your reservation" button. I just cancelled ours, and they appeared almost immediately on the Smithsonian cancelled ticket page.

So if you can't attend an event, don't forget to cancel them so another group can use them instead.

https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/events/air-scare-2026

Hi I’m Emma and I run a little free pantry in Alexandria so I’m always on the lookout for good deals on food. I’ve hit the classics: Aldi, dollar tree etc but went to grocery outlet in falls church for the first time yesterday. I was impressed with some of the deals and wanted to share. Not everything was cheaper than normal and definitely check expiration dates!

Currently they are running a sale for a dozen eggs for $1. Also had vegetable broth that expires soon for 2/$1. I captured a few pictures of some deals I bought personally but definitely recommend checking them out!

This sounds like a cathartic event…

Life has been a lot.

So on Saturday, October 17, we’re meeting on the National Mall, standing in a giant group, counting down from 3, and screaming into the void together for exactly 5 seconds.

That’s the event.

5:45 PM — Show up
6:10 PM — Assemble for absolutely no reason
6:15 PM SHARP — THE SCREAM
6:15:05 PM — Inner peace achieved

I feel like mental health isn’t talked about enough on here, so I wanted to ask anyone in NOVA who deals with anxiety what helps them get through it.
I recently started medication, and I know it can take some time to kick in. In the meantime, I’m trying to find things that help me manage my anxiety and get through the day. Whether it’s certain activities, routines, going for walks, therapy, or anything else that has helped you, I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences.
I know everyone is different, but sometimes it helps just to hear from other people who understand what you’re going through.
I’m genuinely looking for advice and a little support, so please be respectful. If you don’t have anything helpful to say, that’s okay, just keep scrolling. ❤️
Thank you!

For some context, I have five nieces and nephews living with me: three boys and two girls. It’s me and my mom raising them, and we do our best to make things work. I have a decent job at a tech company, my mom has a pension, and thankfully we’re able to provide for them.

I try to keep the kids involved in as much as possible. I make sure they do homework twice a week or get extra practice in, and I even got them an IXL subscription so they can work on additional math. I taught them how to fish, put them in sports leagues, take them to the beach, games, and all that. I want them to have opportunities to learn new things, stay active, and enjoy being kids.

Overall, the boys are good kids, but they’re a little rough around the edges because of their upbringing. The oldest gets sent to the school office semi-frequently, the middle one can be difficult to get to listen at home, and the youngest (a bit on the spectrum, possibly Asperger’s, and spends part of his school day in a special education class) hit another kid at the park this week. They’re 11, 9, and 7.
Obviously, there are different ways to redirect behavior, whether that’s taking away an iPad, telling them you won’t play Roblox with them anymore, or just talking things through with them (although sometimes it feels like they’re not listening). I don’t believe in hitting kids or corporal punishment, but I do believe physical exercise can be a great positive outlet for young boys. It gets them outside, burns off energy, builds confidence, and gives them something productive to focus on.

I’ve been taking the two older boys to their elementary school on weekends for basic military-style PT: bear crawls, rolls, army crawls, laps around the track, etc. It’s been a surprisingly effective way to get them moving and give them a structured activity to work on together. I’m not trying to turn them into little soldiers; I just want them to challenge themselves physically, develop some discipline, and have something constructive to do away from screens.

Recently, I’ve been trying to incorporate the youngest into it as well because I want him to get more exercise and be included with his brothers. He’s younger, so I have him do less than the older boys. The difficulty is that, because he’s on the spectrum, he sometimes screams and cries very loudly when we do the exercises. Sometimes I’m practically begging him to just run a single lap around the track. I’m trying to figure out how to make it work for him without turning the whole thing into a struggle.
We usually go to their elementary school on weekends because it has a track and a field with some inclines where they can run laps, bear crawl, and do other basic exercises. The problem is that the youngest can get pretty loud, and I don’t want to disturb the neighbors.

Does anyone know of any relatively secluded parks, fields, or open spaces around Sterling, VA where I could take them on weekends? Somewhere with enough room to run around and do basic exercises without being right next to people’s houses would be ideal.
I’d also be interested in hearing from anyone who’s had experience getting kids on the spectrum involved in physical activities. I want all the kids to have positive outlets, and I’d like to find a way for the youngest to participate that works for him, too.

Appreciate any suggestions!

TL;DR: My five nieces and nephews live with me and my mom, and we do our best to keep them involved in school, sports, fishing, and other activities. I’ve been taking my three nephews (11, 9, and 7) to their elementary school track on weekends for basic military-style PT as a positive outlet for energy and a way to build confidence and discipline. The youngest is possibly on the spectrum and sometimes has loud meltdowns when participating. Looking for secluded outdoor spaces around Sterling, VA where we can exercise without disturbing the neighbors, plus advice on getting him involved.

I only tried panda cafe in Manassas and it was solid . Any other good options. Looking for good quality and portion sizes. Pricing is not a huge deal if those two are good

Useful and fascinating in a dystopian kind of way.

https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/map/

The No Kings movement has various voting events planned throughout Northern Virginia. The events — planned for Saturday, October 17 — are part of a nationwide day of action.

The group says the events are focused on early voting and voter participation ahead of the November midterm elections.

The campaign, called No Kings: Vote Early, encourages voters to learn about their electorial options and make a plan to vote. Organizers are planning rallies, community walks, and visibility events throughout the country.

The movement says the events will consist of “nonpartisan voter participation, being in community with each other, and making sure every eligible voter has a plan, knows their options, and is ready to make their voice count.”

Picture taken in Annadale now

I was in Sterling today and have never seen a data center before. Damn they are huge!.

Hi!
Does anyone know where the best place to plane spot the last a340 flight on Sunday? Or is anyone know of any meetups?
I’ve only seen planes at DCa but never at Dulles. Are there any recs?

Reminder! Service outage begins next week: Union Station will close to rail traffic over a ten-day period to accommodate Amtrak infrastructure work. VRE will run a modified S+ schedule Oct.19-23, terminating at L'Enfant in the AM and originating from L'Enfant in the PM. Passengers wishing to travel to Union Station are advised to find an alternate travel method from L'Enfant. View schedule details: https://www.vre.org/assets/1/6/October_Outage_S__Schedule.pdf

I'm trying to get my hands on some GF sourdough starter so I can surprise a friend with some homemade bread. Anyone have a healthy starter they'd be willing to share some of?

I'm over in Alexandria but happy to drive a bit to grab it.

Because of the cooler weather, we’ve had the AC off for no joke 2 weeks. When we kick it on, we cool it to 73-75. It seems like our bill is only increasing. Is there anyway to lower this?? We live in a two story townhouse - 1,500 sqft, and we are on the bottom section. We have 4 adults, 2 of which are not here for over 12 hrs of the day including weekends. I tried to call dominion about it and they provided with zero helpful solutions. I see people only paying like $150-$200, how??