Naomi J. Williams
@naomijwilliams.bsky.social
Writer, teacher, editor, thrift-store shopper, train enthusiast, Sacramento Kings fan. Biracial Japanese-American. She/her
Banner image: stone bridge at Kōsanji Temple, Japan
Banner image: stone bridge at Kōsanji Temple, Japan
Funniest headline I've seen in a while: "Person close to Kuminga reportedly took problematic amount of food from Warriors." That "problematic amount of food" just kills me. How much is "problematic"? Apparently "bags & bags of catered food." LMAO
Person close to Kuminga reportedly took problematic amount of food from Warriors
How much food did this person take?
www.sfgate.com
February 12, 2026 at 2:01 AM
Funniest headline I've seen in a while: "Person close to Kuminga reportedly took problematic amount of food from Warriors." That "problematic amount of food" just kills me. How much is "problematic"? Apparently "bags & bags of catered food." LMAO
Today’s Silly Pangram: FITENEMY, noun, one’s rival at the gym (shortened from “fitness enemy”) or in fashion. “She was enraged when her ‘fitenemy’ showed up at the gala in the exact same dress.”
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
February 11, 2026 at 4:07 PM
Today’s Silly Pangram: FITENEMY, noun, one’s rival at the gym (shortened from “fitness enemy”) or in fashion. “She was enraged when her ‘fitenemy’ showed up at the gala in the exact same dress.”
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
Today’s Silly Pangram: BROHIBITION, n., a rule or law that forbids acts exhibiting toxic masculinity or other behaviors characteristic of “bro” culture
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
February 11, 2026 at 5:25 AM
Today’s Silly Pangram: BROHIBITION, n., a rule or law that forbids acts exhibiting toxic masculinity or other behaviors characteristic of “bro” culture
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
Wow. Yep. “Like Trump, Newsom breaks promises, serves billionaire interests and mistakes social media theatrics for leadership.”
Gil just straight-up rules now. Phenomenal piece
I’ve watched Gavin Newsom’s career for 20+ years. It’s a buffet of big lies & failed hopes
Like Trump, he breaks promises, serves billionaire interests & mistakes social media theatrics for leadership.
Is that what we need in 2028?
via @us.theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Like Trump, he breaks promises, serves billionaire interests & mistakes social media theatrics for leadership.
Is that what we need in 2028?
via @us.theguardian.com
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
February 10, 2026 at 8:59 PM
Wow. Yep. “Like Trump, Newsom breaks promises, serves billionaire interests and mistakes social media theatrics for leadership.”
So moved watching Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old American figure skater who lost both of his parents in last year’s plane crash in DC. #MensShortProgram
February 10, 2026 at 5:49 PM
So moved watching Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old American figure skater who lost both of his parents in last year’s plane crash in DC. #MensShortProgram
This was fascinating. But as Topol suggests, U.S. women are being left behind. When I tried to figure out if my hospital's mammography operation offers AI-assisted screening or screening for breast arterial calcifications (an indicator of risk for cardiac problems), I came up empty
✓ More accurate cancer detection
✓ Prevent cancer
✓ No increase in false positives
✓ Reduced workload
✓ Identify high-risk for heart disease
Proof from the largest randomized trial of medical AI + related studies. But will the practice of medicine change?
erictopol.substack.com/p/why-all-ma...
✓ Prevent cancer
✓ No increase in false positives
✓ Reduced workload
✓ Identify high-risk for heart disease
Proof from the largest randomized trial of medical AI + related studies. But will the practice of medicine change?
erictopol.substack.com/p/why-all-ma...
Why All Mammograms Should Incorporate A.I.
A very impressive body of evidence has accumulated
erictopol.substack.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:25 PM
This was fascinating. But as Topol suggests, U.S. women are being left behind. When I tried to figure out if my hospital's mammography operation offers AI-assisted screening or screening for breast arterial calcifications (an indicator of risk for cardiac problems), I came up empty
Home sick with a cold birthday evening viewing: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. Enjoyed it. Then stayed on to watch the 45-minute making-of documentary, and I was like, Actually, what a great movie! Like watching extras on DVDs back in the day. I've now seen 9/10 Best Picture noms. Just "F1" left
February 10, 2026 at 5:27 AM
Home sick with a cold birthday evening viewing: Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. Enjoyed it. Then stayed on to watch the 45-minute making-of documentary, and I was like, Actually, what a great movie! Like watching extras on DVDs back in the day. I've now seen 9/10 Best Picture noms. Just "F1" left
Oh, cool. Happens to be my birthday too. Can't believe Mark Hamill didn't include me! 🤣
#BOTD February 9th. I was today-yrs-old when I learned that 4 favorites of mine: Carole King, John Williams, Mia Farrow & Batman, all shared a birthday!!!! 🎂 🎂 🎂 🎂 ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ 👍 👍 👍 👍
#HappiestOfBirthdaysToThemALL
#HappiestOfBirthdaysToThemALL
February 9, 2026 at 11:29 PM
Oh, cool. Happens to be my birthday too. Can't believe Mark Hamill didn't include me! 🤣
Those "I saw/read [awful movie/book, etc.] so you don't have to" pcs are never about anything I'd have bothered with. Except the Epstein files. I do appreciate the hardy people who've waded thru those so I don't have to. But if you endured the Melania movie or American Canto, it wasn't for my sake
February 9, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Those "I saw/read [awful movie/book, etc.] so you don't have to" pcs are never about anything I'd have bothered with. Except the Epstein files. I do appreciate the hardy people who've waded thru those so I don't have to. But if you endured the Melania movie or American Canto, it wasn't for my sake
Dr. Jen Gunther on her excellent Substack (Vajenda) looks into very strange relationship between Epstein & his urologist.
Trichomonas and Brooklyn Blackout Cake
Emails and texts show a warm relationship between Urologist and Jeffrey Epstein
open.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 5:41 PM
Dr. Jen Gunther on her excellent Substack (Vajenda) looks into very strange relationship between Epstein & his urologist.
Today we have polite Silly Pangram & crude Silly Pangram:
TUNNELIBLE, adj., describing that which can be tunneled into literally or figuratively (the latter usually negative, e.g. “untunnelible ream of documents”) or
BUTTLINE, n., choose your own adventure with this one
#NYTSpellingBee
TUNNELIBLE, adj., describing that which can be tunneled into literally or figuratively (the latter usually negative, e.g. “untunnelible ream of documents”) or
BUTTLINE, n., choose your own adventure with this one
#NYTSpellingBee
February 8, 2026 at 5:15 PM
Today we have polite Silly Pangram & crude Silly Pangram:
TUNNELIBLE, adj., describing that which can be tunneled into literally or figuratively (the latter usually negative, e.g. “untunnelible ream of documents”) or
BUTTLINE, n., choose your own adventure with this one
#NYTSpellingBee
TUNNELIBLE, adj., describing that which can be tunneled into literally or figuratively (the latter usually negative, e.g. “untunnelible ream of documents”) or
BUTTLINE, n., choose your own adventure with this one
#NYTSpellingBee
Today’s Silly Pangram: AMNEGIAC, someone who can’t remember how to spell “amnesiac”
February 7, 2026 at 5:29 AM
Today’s Silly Pangram: AMNEGIAC, someone who can’t remember how to spell “amnesiac”
Spouse & I finished watching “Andor” tonight. I’m not a particularly enthusiastic Star Wars fan, but that was some really excellent television that also felt like balm for the descent into this authoritarian hellscape.
February 6, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Spouse & I finished watching “Andor” tonight. I’m not a particularly enthusiastic Star Wars fan, but that was some really excellent television that also felt like balm for the descent into this authoritarian hellscape.
Can't help it. I think this is kind of exciting. Been saying for a while that this nice flat city, the central part of which is on a grid, would be perfect for self-driving cars.
Waymo self-driving taxis are coming to Sacramento. Here’s when
‘We are eager to bring the future of mobility to this vibrant community,’ said Waymo officials on Thursday.
www.sacbee.com
February 6, 2026 at 2:49 AM
Can't help it. I think this is kind of exciting. Been saying for a while that this nice flat city, the central part of which is on a grid, would be perfect for self-driving cars.
Today’s Silly Pangram: VINYLED, adjective, of something recorded to vinyl. See, comparably, TAPED.
February 4, 2026 at 7:38 PM
Today’s Silly Pangram: VINYLED, adjective, of something recorded to vinyl. See, comparably, TAPED.
Riding SacRT bus to downtown Sacramento this morning with cheerful informative bus driver who wishes every rider a blessed day & also there’s this seat near front saved in Rosa Parks’s memory
February 4, 2026 at 4:31 PM
Riding SacRT bus to downtown Sacramento this morning with cheerful informative bus driver who wishes every rider a blessed day & also there’s this seat near front saved in Rosa Parks’s memory
Today’s Extremely Silly Pangram: MATRICICADA, an extinct species of cicada in which the adult females laid their eggs inside the bodies of other female cicadas of their own species. Scientists aren’t sure what led to their extinction. #NYTSpellingBee
February 4, 2026 at 7:13 AM
Today’s Extremely Silly Pangram: MATRICICADA, an extinct species of cicada in which the adult females laid their eggs inside the bodies of other female cicadas of their own species. Scientists aren’t sure what led to their extinction. #NYTSpellingBee
Finally, a new Substack post. In which I try sober January. And learn a few things about myself. And invent an easy mocktail. And ponder the question of whether protests matter.
A sobering January
On not drinking through the worst of times
substack.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:22 AM
Finally, a new Substack post. In which I try sober January. And learn a few things about myself. And invent an easy mocktail. And ponder the question of whether protests matter.
Today’s Silly Pangram: HIPPIENANNY, n., a caregiver for a child who is more lax or less strict than the child’s parents. Originally pejorative but later embraced to mean an open-minded or progressive babysitter or other caregiver.
February 3, 2026 at 12:34 AM
Today’s Silly Pangram: HIPPIENANNY, n., a caregiver for a child who is more lax or less strict than the child’s parents. Originally pejorative but later embraced to mean an open-minded or progressive babysitter or other caregiver.
Today in Oscar-nominated watching: Brazil's "The Secret Agent," up for Best Picture, Actor (Wagner Moura), Casting, & Int'l Feature. Pretty compelling theater experience but didn't hold up to scrutiny afterward. Loved Tânia Maria; stole every scene she was in. I'd give her Best Supporting Actress.
February 2, 2026 at 5:31 AM
Today in Oscar-nominated watching: Brazil's "The Secret Agent," up for Best Picture, Actor (Wagner Moura), Casting, & Int'l Feature. Pretty compelling theater experience but didn't hold up to scrutiny afterward. Loved Tânia Maria; stole every scene she was in. I'd give her Best Supporting Actress.
Happy February! Today’s apt Silly Pangram: GOALBIN, noun, the place where your New Year’s resolutions end up right about now.
#NYTSpellingBee #FakePangrams
#NYTSpellingBee #FakePangrams
February 1, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Happy February! Today’s apt Silly Pangram: GOALBIN, noun, the place where your New Year’s resolutions end up right about now.
#NYTSpellingBee #FakePangrams
#NYTSpellingBee #FakePangrams
Sorry to see Keon Ellis leave the Kings. Really like that player, but he deserves to be on a better team where he hopefully gets more playing time. #SacramentoKings
February 1, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Sorry to see Keon Ellis leave the Kings. Really like that player, but he deserves to be on a better team where he hopefully gets more playing time. #SacramentoKings
Today’s Silly Pangrams: WARFOIL & FOILWAR, nice example of compound words that mean different things depending on word order. WARFOIL=something done to prevent war, e.g., peace treaty. FOILWAR=brand rivalry between everyday goods conducted through ads.
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
January 31, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Today’s Silly Pangrams: WARFOIL & FOILWAR, nice example of compound words that mean different things depending on word order. WARFOIL=something done to prevent war, e.g., peace treaty. FOILWAR=brand rivalry between everyday goods conducted through ads.
#NYTSpellingBee
#NYTSpellingBee
Latest in Oscars-nominated binge-watch: “Zootopia 2,” a Best Animated Feature nom. Fun buddy cop movie that’s also about uncovering erased histories & a displaced population returning home. My vote’s still with “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” but I still have two animated films to watch. #Oscars #Zootopia2
January 31, 2026 at 4:41 PM
Latest in Oscars-nominated binge-watch: “Zootopia 2,” a Best Animated Feature nom. Fun buddy cop movie that’s also about uncovering erased histories & a displaced population returning home. My vote’s still with “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” but I still have two animated films to watch. #Oscars #Zootopia2