Recently updated blogs

There are a lot of things that factor into what review I decide to write next. First of all, I have a very long queue of dolls that have caught my eye over the years and are just sitting on a shelf, waiting for their turn. Second, I try to have a bit of an ear to the ground for new items or brands that are being released--even though I'll …

Last week, on the 6th of November, I decided to spend my lunch break looking at beautiful art rather than grimly eating my lunch at my desk. It is something I have been meaning to do for a while, and on that particular day, it was probably the best thing I could have done. I am incredibly lucky to have an art gallery practically on my doorstep at work: The …

Teaching students to write with effect is quite a tricky thing. Over the years, I have seen writing reduced to tick lists. The problem is that no two good pieces are really alike. You could create one tick list for one piece and then you’ll need a different list for the other piece. Both are widely different. Presion, subtlety and nuance are not things you can easily put on a …

Happy Sunday:) just popping in to let you know I've added Monstrous Existence vol. 3 to the shop this morning. It's a one-page (double-sided) zine about being saddened by the election results, needing a break, starting a new sketchbook, + a mini music list, doodles, and scattered thoughts. This zine is a limited print of 30 copies. Each copy has red marker accents that are unique to each print. Made …

I’ve officially been working at GitHub for two months, today, as Senior Director for Developer Advocacy! It’s hard to believe it’s only been two months, honestly. I joined right at “crunch time” where everyone was deep in prepping for GitHub Universe (where I spoke during the keynote as well as co-hosted the livestream), and in a few weeks we have Microsoft Ignite, and on top of all of that, I …

In 1880s Berkeley, a turbaned figure known only as “Old James” wandered alone through the hills, his turban and trance-like manner catching the attention of locals. Described in a newspaper as “a sort of mystic,” the “Hindu” (South Asian) immigrant worked as a milker for Pat Curran’s dairy farm, which encompassed hundreds of acres of what is today Tilden Park in Berkeley, California. His White employers and neighbors said his …

Day 1 of #IndieWebCamp #Berlin 2024¹ was very well attended!* 20 participants, more than 3x the previous one in 2022, and second highest (2019 had 22).* 18 introduced themselves² and their personal sites or aspirations for oneCollectively we proposed and facilitated 11 breakout sessions³ on many timely #indieweb topics covering #syndication, #inclusion, #longevity, #federation / #fediverse, how to best use #Mastodon with your personal site, #privacy and #security concerns of …

Taking a bit of an internet break. Back soon. Coffee, going outside, listening to music.

It began as a quiet rebellion, a slow erosion of faith, but soon the whispers gained momentum, reverberating through the lands like the rumble of distant thunder. Mortal flesh weakened, unable to withstand the strain of resisting the unholy power brewing in the depths. The people, driven by desperation and rage, sought answers that transcended the flesh – an escape from the limits of mortality.Then, as if heralding the final …

Now, I expect everyone is going to be gearing up to resist authoritarianism, to protect themselves, to stand up for the scapegoats Trumpism will be attacking. But protecting your mental health is important too. Depression, despair, and a sense of doom are counter-productive, and sometimes you have to recharge your spirit. One way is re-reading good books, and I thought I’d share some of my favorites. That is, the criterion …

Well, my friends. That election certainly didn’t go the way we wanted, did it. If you’re anything like me, you’ve gone through a range of emotions these last four days. I was numb for two days and that numbness has started to give away to rage, distress, defiance, and dread. I’m deeply angry at the rightwing propaganda network that has so many Americans marinating day in and day out in …

I know, I know; these days, everyone and their five-legged, three-eyed dog is writing a piece about AI. I can’t promise that this one will be more insightful or educational than any of the others, but I can promise that it will invoke humanity’s undimmable hubris, the atomic bomb, mad cow disease, and, to keep us on brand, books.Read more →

Goya at the Legion Centennial.

This is an update to an earlier blog post I wrote on rules and OSR games, which was published in the zine Mixed Success, which you should also check out. Playing four sessions of Thor Olavsrud & Luke Crane’s Torchbearer had me thinking about how we engage with the rules of the games we play. Torchbearer is a machine that produces a story of grotty dungeon exploration. Its rules are …

Genre: ThrashCountry: ChileYear: 20241. The Search Won't Fall​2. Long Distance (The What's To Come)3. Helpless World4. 44 Minds5. The Blind Divine6. Absolüt7. All The Powers8. Full Paranoia9. Margarita10. Bulldog11. Critical Defiance3rd album by Critical Defiance. Once again this is firmly rooted in the old school, but with a subtle modern touch. Once again they don't disappoint. Lots of speed and heaviness, drums that make the whole room shake, razor-sharp, incisive …