Hey, I wrote a thing about AI in astrophysics ergosphere.blog/posts/the-ma...

If you haven't tried a "math trade," on Boardgamegeek, you should. It's a great way to cycle games you aren't using very much out of your collection, and to replace them with new stuff to try. Swapping 16 games for 15 this weekend in Chicago. Whee! #boardgames #trading #thatboardgamelife

As a @taskmaster.tv fan and a college professor, sometimes when students ask questions about the assignment, I really have to bite my tongue to avoid just saying "All the information is on the task."

Logan Austin in the comments section on @letterboxd.social regarding the birding doc LISTERS (which is not on Letterboxd): "extremely funny that the movie about app-based completionism brainworms would not be loggable on the movie completionism brainworm app" #lololol #Listers #OwenReiser

I love when the train stops so the door is right in front of me.

I emailed a student to let them know they could pick up the project. The whole email was: Hi NAME, You can pick up your project at the Department desk (floor and building location). Brendan Reply? Hi Professor, I'm having trouble finding the Department desk. Where is it located?

Judge Goodwin: "An anonymous government is no government at all. It cannot be held accountable. A masked agent freely uses force without justifying his actions, and the public cannot name him to challenge his conduct. A regime of secret policing has no place in our society."

Just listened to the last re-broadcast of #CultClassicPodcast on the @boardsalive.bsky.social feed. Bummed its done, again! Good work, folx!

Classes at @columbiachi.bsky.social start tomorrow for Spring semester. It's a challenging time, for sure, but I'm really excited to work with my students to talk, think, and act out our understanding of the world around us. #Spring2026

One of the great challenges of working from home is balancing the volume level on my media playing app and the volume dial on my headphones.

A colleague in a meeting just used the word 'plop,' thusly: "I'm going to plop this report into the chat." AIO if I feel grossed out. 'Plop' is quickly approaching 'moist' in words I dislike.

I just learned about the principle of Chesterton's Fence, and I already know it will go into my logic banks alongside Occam's Razor, Cargo Cult Thinking, Poe's Law, and "Be Mindful of the Work You Leave for Others" as good ways to approach the world that not enough people use.

After slacking a bit this week, I spent 90 minutes or so clearing snow and ice from our walks and driveway. So in keeping with my great rules of weather (such as 'it only rains when you don't have an umbrella' and 'the hottest day is the one where you forget your water bottle') it snowed last night.

Je m'appelle Archibald Dankworth.

Reading MIGHTY FITZ by Michael Schumacher, I'm realizing that Gordon Lightfoot really didn't have much evidence to declare that dinner was too rough to eat, the main hatchway caved in, or even that the captain radio'd they were "in peril." Now I'm wondering if Arlo Guthrie ever even got arrested.

Never seen it put this way and it's really powerful.

Hardest work moment of the week: When your last meeting on Friday ends and you have work to do but ... it's Friday at 2pm.

Goddamn it. I really hate grading GenAI shit.

I got some footage of the Democrats in December asking when the Republicans will, in good faith, bring Health Care reform to the floor, now that they've caved on the shutdown. #sigh

More weird choices from AI transcripts. Talking about rolling and resolving dice, whenever I referred to a single one, the AI apparently thought I meant "a person trained to help women give birth to babies or employed to feed another woman's baby with her own breast milk," as it wrote 'dai.'

Coincidence makes the universe seem ordered. Today, for no particular reason, I decided I should play DOWNFALL OF POMPEI on the anniversary of the titular Vesuvius eruption. Off I went to find the date. Turns out there's some scholarly dispute, but the current best guess: Oct 24-25, AD 79. Today.

I always get anxious when characters in media don't watch the road while they drive. That anxiety is amplified as I watch #FinalDestinationBloodlines

In the ads for Hulu's THE LOWDOWN, Ethan Hawk looks a lot like Stephen McHattie circa #Pontypool. Makes me want to watch, but also to see what McHattie is up to. OH DANG. There's a movie called DREAMLAND based on the gonzo last 45 seconds of PONTYPOOL. Not great ratings, but I'm gonna watch anyway.

Say what you want about me, folx, but I just spelled the name of the fjord designer from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy correctly on the first try: Slartibartfast ftw, baby.

"If I Can't Change Your Mind" by Bob Mould in his SUGAR days is a dang good song. Just in case you were wondering.

Update to this chart that I share a lot. Not breaking news: Game design teams are still OVERWHELMINGLY all men. About 7% of the top 500 games have a woman or non-binary person credited as a designer. A 🧵of related charts: (1/6) 🎲✂️

Listening to the Flashback #CultClassicPod episode about GI Joe the Movie with @gamenightpicks.com and @boardsalive.bsky.social, I couldn't help but think Cobra Commander sounds a lot like Robert Kennedy Jr. I suspect COBRA was probably pro Vaxx though.

A student emailed me yesterday to let me know they'll miss our first class meeting because of an emergency dental situation. Fine, no biggie. But they ended their email with 'sorry not sorry.' I replied with this PS. Right? or too cranky? #profadvice #oldman #emailettiquette

Today's banger: "Stolen Dance" by Milky Chance. I know I've heard this before, but it sounded extra good to me today. Thanks to the DJs at #WCRX 88.1FM Chicago for reminding me of it. @columbiachi.bsky.social

Re-watching a bit. Portlandia holds up.

Ugh. I cringe whenever I see '-esque' used in place of a more thoughtful description. Then I cringe at my cringing, ashamed at my pedantry and snobbiness. It makes me feel really old-man-get-off-my-lawn-esque. #language #pedantry

Whoo! Exciting move-in week at @columbiachi.bsky.social ! #newyear #letsgo www.audacy.com/wbbm780/news...

@thingsgetdicey.bsky.social What a treat to start listening to the new Ross Bryant podcast and find one of my favorite people, Paula Deming, as part of the cast!

I just successfully resisted the impulse to correct someone who was using SIMPLISTIC when they meant SIMPLE. Pedantic restraint demands constant vigilance.

At some point in the last couple years, I turned into a "shout sneeze" guy.

Hands off.

When "Ice Ice Baby" came out, I was in middle school. I didn't know "Under Pressure" and couldn't appreciate the feeling of recognizing a music introduction only to discover it's the new thing instead. I understand that feeling now, but I still like "Anxiety" quite a bit.

Is it just me or should we declare Feburary 11th SPINAL TAP day. After all, it goes 2/11. #spinaltap

Every time I listen to #BhiBhiman album RHYTHM AND REASON MASTERS in the background, my attention shifts to the music when "Up in Arms" comes on. If you don't know it, check it out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i4Q...

I have a high Myers-Briggs "intuitive" score. While these divisions have been mostly debunked, it remains my experience that if I'm going to give an educated guess for a trivia, my first answer is the best guess. Despite knowing that, at least once a week I change a right answer to a wrong one.

Remember this? I still enjoy Professor Elemental. www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iRT...

Playing #Frosthaven while it feels like -9 outside. Seems fitting. #boardgames

Do you know this Christmas song? It's lovely but it's hard not to tear up every time you hear it. Lovely! #CapitalLights www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgFi...

Last day of class for fall 2024. Now it's just a ton of grading. 😄

In this episode of PICK UP AND DELIVER, I talk about 3 games I played for the first time recently, and one I dusted off. Join me! #podcast #boardgames www.spreaker.com/episode/link...

Did you know I do a podcast about #boardgames? Here's the latest episode in which: Brendan shares a bit about games he’s come to realize he doesn’t want to play any more. When someone sets these up, he’s likely to say “Nah, I’m good.” #podcast #games #casual www.spreaker.com/episode/nah-...

It's a little early for holiday movies, but we thought we ought to check out a new holiday masterpiece. #HotFrosty #xmas

Northern Saw-Whet Owl says 'hi!' #owl #birds #Birdwatching #indianadunes #indianaaudubon #audubon #birdbanding

It may be controversial, but I'll say it. "Swimming Pool" by #TheSubmarines is a pretty good song. #music www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykvx...

Widespread economic despair. President-elect wannabe dictator. And now LAB MONKEYS ON THE LOOSE? Seems like the Cabin in the Woods people set us up with a bunch of scenarios and somewhere someone is going to read some Latin and start the apocalypse. premium.boingboing.net/p/dozens-of-...