I am leading a Scandinavian lifestyle

Delta SUCKS

Ok one thing laypeople often comment w.r.t. singers (classical singers) is about their “lung capacoty.” A large or beautiful voice is not closely related to lung capacity, and lung capacity is something singers and singing teachers by and large do not talk about. Shut up about lung capacity.

The majesty of Alaska’s Arctic. #alaska #aurora #auroraborealis #photography #mountains #nightsky #beauty #naturalbeauty #beautyofnature #beautiful #arctic #nighttime #timelapse #northernlights #tourism #mountain #landscape #spaceweather #science #astronomy #awesome #awe #inawe #publiclands

Minneapolis groups call for ‘general strike’. "...several local unions—including Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1005, SEIU Local 26, UNITE HERE Local 17, CWA Local 7250, and St. Paul Federation of Educators Local 28—have lent their support to the strike." www.commondreams.org/news/minneap...

every single successful general strike in US history has had union backing through the local AFL-CIO this is the first time it’s been called for since the 1940s

www.justinbirchell.com/singer-schol... A special Presidents Day offering for Tucson audiences. Please consider joining us for a wonderful evening of song! 6pm #tucson #arizona #tucsonarizona #tucsonaz #az #tucsonlocal #uofa #thisistucson #downtowntucson #visittucson #orovalley #tucsonlife #desert

Today tied my record for the coldest temp I have ever seen. #alaska #cold #coldweather #coldtemperatures #arctic #polar #subzero #belowzero #outdoors #winter #freezing #frozen

open.substack.com/pub/justinbi... #politics #rant #politicalrant #angry #sad

A YouGov poll taken on the same day as Renee Good’s killing in Minneapolis shows a majority of people do not approve of how ICE is handling its job.

But we're going to have a beautiful police state and it'll be very brutal. And you'll be free, perhaps more free than ever before

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSWw... #davidlynch #film #cinephile #analysis #filmanalysis #inlandempire #lynchian #twinpeaks #videoessay #videoessays #youtube #youtuber #films #movies #cinema #movie #filmsky #lynchsky #lauradern #brothers #artproject #funnyvideo #funnyvideos #thumbnail #bro #lynchfans

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSWw... Strap in for insanely good (Lynch-analyzing) times

New Years’ Eve, Alaska style: partying in the -38° . Happy 2026!

@pynchonpals.bsky.social I found your show after just finishing V. Great to rerun through it with you and delighted to learn I’ve caught up to you in real time and looking forward to the next ep!!! I will send a question for your wrapup AUA!

Just finished V., the first novel of Thomas Pynchon. Amazing how much the preoccupations and bold voice of Pynchon are already here in 1963. It’s a wild ride, and at times I wondered what it was aiming at, but I can’t deny how impressive it is for a first novel. #reading #booksky #pynchon #novel

Just finished John McPhee’s Coming Into the Country, a book that’s extremely perceptive while remaining transparent, letting its incidents speak for themselves with minimal editorializing. As an inhabitant of beyond-rural Alaska, I see both how much and how little has changed since McPhee’s 1970s

Coldest that I’ve seen so far this year where I live is -38°F (-39°C)

If you enjoy my nature photos, I’m selling a 2026 Calendar. Excellent large-format printing and I made sure it has all the right days for 2026. DM me if you’re interested! #gift #gifts #giftideas #year2026 #photography #naturephotography #naturalbeauty #alaska #arctic #pretty #nature #wilderness

“Eyes Wide Shut is a Christmas movie” is the new “Die Hard is a Christmas movie.”

How come when these dumbasses talk about defending “western values,” the very values they put forward as enlightened—treating women humanely, justice with due process, democracy—are also the very ones they’d roll back in their neo-monarchism, authoritarianism, etc?

Go for a walk with your siblings in the Arctic wilderness when it’s -30° F (-35° C). Nothing beats it.

Very bummed to learn that when you search “John McPhee,” the top hits are not for the amazingly perceptive journalist and author of Coming Into the Country, but some Delta Force commando that talks about courage in Fallujah or some crap. #johnmcphee #author #journalist #journalism

New blog post about the astounding 2008 film, Synecodche, New York #charliekaufman #synecodchenewyork #synecdoche #newyork #philipseymourhoffman #film #movie #blog #blogpost #substack #writer #cinephile #director #screenplay #nathanfielder #therehearsal #davidlynch open.substack.com/pub/justinbi...

If you like wacky farcical comedies you gotta come out and see Anchorage Opera’s Gianni Schicchi!!! #anchorage #alaska #anchoragealaska #alaskalife #ak #anchorageak #travelalaska #eagleriver #photography #downtownanchorage #explorealaska #alaskaadventure #thealaskalife #art

anchorageopera.org/2025-2026-se... #anchorage #alaska #anchoragealaska #alaskalife #ak #anchorageak #fairbanks #alaskaphotography #wasilla #travelalaska #fishing #travel #eagleriver #photography #downtownanchorage #explorealaska #nature #alaskaadventure #thealaskalife #salmon #art #mountains

The Medium is a spooky scary opera, and Anchorage Opera’s production ratchets up the creepy to 11. Come see it! Nov 6, 8, and 9 at the PAC. #anchorage #alaska #anchoragealaska #alaskalife #ak #anchorageak #wasilla #travelalaska #downtownanchorage #explorealaska #thealaskalife #alaskasky

One Battle After Another is a fantastic movie, in which the U.S. military-police state are the bad guys (unlike in real life) and in which the aforementioned military-police state is underwritten and in league with white supremacists and right-wing militiamen (also unlike real life). Very fictional!

Anchorage Opera’s The Medium | Gianni Schicchi will be a treat for the eyes and ears. Spooky, funny, with gorgeous singing. #anchorage #alaska #anchoragealaska #alaskalife #ak #anchorageak #wasilla #travelalaska #eagleriver #downtownanchorage #explorealaska #alaskaadventure #thealaskalife #art

“Two morons” is absolutely my favorite genre of comedy and that is why I am so pleased to have recently discovered the entire back catalog of “On Cinema.” Bless u, @timheidecker.bsky.social

Gianni Schicchi is a tale of family politics gone mad; a scheming family tries to falsify a dead relative’s will, with surprising results. Come see Anchorage Opera’s production, November 6,8 and 9! anchorageopera.org/2025-2026-se... #anchorage #alaska #anchorageak #anchoragealaska #alaskasky #arts

If you’re in Anchorage, you cannot miss Gianni Schicchi and The Medium, a fantastic double bill of two one-acts on Nov 6, 8, and 9. #anchorage #alaska #anchoragealaska #alaskalife #ak #anchorageak #wasilla #travelalaska #eagleriver #downtownanchorage #explorealaska #thealaskalife #art

Just Anchorage things!

“She’s dancing, Justin, she’s dancing!” #auroraborealis #northernlights #aurora #northernlightsphotos #auroras #nature #photography #nightphotography #nightsky #night #naturephotography #travel #sky #travelphotography #arctic #northernlight #aurorahunting #beautiful #winter #art #alaska

It’s an honor just to be nominated. (But then I won). #halloween #spooky #horror #halloweencostume #spookyseason #happyhalloween #october #trickortreat #fall #scary #autumn #halloweenparty #photography #costume #goth #ghost #creepy #gothic

Watching Pam Bondi answer questions in a Senate hearing reminds me so strongly of the classic Miss South Carolina video. Can’t believe she is the US’ chief law enforcement officer (or earned a law degree). www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj3i...

Bruins look good. 24-7 lead over Mich St coming back from halftime. Let’s go Bruins!! #ucla #losangeles #uclabruins #la #uclafootball #hollywood #bruins #gobruins #westwood #uclabound #uclaalumni #college #california

Has any opera singer ever radiated villain energy more effortlessly than Sherrill Milnes? #opera #operasinger #music #classicalmusic #operasingersofbluesky #theatre #art #singer #blueskyopera #operalife #operalover #operasingers #operalirica #puccini #baritone #musician #lirica

Congress yesterday overruled Department of Interior’s carefully-developed Central Yukon Management Plan. Needless “break everything” mentality on the part of GOP.

Did u know that the XCX in Charli XCX stands for eXpired Cambodian Xanax

Can’t believe huge upset, Bruins beat Penn St yesterday. Sad that, having already written off the Bruins, I didn’t even bother watching what sounds like it was an amazing game. Sounds like Jerry Neuheisel was the hero as interim offensive coordinator. Go Bruins!

Core memory: the smell and feel of the air in one of these Crew Quarter rooms, when it is wintry outside but warm within, and the air inside the room smells like coffee from the hot cup thereof you’ve brought in. First experienced that exact sensation 12 years ago, and it’s very distinct.

Aurora reflected

Comey indictment, ICE malfeasance in Chicago, ¿1800 missing from “Alligator Alcatraz”: worst timeline. Shocked how many Americans want fascism explicitly. Not shocked the overall system has trended this way (read good theorization on capitalism->fascism pipeline).

Travel back to my remote home: 3.5-hr flight from Seattle to Alaska. 2 days of waiting while we wait for some transport to become available out to the lodge. Ride up on day 3 with the grocery run: about a ~9hr truck ride.