Michael Birch
@birchmd.bsky.social
Software developer; math enthusiast; he/him; MTG casual;
https://github.com/birchmd
https://www.typedriven.ca/portfolios/
https://github.com/birchmd
https://www.typedriven.ca/portfolios/
Izzet Elementals in the top 8 at the pro tour with the full play set of Roaming Throne, you love to see it! I'm definitely rooting for Eduardo Sajgalik now. And he's Canadian too which is extra awesome!
February 1, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Izzet Elementals in the top 8 at the pro tour with the full play set of Roaming Throne, you love to see it! I'm definitely rooting for Eduardo Sajgalik now. And he's Canadian too which is extra awesome!
I read The Hobbit and the first two Lord of the Rings books last year. I think The Hobbit might have been my favourite one, although the detailed description of hobbit life at the beginning of fellowship is also fun. I think overall I like the LOTR movies a little better than the books.
January 26, 2026 at 5:26 PM
I read The Hobbit and the first two Lord of the Rings books last year. I think The Hobbit might have been my favourite one, although the detailed description of hobbit life at the beginning of fellowship is also fun. I think overall I like the LOTR movies a little better than the books.
Review: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
I think some of the scenes in Minas Tirith are done better in the film adaptation, but I did enjoy the ending of the book more than the movie (the extra stuff that happens in the Shire).
⭐⭐⭐
I think some of the scenes in Minas Tirith are done better in the film adaptation, but I did enjoy the ending of the book more than the movie (the extra stuff that happens in the Shire).
⭐⭐⭐
January 26, 2026 at 5:26 PM
Review: The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien
I think some of the scenes in Minas Tirith are done better in the film adaptation, but I did enjoy the ending of the book more than the movie (the extra stuff that happens in the Shire).
⭐⭐⭐
I think some of the scenes in Minas Tirith are done better in the film adaptation, but I did enjoy the ending of the book more than the movie (the extra stuff that happens in the Shire).
⭐⭐⭐
I put the code for the simulation up on GitHub: github.com/birchmd/mtga...
GitHub - birchmd/mtga-quests-sim
Contribute to birchmd/mtga-quests-sim development by creating an account on GitHub.
github.com
January 21, 2026 at 9:02 PM
I put the code for the simulation up on GitHub: github.com/birchmd/mtga...
Seems like there is a bug in the @mtgarena.com midweek magic Jump In event. I got a deck with 3 plains in the mana base even though there are no white pips in the whole deck! Worse still there are only 4 forests when the green spells, like the 2 mana druid, are supposed to be color fixing.
January 21, 2026 at 3:15 AM
Seems like there is a bug in the @mtgarena.com midweek magic Jump In event. I got a deck with 3 plains in the mana base even though there are no white pips in the whole deck! Worse still there are only 4 forests when the green spells, like the 2 mana druid, are supposed to be color fixing.
I was thinking about how much gold I'm missing out on in #MTGA by obsessively completing daily quests instead of leaving some 500s to try to re-roll into 750s on other days. The answer is summarized in the figure below. Details in alt text.
I had fun working this out! Markov chains are a good time.
I had fun working this out! Markov chains are a good time.
January 19, 2026 at 12:38 AM
I was thinking about how much gold I'm missing out on in #MTGA by obsessively completing daily quests instead of leaving some 500s to try to re-roll into 750s on other days. The answer is summarized in the figure below. Details in alt text.
I had fun working this out! Markov chains are a good time.
I had fun working this out! Markov chains are a good time.
I had fun doing a play through of Pokémon FireRed! I played a lot of original Pokémon Yellow as a kid, but not the Gen I remakes. It was nostalgic good times and I thought it was funny that I still remembered which tiles to use in the Silph Co. building.
January 15, 2026 at 1:34 AM
I had fun doing a play through of Pokémon FireRed! I played a lot of original Pokémon Yellow as a kid, but not the Gen I remakes. It was nostalgic good times and I thought it was funny that I still remembered which tiles to use in the Silph Co. building.
My rule for this book review experiment has been to only include books that I both started and finished in 2026. But here's at least my ratings of the other Novik books I have read:
Spinning Silver ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Deadly Education (series) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spinning Silver ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Deadly Education (series) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 14, 2026 at 1:57 PM
My rule for this book review experiment has been to only include books that I both started and finished in 2026. But here's at least my ratings of the other Novik books I have read:
Spinning Silver ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Deadly Education (series) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spinning Silver ⭐⭐⭐⭐
A Deadly Education (series) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik
This is my least favourite Novik of those that I have read, but I still liked it overall. No spoilers-I found the ending satisfying since it resolved a small gripe I had with the story from the beginning. Even if this one isn't for me I would still recommend it!
⭐⭐⭐
This is my least favourite Novik of those that I have read, but I still liked it overall. No spoilers-I found the ending satisfying since it resolved a small gripe I had with the story from the beginning. Even if this one isn't for me I would still recommend it!
⭐⭐⭐
January 14, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Review: Uprooted by Naomi Novik
This is my least favourite Novik of those that I have read, but I still liked it overall. No spoilers-I found the ending satisfying since it resolved a small gripe I had with the story from the beginning. Even if this one isn't for me I would still recommend it!
⭐⭐⭐
This is my least favourite Novik of those that I have read, but I still liked it overall. No spoilers-I found the ending satisfying since it resolved a small gripe I had with the story from the beginning. Even if this one isn't for me I would still recommend it!
⭐⭐⭐
My 1 mana and 2 mana slots on the curve leave a little to be desired though. And even though I am in BR, my removal isn't great.
But yes those good cards were the reason I drafted this color pair in the first place.
But yes those good cards were the reason I drafted this color pair in the first place.
January 9, 2026 at 3:10 PM
My 1 mana and 2 mana slots on the curve leave a little to be desired though. And even though I am in BR, my removal isn't great.
But yes those good cards were the reason I drafted this color pair in the first place.
But yes those good cards were the reason I drafted this color pair in the first place.
I don't think this is a particularly good deck, but hey 7 wins is 7 wins!
January 9, 2026 at 2:17 PM
I don't think this is a particularly good deck, but hey 7 wins is 7 wins!
I just finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I know the cultural impact this book has and I wanted to experience it myself. It was a fun, short read; sort of sci-fi Monty Python. I like how well the humour holds up even though it was published in 1979.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
January 6, 2026 at 3:23 PM
I just finished The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I know the cultural impact this book has and I wanted to experience it myself. It was a fun, short read; sort of sci-fi Monty Python. I like how well the humour holds up even though it was published in 1979.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
First up: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara (shoutout to a local Hamilton author!)
I enjoyed this one! I laughed out loud multiple times and there were still a few touching emotional moments; all wrapped up in a fun mystery package.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
I enjoyed this one! I laughed out loud multiple times and there were still a few touching emotional moments; all wrapped up in a fun mystery package.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
January 6, 2026 at 12:39 AM
First up: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Catching a Killer by Maxie Dara (shoutout to a local Hamilton author!)
I enjoyed this one! I laughed out loud multiple times and there were still a few touching emotional moments; all wrapped up in a fun mystery package.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
I enjoyed this one! I laughed out loud multiple times and there were still a few touching emotional moments; all wrapped up in a fun mystery package.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
#booksky
For 2026 I plan on posting short reviews here of the books I read. Mostly this is just for future me to look back on and remember what I read this year. I'm not using Good Reads because f*ck Amazon.
January 6, 2026 at 12:39 AM
For 2026 I plan on posting short reviews here of the books I read. Mostly this is just for future me to look back on and remember what I read this year. I'm not using Good Reads because f*ck Amazon.
My December holiday was successful 🙂
January 5, 2026 at 3:30 AM
My December holiday was successful 🙂
I'm no alternative circle constant activist, but now I am imagining a "Who's on first" style skit where the slices of pie are always off by a factor of two because 2π = 1 pie.
2/2
2/2
January 2, 2026 at 10:39 PM
I'm no alternative circle constant activist, but now I am imagining a "Who's on first" style skit where the slices of pie are always off by a factor of two because 2π = 1 pie.
2/2
2/2
The other day we had some friends over for board games and offered them some apple pie as a snack. @lynnesargent.bsky.social asked how large of pieces they would like and I made a joke they could give their answers in radians.
1/2
1/2
January 2, 2026 at 10:39 PM
The other day we had some friends over for board games and offered them some apple pie as a snack. @lynnesargent.bsky.social asked how large of pieces they would like and I made a joke they could give their answers in radians.
1/2
1/2
I had a lot of fun doing the Scroggs advent calendar this year! It was my first year participating and I will look forward to it again next year! Thanks @mscroggs.co.uk for putting it together!
www.mscroggs.co.uk
www.mscroggs.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I had a lot of fun doing the Scroggs advent calendar this year! It was my first year participating and I will look forward to it again next year! Thanks @mscroggs.co.uk for putting it together!
www.mscroggs.co.uk
www.mscroggs.co.uk
I just completed all 12 days of Advent of Code 2025! #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com
I always have fun with these puzzle! Thanks to @was.tl for putting them together!
I always have fun with these puzzle! Thanks to @was.tl for putting them together!
Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 12, 2025 at 2:03 PM
I just completed all 12 days of Advent of Code 2025! #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com
I always have fun with these puzzle! Thanks to @was.tl for putting them together!
I always have fun with these puzzle! Thanks to @was.tl for putting them together!
I just completed "Reactor" - Day 11 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/11
I used a recursive function with memoization, which isn't particularly Rusty, but it does work. Maybe I should try to refactor it as a loop with explicit stack instead of a recursive call 🤔
I used a recursive function with memoization, which isn't particularly Rusty, but it does work. Maybe I should try to refactor it as a loop with explicit stack instead of a recursive call 🤔
Day 11 - Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I just completed "Reactor" - Day 11 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/11
I used a recursive function with memoization, which isn't particularly Rusty, but it does work. Maybe I should try to refactor it as a loop with explicit stack instead of a recursive call 🤔
I used a recursive function with memoization, which isn't particularly Rusty, but it does work. Maybe I should try to refactor it as a loop with explicit stack instead of a recursive call 🤔
I just completed "Factory" - Day 10 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/10
For part 2 today I had to break my streak of only using the Rust standard library and pull in a linear programming solver.
For part 2 today I had to break my streak of only using the Rust standard library and pull in a linear programming solver.
Day 10 - Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:49 PM
I just completed "Factory" - Day 10 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/10
For part 2 today I had to break my streak of only using the Rust standard library and pull in a linear programming solver.
For part 2 today I had to break my streak of only using the Rust standard library and pull in a linear programming solver.
I just completed "Movie Theater" - Day 9 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/9
I thought part 2 was pretty hard today! I'm sure there is a clever algorithm that I don't know about to make a very fast solution, but my kind of brute force one still finishes in about 1s.
I thought part 2 was pretty hard today! I'm sure there is a clever algorithm that I don't know about to make a very fast solution, but my kind of brute force one still finishes in about 1s.
Day 9 - Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:43 PM
I just completed "Movie Theater" - Day 9 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/9
I thought part 2 was pretty hard today! I'm sure there is a clever algorithm that I don't know about to make a very fast solution, but my kind of brute force one still finishes in about 1s.
I thought part 2 was pretty hard today! I'm sure there is a clever algorithm that I don't know about to make a very fast solution, but my kind of brute force one still finishes in about 1s.
I just completed "Playground" - Day 8 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/8
I do appreciate having a good excuse to use a min-heap 😄
I do appreciate having a good excuse to use a min-heap 😄
Day 8 - Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:10 PM
I just completed "Playground" - Day 8 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/8
I do appreciate having a good excuse to use a min-heap 😄
I do appreciate having a good excuse to use a min-heap 😄
I just completed "Laboratories" - Day 7 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/7
Dynamic programming remains one of my weak spots, so part 2 took me longer than it should have. But I got there eventually!
Dynamic programming remains one of my weak spots, so part 2 took me longer than it should have. But I got there eventually!
Day 7 - Advent of Code 2025
adventofcode.com
December 7, 2025 at 6:38 PM
I just completed "Laboratories" - Day 7 - Advent of Code 2025 #AdventOfCode adventofcode.com/2025/day/7
Dynamic programming remains one of my weak spots, so part 2 took me longer than it should have. But I got there eventually!
Dynamic programming remains one of my weak spots, so part 2 took me longer than it should have. But I got there eventually!