Steve DeGroof
@degroof.bsky.social
Approximately 60% water and 40% organic molecules, arranged in a configuration that is, among other things, capable of describing itself in this manner.
(he/him)
https://ko-fi.com/treelobsters/shop
https://books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/Steve-DeGroof
(he/him)
https://ko-fi.com/treelobsters/shop
https://books2read.com/ap/ng21bz/Steve-DeGroof
Pretty sure that's Sark.
November 17, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Pretty sure that's Sark.
#ScribesAndMakers Nov 11: Describe a setting that feels magical without using the word magic.
Here's a fun little scene from "The Talking Machine". Had to split it up for readability and to allow for alt text.
Here's a fun little scene from "The Talking Machine". Had to split it up for readability and to allow for alt text.
November 11, 2025 at 6:09 PM
#ScribesAndMakers Nov 11: Describe a setting that feels magical without using the word magic.
Here's a fun little scene from "The Talking Machine". Had to split it up for readability and to allow for alt text.
Here's a fun little scene from "The Talking Machine". Had to split it up for readability and to allow for alt text.
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.
(Here's the opening of "A Matter of Scale", definitely my favorite.)
(Here's the opening of "A Matter of Scale", definitely my favorite.)
November 11, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Convincing you to read my novel by the first sentence. Share yours if you want.
(Here's the opening of "A Matter of Scale", definitely my favorite.)
(Here's the opening of "A Matter of Scale", definitely my favorite.)
#ScribesAndMakers Nov 9: Which sound in your environment sparks the most creativity?
Silence. In the absence of sound, my brain tends to generate it's own narrative to fill the void.
Silence. In the absence of sound, my brain tends to generate it's own narrative to fill the void.
November 9, 2025 at 12:37 PM
#ScribesAndMakers Nov 9: Which sound in your environment sparks the most creativity?
Silence. In the absence of sound, my brain tends to generate it's own narrative to fill the void.
Silence. In the absence of sound, my brain tends to generate it's own narrative to fill the void.
'I could smell the onions and the mustard'
November 4, 2025 at 8:31 PM
'I could smell the onions and the mustard'
SG-1 Employee: You're back early.
Major Carter: Galaxy's haunted.
SG-1 Employee: What?
Major Carter: (loading M4A1 and stepping back up ramp) Galaxy's haunted.
Major Carter: Galaxy's haunted.
SG-1 Employee: What?
Major Carter: (loading M4A1 and stepping back up ramp) Galaxy's haunted.
October 31, 2025 at 3:45 PM
SG-1 Employee: You're back early.
Major Carter: Galaxy's haunted.
SG-1 Employee: What?
Major Carter: (loading M4A1 and stepping back up ramp) Galaxy's haunted.
Major Carter: Galaxy's haunted.
SG-1 Employee: What?
Major Carter: (loading M4A1 and stepping back up ramp) Galaxy's haunted.
But, the murders occur in multiple states, which means either a) she has to hand it over to the FBI or b) I have to rewrite her as an FBI agent.
October 29, 2025 at 3:37 PM
But, the murders occur in multiple states, which means either a) she has to hand it over to the FBI or b) I have to rewrite her as an FBI agent.
October 29, 2025 at 11:59 AM
October 28, 2025 at 11:49 AM
#ScribesAndMakers Oct 27: Write Alt text for this image.
A log mimic waits patiently as an unsuspecting Great Blue Heron perches on its snout.
A log mimic waits patiently as an unsuspecting Great Blue Heron perches on its snout.
October 27, 2025 at 4:20 PM
#ScribesAndMakers Oct 27: Write Alt text for this image.
A log mimic waits patiently as an unsuspecting Great Blue Heron perches on its snout.
A log mimic waits patiently as an unsuspecting Great Blue Heron perches on its snout.
#ScribesAndMakers Oct 24: Do you have a favorite pen, pencil, or other writing implement?
Quite the opposite. Here are the two writing implements I'm currently using: An HB pencil and a cheap ballpoint.
Quite the opposite. Here are the two writing implements I'm currently using: An HB pencil and a cheap ballpoint.
October 24, 2025 at 2:02 PM
#ScribesAndMakers Oct 24: Do you have a favorite pen, pencil, or other writing implement?
Quite the opposite. Here are the two writing implements I'm currently using: An HB pencil and a cheap ballpoint.
Quite the opposite. Here are the two writing implements I'm currently using: An HB pencil and a cheap ballpoint.
"See? Now it's a little birdie! ... What?"
October 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM
"See? Now it's a little birdie! ... What?"
Yesterday's #Ablatonyms word was "splicers". Lots of possible solutions, and only a few dead ends.
October 22, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Yesterday's #Ablatonyms word was "splicers". Lots of possible solutions, and only a few dead ends.
I've stopped linking my self-worth to my productivity and started linking it to the weirdest shit I've come up with recently.
October 21, 2025 at 7:35 PM
I've stopped linking my self-worth to my productivity and started linking it to the weirdest shit I've come up with recently.
A lot of word games are down due to an #aws outage, but you can still play #ablatonyms
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
October 20, 2025 at 10:19 AM
A lot of word games are down due to an #aws outage, but you can still play #ablatonyms
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
degroof.github.io/ablatonyms.h...
October 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Well, that's a new one.
October 14, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Well, that's a new one.
Yesterday's solution tree...
October 12, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Yesterday's solution tree...
On the opposite end of the scale is this, which is a straight shot with no branches or dead ends.
October 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
On the opposite end of the scale is this, which is a straight shot with no branches or dead ends.
I also found what has to be the least friendly one, with a very high ratio of dead ends to solutions.
October 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I also found what has to be the least friendly one, with a very high ratio of dead ends to solutions.
Then there are much more complex ones like this, with 54 nodes, two different one-word solutions, and several dead ends.
October 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Then there are much more complex ones like this, with 54 nodes, two different one-word solutions, and several dead ends.
I ran some stats on the words in #Ablatonyms. There are currently 1516 root words, so about 4 years of puzzles. The average word tree looks something like this, with a few solution paths and a couple of dead ends.
October 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
I ran some stats on the words in #Ablatonyms. There are currently 1516 root words, so about 4 years of puzzles. The average word tree looks something like this, with a few solution paths and a couple of dead ends.
A bit of a delayed follow-up...
In the process of writing a word game based on this concept, I wrote some code to build a diagram of all possible paths for removing one letter at a time.
Here's the diagram for "PLANET".
(Note: This uses a Scrabble dictionary, plus the words "A", "I" and "O".)
In the process of writing a word game based on this concept, I wrote some code to build a diagram of all possible paths for removing one letter at a time.
Here's the diagram for "PLANET".
(Note: This uses a Scrabble dictionary, plus the words "A", "I" and "O".)
October 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
A bit of a delayed follow-up...
In the process of writing a word game based on this concept, I wrote some code to build a diagram of all possible paths for removing one letter at a time.
Here's the diagram for "PLANET".
(Note: This uses a Scrabble dictionary, plus the words "A", "I" and "O".)
In the process of writing a word game based on this concept, I wrote some code to build a diagram of all possible paths for removing one letter at a time.
Here's the diagram for "PLANET".
(Note: This uses a Scrabble dictionary, plus the words "A", "I" and "O".)
I've had this laptop for 2 years. It was only today that I found out the power button contains a fingerprint reader.
October 6, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I've had this laptop for 2 years. It was only today that I found out the power button contains a fingerprint reader.