Mark Wolak
@mkwolak.bsky.social
Engineer. Knox College & NIU alum. Dad, avid golfer, and chihuahua enthusiast. All opinions are my own.
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Looking forward to some good food and a great slate of football games this weekend. 🏈
November 27, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃 Looking forward to some good food and a great slate of football games this weekend. 🏈
Spoke too soon when my internet went down less than 3-days into the AT&T Fiber upgrade. Everything’s up and running now. Grateful for their technicians coming as soon as possible to help resolve this issue.
AT&T Fiber is being rolled out in Chicago’s NW-Suburbs. So far happy with the speeds, and that it’s at a lower price than what I was paying. Hopefully now that means fewer dropped Teams calls at work.
November 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Spoke too soon when my internet went down less than 3-days into the AT&T Fiber upgrade. Everything’s up and running now. Grateful for their technicians coming as soon as possible to help resolve this issue.
Congrats to my old prof., Tom Moses, for receiving this honor and distinction!
www.knox.edu/news/six-kno...
www.knox.edu/news/six-kno...
Six Knox College Faculty Members Named to Endowed Professorships
| Knox College
Knox College bestows its highest honor to six professors with endowed professorships
www.knox.edu
November 23, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Congrats to my old prof., Tom Moses, for receiving this honor and distinction!
www.knox.edu/news/six-kno...
www.knox.edu/news/six-kno...
AT&T Fiber is being rolled out in Chicago’s NW-Suburbs. So far happy with the speeds, and that it’s at a lower price than what I was paying. Hopefully now that means fewer dropped Teams calls at work.
November 23, 2025 at 3:38 PM
AT&T Fiber is being rolled out in Chicago’s NW-Suburbs. So far happy with the speeds, and that it’s at a lower price than what I was paying. Hopefully now that means fewer dropped Teams calls at work.
The phrase, “terrible twos” is misleading. It starts way earlier than that.
November 19, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The phrase, “terrible twos” is misleading. It starts way earlier than that.
Last year, after the Bears started the season 4-2, they went and lost 4 straight. This year, after starting 4-2 again, they won 3 of their last 4. Firing Flus for Ben Johnson is starting to look like the right move. 🐻⬇️
November 17, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Last year, after the Bears started the season 4-2, they went and lost 4 straight. This year, after starting 4-2 again, they won 3 of their last 4. Firing Flus for Ben Johnson is starting to look like the right move. 🐻⬇️
This would have been great to have had when I enrolled almost *checks notes* 20yrs ago…damn I’m getting old.
Knox College to offer free tuition to qualifying Illinois students
Knox College to offer free tuition to qualifying students
Knox College wants to make college more affordable for Illinois students through its Prairie Promise program. The college is enhancing its comprehensive aid program starting with the incoming fall …
www.ourquadcities.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:50 AM
This would have been great to have had when I enrolled almost *checks notes* 20yrs ago…damn I’m getting old.
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Made more famous by Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad. At 729 feet, she’s still, by record, the largest ship to sink on the Great Lakes.
November 10, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Made more famous by Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad. At 729 feet, she’s still, by record, the largest ship to sink on the Great Lakes.
First snowfall of the year in Chicago, and more expected tonight. I love how my back yard looks like a Bob Ross painting!
November 9, 2025 at 2:25 PM
First snowfall of the year in Chicago, and more expected tonight. I love how my back yard looks like a Bob Ross painting!
Is it still too early to start getting into the Christmas spirit? I don’t think so, but Snickers might disagree. lol #mrgrinch #bahhumbug #chihuahua
November 8, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Is it still too early to start getting into the Christmas spirit? I don’t think so, but Snickers might disagree. lol #mrgrinch #bahhumbug #chihuahua
Beautiful sunset in Chicago tonight to capoff a wonderful Halloween weekend.
November 3, 2025 at 1:04 AM
Beautiful sunset in Chicago tonight to capoff a wonderful Halloween weekend.
October 29, 2025 at 5:30 AM
For NIU fans and alumni who are interested, the Huskies now have wins against Notre Dame in Football and Men's Soccer!
October 22, 2025 at 5:13 AM
For NIU fans and alumni who are interested, the Huskies now have wins against Notre Dame in Football and Men's Soccer!
We officially now have Kendrick vs. Drake…in baseball form.
October 21, 2025 at 3:03 AM
We officially now have Kendrick vs. Drake…in baseball form.
Editorial: $850M for renovations in suburban School District 214. Seriously? www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/p...
October 20, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Editorial: $850M for renovations in suburban School District 214. Seriously? www.chicagotribune.com/2025/10/19/p...
The Bears went from what looked like the start of a disastrous start to the season to 4 wins in a row! Amazing how quickly things can turn around in the NFL.
October 20, 2025 at 3:14 AM
The Bears went from what looked like the start of a disastrous start to the season to 4 wins in a row! Amazing how quickly things can turn around in the NFL.
One year ago today, we lost a wonderful person I had the pleasure of knowing who contributed a great deal to subatomic physics during his tenure at Fermilab and NIU.
www.chicagotribune.com/obituaries/c...
www.chicagotribune.com/obituaries/c...
Carl Albright Obituary - Geneva, IL (1933-2024)
Carl H. Albright, 91, died on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at Rush UMC in Chicago surrounded by his loving wife, Cynthia, and his family. Carl was born in Allentown, PA on June 1, 1933 to Ralph J. a…
www.chicagotribune.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
One year ago today, we lost a wonderful person I had the pleasure of knowing who contributed a great deal to subatomic physics during his tenure at Fermilab and NIU.
www.chicagotribune.com/obituaries/c...
www.chicagotribune.com/obituaries/c...
My boy took out all our mixing bowls and flipped them over into a makeshift drum set. I’m not sure whether I should be more impressed or nervous for the noises to come.
October 18, 2025 at 9:01 PM
My boy took out all our mixing bowls and flipped them over into a makeshift drum set. I’m not sure whether I should be more impressed or nervous for the noises to come.
The things that Ohtani is doing are unprecedented. Just amazing to see and witness.
October 18, 2025 at 3:12 AM
The things that Ohtani is doing are unprecedented. Just amazing to see and witness.
I really hope this Thursday night game has a memorable finish so we'll always reminisce about it as the "Icy Hot Bowl."
October 17, 2025 at 12:13 AM
I really hope this Thursday night game has a memorable finish so we'll always reminisce about it as the "Icy Hot Bowl."
Where did breadboards get their name?
In the early days of amateur radio, people built circuits by nailing bare wire to wooden boards – often using actual cutting boards made for bread.
via adafruitdaily.com
In the early days of amateur radio, people built circuits by nailing bare wire to wooden boards – often using actual cutting boards made for bread.
via adafruitdaily.com
October 15, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Where did breadboards get their name?
In the early days of amateur radio, people built circuits by nailing bare wire to wooden boards – often using actual cutting boards made for bread.
via adafruitdaily.com
In the early days of amateur radio, people built circuits by nailing bare wire to wooden boards – often using actual cutting boards made for bread.
via adafruitdaily.com
Taking advantage of turnovers and a solid run game behind Swift gave the Bears a win for Monday Night. Not a pretty win, but a win nonetheless.
October 14, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Taking advantage of turnovers and a solid run game behind Swift gave the Bears a win for Monday Night. Not a pretty win, but a win nonetheless.
This being my son's first day off school (daycare, technically), only now do I realize that, while growing up, we may have had Columbus Day off from school, but some teachers may have not. Happy administration day to any educators utilizing today's day off from classes.
October 13, 2025 at 2:40 PM
This being my son's first day off school (daycare, technically), only now do I realize that, while growing up, we may have had Columbus Day off from school, but some teachers may have not. Happy administration day to any educators utilizing today's day off from classes.
A student in a hurry learns the slowest.
September 28, 2025 at 1:50 PM
A student in a hurry learns the slowest.