A Mysterious Owl
@thepaintingowl.bsky.social
Pilot, photographer, software engineer, miniature painter. Sometimes more than one at the same time!
Pinned
Pinned post: looking for good tech content (Python sphere preferred, but not exclusively if you know someone really cool) to follow, if you're seeing this recommendations are welcome!
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
Finally got the plane out of the shop and a break in the gloom. Not a bad (probably) last photo flight of 2025!
December 24, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Finally got the plane out of the shop and a break in the gloom. Not a bad (probably) last photo flight of 2025!
I hope I never lose that joy at getting the first "hello world" code working on a new hardware project.
October 7, 2025 at 4:49 AM
I hope I never lose that joy at getting the first "hello world" code working on a new hardware project.
Reposted by A Mysterious Owl
Just back from a weekend break ~ here's a mega close up of a Great Grey Owl from Ebbw Vale Owl Sanctuary last week 🦉 #birdingwales #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturetherapy #wildlife #owl #internationalowls #globalowls #BirdsofBlueSky
September 29, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Just back from a weekend break ~ here's a mega close up of a Great Grey Owl from Ebbw Vale Owl Sanctuary last week 🦉 #birdingwales #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturetherapy #wildlife #owl #internationalowls #globalowls #BirdsofBlueSky
Reminder that quality of work (at least in tech/engineering) over ~20-30 hours a week declines sharply and long working hours are almost entirely performative. The evidence is clear that the four-day week results in just as much actual productivity and much happier employees.
Only tech dudes would reframe the relentless management exploitation of their time and talent as a feature, not a bug. They're self-exploiting, and then they'll be tossed aside when their value is depleted.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/28/b...
Would You Work ‘996’? The Hustle Culture Trend Is Taking Hold in Silicon Valley.
www.nytimes.com
October 5, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Reminder that quality of work (at least in tech/engineering) over ~20-30 hours a week declines sharply and long working hours are almost entirely performative. The evidence is clear that the four-day week results in just as much actual productivity and much happier employees.
Reposted by A Mysterious Owl
As a theoretical cosmologist, I'm frequently asked "what is the benefit of the work you're doing for people's lives?" Nothing I work on makes money or cures disease.
There are a few different answers one can give, at various levels of "convincing" / "actually relevant to why the work is done."
1/🧵
There are a few different answers one can give, at various levels of "convincing" / "actually relevant to why the work is done."
1/🧵
October 3, 2025 at 7:32 PM
As a theoretical cosmologist, I'm frequently asked "what is the benefit of the work you're doing for people's lives?" Nothing I work on makes money or cures disease.
There are a few different answers one can give, at various levels of "convincing" / "actually relevant to why the work is done."
1/🧵
There are a few different answers one can give, at various levels of "convincing" / "actually relevant to why the work is done."
1/🧵
Making some progress on the Krieg Carnodon for #WIPwednesday. I initially wasn't sure about doing more of the white accent color than usual but I think it's coming together pretty well.
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
October 2, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Making some progress on the Krieg Carnodon for #WIPwednesday. I initially wasn't sure about doing more of the white accent color than usual but I think it's coming together pretty well.
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
September 28, 2025 at 10:01 PM
It continues to amaze me how cheap hardware is these days. When I started in embedded software ~15 years ago a development board + touchscreen would have been $500+. Now it's $50.
www.adafruit.com/product/4116
www.adafruit.com/product/4116
Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display
PyPortal, our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Make custom touch screen interface GUIs, all open-source, ...
www.adafruit.com
September 28, 2025 at 5:26 AM
It continues to amaze me how cheap hardware is these days. When I started in embedded software ~15 years ago a development board + touchscreen would have been $500+. Now it's $50.
www.adafruit.com/product/4116
www.adafruit.com/product/4116
Reposted by A Mysterious Owl
Pygmy Owl.
Pygmy owls' ears, similar to other owls, are covered by feathers on the side of the face behind the eyes. To better triangulate sounds and make hunting easier, the pygmy owl's ears may be asymmetrically placed. Female owls tend to be bigger than males.
📸: @mikullashbee
Pygmy owls' ears, similar to other owls, are covered by feathers on the side of the face behind the eyes. To better triangulate sounds and make hunting easier, the pygmy owl's ears may be asymmetrically placed. Female owls tend to be bigger than males.
📸: @mikullashbee
September 26, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Pygmy Owl.
Pygmy owls' ears, similar to other owls, are covered by feathers on the side of the face behind the eyes. To better triangulate sounds and make hunting easier, the pygmy owl's ears may be asymmetrically placed. Female owls tend to be bigger than males.
📸: @mikullashbee
Pygmy owls' ears, similar to other owls, are covered by feathers on the side of the face behind the eyes. To better triangulate sounds and make hunting easier, the pygmy owl's ears may be asymmetrically placed. Female owls tend to be bigger than males.
📸: @mikullashbee
Reposted by A Mysterious Owl
September 26, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Pinned post: looking for good tech content (Python sphere preferred, but not exclusively if you know someone really cool) to follow, if you're seeing this recommendations are welcome!
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
September 26, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Pinned post: looking for good tech content (Python sphere preferred, but not exclusively if you know someone really cool) to follow, if you're seeing this recommendations are welcome!
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
Bonus points for traditionally underrepresented creators.
#CascadiaJS talks of the day:
@nerdy.dev for an absolute fire hose of really cool aesthetic tricks in (easy!) CSS
@nearestnabors.com for a compelling vision of how the AI future, beyond being the shiny new thing, might be an end to the monetization death spiral
Look forward to next year!
@nerdy.dev for an absolute fire hose of really cool aesthetic tricks in (easy!) CSS
@nearestnabors.com for a compelling vision of how the AI future, beyond being the shiny new thing, might be an end to the monetization death spiral
Look forward to next year!
September 20, 2025 at 6:45 AM
#CascadiaJS talks of the day:
@nerdy.dev for an absolute fire hose of really cool aesthetic tricks in (easy!) CSS
@nearestnabors.com for a compelling vision of how the AI future, beyond being the shiny new thing, might be an end to the monetization death spiral
Look forward to next year!
@nerdy.dev for an absolute fire hose of really cool aesthetic tricks in (easy!) CSS
@nearestnabors.com for a compelling vision of how the AI future, beyond being the shiny new thing, might be an end to the monetization death spiral
Look forward to next year!
#CascadiaJS talks of the day:
@erinmikail.bsky.social for one of the best talks I've been to: funny, concise, and accurate on the importance of grading your AI's outputs
@davekiss.com for an excellent reminder that rules are made to be broken (and sometimes you need to punt a coin into space)
@erinmikail.bsky.social for one of the best talks I've been to: funny, concise, and accurate on the importance of grading your AI's outputs
@davekiss.com for an excellent reminder that rules are made to be broken (and sometimes you need to punt a coin into space)
September 19, 2025 at 3:55 AM
#CascadiaJS talks of the day:
@erinmikail.bsky.social for one of the best talks I've been to: funny, concise, and accurate on the importance of grading your AI's outputs
@davekiss.com for an excellent reminder that rules are made to be broken (and sometimes you need to punt a coin into space)
@erinmikail.bsky.social for one of the best talks I've been to: funny, concise, and accurate on the importance of grading your AI's outputs
@davekiss.com for an excellent reminder that rules are made to be broken (and sometimes you need to punt a coin into space)
Of course the boat has to stop for orcas in our path on a day I didn't bring my real camera. Still cool though!
Now on to #CascadiaJS and a promising schedule of talks
Now on to #CascadiaJS and a promising schedule of talks
September 18, 2025 at 1:42 AM
Of course the boat has to stop for orcas in our path on a day I didn't bring my real camera. Still cool though!
Now on to #CascadiaJS and a promising schedule of talks
Now on to #CascadiaJS and a promising schedule of talks
Making some progress on the "30k" Krieg. Got the Rapier assembled and now I can finally get the operator posed properly.
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
September 17, 2025 at 4:46 AM
Making some progress on the "30k" Krieg. Got the Rapier assembled and now I can finally get the operator posed properly.
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
#Warhammer40k #AstraMilitarum
Alright, the flood of AI slop elsewhere is getting ridiculous and it's time to seriously move over here.
Pic for the recent PNW theme.
Pic for the recent PNW theme.
September 16, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Alright, the flood of AI slop elsewhere is getting ridiculous and it's time to seriously move over here.
Pic for the recent PNW theme.
Pic for the recent PNW theme.
June 8, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Testing out a new photo setup. Photo background from here: handiwork.games/product/pre-...
#40k #warhammer40k #spacemarines
#40k #warhammer40k #spacemarines
April 18, 2025 at 1:03 AM
Testing out a new photo setup. Photo background from here: handiwork.games/product/pre-...
#40k #warhammer40k #spacemarines
#40k #warhammer40k #spacemarines
Some older work, but can't have a painting-related name if I don't have any pictures yet! #40k #DKoK #ImperialGuard
February 24, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Some older work, but can't have a painting-related name if I don't have any pictures yet! #40k #DKoK #ImperialGuard
