Philip Howie
@musicianbynight.bsky.social
Materials scientist by day and musician by night in Cambridge, UK. Christian. Percussionist, pianist, flautist, conductor, and instrument maker
Reposted by Philip Howie
A package hasn't "shipped" if you've only "created the label"
November 25, 2025 at 3:02 PM
A package hasn't "shipped" if you've only "created the label"
A friend asked for an opinion on this car she's thinking of buying. It looked great, but I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I hadn't pointed out the number plate could be... misinterpreted... 🤭
November 24, 2025 at 6:27 PM
A friend asked for an opinion on this car she's thinking of buying. It looked great, but I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I hadn't pointed out the number plate could be... misinterpreted... 🤭
After an insanely busy weekend, I could have done without having to call out an ambulance 🚑 for a friend at gone midnight. Thankfully, they're doing better now and should be home tomorrow. Night all...! 😴
November 24, 2025 at 2:22 AM
After an insanely busy weekend, I could have done without having to call out an ambulance 🚑 for a friend at gone midnight. Thankfully, they're doing better now and should be home tomorrow. Night all...! 😴
Conducted four hours of an orchestra rehearsal this afternoon. Very tired by now, but it was all worth it. It's going to be a phenomenal concert next weekend
November 23, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Conducted four hours of an orchestra rehearsal this afternoon. Very tired by now, but it was all worth it. It's going to be a phenomenal concert next weekend
Today is the feast day of St Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. I celebrated with a concert of English music, in Sir Henry Wood's church 🎶
November 22, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Today is the feast day of St Cecilia, patron saint of musicians. I celebrated with a concert of English music, in Sir Henry Wood's church 🎶
We don't set students exercises and homework because there's a shortage of essays in the world...
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 1:59 PM
We don't set students exercises and homework because there's a shortage of essays in the world...
Working from home today - with the heating very much on. Am I allowed to be a little bit jealous of those who have snow while I just look out on rain and general drear? 🌧️
November 19, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Working from home today - with the heating very much on. Am I allowed to be a little bit jealous of those who have snow while I just look out on rain and general drear? 🌧️
This really is a fabulous place for an orchestra rehearsal
November 18, 2025 at 8:28 PM
This really is a fabulous place for an orchestra rehearsal
Once in a while, it's fun to actually LISTEN to a gig I'm not playing in. Yesterday, Flook at the Junction in Cambridge
November 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Once in a while, it's fun to actually LISTEN to a gig I'm not playing in. Yesterday, Flook at the Junction in Cambridge
How do you instantly terrify any musician? Spot them walking into a concert and ask if they'd mind page turning for the accompanist! 😬 I think I just about got away with it...
November 1, 2025 at 10:22 PM
How do you instantly terrify any musician? Spot them walking into a concert and ask if they'd mind page turning for the accompanist! 😬 I think I just about got away with it...
I finally made it to my destination at 0030, after trying a further three chargers. One of these refused my car as it wasn't a Tesla, one was a slow charger which took half an hour to charge me enough to get to the next stop, and the final one eventually worked flawlessly. What a night!
I normally love my electric car but it's currently 10 miles short of range, the first two charging stations I found were out of service, and the third has just caused my card to be blocked as suspected fraud. So right now, I'm having a bit of a sense of humour failure!
October 31, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I finally made it to my destination at 0030, after trying a further three chargers. One of these refused my car as it wasn't a Tesla, one was a slow charger which took half an hour to charge me enough to get to the next stop, and the final one eventually worked flawlessly. What a night!
I normally love my electric car but it's currently 10 miles short of range, the first two charging stations I found were out of service, and the third has just caused my card to be blocked as suspected fraud. So right now, I'm having a bit of a sense of humour failure!
October 30, 2025 at 11:11 PM
I normally love my electric car but it's currently 10 miles short of range, the first two charging stations I found were out of service, and the third has just caused my card to be blocked as suspected fraud. So right now, I'm having a bit of a sense of humour failure!
In Birmingham today, for the Lab Innovations trade fair
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
In Birmingham today, for the Lab Innovations trade fair
Rather depressingly, I live in the small part of the UK which is closer to space than to the sea
Space is a lot closer than most people realise
by u/Many-Excitement3246
by u/Many-Excitement3246
October 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Rather depressingly, I live in the small part of the UK which is closer to space than to the sea
Over the past four days, I've read and shortlisted no fewer than SIXTY-SIX profiles of Presbyters and Deacons for ministerial positions within our church and circuit. Fascinating process to be involved with, but I'm done with reading profiles for now, thanks 🥴
October 22, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Over the past four days, I've read and shortlisted no fewer than SIXTY-SIX profiles of Presbyters and Deacons for ministerial positions within our church and circuit. Fascinating process to be involved with, but I'm done with reading profiles for now, thanks 🥴
Tonight, I'm being a Little Mermaid 🧜🏻♀️
October 21, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Tonight, I'm being a Little Mermaid 🧜🏻♀️
After a busy concert last night and accompanying a church service this morning, my xylophone and I have made it to Sudbury for a quick Shost 5, before driving back to conduct tonight's rehearsal 😵💫
October 19, 2025 at 12:40 PM
After a busy concert last night and accompanying a church service this morning, my xylophone and I have made it to Sudbury for a quick Shost 5, before driving back to conduct tonight's rehearsal 😵💫
This outfit screams "professional orchestral percussionist", right? Right...??
October 18, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This outfit screams "professional orchestral percussionist", right? Right...??
One of the less frequently discussed perils about being a performing musician is that sometimes you have to start rehearsing Christmas music in October 🎅🏻
October 16, 2025 at 10:57 PM
One of the less frequently discussed perils about being a performing musician is that sometimes you have to start rehearsing Christmas music in October 🎅🏻
Pointless change to the government's visa rules, aimed only at hurting students while pandering to the right. Graduate-level employers don't WANT new hires to be limited to 2 years, or 18 months; we want to enable people to build their careers here with us
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
October 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Pointless change to the government's visa rules, aimed only at hurting students while pandering to the right. Graduate-level employers don't WANT new hires to be limited to 2 years, or 18 months; we want to enable people to build their careers here with us
www.gov.uk/government/n...
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Quite a setup for the Lindberg clarinet concerto we rehearsed tonight - and this is just the half of it that I played. Let's just say the car was rather full
October 14, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Quite a setup for the Lindberg clarinet concerto we rehearsed tonight - and this is just the half of it that I played. Let's just say the car was rather full
Enjoying a well-earned cider after conducting my first rehearsal of the season. Glazunov, Rachmaninov, and Edward German - it's going to be a good one!
October 12, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Enjoying a well-earned cider after conducting my first rehearsal of the season. Glazunov, Rachmaninov, and Edward German - it's going to be a good one!
There's nothing like realising, on the afternoon of my first orchestra rehearsal, that the print shop has inexplicably failed to print any horn parts. Trusty laser printer and roll of sellotape to the rescue...
October 12, 2025 at 1:37 PM
There's nothing like realising, on the afternoon of my first orchestra rehearsal, that the print shop has inexplicably failed to print any horn parts. Trusty laser printer and roll of sellotape to the rescue...
Reposted by Philip Howie
About *a third* of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions emitted during the Industrial age have occurred in roughly the last 17 years. The previous third was emitted over a period of roughly 26 years. The first third was emitted over a period of about 131 years.
October 10, 2025 at 2:00 AM
About *a third* of global fossil fuel CO2 emissions emitted during the Industrial age have occurred in roughly the last 17 years. The previous third was emitted over a period of roughly 26 years. The first third was emitted over a period of about 131 years.
Is this one of these 'crisis actors' we've heard so much about...?
I knew Fox News was theater. I just didn't realize it was a repertory theater that recycles actors for different roles.
You'd think a company that had to pay $787,000,000 for deceiving its viewers would be a little more careful about blatantly continuing the practice.
You'd think a company that had to pay $787,000,000 for deceiving its viewers would be a little more careful about blatantly continuing the practice.
October 10, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Is this one of these 'crisis actors' we've heard so much about...?