Robin
@robinhp.bsky.social
Same person as @robin_h_p on other sites. Resolving to make more art, make more music, & make more friends.
Opto-Mechanical Engineer, nerd-generalist, etc...
Opto-Mechanical Engineer, nerd-generalist, etc...
Pinned
Robin
@robinhp.bsky.social
· Nov 12
All day at work & on the way home: I'm going to do art when I get home. Like, paint something or make a pair of earrings.
Once I got home: Screw it, I'm just going to make some tea & read a Regency romance novel.
What actually happened: I alternated between a phone game, this site, & LinkedIn.
Once I got home: Screw it, I'm just going to make some tea & read a Regency romance novel.
What actually happened: I alternated between a phone game, this site, & LinkedIn.
Landed at Dulles and saw what Avis assigned me this time. This fucking thing!
January 14, 2026 at 2:53 AM
Landed at Dulles and saw what Avis assigned me this time. This fucking thing!
Chicago Botanic Garden photos from January 2nd are up on my Flickr. Note I've got a Pro membership so you should see ZERO ads while looking at these pictures:
flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGeSL
flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGeSL
Chicago Botanic Garden 2026-01-02
Explore this photo album by Robin on Flickr!
flic.kr
January 12, 2026 at 6:37 AM
Chicago Botanic Garden photos from January 2nd are up on my Flickr. Note I've got a Pro membership so you should see ZERO ads while looking at these pictures:
flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGeSL
flic.kr/s/aHBqjCGeSL
Several hours later, mostly spent on what turned out to be extremely subtle changes to exposure, I'm now exporting the images to JPG.
Export to disk - 159 images
50 images exported in 2min 20s
(Using DXO PhotoLab 8.11)
Export to disk - 159 images
50 images exported in 2min 20s
(Using DXO PhotoLab 8.11)
Finally got the motivation to do some RAW photo post-processing. Current status: Windows Update purgatory.
January 12, 2026 at 5:26 AM
Several hours later, mostly spent on what turned out to be extremely subtle changes to exposure, I'm now exporting the images to JPG.
Export to disk - 159 images
50 images exported in 2min 20s
(Using DXO PhotoLab 8.11)
Export to disk - 159 images
50 images exported in 2min 20s
(Using DXO PhotoLab 8.11)
Finally got the motivation to do some RAW photo post-processing. Current status: Windows Update purgatory.
January 11, 2026 at 11:41 PM
Finally got the motivation to do some RAW photo post-processing. Current status: Windows Update purgatory.
Nuance?!? In this economy?!?
January 11, 2026 at 9:50 PM
Nuance?!? In this economy?!?
Today is a good day for going through a fun thread of people conversing about <niche interest> to find a bunch more nifty people to follow on here.
January 11, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Today is a good day for going through a fun thread of people conversing about <niche interest> to find a bunch more nifty people to follow on here.
Most of my post count here is actually tweets I brought over using BlueArk starting 11/13/24. Now they all sort under that one date even though it does say "archived from" with the real date if you look at the individual post.
So on Bluesky it looks like over a decade happened to me in one day.
So on Bluesky it looks like over a decade happened to me in one day.
January 11, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Most of my post count here is actually tweets I brought over using BlueArk starting 11/13/24. Now they all sort under that one date even though it does say "archived from" with the real date if you look at the individual post.
So on Bluesky it looks like over a decade happened to me in one day.
So on Bluesky it looks like over a decade happened to me in one day.
I finished the Sashiko washcloth I've been working on. It's not neat or even, but it exists & I got to stab something hundreds of times in the process.
January 11, 2026 at 6:35 AM
I finished the Sashiko washcloth I've been working on. It's not neat or even, but it exists & I got to stab something hundreds of times in the process.
Humble Bundle just put up 65 books by women sci-fi+ writers for $18, if that's your thing:
www.humblebundle.com/books/fierce...
www.humblebundle.com/books/fierce...
Humble Book Bundle: Fierce Women of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror by Open Road Media
Our latest ebook bundle has over 60 of the best sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books written by women! Every purchase supports Active Minds charity!
www.humblebundle.com
January 10, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Humble Bundle just put up 65 books by women sci-fi+ writers for $18, if that's your thing:
www.humblebundle.com/books/fierce...
www.humblebundle.com/books/fierce...
How about those new American dietary guidelines? I watched a few 'tubers takes on it. The Vegans are obviously upset. The Carnivores are not happy there's still a limit on saturated fats. The Homesteaders don't think it says enough against seed oils specifically.
Everyone references South Park.
Everyone references South Park.
January 10, 2026 at 8:55 PM
How about those new American dietary guidelines? I watched a few 'tubers takes on it. The Vegans are obviously upset. The Carnivores are not happy there's still a limit on saturated fats. The Homesteaders don't think it says enough against seed oils specifically.
Everyone references South Park.
Everyone references South Park.
Reposted by Robin
The errand was deciding to use my day off to get a RealID from Illinois. Normally one needs an appointment, but when you live close enough to Chicago there's another way:
I was lamenting how far out the appointment windows were for a RealID when something led me to click a hidden link & discover there's a no-appt-needed RealID Supercenter downtown. Basically go to Clark & Lake station & go outside.
apps.ilsos.gov/facilityfind...
apps.ilsos.gov/facilityfind...
apps.ilsos.gov
January 7, 2026 at 12:51 AM
The errand was deciding to use my day off to get a RealID from Illinois. Normally one needs an appointment, but when you live close enough to Chicago there's another way:
Was downtown Chicago to run an errand, decided to walk to the massive Starbucks Reserve location on the Mag Mile. This is a flight of cold brew coffee which I am drinking at 6:20 PM.
I have already had my caffeine dosage for today, so this is extra credit.
I have already had my caffeine dosage for today, so this is extra credit.
January 7, 2026 at 12:22 AM
Was downtown Chicago to run an errand, decided to walk to the massive Starbucks Reserve location on the Mag Mile. This is a flight of cold brew coffee which I am drinking at 6:20 PM.
I have already had my caffeine dosage for today, so this is extra credit.
I have already had my caffeine dosage for today, so this is extra credit.
Reposted by Robin
In the mid 1800s, almost half of all photographs were taken in 3D, and we should try to get those numbers back up.
This place needs some Innocuous Discourse pronto. Quote this with a take that’s not political or aggressive
January 6, 2026 at 7:02 PM
In the mid 1800s, almost half of all photographs were taken in 3D, and we should try to get those numbers back up.
No one saves twine anymore (as in "The biggest ball of twine in Minnesota") but I can't be the only one saving these things:
January 5, 2026 at 9:07 PM
No one saves twine anymore (as in "The biggest ball of twine in Minnesota") but I can't be the only one saving these things:
On PTO. Logged in anyway to do a timesheet & some expense reports. Set my Teams status to include "if you see me here, I'm not here."
January 5, 2026 at 7:54 PM
On PTO. Logged in anyway to do a timesheet & some expense reports. Set my Teams status to include "if you see me here, I'm not here."
What's the last car you stopped to take a photo of?
January 5, 2026 at 1:43 AM
What's the last car you stopped to take a photo of?
Spent ~3 hours at the Chicago Botanic Garden shooting outdoor & indoor shots. Had more trouble than I remember having before with the camera just intermittently deciding to *not take a picture* when I pressed the shutter button. I switched from AF-priority to Release-priority & it got a bit better.
January 2, 2026 at 10:42 PM
Spent ~3 hours at the Chicago Botanic Garden shooting outdoor & indoor shots. Had more trouble than I remember having before with the camera just intermittently deciding to *not take a picture* when I pressed the shutter button. I switched from AF-priority to Release-priority & it got a bit better.
Planning to go do photography tomorrow morning with my DSLR at the Chicago Botanic Garden. So you could expect to see those photos post-processed & uploaded sometime in the next year.
(Discovering that if I don't have a planned quest on a day off I'll literally sleep until 1:30 PM.)
(Discovering that if I don't have a planned quest on a day off I'll literally sleep until 1:30 PM.)
January 2, 2026 at 4:50 AM
Planning to go do photography tomorrow morning with my DSLR at the Chicago Botanic Garden. So you could expect to see those photos post-processed & uploaded sometime in the next year.
(Discovering that if I don't have a planned quest on a day off I'll literally sleep until 1:30 PM.)
(Discovering that if I don't have a planned quest on a day off I'll literally sleep until 1:30 PM.)
Me: deletes all games off my phone for at least one month to do more with my life
Also Me: opens Bluesky for the first time in months & spends an hour reading the feed
Also Me: opens Bluesky for the first time in months & spends an hour reading the feed
January 2, 2026 at 1:36 AM
Me: deletes all games off my phone for at least one month to do more with my life
Also Me: opens Bluesky for the first time in months & spends an hour reading the feed
Also Me: opens Bluesky for the first time in months & spends an hour reading the feed
I'm trying to get better at not buying shit that isn't going to enrich my life.
Sort of like trying to get better at not eating shit that isn't going to give me good energy.
As in, fuck this is difficult & I feel like I deserve an award for NOT doing something & that's really sad in a way.
Sort of like trying to get better at not eating shit that isn't going to give me good energy.
As in, fuck this is difficult & I feel like I deserve an award for NOT doing something & that's really sad in a way.
September 15, 2025 at 1:23 AM
I'm trying to get better at not buying shit that isn't going to enrich my life.
Sort of like trying to get better at not eating shit that isn't going to give me good energy.
As in, fuck this is difficult & I feel like I deserve an award for NOT doing something & that's really sad in a way.
Sort of like trying to get better at not eating shit that isn't going to give me good energy.
As in, fuck this is difficult & I feel like I deserve an award for NOT doing something & that's really sad in a way.
I'm here at VCFMW again, say hi!
September 14, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I'm here at VCFMW again, say hi!
Reposted by Robin
The curve is imaginary, let it go, there's nothing to "fall behind," just endless discoveries to be made and enjoyed
sitting here thinking as an aging music head with generalist taste about how it is impossible to keep up with everything and that this is both a blessing (endless opportunity for new revelations) and a curse (constant fear of falling behind the curve)
September 13, 2025 at 7:09 PM
The curve is imaginary, let it go, there's nothing to "fall behind," just endless discoveries to be made and enjoyed
This weekend is the 20th VCFMW. It's in Schaumburg. It's free.
vcfmw.org
vcfmw.org
VCF Midwest 20
The big one near Chicago
vcfmw.org
September 12, 2025 at 3:53 AM
This weekend is the 20th VCFMW. It's in Schaumburg. It's free.
vcfmw.org
vcfmw.org
Okay I think I'm done with that joke.
September 11, 2025 at 2:53 AM
Okay I think I'm done with that joke.