Matt Baldwin
@thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social
Writer, photographer, cyclist, naturalist, martial artist, tall ship sailor. The Pirate Guy of Blue Sky, apparently. Mexican-American. No kings in America. He/him. San Diego, CA.
Pinned
Have picked up a lot of new followers recently, so: a (re)Dedication of Principles:
1) this is a diverse and queer-friendly place, inc. trans people
2) zero tolerance for anyone sharing, defending, or promoting AI "art"
3) I have a lot of interests, so expect posts covering a wide rage (con't)
1) this is a diverse and queer-friendly place, inc. trans people
2) zero tolerance for anyone sharing, defending, or promoting AI "art"
3) I have a lot of interests, so expect posts covering a wide rage (con't)
Early-afternoon rainstorms just make me want to take a nap.
Alas, I am still working today.
Alas, I am still working today.
December 31, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Early-afternoon rainstorms just make me want to take a nap.
Alas, I am still working today.
Alas, I am still working today.
Actually kinda think the Knives Out quasi-anthology approach might be better: each film is a self-contained story featuring a new party & adventure, maybe unified by one recurring character (Regê-Jean Page's paladin character Xenk is a good candidate for that role).
If we lived in a just media landscape, this would now be a trilogy.
December 31, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Actually kinda think the Knives Out quasi-anthology approach might be better: each film is a self-contained story featuring a new party & adventure, maybe unified by one recurring character (Regê-Jean Page's paladin character Xenk is a good candidate for that role).
"A roar of disgust against me" is an all-timer.
December 31, 2025 at 6:30 PM
"A roar of disgust against me" is an all-timer.
Reposted by Matt Baldwin
Sitting a stewing in frustration isn't nearly as cathartic as just designing a poster. Let's see how often I remember that in 2026.
December 31, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Sitting a stewing in frustration isn't nearly as cathartic as just designing a poster. Let's see how often I remember that in 2026.
It is often hard to describe to people who were not alive at the time how genuinely mind-blowing Peter Gabriel's video for "Sledgehammer" (the first of several surreal stop-motion videos he did) was. youtu.be/OJWJE0x7T4Q?...
December 31, 2025 at 3:39 PM
It is often hard to describe to people who were not alive at the time how genuinely mind-blowing Peter Gabriel's video for "Sledgehammer" (the first of several surreal stop-motion videos he did) was. youtu.be/OJWJE0x7T4Q?...
I've reached a point where I am now just blocking the kind of doomers described here on sight. They're not here to accomplish anything or have real conversations, they just view other people as receptacles to pour their own misery into.
It's kinda funny how every third political post on has some variation of "oh so you think there's going to be elections how cute" in the replies while the daily news is of Republicans getting boatraced in elections, manufacturing the reality you desire to be outraged about isn't just a rw phenomenon
December 31, 2025 at 2:17 PM
I've reached a point where I am now just blocking the kind of doomers described here on sight. They're not here to accomplish anything or have real conversations, they just view other people as receptacles to pour their own misery into.
Reposted by Matt Baldwin
December 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
When the Graham Platner brouhaha blew up this past September, some Online Lefty Bernie Bro type tried dunking on my already clearly facetious "Pirate Guy of Bluesky" bit in my profile, then shut up reaaaaaaal damn quick when I pointed out that I do actually sail historical tall ships.
What’s the funniest reason someone got mad at you on Bluesky this year?
December 30, 2025 at 10:00 PM
When the Graham Platner brouhaha blew up this past September, some Online Lefty Bernie Bro type tried dunking on my already clearly facetious "Pirate Guy of Bluesky" bit in my profile, then shut up reaaaaaaal damn quick when I pointed out that I do actually sail historical tall ships.
This is just getting sad.
Marvel released a first look at the return of Thor in the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday.
The teaser trailer, which focuses on the God of Thunder, follows a similarly sentimental first look at the return of Steve Rogers. bit.ly/490rTBV
The teaser trailer, which focuses on the God of Thunder, follows a similarly sentimental first look at the return of Steve Rogers. bit.ly/490rTBV
December 30, 2025 at 6:16 PM
This is just getting sad.
December 30, 2025 at 5:10 PM
Yeah man, we call this “the juice” and Bluesky has it. The only way Bluesky could have any more juice would be if/when Chrissy Tiegen turns up here to unleash her particular brand of benign chaos.
Bluesky is the new place to go for high-level political discussions because half of the pundits, for lack of a better word, have credentials like "Guy who plays in a Portland post-punk band". "Professional video editor in San Diego". "Commodities trader in Nova Scotia". "Person named Sharon"
December 29, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Yeah man, we call this “the juice” and Bluesky has it. The only way Bluesky could have any more juice would be if/when Chrissy Tiegen turns up here to unleash her particular brand of benign chaos.
Reposted by Matt Baldwin
You may not like it, but this is what peak online politics chat performance looks like. No pundits, no influence, just people engaging with their unhealthy hobby as amateurs.
Bluesky is the new place to go for high-level political discussions because half of the pundits, for lack of a better word, have credentials like "Guy who plays in a Portland post-punk band". "Professional video editor in San Diego". "Commodities trader in Nova Scotia". "Person named Sharon"
December 29, 2025 at 9:43 PM
You may not like it, but this is what peak online politics chat performance looks like. No pundits, no influence, just people engaging with their unhealthy hobby as amateurs.
*blinks*
*blinks again*
Oh dear.
*blinks again*
Oh dear.
I’m learning today that much like clownfish after Finding Nemo, there is now a boom in sales of tree vipers after the release of Zootopia 2.
December 29, 2025 at 9:22 PM
*blinks*
*blinks again*
Oh dear.
*blinks again*
Oh dear.
Roger Ebert’s simultaneous “feuds*” with Rob Schneider and Vincent Gallo were a highlight of early-aughts film culture.
*completely one-sided; Ebert had them dead-to-rights, everyone knew it, and that just got their goats even more
*completely one-sided; Ebert had them dead-to-rights, everyone knew it, and that just got their goats even more
Here is Roger Ebert's review of Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo from 22 years ago. It was one of those movies which somehow insulted Rog in the way that would get him foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. www.rogerebert.com/reviews/deuc...
December 29, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Roger Ebert’s simultaneous “feuds*” with Rob Schneider and Vincent Gallo were a highlight of early-aughts film culture.
*completely one-sided; Ebert had them dead-to-rights, everyone knew it, and that just got their goats even more
*completely one-sided; Ebert had them dead-to-rights, everyone knew it, and that just got their goats even more
Put on Trent Reznor’s & Atticus Ross’s GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO soundtrack while I work, except maybe that was a mistake, because all it’s making me want to do is lie on the floor & stare at the ceiling while feeling cold & isolated.
December 29, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Put on Trent Reznor’s & Atticus Ross’s GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO soundtrack while I work, except maybe that was a mistake, because all it’s making me want to do is lie on the floor & stare at the ceiling while feeling cold & isolated.
Jon Stewart's problem is that he's only really been good at one thing (talk show host) but aged out past the final extreme of social relevancy at least a decade ago and is now stuck with nowhere to go. If his transition to feature filmmaker had been successful we'd never hear from him.
December 29, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Jon Stewart's problem is that he's only really been good at one thing (talk show host) but aged out past the final extreme of social relevancy at least a decade ago and is now stuck with nowhere to go. If his transition to feature filmmaker had been successful we'd never hear from him.
How I'm walking out of 2025
December 29, 2025 at 8:41 PM
How I'm walking out of 2025
Current book: Naval sea captain or naval surgeon
Most recent completed book: an Australian magpie in Aotearoa New Zealand who becomes a social media star.
Most recent completed book: an Australian magpie in Aotearoa New Zealand who becomes a social media star.
December 29, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Current book: Naval sea captain or naval surgeon
Most recent completed book: an Australian magpie in Aotearoa New Zealand who becomes a social media star.
Most recent completed book: an Australian magpie in Aotearoa New Zealand who becomes a social media star.
Putting on a pair of cheap old boots after shelling out for some higher-quality ones* really effectively illustrates the truth to that one Terry Pratchett quote about boots (re: how living poverty is expensive) that periodically goes around.
December 29, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Putting on a pair of cheap old boots after shelling out for some higher-quality ones* really effectively illustrates the truth to that one Terry Pratchett quote about boots (re: how living poverty is expensive) that periodically goes around.
Monday has been won, all challengers are politely requested to withdraw from the field of play until next week’s competition.
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
December 29, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Monday has been won, all challengers are politely requested to withdraw from the field of play until next week’s competition.
DUNE 3: THE WORM TURNS
December 29, 2025 at 2:41 PM
DUNE 3: THE WORM TURNS
The upside to going back to work in the span between Christmas and NYE after a week off for the holiday is that everyone else is mostly still out of office, so there’s very little email to get caught up on and you can get a lot of stuff done.
December 29, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The upside to going back to work in the span between Christmas and NYE after a week off for the holiday is that everyone else is mostly still out of office, so there’s very little email to get caught up on and you can get a lot of stuff done.
My sister and I have been doing this little dance for years: I tell her not to get me anything for birthdays/holidays b/c I lead a life of plenty and don't need stuff, and she ignores me b/c she *loves* shopping for people.
Anyways, here's my plan for this evening:
Anyways, here's my plan for this evening:
December 28, 2025 at 11:13 PM
My sister and I have been doing this little dance for years: I tell her not to get me anything for birthdays/holidays b/c I lead a life of plenty and don't need stuff, and she ignores me b/c she *loves* shopping for people.
Anyways, here's my plan for this evening:
Anyways, here's my plan for this evening:
Yes, let's stop doing this, please. Boost stuff you think is worth paying attention to and engaging with, not "hey, get a load of THIS a-hole" material.
Bluesky was generally better when we all more or less agreed to simply block dumb accounts and move on rather than quote dunk on them for clout.
December 28, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Yes, let's stop doing this, please. Boost stuff you think is worth paying attention to and engaging with, not "hey, get a load of THIS a-hole" material.
My sister and BiL are back from their Christmas road trip and watching an episode of STRANGER THINGS season 5 in the living room, and holy shit, this dialog is *terrible*. Everything is exposition, nothing is character, you could swap lines between most characters and it wouldn't change a thing.
December 27, 2025 at 4:13 AM
My sister and BiL are back from their Christmas road trip and watching an episode of STRANGER THINGS season 5 in the living room, and holy shit, this dialog is *terrible*. Everything is exposition, nothing is character, you could swap lines between most characters and it wouldn't change a thing.