John Vantine (he/him)
@w00t.bsky.social
Trail runner, ally 🏳️⚧️, live music aficionado, SEO nerd at GoodRx, all-around life enthusiast in pursuit of that perfect slice 🍕
Santa Cruz-based. Blogging since '98, today I write words at https://j0hn.com.
Santa Cruz-based. Blogging since '98, today I write words at https://j0hn.com.
Pinned
John Vantine (he/him)
@w00t.bsky.social
· May 27
A Trail Runner's Guide to Santa Cruz - JohnVantine.com
As trail runners, we’re privileged to cover lots of ground in beautiful settings. I like to maximize my trail running time by doing it in the most epic locations possible, especially while traveling. ...
johnvantine.com
I wrote about my favorite trail running spots in the Santa Cruz area.
I’ve been missing the halcyon days of blogging. Watching generative search undermine the foundation of the content ecosystem on the web has me motivated to write more often. Not sure if that makes sense or not 🙃
I’ve been missing the halcyon days of blogging. Watching generative search undermine the foundation of the content ecosystem on the web has me motivated to write more often. Not sure if that makes sense or not 🙃
Yet another friendly reminder that generative search/AI Overviews regularly hallucinate and are not to be trusted. Guitarist Kenny Hickey is very much alive.
November 19, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Yet another friendly reminder that generative search/AI Overviews regularly hallucinate and are not to be trusted. Guitarist Kenny Hickey is very much alive.
Jay Lane (Dead & Co., Primus), Michael Travis (String Cheese Incident) and David Phipps (STS9) at Moes Alley in Santa Cruz last night.
November 17, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Jay Lane (Dead & Co., Primus), Michael Travis (String Cheese Incident) and David Phipps (STS9) at Moes Alley in Santa Cruz last night.
Interesting... Movie title + runtime queries seem to consistently break AI Overviews on mobile. AIO isn't triggered on desktop for the handful of queries I attempted.
October 30, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Interesting... Movie title + runtime queries seem to consistently break AI Overviews on mobile. AIO isn't triggered on desktop for the handful of queries I attempted.
Reposted by John Vantine (he/him)
Yesterday we talked a little bit about SNAP ending and how everyone who can, should give back to their communities. I'm going to spend a little time today talking about what to give.
October 28, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Yesterday we talked a little bit about SNAP ending and how everyone who can, should give back to their communities. I'm going to spend a little time today talking about what to give.
On 11/1, ~42 million Americans will lose federal SNAP benefits. For those paycheck-to-paycheck, already on the brink of food insecurity, this is terrifying. Consider a monthly donation to a food bank like Second Harvest (www.shfb.org), they know what is needed & can spend efficiently buying in bulk.
Home
Help Second Harvest end hunger and support those in need. Join us today to make a real difference in your community, or find food near you.
www.shfb.org
October 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
On 11/1, ~42 million Americans will lose federal SNAP benefits. For those paycheck-to-paycheck, already on the brink of food insecurity, this is terrifying. Consider a monthly donation to a food bank like Second Harvest (www.shfb.org), they know what is needed & can spend efficiently buying in bulk.
Loved the light show for Minami Deutsch at the Santa Cruz Vets Hall last night.
October 23, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Loved the light show for Minami Deutsch at the Santa Cruz Vets Hall last night.
Reposted by John Vantine (he/him)
"I have a decent fluency in LLMs, and they have utility, but the absurd degree of over-hype, the way they're being forced on everyone, and the insistence on ignoring the many valid critiques about them make it very difficult to focus on legitimate uses where they might add value."
October 17, 2025 at 4:32 AM
"I have a decent fluency in LLMs, and they have utility, but the absurd degree of over-hype, the way they're being forced on everyone, and the insistence on ignoring the many valid critiques about them make it very difficult to focus on legitimate uses where they might add value."
We're deep in the best musical season. I've been adding to this Fall playlist since 2013, a collection of gloomy/spooky songs to get you in the Halloween spirit, and I'm stoked with how it turned out 🎃
🎶 Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
🎶 Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6OL...
🎶 Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
🎶 Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6OL...
October 16, 2025 at 3:04 PM
We're deep in the best musical season. I've been adding to this Fall playlist since 2013, a collection of gloomy/spooky songs to get you in the Halloween spirit, and I'm stoked with how it turned out 🎃
🎶 Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
🎶 Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6OL...
🎶 Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
🎶 Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6OL...
I feel a *tiny* pang of guilt when marking democratic political campaign txts as spam. Like, yes, they're 100% spam, like dozens of other unsolicited texts/calls I get each day, but I don't want to hinder the PAC's ability to hassle other libs who need daily reminders of their guilt & powerlessness.
October 14, 2025 at 3:09 PM
I feel a *tiny* pang of guilt when marking democratic political campaign txts as spam. Like, yes, they're 100% spam, like dozens of other unsolicited texts/calls I get each day, but I don't want to hinder the PAC's ability to hassle other libs who need daily reminders of their guilt & powerlessness.
I've had a handful of epic trailrunning adventures recently, as the lines between fall and winter blur.
Here's some shots from the eastern sierras, where firey aspens and an epic supermoon kept my camera working overtime.
Here's some shots from the eastern sierras, where firey aspens and an epic supermoon kept my camera working overtime.
October 13, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I've had a handful of epic trailrunning adventures recently, as the lines between fall and winter blur.
Here's some shots from the eastern sierras, where firey aspens and an epic supermoon kept my camera working overtime.
Here's some shots from the eastern sierras, where firey aspens and an epic supermoon kept my camera working overtime.
I haven’t paid attention to AFI in a long time, but their latest (“Silver Bleeds the Black Sun”) sounds more like The Cure & Sisters of Mercy than the AFI I grew up on (no longer “goth punk”, this is straight goth) and I love it.
Perfect Fall / Halloween listening.
music.apple.com/us/album/beh...
Perfect Fall / Halloween listening.
music.apple.com/us/album/beh...
Behind the Clock by AFI on Apple Music
Song · 2025 · Duration 3:57
music.apple.com
October 11, 2025 at 1:26 AM
I haven’t paid attention to AFI in a long time, but their latest (“Silver Bleeds the Black Sun”) sounds more like The Cure & Sisters of Mercy than the AFI I grew up on (no longer “goth punk”, this is straight goth) and I love it.
Perfect Fall / Halloween listening.
music.apple.com/us/album/beh...
Perfect Fall / Halloween listening.
music.apple.com/us/album/beh...
I only took one photo at Autechre last night before they shut off all of the lights. The next 80 minutes were intense, beautiful, disorienting, at times formless, heavily percussive, challenging, and I loved every minute of it. Incredibly unique and memorable experience that I won’t soon forget.
October 10, 2025 at 8:46 PM
I only took one photo at Autechre last night before they shut off all of the lights. The next 80 minutes were intense, beautiful, disorienting, at times formless, heavily percussive, challenging, and I loved every minute of it. Incredibly unique and memorable experience that I won’t soon forget.
Reposted by John Vantine (he/him)
CHATGPT: I understand where you're coming from. You worked really hard to get here, and now it's time to enjoy the fruit of your labors.
ISILDUR: So I should keep it? Elrond says I shouldn't
CHATGPT: The ring is precious. Sometimes friends don't have your best interests at heart.
ISILDUR: true
ISILDUR: So I should keep it? Elrond says I shouldn't
CHATGPT: The ring is precious. Sometimes friends don't have your best interests at heart.
ISILDUR: true
October 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
CHATGPT: I understand where you're coming from. You worked really hard to get here, and now it's time to enjoy the fruit of your labors.
ISILDUR: So I should keep it? Elrond says I shouldn't
CHATGPT: The ring is precious. Sometimes friends don't have your best interests at heart.
ISILDUR: true
ISILDUR: So I should keep it? Elrond says I shouldn't
CHATGPT: The ring is precious. Sometimes friends don't have your best interests at heart.
ISILDUR: true
Supermoon in the eastern sierras 🌕
October 7, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Supermoon in the eastern sierras 🌕
Tis the season 🎃 🦇
New playlist DEAD SOULS: GOTH SOUNDS 1967-1990, featuring goth classics, goth-adjacent music, and goth before it was called goth - a one-stop goth party
Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6th...
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Spotify: open.spotify.com/playlist/6th...
Apple Music: music.apple.com/us/playlist/...
YouTube: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
October 4, 2025 at 8:29 PM
Tis the season 🎃 🦇
Air playing “Sexy Boy” as the silhouette of an unfortunately-positioned security staffer not-so-subtlety digs for gold is… some type of vibe.
Cal Coast Credit something or other amphitheater in San Diego last night. Incredible show, amazing stage production.
Cal Coast Credit something or other amphitheater in San Diego last night. Incredible show, amazing stage production.
September 25, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Air playing “Sexy Boy” as the silhouette of an unfortunately-positioned security staffer not-so-subtlety digs for gold is… some type of vibe.
Cal Coast Credit something or other amphitheater in San Diego last night. Incredible show, amazing stage production.
Cal Coast Credit something or other amphitheater in San Diego last night. Incredible show, amazing stage production.
#BrightonSEO run club and a San Diego sunrise
September 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
#BrightonSEO run club and a San Diego sunrise
Good morning San Diego! Got some early miles in before #BrightonSEO kicks off. I may be one of five people using that hashtag, but I’m gonna lean into it. Feels like Twitter circa 2008.
September 23, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Good morning San Diego! Got some early miles in before #BrightonSEO kicks off. I may be one of five people using that hashtag, but I’m gonna lean into it. Feels like Twitter circa 2008.
My long journey to #BrightonSEO San Diego begins with a 5am bike ride to catch a sunrise ferry from Lopez Island
September 22, 2025 at 5:01 PM
My long journey to #BrightonSEO San Diego begins with a 5am bike ride to catch a sunrise ferry from Lopez Island
Just spent the last week riding the San Juan Islands in Washington: Orcas, San Juan, Lopez, and Anacortes with an A+ crew of new friends from all over the country. Beautiful scenery and incredible weather all week.
September 22, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Just spent the last week riding the San Juan Islands in Washington: Orcas, San Juan, Lopez, and Anacortes with an A+ crew of new friends from all over the country. Beautiful scenery and incredible weather all week.
Epic trail run along the PCT (Kendall Katwalk) in Washington this morning. Beautiful wildflowers, old growth forest and delicious blackberries all along the trail.
September 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Epic trail run along the PCT (Kendall Katwalk) in Washington this morning. Beautiful wildflowers, old growth forest and delicious blackberries all along the trail.
I'm headed to New Orleans to see family in Nov. I've been to NOLA several times, but always for Jazzfest, bachelor parties, etc.
Proximity to bars/etc isn't a priority, but I'd love to get some good runs in. Any recs of neighborhoods to stay in?
Let's see if crowdsourced travel tips work on here.
Proximity to bars/etc isn't a priority, but I'd love to get some good runs in. Any recs of neighborhoods to stay in?
Let's see if crowdsourced travel tips work on here.
September 10, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I'm headed to New Orleans to see family in Nov. I've been to NOLA several times, but always for Jazzfest, bachelor parties, etc.
Proximity to bars/etc isn't a priority, but I'd love to get some good runs in. Any recs of neighborhoods to stay in?
Let's see if crowdsourced travel tips work on here.
Proximity to bars/etc isn't a priority, but I'd love to get some good runs in. Any recs of neighborhoods to stay in?
Let's see if crowdsourced travel tips work on here.
Them Santa Monica Mountains looking mighty fine this morning.
September 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Them Santa Monica Mountains looking mighty fine this morning.
@numetalmoment.bsky.social I was not expecting this (Alien Earth, episode 2)
September 4, 2025 at 4:05 AM
@numetalmoment.bsky.social I was not expecting this (Alien Earth, episode 2)
A magical sunrise above the clouds earlier this morning, from a trail run in Bonny Doon
September 3, 2025 at 7:56 PM
A magical sunrise above the clouds earlier this morning, from a trail run in Bonny Doon