Mike Wiser
@drmikewiser.bsky.social
Evolutionary biologist, teaching-track professor (knowledge transmitter), board game and cat enthusiast, budding archer, teller of Dad jokes. Sarcasm doesn't have to be mean. Also a "damn greenblooded hobgoblin". Ursula said I'm cool. I read a lot.
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
🏳️🌈🧫 👨
Well. Erie’s pretty gentle, at least comparatively.
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
November 11, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Well. Erie’s pretty gentle, at least comparatively.
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
(I grew up in Buffalo and have lived in Michigan for almost 20 years. Erie is definitely the outlier in this system)
Does it still count as incredibly immature humor if it requires you to know words outside of your native language?
November 11, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Does it still count as incredibly immature humor if it requires you to know words outside of your native language?
AND ALSO THEY ARE ANIMALS, JERRY
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
November 6, 2025 at 1:58 AM
AND ALSO THEY ARE ANIMALS, JERRY
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
LOOK AT THIS CLASSIFICATION
So, a friend of mine whose birthday is right at the start of November had a bonfire party. And it struck me that the texts I sent him afterwards demonstrate to an extent how my brain works.
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
![A set of three back to back texts:
"Those insect [sic] then attract nocturnal insect predators. Like bats."
"Your birthday celebrations attract bats!"
"Also, born when you were, you may be a psychopomp."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:prgirpu6za2df777ziwui4bj/bafkreigzkiqem3c3efeqgz6exs5mmgoye6fzkikzijutvzefugk7luspje@jpeg)
November 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
So, a friend of mine whose birthday is right at the start of November had a bonfire party. And it struck me that the texts I sent him afterwards demonstrate to an extent how my brain works.
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
(Immediately before these was an explanation of how bonfires attract certain types of insects)
Taught lab today, which drastically reduces plausible costumes. So, at least I could color match the holiday?
October 31, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Taught lab today, which drastically reduces plausible costumes. So, at least I could color match the holiday?
I always hope people will catch on that, particularly when someone responds, you address them how they signed their message.
Also
Also
October 30, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I always hope people will catch on that, particularly when someone responds, you address them how they signed their message.
Also
Also
During exams, I project a browser with a large digital clock in it, and a powerpoint slide of anything that we realize needs to be clarified.
Today's slide:
Today's slide:
October 28, 2025 at 5:40 PM
During exams, I project a browser with a large digital clock in it, and a powerpoint slide of anything that we realize needs to be clarified.
Today's slide:
Today's slide:
My first pumpkin of the year. At a party with others, so a bit less time consuming of a choice.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
October 26, 2025 at 11:32 PM
My first pumpkin of the year. At a party with others, so a bit less time consuming of a choice.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
As always, I can’t draw; I used a pattern. I *do* have manual dexterity and patience.
One semester in college I was taking a gen ed course on modern Russian art. This allowed me to get the video daily double on a Jeopardy episode my roommate was watching as I cooked dinner, much to his consternation. "You realize that's not normal, right?"
It was to ID this painting and painter
It was to ID this painting and painter
October 24, 2025 at 2:53 AM
One semester in college I was taking a gen ed course on modern Russian art. This allowed me to get the video daily double on a Jeopardy episode my roommate was watching as I cooked dinner, much to his consternation. "You realize that's not normal, right?"
It was to ID this painting and painter
It was to ID this painting and painter
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
This meme is not *relevant*, but it's fun and you didn't specify relevancy, so
October 19, 2025 at 6:34 PM
This meme is not *relevant*, but it's fun and you didn't specify relevancy, so
Hobbes here will be 17 in about a month. So if he stands at my feet and whines while I’m sitting, I pick him up and put him on the couch.
Literally every time, he flails his legs as if he has never been picked up before and doesn’t understand why his paws aren’t pressing into the ground.
Literally every time, he flails his legs as if he has never been picked up before and doesn’t understand why his paws aren’t pressing into the ground.
October 13, 2025 at 1:26 AM
Hobbes here will be 17 in about a month. So if he stands at my feet and whines while I’m sitting, I pick him up and put him on the couch.
Literally every time, he flails his legs as if he has never been picked up before and doesn’t understand why his paws aren’t pressing into the ground.
Literally every time, he flails his legs as if he has never been picked up before and doesn’t understand why his paws aren’t pressing into the ground.
From context, I've been able to figure out what character this is supposed to represent. It's used consistently by a single individual, so this isn't just one weird example; they use this symbol to represent a particular letter in English.
October 9, 2025 at 6:42 PM
From context, I've been able to figure out what character this is supposed to represent. It's used consistently by a single individual, so this isn't just one weird example; they use this symbol to represent a particular letter in English.
I have a number of pieces from them that I've picked up at art shows over the years. Here's a smaller piece in the daytime colors
October 8, 2025 at 2:32 AM
I have a number of pieces from them that I've picked up at art shows over the years. Here's a smaller piece in the daytime colors
This is a custom piece by a married couple of artists I adore. The full thing is about 7 feet across. It all carved metal heated with blowtorches to change color; no pigments or dyes used.
(The artists operate as LaCosse Studio. Victoria and Scott. www.lacossestudio.com)
(The artists operate as LaCosse Studio. Victoria and Scott. www.lacossestudio.com)
October 8, 2025 at 2:09 AM
This is a custom piece by a married couple of artists I adore. The full thing is about 7 feet across. It all carved metal heated with blowtorches to change color; no pigments or dyes used.
(The artists operate as LaCosse Studio. Victoria and Scott. www.lacossestudio.com)
(The artists operate as LaCosse Studio. Victoria and Scott. www.lacossestudio.com)
He’s lucky that he’s very cute.
October 6, 2025 at 3:24 AM
He’s lucky that he’s very cute.
The specific slides the student objected to:
October 1, 2025 at 6:11 PM
The specific slides the student objected to:
Tawny Frogmouth, Image by D.Cunningham/shutterstock
September 24, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Tawny Frogmouth, Image by D.Cunningham/shutterstock
That reminds me: I saw this one on a fence on my campus:
September 22, 2025 at 1:25 PM
That reminds me: I saw this one on a fence on my campus:
Alternate option: grooming.
September 20, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Alternate option: grooming.
Cats in question: Hobbes is the tabby and white; Calvin is the void (all black). Their mom I don't have a picture of, but she was a tuxedo cat -- white belly, paws, throat, and some markings around the nose and parts of the legs; solid black elsewhere.
September 20, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Cats in question: Hobbes is the tabby and white; Calvin is the void (all black). Their mom I don't have a picture of, but she was a tuxedo cat -- white belly, paws, throat, and some markings around the nose and parts of the legs; solid black elsewhere.
Laundry baskets are prime feline real estate
September 17, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Laundry baskets are prime feline real estate