Mike Bruin
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mikebruin.bsky.social
Mike Bruin
@mikebruin.bsky.social
480 followers 670 following 170 posts
Husband, creative guy, liberal, dog dad, clinical informaticist, engineer, work-in-progress… 🐸 💙 🏳️‍🌈 🐻 ☕ 💻 🛠️ (he / him)

Bellingham, WA 🌲🦥🌲

Opinions are mine. Content will be nerdy tech; dog-related; love of high desert landscapes, & more ✨
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mikebruin.bsky.social
You know it’s going to be an #interestingday when there’s a slice of #bread in the transit station elevator 🚊

#findoneineverycar #youllsee
The tips of my shoes at the bottom of the photo; a slice of bread and the elevator door at the top of the photo.
November 11, 2025 at 6:22 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Hanging out with Scooter on a cold, rainy, Sunday morning 🌧️
#gayagenda #drinkcoffee #staycozy #relaxwiththepup
Mike (left, wearing a red long-sleeve shirt); Scooter (center, wearing his new Buffalo-plaid bow-tie collar and looking away from the camera); and Brad (right, wearing a lumberjack merman t-shirt) are sitting on a brown striped couch. Brad and Mike are under blankets while Scooter is lying across both our laps.
November 2, 2025 at 4:08 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
My husband thinks I should get a #Zune so I have more of the alternatives covered 🎶
Image of a shiny black Microsoft Zune mp3 player showing the Zune logo on its screen.
October 24, 2025 at 3:36 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
There's even a #GnomeExtension that lets you listen to @somafm.com from a #Gnome desktop.
#linux #fedora #SomaFM
Screenshot of the Soma FM Gnome Extension playing the Suburbs of Goa station on my desktop.
October 23, 2025 at 11:53 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
I #closed my #Spotify account.

What does that leave?
Local (live) music;
@somafm.com;
@friskyradio.com;
protonradio.com;
#FreegalMusic through my local library;
Music podcasts;
Internet radio;
#PublicRadio online;
CDs / mp3s;
and more...
A screenshot of the Suburbs of Goa station on the SomaFM Player. The station is described as, "Desi-influenced Asian world beats and beyond."
October 23, 2025 at 11:42 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Always something topical from Futurama
Bender is saying, "But those girls don't wear cases. You can see their bare circuits." The meme from "Hell Is Other Robots", Season 1 / Episode 9, and Morbotron.com.
October 19, 2025 at 3:31 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
I've been setting up a laptop with Win11 for my husband. #Win11Debloat removes cruft, bloat, and ick. It's seriously magic!

github.com/Raphire/Win1...
A screenshot of the Win11Debloat PowerShell script menu.
October 19, 2025 at 12:41 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
We could have had paradise, but you just had to run Win10 after the EOL date, didn't you?

#windows10 #windows10eol #satire #linuxismorefunner #linux
The image is an AI generated image I found with a keyword search "cyber apocalyptic dieselpunk city". It's a more apocalyptic looking than dieselpunk. It accurately depicts what will happen if you don't feed your OS fresh (and current) security updates.
October 16, 2025 at 5:44 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Kids also need to be protected with #vaccinations and free options exit if you can't afford to get your child vaccinated🛡️

www.whatcomcounty.us/3241/Childho...
Vaccines protect people of all ages. Make it your goal this month to ensure you and your family are up to date on all recommended vaccines. Learn more about childhood immunizations: https://www.whatcomcounty.us/3241/ChildhoodImmunizations
October 11, 2025 at 1:53 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Get your #fall2025 #influenza (flu) and #covid19 booster shots 💉 I got mine this week. It was easy👍

#WhatcomCountyHealth&CommunityServices has resources to help you get vaccinated.

www.whatcomcounty.us/3238/Adult-I...
If you’re 60+, you’re at higher risk of severe infection and complications from COVID-19, flu, and RSV compared with young, healthy adults. Vaccinations can keep you healthy and out of the hospital. Protect yourself by staying up to date on your vaccines. Talk to your doctor today to learn more about getting vaccinated. Find more at: whatcomcounty.us/immunizations.
October 11, 2025 at 1:53 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Scooter did great at his first day of #doggiedaycare! 🐕‍🦺 #socialization #puppy #training #Tails-A-Wagging #Bellingham
Scooter the Shepard-Lab mix with a mostly black coat and light brown paws, is in the middle of the doggie daycare photo. There is a red arrow pointing to him. The "pack leader" (human) is to the right of the photo. Scooter had a great day and even did well when the huskies were playing a bit rough. Dog daycare report card for Scooter B., dated 10/6. Friends today: Arlo W., Eva G., Kona P. Activities enjoyed (underlined): Chase, Wrestle, Snuggle, Kisses, Chew time, and Tag. Snack: Cheerios as a high reward treat. Training: Wait at doors. Pack leader: Evan. Notes say "Welcome to Tails!" The card includes stickers of a happy golden retriever wearing a blue bandana with "YOU DID IT!" text, plus decorative paw prints and a cheerful watermelon character saying "You're one in a melon!"
October 7, 2025 at 12:41 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
The algorithm thinks you could try harder 🤖

#seenonline #AI #SurveillanceCapitalism #machinelearning
The image is an electrical schematic for an early-1960's reset generator. A circular symbol for a pentode vacuum tube is in the center-left of the diagram. Symbols for resistors and capacitors surround the tube symbol. Lines with arrows pointing in and out indicate voltages powering the circuit or signals driving the circuit or generated by the circuit. This was was a small part of a large electro-mechanical adding machine I took apart as a kid. The text at the bottom of the schematic diagram is, "Figure 21. Reset generator V123, schematic diagram."
October 3, 2025 at 10:28 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
I can't believe it's #Windtober already in #Bellingham, WA. Where has the time gone? 🌬️🍂
October 1, 2025 at 10:41 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
He's smart, full of love, has a lot of energy, but reactive to a bunch of things (so we're working on that with him). He has little idea of his physical nature, and has gained the nickname of #ElbowsMcCementSack for how he'll plop down on top of us.
Scooter leaning against the back of a striped brown and tan couch, a little bit of his tongue sticking out, and a somewhat derpy look on his (cute) face.
September 21, 2025 at 9:43 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
I was only looking for short-term fostering info... but we ended up looking at a couple profiles... and not long after that we ended up adopting Scooter, a #Lab/Shepard mix, from the #WhatcomHumaneSociety.
Brad works with Scooter at our second puppy training class. A blue screen behind them is to cut down on distractions from other dogs and their owners. You can see Scooter's monster paws in this photo. We expect him to get bigger, but how much we don't know. Scooter and Brad standing on the side of a trail at a nearby park. Trees and bushes line the trail and can be seen behind them. Brad is wearing a black t-shirt with a rainbow colored geometric bear face on it.
September 21, 2025 at 9:43 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
The first of the Sun Gold cherry tomatoes we planted (late) ended up in my salad tonight. So good! 🍅😋
I'm holding three ripe orange-yellow Sun Gold tomatoes in my left hand. Under my hand is a tan and brown bamboo cutting board on top of a stove. Part of a frying pan can be seen in the upper-left corner of the photo.
September 15, 2025 at 3:42 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
In the last ten-ish years, I've used #Ubuntu and then #Fedora. Fedora #Gnome is now my daily driver, and I really appreciate the minimalist setup I have.

#DashToDock #MementoMori #RunCat #Vitals
A screenshot of the Fedora 42 Gnome desktop on my laptop. I use the extension Dash to Dock to position the dock on the left. I adjusted the dates in Memento Mori to use it as a countdown clock. Run Cat is a super cute way to show the CPU usage.
August 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
My #Linuxjourney started with the UNIX-clone #Coherent back in the early 1990s when my work was using #SCO UNIX in testing hardware we built. I knew #DOS & #Windows 3.x but needed to learn #UNIX. I bought a copy of Coherent from an ad in #Byte and installed it on my 8086 PC. #linux34years #linux
The image shows the front cover of the Mark William Company's Coherent manual. It was a substantial reference book and at least 3" thick. Much of my early UNIX-Linux learning was through this book.
August 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Kona was a rescue and had a complicated relationship with people. He wasn't a cuddler; he loved, loved, loved walks and treats; and loathed car rides. I'm so appreciative of the walks and time we spent together. I'll miss him so much. #Kona #TenYearOldSeniorDog
Brad (left), Kona (middle), and me (right) in a Dec 2022 photo. Being a husky-malamute mix, Kona loved the snow. He would go out to play in it, then lie down in it. After an hour, or so, we'd have to go outside and get him -- he wouldn't come in when we called.
August 10, 2025 at 4:57 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Thursday evening, Kona's couldn't stand to go on a walk. His back legs weren't working. The emergency vet discovered a large mass in his lungs, confirmed the extent of his paralysis, and helped us understand the seriousness of his condition. #lungcancer #huskymalamute
Kona, a husky-malamute mix, looks back at me as we go on a Feb 2024 walk. A green leash goes from his collar to the bottom left of the photo. He loved our walks and had regular, specific spots that he would always check out. Kona, in the lower right of the photo ignores me (left side of the photo) as we go on a drive to Granite Falls, WA in 2021. I bought the (used) minivan for camping, moving stuff and consolidating our households after Brad and I got married. But the main reason was to have the space, a flat floor, and more options for Kona. In the end nothing helped. He *really* disliked car rides even when they were short and we were heading to places where he enjoyed to hang out. (Viewed from behind) Brad is on the left side of the photo holding Kona's leash. Kona is in the middle of the photo with laser-like focus on a deer that's up a hill in the upper middle of the photo. The deer is looking at Kona, likely wondering, "Is that a wolf?"
August 10, 2025 at 4:57 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
This has been taking up an overly large amount of space in my head since I saw it last month.

#Onion #politics #fascists #oligarchs #mortality #TheSerenityPrayerHasFailedMe #WTF
A meme from the ONION that says, "Happy Person Must Be Stupid Or Evil". The image shows a younger, bearded man smiling and appearing what is conventionally thought of as happy. He's wearing a light brown suede coat and a over sized sweater. He's holding a coffee to-go cup in his right hand and he appears to be standing in the well lit atrium or lobby of a large office building.
August 7, 2025 at 5:10 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Some public art goofing near #ProspectStreet and #WestChampionStreet, #BellinghamWA #bhamwingalley

Thanks @inktothink.bsky.social!
I'm standing in a silly sideways pose in front of a mural painted on the wall of a downtown Bellingham, WA alley. The mural is a beautiful set of wings with gracefully curved blue, purple, and golden feathers. I'm flexing my arms (for me that's a silly pose) in front of a mural painted on the wall of a downtown Bellingham, WA alley. The mural is a beautiful set of wings with gracefully curved blue, purple, and golden feathers.
July 26, 2025 at 11:25 PM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Paraphrasing Groucho Marx, "We refuse to join any club that would have us as members."
#OnlySortaCool #husbands #AccessorizingWithWordArt
I'm on the left of the photo and my husband Brad is on the right of the photo. We're goofing around in the big-box home store and we're both holding up signs that say, "Cool Kids Club". I'm wearing a t-shirt that has Hello Kitty and friends on it. Brad is wearing a great smile and a merman t-shirt that's mostly hidden by the sign.
July 23, 2025 at 12:22 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
It works! 🧊

#summerissaved
July 19, 2025 at 12:08 AM
mikebruin.bsky.social
Our counter top ice maker stopped working. Both micro switches had failed (no diagnostic clicks, among other symptoms).

I removed them and soldered in stylish new blue switches with strong clicking action. 🧰 🪛 🔧

#icemachinezebra #troubleshooting #microswitch #DIY
I hold the blue replacement microswitch (bottom left of the photo) and the broken (black) microswitch is in the upper half of the photo. The ice maker is sitting on a red kitchen towel to keep the counter top from getting scratched. The photo shows the replacement microswitches wired and secured with screws. A white cam is activating the microswitch in the bottom-left of the photo.
July 19, 2025 at 12:08 AM