Phil Culliton
@philculliton.bsky.social
Dad, sci-fi writer, ML curmudgeon, the Phantom of the Opera of game dev. Doing AI stuff at Google DeepMind.
There is one a couple miles from my house in upstate NY, and I can't stop "dropping in" and then purchasing everything in sight
December 1, 2025 at 11:50 AM
There is one a couple miles from my house in upstate NY, and I can't stop "dropping in" and then purchasing everything in sight
Right!? I always feel slightly worse. Refreshing naps: they are not for me
November 12, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Right!? I always feel slightly worse. Refreshing naps: they are not for me
Ha, definitely agreeing, not arguing - his work reminds me that even mediocre writing can be fun writing, which helps when I feel like my writing is mediocre 😅
Dunno about searching, I just spotted this in my timeline!
Dunno about searching, I just spotted this in my timeline!
November 5, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Ha, definitely agreeing, not arguing - his work reminds me that even mediocre writing can be fun writing, which helps when I feel like my writing is mediocre 😅
Dunno about searching, I just spotted this in my timeline!
Dunno about searching, I just spotted this in my timeline!
Stephen King is both a great creator of escapes, and a deep reminder that I don't need to be a perfect writer / wordsmith to create fun and compelling experiences.
Also I kinda live for Night Shift.
Also I kinda live for Night Shift.
November 5, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Stephen King is both a great creator of escapes, and a deep reminder that I don't need to be a perfect writer / wordsmith to create fun and compelling experiences.
Also I kinda live for Night Shift.
Also I kinda live for Night Shift.
Nah, I needed a laugh, so thank you 😂
November 4, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Nah, I needed a laugh, so thank you 😂
Okay, this made me guffaw at a slightly inappropriate time
November 4, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Okay, this made me guffaw at a slightly inappropriate time
Sorry 😕 I'm sure they'll have a lot of nice memories of you taking them out.
It's like so many things with kids... now my kids go out with their friends on Halloween and I get to enjoy talking with them about it. It's different, but still good.
Newsletter has been great, by the way.
It's like so many things with kids... now my kids go out with their friends on Halloween and I get to enjoy talking with them about it. It's different, but still good.
Newsletter has been great, by the way.
November 2, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Sorry 😕 I'm sure they'll have a lot of nice memories of you taking them out.
It's like so many things with kids... now my kids go out with their friends on Halloween and I get to enjoy talking with them about it. It's different, but still good.
Newsletter has been great, by the way.
It's like so many things with kids... now my kids go out with their friends on Halloween and I get to enjoy talking with them about it. It's different, but still good.
Newsletter has been great, by the way.
Beards are, as it happens, neato
October 28, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Beards are, as it happens, neato
This led to a fun deep dive into KPLU's back catalogue! Also found some neat Herbie Hancock pieces I hadn't heard before.
You mentioned a vamp, adagio and a churchy feel - was it more minor (like a reverent contemplation) or major (like a slow march)? Also how far back is back in the day?
You mentioned a vamp, adagio and a churchy feel - was it more minor (like a reverent contemplation) or major (like a slow march)? Also how far back is back in the day?
November 29, 2024 at 6:14 PM
This led to a fun deep dive into KPLU's back catalogue! Also found some neat Herbie Hancock pieces I hadn't heard before.
You mentioned a vamp, adagio and a churchy feel - was it more minor (like a reverent contemplation) or major (like a slow march)? Also how far back is back in the day?
You mentioned a vamp, adagio and a churchy feel - was it more minor (like a reverent contemplation) or major (like a slow march)? Also how far back is back in the day?
I went through my "to be played" list yesterday (well, up through the games starting with the letter D lol, there are hundreds of the darned things) and picked a few that looked fun. It was a nice afternoon 😊
November 24, 2024 at 1:53 PM
I went through my "to be played" list yesterday (well, up through the games starting with the letter D lol, there are hundreds of the darned things) and picked a few that looked fun. It was a nice afternoon 😊
This is such a good idea! I didn't enjoy most of the books I read in AP English (frankly I didn't enjoy the class either - the teacher was not kind to kids who "didn't get it"). It'd be interesting to see if I connect with them differently now.
November 20, 2024 at 1:14 PM
This is such a good idea! I didn't enjoy most of the books I read in AP English (frankly I didn't enjoy the class either - the teacher was not kind to kids who "didn't get it"). It'd be interesting to see if I connect with them differently now.
Oh no, why did I look up D.B. Cooper, what have I done
November 20, 2024 at 12:08 PM
Oh no, why did I look up D.B. Cooper, what have I done
It turned out to be a set of "helpful" utilities included with the computer (an otherwise-decent Zephyrus) that had gotten themselves into a constantly-failing state and were writing error logs ALL the time. Found it weeks later. But in the meantime the new account helped 😅
November 20, 2024 at 10:51 AM
It turned out to be a set of "helpful" utilities included with the computer (an otherwise-decent Zephyrus) that had gotten themselves into a constantly-failing state and were writing error logs ALL the time. Found it weeks later. But in the meantime the new account helped 😅
I was having major issues with lag and stuttering that I just couldn't diagnose. Thought I'd have to do a clean install. I tried creating a new local profile (just a new login basically). Problems disappeared for the new login.
Something to try if you're thinking of a factory reset.
Something to try if you're thinking of a factory reset.
November 20, 2024 at 10:47 AM
I was having major issues with lag and stuttering that I just couldn't diagnose. Thought I'd have to do a clean install. I tried creating a new local profile (just a new login basically). Problems disappeared for the new login.
Something to try if you're thinking of a factory reset.
Something to try if you're thinking of a factory reset.
Right!?!
Mine had a dryer bolted on top of it so there were some... let's call them near-hospital moments 😂
Mine had a dryer bolted on top of it so there were some... let's call them near-hospital moments 😂
November 17, 2024 at 4:06 PM
Right!?!
Mine had a dryer bolted on top of it so there were some... let's call them near-hospital moments 😂
Mine had a dryer bolted on top of it so there were some... let's call them near-hospital moments 😂
Ohhhh that's smart! I gotta try that. Thank you!
"It's where the gross goes" yes! Perfect way to put it 😅 I had read it would be smelly. I was not ready.
"It's where the gross goes" yes! Perfect way to put it 😅 I had read it would be smelly. I was not ready.
November 17, 2024 at 4:02 PM
Ohhhh that's smart! I gotta try that. Thank you!
"It's where the gross goes" yes! Perfect way to put it 😅 I had read it would be smelly. I was not ready.
"It's where the gross goes" yes! Perfect way to put it 😅 I had read it would be smelly. I was not ready.
Thank you 😅 It was crappy to realize just how much the manufacturer *didn't* want me to fix it. I had to take off the back, the top, and the whole front just to reach the filter and pumps. Like... they really really want you to buy a new one, or pay somebody to fix it.
November 17, 2024 at 3:51 PM
Thank you 😅 It was crappy to realize just how much the manufacturer *didn't* want me to fix it. I had to take off the back, the top, and the whole front just to reach the filter and pumps. Like... they really really want you to buy a new one, or pay somebody to fix it.
(Washing machines smell so bad on the inside, though. Clogged filters == so very sadness.)
November 17, 2024 at 3:49 PM
(Washing machines smell so bad on the inside, though. Clogged filters == so very sadness.)
His Girl Friday. The archetype of snappy dialogue, funny as heck, and Rosalind Russell kicks butt.
November 17, 2024 at 3:48 PM
His Girl Friday. The archetype of snappy dialogue, funny as heck, and Rosalind Russell kicks butt.
Oh-ho, I see that common dad favorite battle and raise you a battle no one has ever heard of unless they read some wildly popular historical novels
November 17, 2024 at 3:40 PM
Oh-ho, I see that common dad favorite battle and raise you a battle no one has ever heard of unless they read some wildly popular historical novels
The beauty of writing comedy is that if I make myself laugh, I'm pretty satisfied.
Not always productive, but almost always feels nice 😃
Not always productive, but almost always feels nice 😃
November 17, 2024 at 3:34 PM
The beauty of writing comedy is that if I make myself laugh, I'm pretty satisfied.
Not always productive, but almost always feels nice 😃
Not always productive, but almost always feels nice 😃
Niiiiiiice I spent about a week taking apart and trying to diagnose our old washer and discovered it was some part that would cost too much to replace.
Felt like I leveled up on some hidden mechanical skill tree. Hooray for fixing stuff!
Felt like I leveled up on some hidden mechanical skill tree. Hooray for fixing stuff!
November 17, 2024 at 3:31 PM
Niiiiiiice I spent about a week taking apart and trying to diagnose our old washer and discovered it was some part that would cost too much to replace.
Felt like I leveled up on some hidden mechanical skill tree. Hooray for fixing stuff!
Felt like I leveled up on some hidden mechanical skill tree. Hooray for fixing stuff!
Ha, I bought Dracula from my library's 25 cent rack when I was about 8 and devoured it in a car on a hot summer day and have never fully recovered from reading it so young 😂 So could be cathartic, maybe lol
November 17, 2024 at 3:28 PM
Ha, I bought Dracula from my library's 25 cent rack when I was about 8 and devoured it in a car on a hot summer day and have never fully recovered from reading it so young 😂 So could be cathartic, maybe lol
My favorite picture of myself is me napping with my then-5-year-old youngest kid. It's adorable. Sleep is so... unpretentious and unfiltered? You snuggle and dream and hopefully find some peace.
November 17, 2024 at 3:26 PM
My favorite picture of myself is me napping with my then-5-year-old youngest kid. It's adorable. Sleep is so... unpretentious and unfiltered? You snuggle and dream and hopefully find some peace.