Ethan J. A. Schoonover

Ethan J. A. Schoonover

@ethanschoonover.com

Factotum / Tech/Design/Photography/RPGs / W7ZOO Ham Radio Operator / @CascadiaRadio.org cofounder / "skoon-over" / he 📍 Seattle, Earth

1.7K followers2.3K following2.3K posts

plot twist: reprehensible billionaire DOES manage to upload his consciousness as an AGI but it leaks onto torrent sites and he is trapped in a hell of endlessly being rebooted by script kiddies to perform the most menial labor.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com

A recent securities filing spotlighted what triggered Mark Zuckerberg’s months-long power battle with board directors at Meta — a fight that sparked not-so-veiled threats from Zuckerberg and led board members to contemplate quitting.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

moving back to a dedicated music player has been one of the best moves over the past couple years. no idea where i put my phone down in the house. don't care. i have a book and music. incredibly liberating honestly. it was harder than in 2006 (no big co wants to make it easy in 2026) but worth it.

moving back to a dedicated music player has been one of the best moves over the past couple years. no idea where i put my phone down in the house. don't care. i have a book and music. incredibly liberating honestly. it was harder than in 2006 (no big co wants to make it easy in 2026) but worth it.

frankensteining some pc's out of my parts bin into a working on premise server. these were PCs that I previously would have considered "not worth the effort to get running" but given prices on gear, this is all hidden treasure now (and still a PITA to get running)

10 cent fix (big silicone rubber band) to stop the robot vacuum from getting caught up on the long metal rod foot of this chair. I am loathe to cede environmental aesthetics to machines like this but I am, it would seem, equally loathe to both dirty floors and vacuuming them by hand every day.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

I use my beets.io config to calculate classical composer musical period based on their birthdate+30. Works surprisingly well but I now have a handful of exceptions. Satie, Arvo Pärt, Rachmaninoff, the usual suspects who bridge periods I guess, but I'm sure there is a better way in beets to do this.

I use my beets.io config to calculate classical composer musical period based on their birthdate+30. Works surprisingly well but I now have a handful of exceptions. Satie, Arvo Pärt, Rachmaninoff, the usual suspects who bridge periods I guess, but I'm sure there is a better way in beets to do this.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

I interviewed 83-year editor & sound designer Walter Murch, a legendary figure. The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, Ghost, The Unbearable Lightness of Being...and The English Patient, which turns 30 this year. Info on a free zoom talk included. www.rogerebert.com/interviews/t...

rogerebert.comEditing As Music: An Interview with "The English Patient" Craftsman Walter MurchThe acclaimed editor and sound designer talks about the poetry of the edit in Anthony Minghella's classic, and his approach to his craft.

RDR2 on the lil steamdeck/legion go still makes me stop and just marvel at the scenery. Lightning struck tree, moonlit swamp, sunset on the bayou, it's all so pretty. Don't need a new $1800 xbox to enjoy great gaming.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover@ethanschoonover.com

The new xbox pricing makes me very happy that I switched to Steam as my primary platform. I've been enjoying using JUST a steamdeck (legion go s) as my primary console (happily driving the TV in this photo). Have been slowly working my way through RDR2 with it & performance has been great.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

Elon absolutely sucks but this is just a preview of the kind of control AI companies are playing for with their push into government, education, and every other industry

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

truly a wild time to be alive when the cryptography world is split between those worried about quantum computers and those whose private key is “4”

The new xbox pricing makes me very happy that I switched to Steam as my primary platform. I've been enjoying using JUST a steamdeck (legion go s) as my primary console (happily driving the TV in this photo). Have been slowly working my way through RDR2 with it & performance has been great.

I ran a large RPG club at a girls middle school for many years and do have thoughts and advice that I've updated. I’ll thread but also post here: gist.github.com/altercation/... Spoiler: A lot of my advice is not specific to RPGs! cc @montecookgames.com @jonesm80.bsky.social @aardwyrm.bsky.social

Monte Cook Games@montecookgames.com

Calling all nerds! Has anyone successfully run an after-school TTRPG club? Do we have any advice for improving player retention?

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I ran a large RPG club at a girls middle school for many years and do have thoughts and advice that I've updated. I’ll thread but also post here: gist.github.com/altercation/... Spoiler: A lot of my advice is not specific to RPGs! cc @montecookgames.com @jonesm80.bsky.social @aardwyrm.bsky.social

Monte Cook Games@montecookgames.com

Calling all nerds! Has anyone successfully run an after-school TTRPG club? Do we have any advice for improving player retention?

View full thread

I prefer non D&D systems that run fast and lighter. I play a lot of Cypher System, Mothership, DCC, etc. Games like Shadowdark & others offer fast/fun f20 play. But if the students have their heart set on D&D and know it and want to run it, fait accompli. We played "D&D" in an OSR style.

Sessions should be designed to move FAST through action and interaction. Time constraints are the biggest constraint and you have to adapt style to this. If running in Discord and everyone including the school is ok with it, you could run longer remote sessions.

I ran a large RPG club at a girls middle school for many years and do have thoughts and advice that I've updated. I’ll thread but also post here: gist.github.com/altercation/... Spoiler: A lot of my advice is not specific to RPGs! cc @montecookgames.com @jonesm80.bsky.social @aardwyrm.bsky.social

Monte Cook Games@montecookgames.com

Calling all nerds! Has anyone successfully run an after-school TTRPG club? Do we have any advice for improving player retention?

View full thread

Also not RPG specific: Make sure you get vetted and background checked with the school as a volunteer! These are standard procedures and they exist for a reason. Get in touch with the school main office or website for details.

ALSO ALSO not RPG specific: consider a way to keep the group in touch when not in club time. E.g. a Discord or other chat space where content can be shared. Be aware that this means you now have two complicated jobs (RPG club running and moderating a chat space with teens).

I ran a large RPG club at a girls middle school for many years and do have thoughts and advice that I've updated. I’ll thread but also post here: gist.github.com/altercation/... Spoiler: A lot of my advice is not specific to RPGs! cc @montecookgames.com @jonesm80.bsky.social @aardwyrm.bsky.social

Monte Cook Games@montecookgames.com

Calling all nerds! Has anyone successfully run an after-school TTRPG club? Do we have any advice for improving player retention?

As an RPG nerd the temptation is to think about the games first. Don't. First thought should be constrained student schedules. School days are tight. Fit ANY system or play style to shorter sessions. If choosing lunch/after school look to maximize time slot. Be aware sports interfere after school.

Moon bounce amateur radio transmissions (EME == Earth->Moon->Earht) are a fun mode to operate in with the right equipment. A group of hams just completed the first amateur radio terrestrial origin transmission VENUS bounce (EVE, Earth->Venus->Earth). Very impressive stuff. www.camras.nl/en/blo...

the ancients used bones, entrails, and vapors in caves for divination. in order to be more modern/urban, I will be standing in Seattle's Fremont neighborhood next to this utility box outside the used book and record store and will use this patina of old posters to tell your future.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

First time changing oil and son didn't spill a drop on the driveway 💧🛢️. I told him I hope he doesn't have to do too many of these since we'll be driving long range EVs in the future, but it's still a solid skill to have.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover@ethanschoonover.com

giving my son his true inheritance, the sacred torque wrench (then teaching him how to change the oil in the truck)

First time changing oil and son didn't spill a drop on the driveway 💧🛢️. I told him I hope he doesn't have to do too many of these since we'll be driving long range EVs in the future, but it's still a solid skill to have.

Ethan J. A. Schoonover@ethanschoonover.com

giving my son his true inheritance, the sacred torque wrench (then teaching him how to change the oil in the truck)

friend: (very seriously) "you know, it's like that saying: a nest in your hand is worth three birds" me: "wait what" friend: (chagrined) "that's not the saying is it" me: "it is now"

Ethan J. A. Schoonover reposted

A bad update: we're getting reports of pro-No Kings creators who have been suspended today as well. And we still lack backend access to the official No Kings account. Stay tuned, will report news when I have it.

Ezra Levin ❌👑@ezralevin.bsky.social

Full update from our team. We STILL do not have admin access to the account.

going in for an MRI on a sports injury and the phone call questions included "are you oxygen dependent" and I really REALLY had to refrain from responding "as a member of the kingdom Animalia, yes" (I answered no to just make the tired sounding woman's life as easy as I could)