iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

#rustconf2026 day 2 talk summaries thread! (Doing it throughout the day today instead of all at the end to minimize my chances of forgetting things)

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Summary from the talks I went to today at #rusrconf2026 (this is mostly for my future self, but maybe others will find it interesting) 🧵

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

"The compiler has your back and generates good code for you." Amen brother! #rustconf2026

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The #rustconf2026 talk on reverse engineering Rust malware is quite good. I think it's funny though that `fn main` pronounced out loud sounds like "f---n' main", which is probably apt when it's annoying to find the main function in a Rust binary compared with C.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Today I learned `rustls` is pronounced "Russells" not "Rus TLS". Thanks #rustconf2026 !

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Review: A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett Another great installment in the series of Ana and Din mysteries! I have enjoyed all of the books in this series but this one in particular I found to be quite engaging. The mystery has a few twists while we continue to learn more about Din. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of A Trade of Blood by Robert Jackson Bennett. A severed human head with mushrooms growing out from the neck is shown under the words of the title. Mushrooms also creep in from the left side of the image, as well a a few from the bottom right corner.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Review: Infinite Shores by Pascale Lacelle I liked the first two books in the Drowned Gods series, but this one doesn't stick the landing for me. I think there are many interesting ideas, but it feels like they aren't able to be fully expressed. Still worth checking out the series as a whole. ⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Infinite Shores by Pascale Lacelle. An hour glass is half way finished. A hand reaches out from the sand in both the top and the bottom piles of sand in the hour glass. A solar eclipse is happening in the bottom half of the hour glass.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Got the trophy + ranked up to Platinum in a #MTGxTheHobbit Pick-Two Draft on #MTGA with a sweet green-black deck. Green was wide open in my seat; I was passed many rares (enough to get the Rare Drafter achievement) so I had lots of strong cards including Chief Warg's Company and Part in Friendship.

Deck
2 Chief Warg's Company (HOB) 151
2 Down in the Valley (HOB) 124
1 Part in Friendship (HOB) 134
3 Guardian of the Halls (HOB) 127
1 Boughside Wanderers (HOB) 121
1 Mirkwood Nurturer (HOB) 160
1 Troop of Ponies (HOB) 3
1 Hobbit Hole (HOB) 184
2 Wood Elves (HOB) 142
1 Bejeweled Warg (HOB) 117
2 Beorn, Reluctant Host (HOB) 118
1 Mirkwood (HOB) 188
1 Dreaded Bat-Cloud (HOB) 66
1 Quarrel (HOB) 135
1 Gnashing of Teeth (HOB) 69
1 Radagast of Rhosgobel (HOB) 136
1 Stony-Voiced Goblins (HOB) 85
1 Thranduil, Sindarin Liege (HOB) 166
1 Warg Tactics (HOB) 139
7 Swamp (SLD) 1470
8 Forest (UNF) 244

Sideboard
1 Pinecone Strike (HOB) 107
1 Desolation of Smaug (HOB) 93
2 Little Bear (HOB) 128
1 Woodland Weavemaster (HOB) 143
1 Elvenking's Halls (HOB) 182
1 Beorn's Hospitality (HOB) 120
1 Elvenking's Harper (HOB) 38
1 Nasty Little Rabbit (HOB) 130
1 Wargling (HOB) 140
1 Ordinary Bear (HOB) 133
1 Wilderland Scrounger (HOB) 141
1 Duskwatch Hunter (HOB) 153
1 Great Gilded Boat (HOB) 42
1 Bilbo Baggins, Burglar (HOB) 34
1 Long-Bodied Grey Dog (HOB) 1
1 Lake-town Lookout (HOB) 18

4-1 record at Platinum 4 rank in a Pick-Two Draft Magic: the Gathering The Hobbit event on Magic: the Gathering Arena.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

7 wins in a Marvel Super Heroes Quick Draft on MTGA with a scrappy black-white deck. A decent mix of removal and card draw (stapled on creatures) with a few land cyclers to smooth out draws is a recipe for success in this format.

7-2 record in a Quick Draft Marvel Super Heroes event on Magic: the Gathering Arena at gold tier rank.

Deck
1 Origin of the Avengers (MSH) 28
1 Hero in Training (MSH) 16
2 Murdock's Crusade (MSH) 24
1 Helicarrier Strike (MSH) 15
2 Borough Backup (MSH) 7
1 Luke Cage, Power Man (MSH) 20
2 H.E.R.B.I.E. Scout Unit (MSH) 247
1 War Machine, Legacy of Iron (MSH) 238
1 Night Nurse, Healer of Heroes (MSH) 26
1 S.H.I.E.L.D. Spy Kit (MSH) 36
2 Cruel Alliance (MSH) 92
1 U.S.Agent, John Walker (MSH) 236
1 Viv Vision, Teen Synthezoid (MSH) 256
2 Kingpin's Enforcers (MSH) 102
1 Fisk Tower (MSH) 265
1 Wakandan Drone Flock (MSH) 40
1 Ninja of the Hand (MSH) 108
1 Project Deathlok Soldier (MSH) 109
7 Swamp (SLD) 1470
9 Plains (SLD) 1468
1 Roxxon Brutes (MSH) 113

Sideboard
1 Falcon's Wing Harness (MSH) 53
1 Pet Avengers (MSH) 178
1 Aerial Doombot (MSH) 43
1 Avengers Hangar (MSH) 259
1 Surveillance Room (MSH) 274
1 HYDRA Infiltration (MSH) 100
2 Vision of Love (MSH) 158
1 Death to Our Enemies (MSH) 127
1 Birnin Zana Plaza (MSH) 262
1 Panther Pounce (MSH) 29
1 Crossbones, Malicious Mercenary (MSH) 91
1 Agents of HYDRA (MSH) 85
1 Arnim Zola, Bio-Fanatic (MSH) 86
1 Robot Domination (MSH) 111
1 Super Suit (MSH) 78

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Review: The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson This is an excellent conclusion to Mistborn Era 2! It pulls in more from the wider Cosmere than the other Mistborn books, laying interesting ground work for Era 3. Most importantly each of the Era 2 characters get an emotionally satisfying ending. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Lost Metal by Brandon Sanderson. Two men in suits stand in combat-ready poses. One carries a silvery meta gun while the other wears a hat and carries a dueling cane. The background shows a large building with two domes a little obscured by a reddening sky.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

@lynnesargent.bsky.social and I are back from summer vacation which included two stops partially inspired by @3blue1brown.com videos. The Escher museum where we saw in person the Print Gallery featured in Grant's excellent video. The museum had other fun things too, thanks for the recommendation!

A photo of Prnt Gallery by M. C. Escher. It shows a man standing in a print gallery looking at a painting of a ship in the bay of a town which itself contains the gallery the man is standing in. The lines are warped to make this effect.

Myself and Lynne playing with the forced perspective setup at the Escher museum. Lynne is on the left appearing to be a giant where their head can nearly touch the ceiling of the room we are standing in, while I appear to be tiny; barely coming up to Lynne's shoulder. In real life I am taller than Lynne.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

This month I celebrated my twelve thousand three hundred forty fifth day on Earth, a.k.a. my 12345 day. Humans love celebrating once in a lifetime events that are multiples of 5 or 10 (50th birthday, 25th wedding anniversary, etc.). 12345 day seems like a good one to add to the list!

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

Review The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson I do love an Indiana Jones style adventure story. This one hit all the beats while still staying true to the characters we've grown to love over the series. This might be my favourite installment in Mistborn Era Two yet! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson. A man and a woman wear heavy coats in a wintry landscape. A large building looms over them in the background.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Sending off Secrets of Strixhaven with one last pick-two draft trophy. This was a fun format! Being Lorehold for my last draft is fitting since I did quite enjoy playing that archetype. Of course the pinnacle for me was the draft where I won every game with Mathemagics.

Deck
1 Antiquities on the Loose (SOS) 7
1 Rubble Rouser (SOS) 128
1 Zealous Lorecaster (SOS) 137
2 Heated Argument (SOS) 118
2 Living History (SOS) 121
1 Abrade (SOA) 37
1 Spirit Mascot (SOS) 230
2 Charging Strifeknight (SOS) 110
1 Pursue the Past (SOS) 216
1 Ajani's Response (SOS) 6
1 Shattered Acolyte (SOS) 31
1 Garrison Excavator (SOS) 116
1 Unsubtle Mockery (SOS) 136
1 Seize the Spoils (SOS) 129
1 Erode (SOS) 15
2 Practiced Scrollsmith (SOS) 210
1 Ancestral Anger (SOS) 106
1 Burst Lightning (SOA) 41
1 Wilt in the Heat (SOS) 243
8 Plains (SLD) 1468
9 Mountain (SLD) 1471

Sideboard
1 Scolding Administrator (SOS) 224
1 Last Gasp (SOS) 86
2 Forum Necroscribe (SOS) 84
1 Embrace the Paradox (SOS) 186
1 Rearing Embermare (SOS) 127
1 Deluge Virtuoso (SOS) 42
1 Tester of the Tangential (SOS) 69
1 Nita, Forum Conciliator (SOS) 206
2 Ennis, Debate Moderator (SOS) 14
1 Imperious Inkmage (SOS) 195
1 Duel Tactics (SOS) 112
1 Efflorescence (SOS) 144
1 Professor Dellian Fel (SOS) 214
1 Archaic's Agony (SOS) 107
1 Elemental Mascot (SOS) 185
1 Strife Scholar (SOS) 131
1 Fractalize (SOS) 51

4-0 record in a Pick-Two Draft Secrets of Strixhaven event on Magic: the Gathering Arena. The player is ranked platinum 3.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Review: Higher Magic by @courtney-floyd.com This is a fresh take on the dark academia genera focusing on a more realistic story of graduate studies (but still with magic obviously). It's quite a good read! I especially enjoyed the little world-building details included throughout. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Higher Magic by Courtney Floyd. A stained glass window is framed with flowers and has both a skull and a rolled parchment on the sill. The moon is in the background.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

60 cards. 5 colours. 7 wins. In limited! Oh yes, this cascade emblem format is a fun time. Legitimately I think this a good strategy in the format. It's ok if your mana base is a little bad because you are only paying the mana cost of about half the spells you cast (you just cascade into the rest).

7-2 record in a Secrets of Strixhaven Quick Draft with Cascade Emblem on Magic: the Gathering Arena.

Deck
1 Additive Evolution (SOS) 139
2 Stress Dream (SOS) 235
1 Deduce (SOA) 16
1 Sanar, Unfinished Genius (SOS) 223
2 Quick Study (SOS) 65
2 Terramorphic Expanse (SOS) 265
1 Pensive Professor (SOS) 63
1 Potioner's Trove (SOS) 251
1 Matterbending Mage (SOS) 59
1 Muse Seeker (SOS) 60
1 Expressive Firedancer (SOS) 114
1 Grapple with Death (SOS) 192
1 Mind Roots (SOS) 203
1 Tackle Artist (SOS) 133
1 Sleight of Hand (SOA) 22
1 Hydro-Channeler (SOS) 54
1 Cuboid Colony (SOS) 183
1 Muse's Encouragement (SOS) 61
1 Send in the Pest (SOS) 100
1 Mindful Biomancer (SOS) 154
1 Embrace the Paradox (SOS) 186
1 Colorstorm Stallion (SOS) 180
1 Proctor's Gaze (SOS) 213
1 Titan's Grave (SOS) 266
1 Brush Off (SOS) 39
1 Prismari Charm (SOS) 211
1 Studious First-Year (SOS) 162
1 Elemental Mascot (SOS) 185
1 Banishing Betrayal (SOS) 38
1 Abstract Paintmage (SOS) 171
1 Tenured Concocter (SOS) 163
1 Deluge Virtuoso (SOS) 42
1 Mage Tower Referee (SOS) 249
2 Plains (SLD) 1468
6 Island (SLD) 1469
3 Swamp (SLD) 1470
5 Mountain (SLD) 1471
1 Render Speechless (SOS) 220
4 Forest (UNF) 244
1 Shopkeeper's Bane (SOS) 159
1 Ancestral Anger (SOS) 106
1 Sneering Shadewriter (SOS) 101

Sideboard
1 Requisition Raid (SOA) 10

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Reposted by Michael Birch

Lynne Sargent @lynnesargent.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

It's new story day! Find "The Once Green Forest of My Lungs," out now with @rottingleafmag.bsky.social. www.briefecology.com/the-rotting-...

briefecology.com

The Once-Green Forest of My Lungs — Brief Ecology

by Lynne Sargent

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

7 wins with a nice Prismari deck in Strixhaven Quick Draft! I won't be competing in the Arena Limited Championship Qualifier, but I can still get some wins in a cozy low stakes draft.

Deck
2 Burst Lightning (SOA) 41
1 Zaffai and the Tempests (SOS) 246
1 Spectacle Summit (SOS) 262
2 Stress Dream (SOS) 235
2 Landscape Painter (SOS) 56
2 Spectacular Skywhale (SOS) 229
2 Procrastinate (SOS) 64
1 Essence Scatter (SOS) 47
1 Disdainful Stroke (SOA) 17
1 Visionary's Dance (SOS) 242
1 Terramorphic Expanse (SOS) 265
1 Flow State (SOS) 49
1 Wisdom of Ages (SOS) 71
1 Unsubtle Mockery (SOS) 136
1 Hydro-Channeler (SOS) 54
1 Textbook Tabulator (SOS) 70
1 Spell Pierce (SOA) 23
1 Mana Sculpt (SOS) 57
1 Banishing Betrayal (SOS) 38
1 Run Behind (SOS) 66
7 Mountain (SLD) 1471
8 Island (SLD) 1469

Sideboard
1 Procrastinate (SOS) 64
2 Textbook Tabulator (SOS) 70
1 Spell Pierce (SOA) 23
2 Rapturous Moment (SOS) 219
1 Deduce (SOA) 16
1 Expressive Firedancer (SOS) 114
1 Rubble Rouser (SOS) 128
1 Sleight of Hand (SOA) 22
1 Stadium Tidalmage (SOS) 232
1 Embrace the Paradox (SOS) 186
1 Aberrant Manawurm (SOS) 138
1 Bulk Up (SOA) 40
1 Glorious Decay (SOS) 150

7-1 record in a Secrets of Strixhaven Quick Draft event on Magic: the Gathering Arena.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 05/06/2026

Review: The Way of Kings Brandon Sanderson I liked this well enough and I am interested in what will happen to these characters, so I will continue with this series. I do think it is a little too long; it doesn't have the quick pacing of other Sanderson books, like second era Mistborn. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Way of Kings Brandon Sanderson. A soldier holding a large sword and a yellow banner points towards another person on a ridge farther away. There are storm clouds in the sky.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

A clean 7-0 in a Strixhaven draft on #MTGArena I won every single game with Mathemagics forcing my opponent to draw from an empty library. I guess I should have done that Draft Contender event after all!

Deck
2 Ambitious Augmenter (SOS) 140
1 Harmonized Trio (SOS) 52
1 Mind Roots (SOS) 203
2 Grapple with Death (SOS) 192
1 Studious First-Year (SOS) 162
1 Snarl Song (SOS) 161
1 Muse Seeker (SOS) 60
1 Paradox Surveyor (SOS) 208
2 Landscape Painter (SOS) 56
1 Run Behind (SOS) 66
1 Additive Evolution (SOS) 139
2 Environmental Scientist (SOS) 147
2 Titan's Grave (SOS) 266
1 Mathemagics (SOS) 58
1 Muse's Encouragement (SOS) 61
1 Spectacle Summit (SOS) 262
1 Terramorphic Expanse (SOS) 265
1 Paradox Gardens (SOS) 258
1 Mind into Matter (SOS) 202
1 Deduce (SOA) 16
1 Lluwen, Exchange Student (SOS) 199
1 Potioner's Trove (SOS) 251
1 Matterbending Mage (SOS) 59
6 Forest (UNF) 244
1 Swamp (SLD) 1470
5 Island (SLD) 1469

Sideboard
1 Royal Treatment (SOA) 56
1 Follow the Lumarets (SOS) 148
1 Page, Loose Leaf (SOS) 250
1 Shared Roots (SOA) 58
1 Zimone's Experiment (SOS) 169
1 Shopkeeper's Bane (SOS) 159
1 Disdainful Stroke (SOA) 17
2 Quick Study (SOS) 65
1 Chase Inspiration (SOS) 41
1 Fractalize (SOS) 51
1 Biblioplex Tomekeeper (SOS) 247

7 wins, 0 losses in a Platinum 3 ranked Premier Draft Secrets of Strixhaven event on Magic: the Gathering Arena.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Review: Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson I like that this book has more connections to the original Mistborn series than The Alloy of Law. I also enjoyed that we got a little more of Wayne in this one; he is hilarious. Otherwise, it still had everything I liked from the first book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson. A man and woman are shown wearing black formal clothing. The man is pulling a gun from his coat. The background has a building with high arches.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

I trophied a Secrets of Strixhaven pick-two draft on #MTGArena with a streamlined Silverquill deck! I got lucky to consistently draw Stirring Hopesinger, which is one of the best Repartee payoffs. The incidental damage from Melancholic Poet also mattered.

Deck
2 Killian's Confidence (SOS) 197
1 Stirring Hopesinger (SOS) 35
1 Inkling Mascot (SOS) 196
1 Stirring Honormancer (SOS) 234
2 Melancholic Poet (SOS) 90
1 Scolding Administrator (SOS) 224
2 Scathing Shadelock (SOS) 98
1 Postmortem Professor (SOS) 93
1 Rehearsed Debater (SOS) 29
1 Spiritcall Enthusiast (SOS) 33
1 Eternal Student (SOS) 82
1 Foolish Fate (SOS) 83
1 Last Gasp (SOS) 86
1 Shattered Acolyte (SOS) 31
1 Stargaze (SOA) 34
1 Adventurous Eater (SOS) 72
1 Bitter Triumph (SOA) 26
1 Elite Interceptor (SOS) 12
1 Dig Site Inventory (SOS) 10
1 Forum of Amity (SOS) 256
1 Send in the Pest (SOS) 100
8 Swamp (SLD) 1470
8 Plains (SLD) 1468

Sideboard
1 Paradox Gardens (SOS) 258
2 Lluwen, Exchange Student (SOS) 199
1 Follow the Lumarets (SOS) 148
1 Proctor's Gaze (SOS) 213
1 Eternal Student (SOS) 82
2 Titan's Grave (SOS) 266
1 Interjection (SOS) 22
1 Codie, Vociferous Codex (SPG) 0
1 Rapier Wit (SOS) 28
1 Burrog Barrage (SOS) 141
1 Potioner's Trove (SOS) 251
1 Efflorescence (SOS) 144
1 Mind into Matter (SOS) 202
1 Teacher's Pest (SOS) 238
1 Mindful Biomancer (SOS) 154
1 Snarl Song (SOS) 161

4 wins (the maximum number) and 1 loss in a Pick-Two Draft Secrets of Strixhaven event. The player is ranked at Platinum 4.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Review: The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry This is a good version of a dark academia story. I'll always be a fan of this kind of story because, even though I am something of a failed academic, I still think real universities, learning and research are magical ✨ ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by H. G. Parry. Four fountain pens form the boarder of the image. Under the title, two golden overlapping circles spark with magical energy.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Review: The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow I don't know how to write a spoiler-free review of this book that includes any detail. There are a number of twists throughout that feel both surprising and satisfying the way they were set up earlier in the story. I enjoyed reading it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow. A person's eye is reflected in a sword. There are flowers in the background. The text across the top reads "A Legend. A Lie. A Love Story."

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

7 wins with a Prismari deck on #MTGArena ! Magmablood Archaic is a great card even in a strictly two colour deck. The two incidental damage from Heated Argument was also relevant in a few games. Secrets of Strixhaven has been a fun format so far!

Deck
1 Molten-Core Maestro (SOS) 125
1 Sanar, Unfinished Genius (SOS) 223
1 Tome Blast (SOS) 135
2 Heated Argument (SOS) 118
2 Landscape Painter (SOS) 56
1 Campus Composer (SOS) 40
1 Essence Scatter (SOS) 47
1 Procrastinate (SOS) 64
3 Hydro-Channeler (SOS) 54
1 Muse Seeker (SOS) 60
2 Elemental Mascot (SOS) 185
1 Unsubtle Mockery (SOS) 136
1 Magmablood Archaic (SOS) 123
1 Abstract Paintmage (SOS) 171
3 Terramorphic Expanse (SOS) 265
1 Stock Up (SOA) 24
1 Abrade (SOA) 37
1 Visionary's Dance (SOS) 242
1 Tackle Artist (SOS) 133
7 Mountain (SLD) 1471
7 Island (SLD) 1469

Sideboard
1 Procrastinate (SOS) 64
1 Additive Evolution (SOS) 139
1 Wilt in the Heat (SOS) 243
1 Quick Study (SOS) 65
1 Deluge Virtuoso (SOS) 42
2 Chase Inspiration (SOS) 41
1 Flow State (SOS) 49
1 Banishing Betrayal (SOS) 38
1 Spellbook Seeker (SOS) 68
1 Rapturous Moment (SOS) 219
1 Blazing Firesinger (SOS) 109
1 Transcendent Archaic (SOS) 5
1 Spell Pierce (SOA) 23
1 Oracle's Restoration (SOS) 156

7-2 record in a Premier Draft Secrets of Strixhaven at rank Gold 2 on Magic the Gathering Arena.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 27/04/2026

Review: To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose I liked the first book in this series, but I might have liked this one even more. Not much goes on (until the very end) but Anequs's relationships with the other characters and her philosophy are engaging enough for me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of To Ride a Rising Storm by Moniquill Blackgoose. Two dragons circle each other in front of a backdrop of pine trees.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Review: The Problem with Plastic by Adam Mahoney, Judith Enck and Beyond Plastics I agree with the core of the book: reduce plastic production + consumption, protect communities harmed by plastics processing, regulation preferred to individual action. But I have some gripes in the presentation ⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Problem with Plastic by Adam Mahoney, Judith Enck and Beyond Plastics. The top quarter of the image shows the tip of an iceberg, but below the surface of the water if a plastic large bag floating ominously.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

I went 3-0 for the first time at a MTG prerelease event! Lorehold aggro seems like it will be a good archetype in Secrets of Strixhaven limited.

Lorehold (red+white) aggressive prerelease deck. Mostly 1, 2 and 3 mana cards with a few curve toppers to finish the game. A good mix of creatures, removal and pump spells.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

I built another small game! This is a remake of a puzzle game I have enjoyed playing in the past. I also included an algorithm for finding the optimal number of moves. Trying to find the optimal sequence as a human is an additional challenge to the game. birchmd.github.io/water-sort/

Screenshot from my water sort puzzle game. There are 6 containers, each of which is 5 segments high. The 4 containers on the left have their segments filled with colours. There are 4 distinct colours and they are all shuffled up in the segments. The goal of the game is to use the empty containers to sort the colours back into individual containers. The solved state of the puzzle will still have 2 empty containers and 4 full ones, but each of the full containers will only have a single colour.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

Review: Once Upon a Prime by Sarah Hart The new-to-me content was sparse; I was already familiar with all the mathematical ideas and many of the historical anecdotes. The literary examples where these things appear are interesting though. It's not the book's fault that I love math so much! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Once Upon a Prime by Sarah Hart. Three planes intersect in the middle of the cover: one shows text (presumably from a famous work of literature), another shows mathematical imagery such as geometric diagrams and graphs of functions, and the last shows the tail of a whale. The text "The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature" is also included.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Review: Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell I didn't enjoy the first 2/3s because it looked like a typical liar revealed trope. I never like that one and I was dreading how it would resolve. But, without giving anything away, the last third of this book included my favourite parts. ⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Someone You Can Build a Nest In by John Wiswell. A shadowy figure with a scary smile, wild hair, tentacles and glowing eyes looms over a woman. Chains, books and spiders adorn the background.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

I made an incremental/idle game! It's in the style of classics like Kittens Game and Universal Paperclips. The central element is a plot that visualizes how quantities in the game are changing (with respect to time and each other). You can check it out here: birchmd.github.io/de-idle/

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 06/04/2026

Review: The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake I liked the opening of this book; recruiting powerful magical individuals to compete for spots in a secret society is very fun. I feel like the book drags in the middle though relative to this opening. It is more character-focused than I would prefer. ⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake. It shows image reminiscent of a diagram of the solar system with the sun at the center being the iris of an eye and pierced by a sword. The phrase "Knowledge is Carnage" are written at the top.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 29/03/2026

Review: The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson It's been a long time since I read the original Mistborn trilogy and I remember quite enjoying those books. I think I liked this even more though - in a guilty pleasure sort of way. I'm a sucker for high action, witty remarks and powerful magic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson. The image shows two men: one with a bowler hat and shotgun slung over his shoulder, the other in a suit with a long overcoat and goggles around his neck.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

Review: A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara I didn't like this one as much as the first book. The parrot was funny and the additional world-building was interesting. But overall I didn't find the mystery as engaging and it didn't have as many touching emotional scenes. ⭐⭐⭐

Cover for A Grim Reaper's Guide to Cheating Death by Maxie Dara. A grey parrot is perched on a grim reaper's scythe and someone in a hooded black cloak holds a magnifying glass which contains the text "A S.C.Y.T.H.E Mystery".

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

@3blue1brown.com always produces incredible math explainers, but this one is particularly excellent. I love the overlap between math and art in it.

000

Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Review: Play Nice by Jason Schreier I'm not much of a gamer (I haven't played any of Blizzard's games), but I am a programmer that has worked at startups so I could sympathize with some of the grind culture. This is an engaging non-fiction book that I quite enjoyed! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

000

Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

In set-theoretic foundations, the statement “every fully faithful and essentially surjective functor is an equivalence of categories” is equivalent to the axiom of choice. But with the univalence axiom, it is just _true_ -The HoTT Book

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

Review: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer The book as a whole is a little repetitive, but in fairness the message of gratitude towards the life-sustaining earth and humanity being a productive part of ecosystems rather than apart from (or worse destroyers of) them deserves repeating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The subtitle text reads "Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teaching of plants." Braids of sweetgrass appear above and below the title.

050

Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Review: Saint Death's Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney I enjoyed the world building in this most of all. I love stories that include footnotes! Some of my favourite aspects include necromancers being allergic to violence, the pantheon of gods and how they manifest in different kinds of magic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Saint Death's Daughter by C. S. E. Cooney. The title is woven into a woman's hair along with several items, including flowers, bones and small animals.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

My Lean code just got real horny for some reason ```lean do let d ← d let t ← t let f ← f pure ⟨d, t, f⟩ ``` I promise this is a real snippet that makes perfect sense in context.

130

Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Master of none no longer, I have now completed all the color mastery achievements!

The Magic: the Gathering Arena Achievements page on the Color Masteries tab showing 10/10 completed in all five colors.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

Review: The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen This non-fiction book about the 5 mass extinctions in earth's history is well written with many colourful descriptions of the extreme conditions involved. The parallels to human caused climate change are relevant even 9 years after being published. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of The Ends of the World by Peter Brannen. The history of life on earth is visually represented from modern times all the way back to the deep past with layers of fossils of different kinds.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

I'm starting to learn Lean because (a) math is fun, (b) programming is fun and (c) knowing your program is correct because math is amazing. I am very impressed with the quality of the Lean docs and tutorials. I have finished the natural numbers game and it was great! adam.math.hhu.de#/g/leanprove...

adam.math.hhu.de

Lean Game Server

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

7 wins on #MTGArena in a #MTGLorwyn Premier Draft with a sweet elves deck! Having good rares helped of course, but Moon-Vigil Adherents was still the main win condition.

Deck
1 Abigale, Eloquent First-Year (ECL) 204
3 Moon-Vigil Adherents (ECL) 184
1 Vinebred Brawler (ECL) 201
1 Overgrown Tomb (ECL) 266
2 Prideful Feastling (ECL) 238
1 Gangly Stompling (ECL) 226
1 Wildvine Pummeler (ECL) 203
1 Champions of the Perfect (ECL) 171
1 Dawnhand Dissident (ECL) 98
1 Blossoming Defense (ECL) 167
1 Evolving Wilds (ECL) 264
1 Requiting Hex (ECL) 116
1 Pummeler for Hire (ECL) 190
1 Selfless Safewright (ECL) 193
1 Lys Alana Dignitary (ECL) 180
1 Morcant's Loyalist (ECL) 236
1 Bogslither's Embrace (ECL) 94
2 Lys Alana Informant (ECL) 181
1 Eclipsed Elf (ECL) 218
1 Iron-Shield Elf (ECL) 108
1 Assert Perfection (ECL) 164
7 Swamp (SLD) 1470
8 Forest (UNF) 244

Sideboard
1 Wildvine Pummeler (ECL) 203
1 Wanderbrine Preacher (ECL) 41
1 Eclipsed Boggart (ECL) 217
1 Bile-Vial Boggart (ECL) 87
2 Moonglove Extractor (ECL) 109
1 Mischievous Sneakling (ECL) 235
1 Safewright Cavalry (ECL) 191
1 Stoic Grove-Guide (ECL) 243
2 Reckless Ransacking (ECL) 152
2 Barbed Bloodletter (ECL) 86
1 Surly Farrier (ECL) 196

7-2 record in Premier Draft Lorwyn Eclipsed at rank Gold 1.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Review: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine I always hate the third act breakup trope, but otherwise this was a nice, whimsical story with a surprising amount of philosophical depth. I also like that the relationship between Ella and the prince is fleshed out before the Cinderella retelling. ⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. A young girl is pictured with the skyline of two kingdoms in the background.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

Review: Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst Wow this book was good! The author follows some tropes while subverting others and all the choices aligned perfectly with my preferences. I'll keep this spoiler-free and just say the ending is epic. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cover of Race the Sands by Sarah Beth Durst. The image shows a metal lion running across a landscape of sand dunes.

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Michael Birch @birchmd.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Izzet Elementals in the top 8 at the pro tour with the full play set of Roaming Throne, you love to see it! I'm definitely rooting for Eduardo Sajgalik now. And he's Canadian too which is extra awesome!

Roaming Throne {4}
Artifact Creature — Golem

Ward {2}

As this creature enters, choose a creature type.

This creature is the chosen type in addition to its other types.

If a triggered ability of another creature you control of the chosen type triggers, it triggers an additional time.

4/4

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