iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Maximizing information while minimizing clutter is key to a great figure. In this post, I cover my approach for various figures throughout the years. Read more: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/my-favorit... #rstats #dataviz #science #publishing

mattkmiecik.substack.com

My favorite figures (to date)

In my previous post, I discussed my pipeline for making publication-ready figures.

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 14/06/2025

ggplot2 is powerful, but not always pretty. 😬 That’s why I use Omnigraffle for final figure touches—cleaner legends, custom labels, and full control over design. Full workflow here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/using-omni... #rstats #dataviz #omnigraffle #ggplot2

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Using Omnigraffle for publication ready figures

In graduate school, I took an advanced statistics course that changed my life.

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

Just dropped a new #rstats Substack post! It’s about a better way to scale variables in R that won’t break predict() (and keeps your model inputs traceable). mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/scaling-va... #Tidyverse #DataAnalysis

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Scaling variables in R

A walkthrough of a tip I recently learned

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Z-scoring in R? There’s a neat way to retain the original mean and SD after using scale(). This makes back-transforming for plots super easy. Full example: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/scaling-va... #rstats #Reproducibility #CodingTips

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Scaling variables in R

A walkthrough of a tip I recently learned

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 08/06/2025

Scientific writing has trapped me in Word & Google Docs. For personal writing, I needed something better. Ulysses is that something. Clean, simple, and dare I say... fun? Here’s why I love it: ✍️ mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/i-started-... #WritingCommunity #TechTools #MacApps #ProductivityHacks

mattkmiecik.substack.com

I started this Substack just so that I could use Ulysses

Alright, that might be an exaggeration.

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Vincent Arel-Bundock @vincentab.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

🚨 Big milestone for Rdatasets 🚨 The web archive now hosts 3400+ free and documented CSV datasets. Fantastic for teaching and testing! And {Rdatasets} is a new #RStats 📦 for easy download and search Web archive: vincentarelbundock.github.io/Rdatasets R 📦: vincentarelbundock.github.io/Rdatasetspkg

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

I used to wrap scale() in as.numeric() and call it a day. Now I know better: drop() preserves attributes and behaves cleanly. Full walkthrough (with mtcars, lm, ggplot2): mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/scaling-va... #rstats #DataViz #OpenScience

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Scaling variables in R

A walkthrough of a tip I recently learned

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Mattan S. Ben-Shachar @mattansb.msbstats.info · 04/06/2025

Personally I prefer using datawizard::standardize(), and specifically using it *in the formula*. So mtcars$hp_z <- scale(mtcars$hp) mpg ~ hp_z Becomes mpg ~ standardize(hp) This solves both issues you raise in your post. #rstats @easystats.bsky.social

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 04/06/2025

Scaling variables in R? scale() is powerful — but its default behavior can mess with predict(). Here’s a clean fix using drop() + how to retain scaling attributes for later. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/scaling-va... #rstats #DataScience #Statistics

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Scaling variables in R

A walkthrough of a tip I recently learned

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

This has to be the best #rstats hex sticker I've ever seen

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

One of my favorite tricks I’ve learned from ChatGPT: better facet labels in ggplot2. Check out the latest post: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/labeling-f... #rstats #ggplot2 #dataviz

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Labeling facets in ggplot2

Who knew such a small setting could make such a big improvement

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 23/05/2025

Adding labeller = label_both to your facet calls in ggplot2 can massively improve figure readability! I wrote a quick blogpost with a use case and some examples. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/labeling-f... #rstats #ggplot2 #VisualizationTips #dataviz

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Labeling facets in ggplot2

Who knew such a small setting could make such a big improvement

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Norm Matloff (你有冇諗清楚呀?) @matloff.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Most applications in R run pretty quickly. But these days, many R users are faced with huge datasets and/or long-running applications, making parallel computation attractive. 🧵 1/

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 21/05/2025

Struggling with confusing facet labels in ggplot2? I just shared a quick fix that makes your plots clearer using labeller = label_both. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/labeling-f... #rstats #dataviz #ggplot2 #DataScience

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Labeling facets in ggplot2

Who knew such a small setting could make such a big improvement

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 17/05/2025

R is full of surprises—even after a decade, I’m still learning simple but powerful tricks. Named vectors are my latest discovery, thanks to ChatGPT! mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/named-vectors-in-r #RStats #Learning #ChatGPT #Dataviz

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Named vectors in R

A powerful tool for plotting colors

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

I'm looking for literature recommendations on guidance for specifying distributional assumptions in generalized linear/additive models. I've mainly stuck with gaussian and binomial distributions, but am looking to explore other distributions to enhance specification. Thank you! #rstats

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

There’s still time to support my fundraiser for Parkinson’s research! Learn more in my new post on the environmental factors behind PD. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #DonateScience #Parkinsons #Research

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Environment and Lifestyle

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Brain Support Network @brainsupportnet.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

One Month Away - REGISTER TODAY: PSP-MSA-CBD Caregiving Symposium, Saturday, June 14, 2025 Plan to join us – either in-person on the Stanford campus or virtually – for a symposium for the PSP, MSA, or CBD communities. Everyone is welcome. www.brainsupportnetwork.org/2025-0614-ps...

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

How does the environment impact Parkinson’s disease penetrance—even in people with genetic mutations? We studied over 80k people to find out. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #ScienceCommunication #Epidemiology #LRRK2

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Environment and Lifestyle

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

I shared why I stopped bullet journaling and switched to a digital system. Now, I want to hear from you! What’s your favorite productivity hack? Let’s discuss! mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/why-i-aban... #ProductivityTips #StayOrganized #Productivity #Lifehack #BuJo

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Why I abandoned bullet journaling

Don't underestimate the power of a good to-do list

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

New post! Toxins, like pesticides, and traumatic brain injuries play a bigger role in Parkinson’s disease than many realize. Read more about our findings here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Neurodegeneration #PublicHealth #ParkinsonsAwareness #Parkinsons

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Environment and Lifestyle

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Genetics is just one piece of the puzzle. My latest post breaks down how lifestyle and environmental exposures influence Parkinson’s risk. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #Neuroscience #BrainHealth

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Environment and Lifestyle

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

My #tidyverse brain thought this was an #rstats post at first 😆

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

purr.in.ink @purrinink.bsky.social · 04/05/2025

A little purr for you from the galaxy far, far away. (Sound on) 🐈‍⬛🤍 #cat #purr #maythe4thbewithyou

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

I got yelled at by an elderly gentleman, schooled by a kid, and caught in a chess club argument I barely understood. Chess is wild! ♟️ You can read Part II of my chess journey here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/my-first-f... #Chess #ChessAdventures

open.substack.com

My first foray into chess - part II

A humbling experience to say the least

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

"This is not Caladan. This is Arrakis. There are rules." -Muad'Dib

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Michael Friendly @datavisfriendly.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

And, that wiggliness can be measured as effective degrees of freedom makes it more comprehensible

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

tj mahr 🤘 @tjmahr.com · 02/05/2025

and don’t even try to pull that “roughness” funny business. it’s wiggliness!

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tiddlydump.bsky.social @tiddlydump.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

I allow my "of a certain age on the Internet in the early 2000s" self to post this once a year when GAMs are discussed. I only made it to May!

A particularly bizarre scene from Don Hertzfeldt's 'Rejected' (2000).

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Stephen Wild @stephenjwild.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

"Wiggly" and "wiggliness" are the technical terms

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

One of my favorite parts of the generalized additive model literature is the fact that "wiggly" and "wiggliness" are legitimate terms to use when describing the nature of the smooths #rstats

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

🧠 Genetics isn’t just about one mutation—it’s about the whole genome. In my latest post, I unpack polygenic risk for Parkinson’s and how background DNA influences disease odds—even among those with known mutations like LRRK2. 📚 Part of my fundraiser series: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons...

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 29/04/2025

I’m walking to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation—and sharing science along the way. This post breaks down polygenic risk, and how your DNA might tilt the odds for developing PD. 💙 Read & support here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #ParkinsonsAwareness #Fundraiser #Genetics

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Polygenic Risk

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

Magnus, Hikaru, and the en passant rabbit hole. My journey into chess started with social media and led to blitz panic at a local club. mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/my-first-f... #ChessLife #BlitzChess #BeginnerJourney

mattkmiecik.substack.com

My first foray into chess - part I

A humbling experience to say the least

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

A single mutation can increase Parkinson’s risk. But background genetics—aka polygenic risk—can raise (or lower) it even more. In my latest post, I break down how this works and why it matters for trials. 🧬 mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #GWAS #PRS

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Polygenic Risk

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

Part 3 of my “Parkinson’s Disease 101” series is live! 🧬 This one dives into polygenic risk—how thousands of small DNA changes influence PD risk. Also: I’m walking for the Parkinson’s Foundation—help support the cause 💙 🔗 mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #Genetics #MovingDay

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Polygenic Risk

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

I used to pack everything into a mega R script. Now I build modular scripts and custom functions. Here’s my journey: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/creating-o... #rstats #CodingLife #ReproducibleResearch

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Creating objects in R

What variable assignment says about my growth in programming

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

Every share, every donation makes a difference. I’m walking for those living with Parkinson’s—and sharing what I’ve learned in a new series. This week’s post is on genetics and PD risk. Read it + support the cause: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #MovingDay #Genetics

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Genetics

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

🧠 A single DNA change in the LRRK2 gene can increase Parkinson’s risk. In my latest post, I break down how that happens—and why it matters for early symptoms, diagnosis, and trials: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... Read to help me raise funds for the Parkinson’s Foundation 💙 #Parkinsons

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Genetics

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

Built a custom keyboard from scratch. Loved the creamy pop sound. Hated the wrist pain. Went back to my Mac keyboard. Full story here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/building-k... #MechanicalKeyboards #MacLife #TypingNerd

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Building keyboards

If you are reading this post, chances are that you do a lot of typing.

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Part 2 of my Parkinson’s series is up! 🧬 We're talking genetics, LRRK2, and why some people develop PD differently. Also: I'm walking in Moving Day to raise funds for research & care. Read + donate 👉 mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons... #Parkinsons #Neurogenetics #Fundraiser #MovingDay

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101: Genetics

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Starting a bullet journal felt impossible as a perfectionist. The blank pages were too perfect to ruin. But I found 4 things that helped me finally begin. If you’re struggling to start, this might help: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/bullet-jou... #BulletJournal #BuJo #Productivity #Journal

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Bullet journaling for perfectionists

4 things that helped me get started

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

Every donation brings us closer to better treatments for Parkinson’s. I’m raising funds through Moving Day—join me in supporting those living with PD! Read more & donate here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons-disease-101 #MakeADifference #ParkinsonsFoundation

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Matt Kmiecik @mattkmiecik.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Every donation brings us closer to better treatments for Parkinson’s disease. I’m raising funds through Moving Day—join me in supporting those living with PD! Read more & donate here: mattkmiecik.substack.com/p/parkinsons-disease-101 #MakeADifference #ParkinsonsFoundation #Parkinsons

mattkmiecik.substack.com

Parkinson's Disease 101

Learn and donate to a great cause!

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Michael Friendly @datavisfriendly.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

#TodayinHistory #dataviz #Onthisday #OTD 📊 🎂 Mar 30, 1840 Charles Booth born in Liverpool, England 🇬🇧 1889: Booth constructed street maps of London, showing poverty and wealth by color coding, transforming existing methods of social survey and poverty mapping Interactive map: booth.lse.ac.uk/map

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Joris Vankerschaver @jvkersch.bsky.social · 31/03/2025

This reminds me of my own journey to Python way back when (about 20 years ago). I was in a B&B without internet access and couldn't access the Matlab license server, and just decided to ditch it altogether.

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Guy Leonard @guyleonard.eurosky.social · 31/03/2025

Similar! I am still a Perl programmer at heart, but love R+tidyverse too, and mostly just use R and bash now.

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

hrbrmstr 🇺🇦 🇬🇱 🇨🇦 🏳️‍🌈 @hrbrmstr.dev · 31/03/2025

This is something you should read today.

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Reposted by Matt Kmiecik

Jess Graves @jessgraves.bsky.social · 30/03/2025

A nice reminder that named vectors are so simple! And I often forget to use them.

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