Bjorn Munson

So, We’re Going to Take This to Eleven It's time once again for a self-referential post as 11 years ago today, I relaunched my personal website. Neither I nor Nigel Tufnel thought we'd get here, but Nigel at least had a plan. (Incidentally, in searching for the appropriate graphic, I learned that Spinal Tap was not the first to go to 11, which I feel should be better known).

So, We’re Going to Take This to Eleven

It's time once again for a self-referential post as 11 years ago today, I relaunched my personal website. Neither I nor Nigel Tufnel thought we'd get here, but Nigel at least had a plan. (Incidentally, in searching for the appropriate graphic, I learned that…

Exploration and Science in (Mock) Spaaace! Going through some of my old research on space exploration --because why shouldn't one write science fiction of space explorers knowing some related science fact?-- I came across this article by Denise Chow for Space.com back from 2011. It's all about how people are practicing how to explore space while still here on Earth. And since it's from 2011, I wondered how some of these projects turned out in early 2026, 15 years later.

Exploration and Science in (Mock) Spaaace!

Going through some of my old research on space exploration --because why shouldn't one write science fiction of space explorers knowing some related science fact?-- I came across this article by Denise Chow for Space.com back from 2011. It's all about how…

Apparently I’ve been using mind-altering substances all my life. Hopefully, you have too. A definite plus of last year was reading the number of books I did: far more than I had the previous few years. Not only did it help with my writing, but it also helped provide some solace amid all the happy fun stuff happening in the world. But before I advocate wanton reading, you should be made aware of the research done by…

Apparently I’ve been using mind-altering substances all my life. Hopefully, you have too.

A definite plus of last year was reading the number of books I did: far more than I had the previous few years. Not only did it help with my writing, but it also helped provide some solace amid all the happy…

For folks who want a horribly good #ValentinesDay.

For those that want alternatives. #ValentinesDay

Oh, Puritans... #ValentinesDay

For the beltalowda! #TheExpanse #ValentinesDay

Share these with the scientists in your life. #ValentinesDay

For every time, there is a season...

“Art is the means by which we become what we want to be.” I've been musing about a longer post about AI, because my thoughts about the current large language models (LLMs) and the like have evolved over the past year as we've looked into more and more use cases at the dayjob. However, if you detected skepticism in my previous posts about AI and my many links to articles and videos, that doubt has not dissipated.

“Art is the means by which we become what we want to be.”

I've been musing about a longer post about AI, because my thoughts about the current large language models (LLMs) and the like have evolved over the past year as we've looked into more and more use cases at the dayjob. However, if you…

The groundhog's fears are well founded... #GroundhogDay

An annual classic. #GroundhogDay

2025 Additions to the National Film Registry I'm old enough to remember when they started the National Film Registry and it's always nice to see which 25 films are added each year. It's always a combination of films crossing genres, decades, and current awareness. Some films you know well, some you think "about time," and some --let's be honest, fellow cinemaniacs-- we don't know... which means we have new films to check out!

2025 Additions to the National Film Registry

I'm old enough to remember when they started the National Film Registry and it's always nice to see which 25 films are added each year. It's always a combination of films crossing genres, decades, and current awareness. Some films you know well, some…

One Person After Another Weighs in on the Best Films of 2025 The Golden Globes have come and gone, and the Oscar nominations have been announced (as well as the Actor née SAG Awards). If you suddenly feel the urge to catch up on what are deemed the "best films" from 2025, you're not alone. I am here to help that endeavor. Now, if you're the type of person who's all about group consensus, you might want to go no further than…

One Person After Another Weighs in on the Best Films of 2025

The Golden Globes have come and gone, and the Oscar nominations have been announced (as well as the Actor née SAG Awards). If you suddenly feel the urge to catch up on what are deemed the "best films" from 2025, you're not alone. I am…

Writing Rules to Know and Vigorously Ignore as Needed I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has various goals related to writing for the new year, so this article by author Elizabeth McCracken, an article recommended in turn by Mary Doria Russell, author of one of my all-time favorite books, as the one she would write were she not so firmly in retirement. I've read and heard enough writing advice to appreciate when they (a) have cogent reasons for their system or approach while leaving open the possibility of (b) exceptions or --gasp-- that one approach may not work for everyone.

Writing Rules to Know and Vigorously Ignore as Needed

I'm guessing I'm not the only one who has various goals related to writing for the new year, so this article by author Elizabeth McCracken, an article recommended in turn by Mary Doria Russell, author of one of my all-time favorite books, as…

In some way, this must happen, it is the honorable thing to do. #StarTrek

Salutant te omnes ioculatores! Some days, you discover something and must share it with the world. You know that piece of rousing music you probably most associate with the circus? It often heralds the entrance of the clowns. I'll let Marty the Zebra refresh your memory: Well, as it turns out, this particular piece of music was not written for the big top, but it was written with another circus in mind, a circus that takes it to the maximus, one might say.

Salutant te omnes ioculatores!

Some days, you discover something and must share it with the world. You know that piece of rousing music you probably most associate with the circus? It often heralds the entrance of the clowns. I'll let Marty the Zebra refresh your memory: Well, as it turns out,…

Hmm...

I don't disagree, but ironically, I think this viewing guide has fewer episodes to watch than TNG or VOY 😀 (I do point to a number of bonus episodes).

A Viewing Guide for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Bottoms up! After all the viewing guides to date, we finally arrive at Deep Space Nine (DS9). While I love several other Star Trek series a whole lot (as you probably picked up on), this one remains my favorite for a multitude of reasons, not just for the root beer. No, this spinoff with no Enterprise --and not even set on a starship-- is where the producers kept pushing the envelope for how much serialization they could insert despite most shows of that era, including…

A Viewing Guide for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Bottoms up! After all the viewing guides to date, we finally arrive at Deep Space Nine (DS9). While I love several other Star Trek series a whole lot (as you probably picked up on), this one remains my favorite for a multitude of reasons, not just for…

Believe it or not.

A Very Short Viewing Guide for Star Trek, The Animated Series (TAS) Okay. Perhaps you read the viewing guides for TOS yesterday. Maybe you've been watching Lower Decks, which references the O.G. animated series enough that you feel like you need to see this oft forgotten Trek series for yourself. But do you need to see every episode? No. I mean, you could. Budget a relaxed day and you can watch the whole series that same day.

A Very Short Viewing Guide for Star Trek, The Animated Series (TAS)

Okay. Perhaps you read the viewing guides for TOS yesterday. Maybe you've been watching Lower Decks, which references the O.G. animated series enough that you feel like you need to see this oft forgotten Trek series for yourself.…

Well played. #Shakespeare

Viewing Guides for Star Trek The Original Series (TOS) My post ranking every episode of the original Star Trek series remains one of the most popular on the site which means we're well overdue to have a viewing guide. This year will mark the 60th anniversary of adventures of the starship Enterprise first appearing on television sets. There's aspects of the show, like any show, that are of its time, but it also sets the tone echoed by future Trek series where the exploration of ideas has aged remarkably well.

Viewing Guides for Star Trek The Original Series (TOS)

My post ranking every episode of the original Star Trek series remains one of the most popular on the site which means we're well overdue to have a viewing guide. This year will mark the 60th anniversary of adventures of the starship…

Sighs...

To thine own self...

Robert Waldinger and the Happy Life Reviewing works about motivation and fulfillment around the new year and it was easy to come across videos featuring Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has been going on for 87 years now. As you might imagine, just like with studies that aren't conducted over multiple generations, this study does have some insights to share.

Robert Waldinger and the Happy Life

Reviewing works about motivation and fulfillment around the new year and it was easy to come across videos featuring Robert Waldinger, the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has been going on for 87 years now. As you might imagine, just…

Kickstarting Your 2026 It's the new year and if you haven't already locked in your resolutions and resolution-related plans, have I got a post for you: a 26-minute breakdown of 20 tactics to make for a better 2026 from Daniel Pink. I first read Pink's work with Free Agent Nation and then later Drive, which sent me down the scientifically-structured rabbit hole of "

Kickstarting Your 2026

It's the new year and if you haven't already locked in your resolutions and resolution-related plans, have I got a post for you: a 26-minute breakdown of 20 tactics to make for a better 2026 from Daniel Pink. I first read Pink's work with Free Agent Nation and then later…

Public Domain Day 2026 Since the return of thousands of works entering the public domain again in 2019, I've been posting about it -- and given site traffic and feedback, y'all want me to, so here goes this year's edition (previous entries should all be tagged). Note that I'm specifically talking about the United States, where, as of today, creative works published in 1930 and sound recordings from 1925 are free to use without licenses or fees.

Public Domain Day 2026

Since the return of thousands of works entering the public domain again in 2019, I've been posting about it -- and given site traffic and feedback, y'all want me to, so here goes this year's edition (previous entries should all be tagged). Note that I'm specifically talking…

Contemplating the Tail End It's the end of the year, so it's a good time to be contemplative. And you know those novels or TV shows, usually fantasy, where some character opines that they have "fewer winters ahead than behind?" It's in that contemplative mood that I looked through my stack o' possible blog posts and found an article called "The Tail End" by Tim Urban…

Contemplating the Tail End

It's the end of the year, so it's a good time to be contemplative. And you know those novels or TV shows, usually fantasy, where some character opines that they have "fewer winters ahead than behind?" It's in that contemplative mood that I looked through my stack o'…