Derek Young

Music recommendations requested! I listen to music most of the day when I'm at my desk. My Spotify/Amazon Music playlists have fallen into a bit of a rut. With absolutely no other context, what should I put on the headphones right now?

While going through a box sent up by my parents, I discovered my new hire packet from Disneyland circa 1991. I last worked a shift there in 1996. It’s been a while. What has changed?

Doing this now. Thank you!

"... Duckbill cloud analyst Corey Quinn on X." with a link to Bluesky

I was born on an Air Force base in the 70s. The SR-71 is my earliest airplane memory.

24 Monkeys

Our 7-year-old has begun using 'dude' regularly and prolifically. We have entered a new phase in our relationship.

‘Yo, dude! Really, Dad?'

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

Say hello to our baby meerkats! Moms Keeya and Naledi recently welcomed litters of four each, and they’re adorable. 🥰

Keeya’s curious little explorers are starting to pop out in the Kids’ Zone meerkat habitat, while Naledi’s crew is still snuggled up behind the scenes.

Next, we need to talk about reusable take-out containers in the kitchen.

What is the currently accepted minimum number of reusable shopping bags that should be kept in the car at all times? And, when did that number pass 20?

I played M.U.L.E. for hours back in the ’80s. Turns out, I liked simulating economic chaos way more than actually living in it.

M.U.L.E screenshot. Standby to land on the planet Irata

Just realized that living in the U.S. today feels like surviving a game of M.U.L.E. on the Commodore 64—scarce resources, chaotic markets, random disasters, and everyone acting like capitalism is a fun multiplayer experience.

Did we learn nothing from the 2016 election?

Today:
My feed is full of posts and comments that I’ll summarize as, “I feel bad for all those people that moved cars and protected their gardens. Aren’t they dumb?”

Yesterday:
Forecasters predict a 10-29% chance of hail in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Potential up to 2” in diameter.

Clickbait articles are written. Hashtags are spawned. People scramble to move cars.

No hail happens (Psst, 71-90% chance it wasn’t going to happen)

This rare Malayan tapir in Tacoma is raising a social media star Ume, a rare Malayan tapir, just turned one month old at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. With her giant eyes and bright spots, Ume has blown up online as a social media star.

Meet baby Ume, a Malayan tapir at Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. With her giant eyes and bright spots, the 1-month-old has blown up online as a social media star.

via @kuow.org

Pre-ordered. I'm looking forward to it!

More than a decade ago, @derekmyoung.bsky.social and I were interviewed by our local NPR affiliate about the power of our name - and the potential for confusion in the Tacoma community. Today, I asked the AI what it knew about me. The response is quite the mashup of us, with a twist at the end.

My highlight on this Super Bowl Sunday was watching the pre-game show with my 6 year old, seeing the marching band, and explaining to him how the cool kids are in band.

O: “Really, dad?”

Me: “Yes.”

O: “Really, dad? I don’t think that’s real.”

Me: “Yes?”

Nobody warned me before becoming a parent that there'd be one stressful day a year, in the middle of winter, where I'd be waking up early in the morning and reflexively clicking REFRESH on the browser to get my kid registered for summer day camp.

A Coup Is In Progress In America A coup is underway in the United States, and we must stop pretending otherwise. The signs are unmistakable and accelerating: in just the past 48 hours, Elon Musk’s DOGE commission has seized …

at least @techdirt.bsky.social is not fucking around

I walked into my basement home office bathroom this morning to discover a six inch long banana slug canoodling with my Sonicare toothbrush. I still have a lot to unpack from this whole experience.

My mechanical keyboard keeps waking my kitten. How am I supposed to work under these conditions?

To the Victors, Go the Spoils: Part I I didn’t write last week. It wasn’t because I didn’t have anything to say, but that I don’t think anyone wanted to hear where my head was. Midday Sunday Hope...

The incoming administration announced their first wave of tariffs today. Including new 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada.

Fun fact about Mexico: They’re the source of roughly 51% of the fruit in the US market. Grocery prices are going 📈📈📈.

buttondown.com/natebowling/...

NORMALIZE folding up your sunday newspaper comics and mailing them in an envelope to Tinkertopia: 1914 Pacific Ave, Tacoma WA 98402

It took a while, but it's great to see more friends arriving here on Bluesky. 😘

If you're voting on Election Day, check your registration.

If you've voted early or by mail, check the status of your ballot.

No. Just last week I used the phrase KPI in a conversation with my wife about our kid's school. It was a mistake I will not repeat.

I introduced my six year old to my hacky sack from college last night. He even tried it out. This is what it means to pass along a family heirloom from father to son, right?

Support the Driscoll Family After Matt's Passing, organized by SaraEllen Hutchison Matt Driscoll, journalist and the voice of Tacoma, unexpectedly p… SaraEllen Hutchison needs your support for Support the Driscoll Family After Matt's Passing

people of Tacoma rally for the Driscoll Family www.gofundme.com/f/support-th...