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Johnny O.

@johnoconnorart.bsky.social

190 followers 290 following 320 posts

Artist/Software Engineer/Reluctant Protagonist He/him Older art stuff here https://www.instagram.com/johnoconnorart?igsh=MTF0ZDhzNTkya2dkOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr but trying to move out of Meta.

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Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jan 30

Hey! Here’s a little about myself. I’m a middle aged software engineer/artist/husband/dad. I draw for fun. I also like books, video games, technology and lots of nerd stuff. Here’s a self portrait of myself at age 14:

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · 10d

So I unintentionally listened to this album on repeat a couple of times today.

It’s the only album i have on iTunes because they gave it away a decade ago.

This occasionally starts playing when I plug into the car.

It’s weird. I think U2 forgot how to write hooks or something.

#u2
#music

Screenshot of u2 Songs of Innocence playing The Miracle (of Joey Ramon’s) on an iPhone.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · 17d

Here’s my reading for September 2025.

Lot of graphic novels and audiobooks.

How Fascism Works by Jason Stanley is my top read of the month. Highly recommended.

Paper Girls was a fun comics series.

#booksky
#reading
#books
#graphicnovels
#comics
#bookstack

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · 20d

I’ve got an old laptop that won’t update to Windows 11 for a dumb reason.

It’s old but still has some life in it.

I was just going to go Ubuntu, but I am curious what people using for Windows replacement in 2025.

I’d like nvidia support (it got a 1060) with a minimal of hassle.

#linux

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · 22d

Just finished reading “How Fascism Works” by Jason Stanley.

Well, it is here in America now. Step by step like they were following this as a guide.

I am so disappointed in my fellow Americans that they’ve been suckered into playing along with this.

Dark days ahead.

Now what?

#resist
#democracy

Black and white photo of the book “How Fascism Works” by Jason Stanley on a glass table, with a dinosaur bookmark peeking out from the pages.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · 28d

I am awake early on a Sunday. It’s quiet in the house. I had bad dreams. Like I was living in an authoritarian nightmare. And now that I am awake it still seems like the nightmare is still becoming real - day by day drip by drip.

It is exhausting. We can’t give up. Resist. Do not comply in advance.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 19

Apparently I have a dumb superpower. I listen to audiobooks at very high speed.

I stumbled across this option by accident and I’ve cranked the speed up as high as I can.

Depending on the narrator, I listen at min 2x max 3.5x. Headphones only.

Anyone else crank it up?

#audiobooks
#booksky
#books

A screen shot of an audio book player running at 3.5x speed.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 19

Bootlickers.

Spineless bootlickers.

#resist

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 14

Here’s a drawing from a couple of years ago. A couple of kids with spears facing off against a #smilodon

There’s a spot in the trees that is smooth right above the cat that I didn’t add branch detail and it annoys me. Maybe I will fix it.

Still stuck in a creative rut and can’t seem to draw.

#art

A drawing in a retro comic book style of a couple of kids facing off against a smilodon at the top of the rock slide.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 10

So somehow I missed the whole Hollow Knight thing and I am just trying it now.

Seems kind of my bag, I do like #metroidvanias but none have held my interest lately. We’ll see. 30 minutes in, I dig it so far.

Need a little break from serious books.

#gaming
#booksky
#hollowknight
#nintendo
#reading

Photo of a Nintendo switch with the Hollow Knight loading screen sitting on top of two books, Gödel Escher Bach and How Fascism works, on a table with a Nintendo switch pro controller.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 3

Soccer is starting back up. Where do the summer go?

Here’s a #tyrannosaur holding a soccer ball I drew a few years ago.

I haven’t drawn in over a month. It’s definitely a real problem now.

#drawing
#motivation
#soccer
#fallsports
#dinosaurs
#cartoons

A drawing of a T. rex holding a soccer ball.

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Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Sep 2

Here’s my books read for August 2025.

Lots of audiobooks and graphic novels. Some rereads.

Working through two serious non-fiction books that are probably going to take a while.

Fav fiction: Monkeywrench Gang
Fav non-fiction: Desert Solitaire
Both by Edward Abbey.
#booksky
#books
#graphicnovels

1 4

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Aug 6

I’m sure this was an innocent mistake.

This timeline is stressing me out.

techcrunch.com/2025/08/06/k...

Key sections of the US Constitution deleted from government's website | TechCrunch

Internet sleuths say the U.S. Constitution's website is now missing key sections from its website, including a key legal provision relating to habeas corpus, which protects citizens from unlawful dete...

techcrunch.com

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Aug 2

More beach reading, Underground Empire by Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman.

An interesting overview of America’s recent uses of economic power as a policy tool/weapon.

For a 2023 book, it’s delusionally optimistic about the future. Needs a 2025 chapter on why arbitrary tariffs are bad.
#booksky

Picture of a hand holding a copy of the Underground Empire book with a beach background.

1 3

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Aug 2

Here’s a bumpy little motivational #dinosaur I drew a few years ago. I am still in some kind of creative rut and can’t seem to pick up a pen to draw. It’s pretty bad.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Aug 2

Here’s my reading for July:

Lots of audio and graphic novels.

Fav. Fiction: Saga: Compendium One

Fav. Non-fic: tie Careless People and Age of Surveillance Capitalism.

50/50 fiction/non-fic ratio.

Being on vacation at beginning and end of month helps with reading time.

#booksky
#reading
#books

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 16

Here’s a random Indiana Joes dinosaur I drew a while ago. Still haven’t been drawing. Just burnt out I guess.

#art
#artist
#comics
#drawing
#draweverydamnday

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Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 16

I read this over the weekend. It’s a re-read, I read it originally like 20 years ago.

It’s a nice graphic novel comic memoir of a little girl growing up in Tehran during and after the Islamic revolution.

It has a really nice clean cartooning style.

#booksky
#graphicnovels
#cartoon
#iran

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 13

Here was some of my weekend reading.

This is the 3rd in the middle grade Star Wars High Republic books.

I have enjoyed this series, it’s light and fun.

I am still kind of lost in the whole High Republic setting. I’ve read some comics but only the first adult novel.

#booksky
#starwars

Cover of the Mission to Disaster High Republic Star Wars middle grade book.

1 5

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 12

Happy #caturday. Here’s a panther about to ruin some poor Neanderthal’s day. Drawn in #procreate a few years ago.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 11

It’s Friday. Let’s kick something, again.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 10

It’s Thursday. Let’s kick something!

1 4

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 8

Apparently it’s #PortfolioDay or something, at least judging by all the art posts I’m seeing.

I draw mostly for fun. Monsters, dinosaurs, cartoons and caricatures. Have been in a bit of a creative rut.

Here’s some monsters chasing someone who looks suspiciously like me!

#art
#fantasyart
#monsters

A monster chasing a guy, digital watercolor.

A giant monster chasing a guy, digital watercolor.

A Cthulhu ish swamp monster chasing a guy, digital watercolor.

A giant monster about to eat a guy, digital watercolor.

2 9

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 7

We need to get keep calling out these un-American authoritarian fascists when they do stuff like this. The whole state isn’t evil - look at the teacher who kept that sign up even though it cost her her job!

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 7

Hey, I am not saying all Idahoans are fascists just to be clear. Got plenty of local fascist here in “blue” Massachusetts. Idaho’s Maga attorney general is the fascist, for sure. How the hell “All are welcome here.” is controversial in a school I don’t understand.

Johnny O. @johnoconnorart.bsky.social · Jul 7

There’s a Maya Angelou quote: “When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.”

This isn’t the first time, but do we believe them now? They are bigoted, racist, xenophobic fascists.

www.msnbc.com/top-stories/...

Chris Hayes: Idaho bans ‘Everyone Is Welcome Here’ classroom signs, calling them ideological

After an Idaho teacher refused to take down a motivational poster, the state banned some signs from being displayed in public K-12 classrooms.