Mike Lawton
LightNews LightNews
banner
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Mike Lawton
@mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
25 followers 2 following 1.8K posts
#dotnet & #powershell developer, runner, ex-pat Hoosier now living in the mountains of VA, supporter of #LFC ⚽️ #IUBB 🏀#USMNT ⚽️ #USWNT ⚽️

Hashtag […]

[bridged from https://mstdn.social/@mlawton on the fediverse by https://fed.brid.gy/ ]
Posts Replies Media Videos
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Shocking discovery on the state of the Christmas lights. The prognosis is dim.
Close-up of a black electrical plug with only a single prong. The other prong has broken off and is missing.
November 30, 2025 at 2:03 AM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Partly bright and sunny, but fully cold and with generous amounts of wind. “Brisk” doesn’t even begin to do it justice. Still, I am a freak and love this weather. It felt good to be out moving. #teamshorts of course.

Walked briefly twice to bring my HR down a […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
My running stats: 7.02 km in 51:41 for an average pace of 7:21/km A Great Blue Heron standing in shallow water, surrounded by autumn foliage and rocky shoreline. A picturesque river scene with gently flowing water reflecting sunlight. Dense trees line the riverbanks under a backdrop of clouds and a partially visible sun. The atmosphere is serene and natural, showcasing the beauty of the landscape. A metal bridge with a wooden deck and horizontal railings, surrounded by trees and blue skies with clouds. The perspective is from the center of the bridge, looking down the pathway.
November 28, 2025 at 8:33 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
My hip pain, what I’m pretty sure was bursitis, disappeared after several days of rest. 🙌 I waited another couple of days and felt pretty good about trying it out.

So, we begin again. Again.

Stopped at the halfway point to take a few pictures and let my HR […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
My running stats: 5.1 km in 37:38 for an average pace of 7:22/km A silhouetted power tower stands against a twilight sky, with power lines stretching across the scene. A crescent moon is positioned atop the tower, creating a striking visual contrast with the fading light. A tranquil scene of the Roanoke River at dusk, with trees lining the banks. The sky features soft clouds transitioning from blue to hints of orange and yellow as the sun sets, reflected in the calm water below. A metal pedestrian bridge stretches across a tranquil setting, flanked by bare trees and a clear blue sky. The path leads toward a rail yard visible at the far end of the bridge. Fallen leaves are scattered on the wooden surface.
November 24, 2025 at 10:48 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Somebody got cold feet in the checkout line…
A retail shelf featuring various candies and toys alongside a pair of beige sneakers.
November 23, 2025 at 9:15 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
👀 Defensive regression. If you review most of the goals this season, it usually isn’t that LFC don’t have enough people behind the ball. It’s that depth & injuries have been more undermining than expected. Little choice but to play those out of form or out of […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
A comparison of Liverpool's performance metrics for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons across various categories: attack and defense in open play and set pieces, disrupting opponent buildup, and press resistance. The radar charts show a massive fall off in defending.
November 22, 2025 at 7:41 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Pleasant conditions out: sunny and windy, cool but not cold. So I ducked out of the office for an afternoon runabout on the greenway.

Followed it up with a walkabout while talking to my sister on the phone.

#Running
My running stats: 5.01 km in 35:04 for an average pace of 6:59/km Tall ornamental grass with shimmering… fronds(?) sway in the foreground, illuminated by a bright sun against a clear blue sky. In the background, silhouettes of bare trees and power lines are visible. My walking statistics. A very casually strolled 3.27 km in 43:44 for an average pace of 13:22/km The vibrant mural on the ramp up to the Jefferson Street bridge, depicting a cyclist riding a mountain bike, set against a colorful background of mountains and blue sky.
November 17, 2025 at 8:49 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Not exactly “racing” the darkness, but perhaps more “pursued” by way of anguished plodding.

They’re doing construction on the school track I like to run on after dark, so now I have to be more intentional about when and where I run. 🏃‍♂️ 🌙

#Running
My running stats: 5.02 km in 37:36 for an average pace of 7:29/km A serene river scene at sunset, featuring soft pastel-colored skies and the reflection of trees along the water's edge. The surrounding landscape includes autumn foliage. Recovering on the bleachers of the Reserve Park athletic fields. Carilion Hospital sits brightly in front of a darkened Mill Mountain. It’s full on night now.
November 15, 2025 at 11:16 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Restarting #Running, take 37 🎬

Busyness and niggling knee pain derailed me from my last efforts. Then inertia set in and everything becomes harder.

But, here we start anew. One foot in front of the other.
My running stats: 5.02 km in 36:42 for an average pace of 7:18/km A view of the Roanoke River as dusk rapidly approaches. A pathway beside a river at dusk, with buildings and trees on either side. The sky displays a gradient of colors as the sun sets, and a metal fence runs along the path. A brightly lit star, featuring a blue center and outlined in red and orange, is positioned on a mountain against a backdrop of trees with autumn foliage. In the foreground, rooftops of nearby houses are visible.
November 11, 2025 at 10:51 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Farcical.

“MaKiNg aN ObViOuS AcTiOn dIrEcTlY In fRoNt oF Of tHe gOaLkEePeR”

No angle exists to back the assertion that Robbo was directly in front of the goalkeeper. Quite the opposite, actually. Donnarumma is seen to be sighted the whole time. And the […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
An announcement from the Premier League Match Centre discusses a VAR check confirming an offside call.
November 9, 2025 at 6:56 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
I should add that the local hatred for the Salem RidgeYaks name is partially fueled by the hatred for the name of our minor league hockey team, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.

An attempt to pay tribute to the history of Roanoke as a railroad town, it wholly […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
The image features a cartoon dog wearing a cap and holding a hockey stick. The dog is smiling and has a red bandana around its neck. Below the dog is the text "RAIL YARD DAWGS"
November 9, 2025 at 1:29 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Today was the big unveiling of the rebrand of our minor league baseball team. They are no longer the Salem Red Sox, despite remaining an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

We are to understand that rebranding is good and common for single A teams. Necessary, even […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
The image features various logos and designs for the Salem RidgeYaks baseball team. Central is a character of a blue yak holding a paddle, accompanied by additional logos including the team name, state outline with sports equipment, and other graphic elements.
November 9, 2025 at 12:19 AM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Paint still needs to dry fully, but job done ✅
A view of a light-colored wall and ceiling, with light fixtures visible at the top. The angle suggests a high room or space.
November 8, 2025 at 7:48 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Brackets down and spackle (what a great word!) applied to the holes. You can see on the right where someone learned of the importance of drywall anchors.
A metal ladder leans against a beige wall, leading upward. The wall shows a few marks, filled in with a white spackle. The right hand side has four holes instead of the two required for the bracket. Oops.
November 8, 2025 at 5:36 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Tapestry is down. Brackets next…
A tall ladder leans against a beige wall, leading up to wall hooks. Above, a chandelier is visible, and a built-in bookshelf with decorative items and books is seen below.
November 8, 2025 at 5:04 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Today’s mission is to take down this ridiculous 4’ x 6’ tapestry, then patch and paint the repairs. Builders around here in the late 90s and early 00s seemingly put them in every foyer that had an open design. After two years in this house, it’s finally time to […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
An interior space with a high ceiling features a decorative chandelier and a large wall tapestry with floral designs.
November 8, 2025 at 4:42 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
This is the "find out" part. Look at that blue shift almost everywhere.

#va #election2025 #ElectionDay
A map of Virginia localities, demonstrating when compared to the 2024 presidential election, whether they shifted more democrat or republican, the color, direction, and length of the arrow indicating which one and strength of shift. Almost universally, Virginia went more democrat.
November 5, 2025 at 3:16 AM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
94.1% accuracy is definitely the exception to the rule for me, but the moves looked clear and obvious. I had wondered about whether patience against the pinned queen was accurate but reasoned it had to be.

Opponent allowing the pin on the queen was their […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
November 4, 2025 at 3:56 AM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
Planted a handful of tulips and a bunch of daffodils on a gorgeous fall day. Took a minute afterwards to stretch my back by lying down on the driveway, the kneeling pad for a pillow, and to admire the bright blue sky.

Be still for a few minutes. It’s surprisingly rewarding.
November 1, 2025 at 6:40 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
One could make an argument that #LFC is looking to shed distractions in order to right the ship. The Carabao Cup is perhaps one such distraction. This starting lineup and bench selection is not the strongest.

But it will be great to see Woodman, Ramsay […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
The starting roster for LFC. Woodman in goal. Robbo and Gomez in the middle of the defense, with Ramsay and Kerkez on the outside. A midfield of Nyoni and Endo, possibly as pivots, with Mac Allister playing higher up. Ngumoha and Morrison on the wings, with Chiesa the lone striker. The LFC bench: Armin Pécsi Amara Nallo Carter Pinnington Wellity Lucky Michael Laffey Tommy Piling Kaide Gordon Keyrol Figueroa Trent Kone-Doherty
October 29, 2025 at 6:56 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
This marketing image for a garage door keypad's tech support is perfect in its soulless vapidity. Yes, it lacks any sort of subtlety in the ludicrously homogenous selection of people. 😠

However, my initial gut reaction was a fascination w/ reconciling the man […]

[Original post on mstdn.social]
A picture of 5 white people, all professionally dressed and smiling in surely the most genuine of manners. They WANT to help and are eager to do so. The man on the left has hair combed to the side, but with so much product in it that it stands a good 3-4 inches above the top of his actual head. His headset's armband looks to be contoured to his head, the arm band somehow traversing that mane. It's impressive and ridiculous.
October 28, 2025 at 8:43 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
The [not pictured] sign said, “females generally prefer partners with a larger snood”.

If true, this might be peak turkey attractiveness. His snood entirely covers his beak.

#turkey
Close-up of a turkey's head, showcasing its colorful wattles and wrinkled skin. The snood, the fleshy protuberance above his beak, hangs fully down obscuring said beak.
October 27, 2025 at 1:34 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
#silentsunday
A scenic view of a grassy field with sparse tall brown vegetation in the foreground, set against a backdrop of rolling hills and a cloudy sky. Autumn foliage can be seen on the hills, indicating the season.
October 26, 2025 at 10:56 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
It will remain ever a mystery because that's right out.
A followed link took me to a post on Bluesky. It shows a lock icon and says "You must sign in to view this post." The post itself is not displayed.
October 18, 2025 at 5:54 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
The boy is home this weekend for fall break. ❤️

Took him to vote, then picked up his sister from school and got their flu shot and COVID boosters done.

#Vote #COVID
An "I Voted" sticker featuring a design with the American flag, stating "I VOTED in Roanoke County, Virginia" along with three stars at the bottom. The sticker is placed on a wooden surface.
October 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
mlawton.mstdn.social.ap.brid.gy
#silentsunday
A serene cemetery scene featuring gravestones amidst green grass and trees, under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.
October 5, 2025 at 10:38 PM