Sam
@samspenguins.bsky.social
Lover of point & click adventure games, creator of adventure games in Minecraft, systems librarian, recent first-time viewer of the complete Studio Ghibli catalog, dad. He/Him.
Current free-time interest: time loop movies
Current free-time interest: time loop movies
First book of the year was the first volume of "On the Calculation of Volume" by Solvej Balle and translated by Barbara Haveland. It's a quick 160-pager that's the quietest time loop story I've experienced. Almost nothing happens... and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
January 4, 2026 at 11:50 PM
First book of the year was the first volume of "On the Calculation of Volume" by Solvej Balle and translated by Barbara Haveland. It's a quick 160-pager that's the quietest time loop story I've experienced. Almost nothing happens... and I'm very much looking forward to reading the next volume.
Having done one of the largest studies out there on fine-free policies, I can say with great confidence that while removing fines does slightly push back average return times, it's not enough to affect overall circ stats and still has items being returned on average well before their due dates.
goodnight, and remember: library late fees suck. they simply discourage library use. you should be glad if your library abolished them, and if it hasn’t, you should tell them it should. 📚
January 4, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Having done one of the largest studies out there on fine-free policies, I can say with great confidence that while removing fines does slightly push back average return times, it's not enough to affect overall circ stats and still has items being returned on average well before their due dates.
Now that the last one has arrived, here's my official Christmas book haul. There are at least three time loop stories in here, because of course.
January 3, 2026 at 8:14 PM
Now that the last one has arrived, here's my official Christmas book haul. There are at least three time loop stories in here, because of course.
Okay, here's a question. Based on what you can figure out about my tastes from this list, what should I read in 2026?
While I'm not a voracious reader (especially for a librarian), I did read some interesting books this year. So here's everything I read in 2025:
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
January 1, 2026 at 1:29 AM
Okay, here's a question. Based on what you can figure out about my tastes from this list, what should I read in 2026?
While I'm not a voracious reader (especially for a librarian), I did read some interesting books this year. So here's everything I read in 2025:
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
December 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
While I'm not a voracious reader (especially for a librarian), I did read some interesting books this year. So here's everything I read in 2025:
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
How to Poo At Work / Mats & Enzo
The Mysteries / Watterson & Kascht
Shuna's Journey / Miyazaki
Ghibliotheque / Leader & Cunningham
Paprika / Tsutsui
Ohhhhhh... Blue Prince, like... Blueprints. I just got that now. I'm so smart.
Blue Prince is a very good puzzle game. Just the right difficulty to feel challenging without ever feeling like I just hit a brick wall.
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
December 23, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Ohhhhhh... Blue Prince, like... Blueprints. I just got that now. I'm so smart.
Blue Prince is a very good puzzle game. Just the right difficulty to feel challenging without ever feeling like I just hit a brick wall.
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
December 22, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Blue Prince is a very good puzzle game. Just the right difficulty to feel challenging without ever feeling like I just hit a brick wall.
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
And for those who know what this means, I reached Room 46 on Day 28. Pretty happy with that.
#blueprince
First glass of my annual Christmas time homemade eggnog.
December 21, 2025 at 11:06 PM
First glass of my annual Christmas time homemade eggnog.
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
Wilco
Ben Folds
Radiohead
Yes
Camper Van Beethoven
Wilco
Ben Folds
Radiohead
Yes
Camper Van Beethoven
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
(Yikes, I am old)
B-52s
The Black Crowes
Peter Gabriel
The Cure
10,000 Maniacs
(Yikes, I am old)
B-52s
The Black Crowes
Peter Gabriel
The Cure
10,000 Maniacs
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen
Cher
Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys
Tune Yards
David Byrne and St. Vincent
Dolly Parton
Cher
Arctic Monkeys and The Black Keys
Tune Yards
David Byrne and St. Vincent
Dolly Parton
November 28, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you’ve seen
Wilco
Ben Folds
Radiohead
Yes
Camper Van Beethoven
Wilco
Ben Folds
Radiohead
Yes
Camper Van Beethoven
I'm sitting in an IHOP while one of my kids hangs out with her theatre friends post performance. Who's going to entertain me?
November 19, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I'm sitting in an IHOP while one of my kids hangs out with her theatre friends post performance. Who's going to entertain me?
This is how observant I am. In one of the recent time loop movies I watched, the screen got progressively narrower throughout the duration of the film (for thematic reasons). I didn't notice until it was a square.
November 5, 2025 at 11:34 PM
This is how observant I am. In one of the recent time loop movies I watched, the screen got progressively narrower throughout the duration of the film (for thematic reasons). I didn't notice until it was a square.
I had Genesis Noir on my Steam wishlist for quite awhile since it was marked as a point-and-click adventure game that has a really distinctive art style and has high ratings. Finally played it and… it is not fun. It could make for an amazing animated short film but there’s almost no actual gameplay.
November 4, 2025 at 10:08 PM
I had Genesis Noir on my Steam wishlist for quite awhile since it was marked as a point-and-click adventure game that has a really distinctive art style and has high ratings. Finally played it and… it is not fun. It could make for an amazing animated short film but there’s almost no actual gameplay.
I did the thing. Did you do the thing?
November 4, 2025 at 12:25 PM
I did the thing. Did you do the thing?
So far I've watched 24 movies in my adventure through time loop stories. They all have their own ways of deviating from the standard plot structure (aka Groundhog Day), but the one that has been most unpredictable by far is The Fare, an indie film from 2018. Kept me on my toes the whole time!
November 1, 2025 at 2:31 PM
So far I've watched 24 movies in my adventure through time loop stories. They all have their own ways of deviating from the standard plot structure (aka Groundhog Day), but the one that has been most unpredictable by far is The Fare, an indie film from 2018. Kept me on my toes the whole time!
Just finished playing Amerzone (a 3D point-and-click adventure game from 1999). It really wanted to by Myst. It was definitely not Myst.
Also it glitched out on the final screen so I had to watch the ending cut scene on YouTube.
Also it glitched out on the final screen so I had to watch the ending cut scene on YouTube.
November 1, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Just finished playing Amerzone (a 3D point-and-click adventure game from 1999). It really wanted to by Myst. It was definitely not Myst.
Also it glitched out on the final screen so I had to watch the ending cut scene on YouTube.
Also it glitched out on the final screen so I had to watch the ending cut scene on YouTube.
Of course, my teenage daughter has decided to rebel by deciding that generative AI is good and helpful. I should have seen that one coming.
a close up of a man 's face with his eyes closed
Alt: Steve Carell in The Office rubbing his eyes/forehead in frustration.
media.tenor.com
October 27, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Of course, my teenage daughter has decided to rebel by deciding that generative AI is good and helpful. I should have seen that one coming.
I introduced the 10-yr old to Monty Python and the Holy Grail last night. There was a LOT of laughing, but boy was she annoyed at how it ended.
She has already referenced it today, as one does.
She has already referenced it today, as one does.
October 26, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I introduced the 10-yr old to Monty Python and the Holy Grail last night. There was a LOT of laughing, but boy was she annoyed at how it ended.
She has already referenced it today, as one does.
She has already referenced it today, as one does.
Looking forward to watching @zedaph.com play my game Tempus Mortem III later today!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=389G...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=389G...
🔴LIVE! Zed vs Custom Puzzle Map?!? - Minecraft - Tempus Mortem 3
YouTube video by ZedaphPlays
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Looking forward to watching @zedaph.com play my game Tempus Mortem III later today!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=389G...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=389G...
The 10-yr old and I went to paint night at her school tonight.
October 18, 2025 at 12:30 AM
The 10-yr old and I went to paint night at her school tonight.
Story time! And I promise this will get to a point.
20 years ago, I could not draw. The only artistic ability I had was using MS Paint to draw pixelated clothes on a copy-and-paste pixelated penguin that I had done some years prior. These were the original Sam’s Penguins. But this isn’t about them.
20 years ago, I could not draw. The only artistic ability I had was using MS Paint to draw pixelated clothes on a copy-and-paste pixelated penguin that I had done some years prior. These were the original Sam’s Penguins. But this isn’t about them.
October 16, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Story time! And I promise this will get to a point.
20 years ago, I could not draw. The only artistic ability I had was using MS Paint to draw pixelated clothes on a copy-and-paste pixelated penguin that I had done some years prior. These were the original Sam’s Penguins. But this isn’t about them.
20 years ago, I could not draw. The only artistic ability I had was using MS Paint to draw pixelated clothes on a copy-and-paste pixelated penguin that I had done some years prior. These were the original Sam’s Penguins. But this isn’t about them.
Today we bid a sad farewell to our Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300 washing machine. It lived a long 15 years and served us well. That'll do, Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300. That'll do.
October 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Today we bid a sad farewell to our Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300 washing machine. It lived a long 15 years and served us well. That'll do, Maytag Bravos Quiet Series 300. That'll do.
Played (and finished) Gris for the first time. Not much of a platformer, but it is a beautiful piece of animation.
October 12, 2025 at 12:29 AM
Played (and finished) Gris for the first time. Not much of a platformer, but it is a beautiful piece of animation.
All the penguin videos people have sent me over the years and nobody thought to share this one?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTL...
Beethoven - Für Elise Performed by 42 Penguins
YouTube video by Poly Table
www.youtube.com
October 11, 2025 at 4:15 PM
All the penguin videos people have sent me over the years and nobody thought to share this one?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTL...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxTL...
Important question to resolve a disagreement in my house: Is a "boy band" a "band"?
Discuss.
Discuss.
October 11, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Important question to resolve a disagreement in my house: Is a "boy band" a "band"?
Discuss.
Discuss.