Toby Geeks Out!

Hobbies

Why I built Perch...
I've been writing blog posts on and off for over 20 years. I survived the Blogger era, bounced around platforms, and eventually landed on Micro.blog — where I've been happily tinkering ever since. I dabble in HTML and CSS for fun, I'm a perfectionist about how my posts look, and I have a long …
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Been tinkering with two apps and they’re both coming together nicely. Perch is my custom Micro.blog client (books from my bookshelf, movies and TV from Trakt). Draft Studio is for my long-form writing here and OULDHH, sending drafts straight to Micro.blog and Wix, no copy-paste. More on Perch soon.

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A Few Weeks in the Geek Cave: What I've Been Building
The past few weeks have been less about writing posts and more about building the thing that holds them. If you've visited the blog recently and noticed things looking a little sharper, a little more intentional — that's not your imagination. I've been deep in the code, and I want to tell you what …
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Where Did the Word "Geek" Actually Come From?
I’ve been a geek my whole life. I just didn’t always have the word for it. It started early. It survived a Tandy, MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, and decades of blogging across more platforms than I care to count. Eventually it even became the name of this blog. Which made me start wondering where the word …
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Meet Gizmo.

LEGO Build Log

GIZMO IS
COMPLETE.

LEGO Ideas #069 • Set 21361 • 1,125 pieces

LEGO Gizmo box
Build in progress
LEGO Gizmo mid-build Completed LEGO Gizmo build
Gizmo on the shelf

Started this yesterday. Finished it this morning. 1,125 pieces and one very good boy sitting on my desk.

LEGO Ideas #069 from the Gremlins universe. Those ears. Those eyes. Honestly one of the most satisfying builds I've done in a while.

"Three rules. Keep him away from bright light. Don't get him wet. And no matter what you do — never feed him after midnight."

I followed all three. He turned out perfect. No room in a tiny house for regrets — just Gizmo on the shelf. 🧱

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It’s all done, and it looks really adorable! I decided not to include the 3D glasses with it.

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My Quiet Hobby Is Making a Comeback
So here's something I haven't done in way too long: adult coloring. I was really into it for a while back in DC. There's something about sitting down with a good coloring book and a fresh set of colored pencils that just... hits different. No screens. No notifications. Just you, some intricate …
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Winter-bound? There are kits: Crochet, macrame, & decorating beautiful cakes. I always want to learn those new things. There are so many ways to keep your hands busy that aren’t doomscrolling. Pick up a hobby kit & turn the cozy season into something actually creative. Check it out here.

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