Michael B. Johnson

Yea, I'm the guy who used to work at Pixar and went to the MIT Media Lab. Still on the Board of the Cartoon Art Museum in SF.

Public Key

npub16uv7y2fk3ng4tn5xvhq8r92xst3jjnyn6egmlxdmvjrfvycr9xjq7pavxp

NIP-05 Address

Drwave@mastodon-social.mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsdwx0z9ymge524e6rxtsr3j4rg9ceffjfav5dlnxakfp5kzvpjnfqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsfmrura

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub16uv7y2fk3ng4tn5xvhq8r92xst3jjnyn6egmlxdmvjrfvycr9xjq7pavxp

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-10-04 02:34:27 UTC

Well said.
#nevent1q…yl49

2026-10-03 22:15:09 UTC

Good day to assemble a new toy in the workshop.
iPad Pro on a rolling table stand makes a great tutorial video player device #shaper #shaperbenchpilot
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/379/282/051/536/517/original/545dd85f507f8a44.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/379/282/093/492/761/original/4308abcd654263c1.jpeg

2026-10-03 07:42:41 UTC

This is so f’ed up.
Talk about “blaming the victim”.
The patriarchy is real, and we’re awful.
Overthrow us, please.
#nevent1q…6uct

2026-09-27 19:41:55 UTC

Another happy place #aardman #shaunthesheep
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/344/705/269/402/184/original/ed7b6d7754089dfb.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/344/705/256/257/326/original/12588312e517c292.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/344/705/232/071/802/original/03b03df1ecf1e3d0.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/117/344/705/142/316/377/original/036639aeb857793d.jpeg

2026-09-21 00:36:23 UTC

Relative to most people, I travel a lot for work.
One thing w/work travel is how much “stuff” you want to bring along.
Seasoned travelers have a “go bag” (or multiple) that they leave always packed with the same stuff so they can just “grab and go”.
For the past 6 months or so, I’ve been transitioning from one set of travel kit to a new set.
It’s more complicated than I’d like (+&- for both, new obviously has more +), so every trip is an inadvertent adventure in forgetting something.

2026-08-18 06:10:19 UTC

Sometimes I look at an option, and think “how high do you have to be?”
Like “do you want AM/PM in the menu bar”.
To be clear, I don't actually smoke marijuana.

2026-08-04 05:47:35 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…75c7 @nprofile…crje why you gotta make it weird, Dan?

2026-07-28 05:45:50 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…mv7s I would change “you’re” with “they’re”, but yea.

2026-07-28 03:54:25 UTC

If you do nothing else in this world, be kind.
Then, ideally, be helpful.
But nail that first part.
I don't know if there's a god, but there *are* other people, and you help them by being kind.
That should be good enough reason to do it.

2026-07-27 05:50:29 UTC

Hey, are there are any serious sewers out there?
My wife has an old (but not *good* old) sewing machine, and I'd love to get her an upgrade, but I'm not sure where/how to look into this space.
I'm capable of using google and all the LLMs, so don't need generic pointers, but any personal recommendations appreciated.

2026-07-17 18:01:06 UTC

Well, #theodyssey did not disappoint.
One of the best movies I've seen in a long, long time.
I was surprised at how hard it hit me, emotionally. I got really choked up several times, for very different reasons over the course of the film.
Instant classic.
I was able to see it on IMAX, but if you can't, at least go to a theater with great sound. Boy, the music is a big part of it.

2026-07-07 05:53:51 UTC

I’m just going to put this out there:
I’m rereading the whole “Rivers of London” series (I have all the text and graphic novels) and reminded how much I really, really enjoy them.
If anyone here knows the author, Ben Aaronovitch, and would intro me to him, I would be in your debt.
I have no ulterior motive other than being a huge fan.
And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, but you like well told stories, across multiple mediums, check it out!
https://www.benaaronovitch.com

2026-07-07 02:14:33 UTC

In case you're wondering how I ended up with a ticket to a 7AM screening next Friday at an IMAX 70mm screening…
So I figure there will probably be some sessions re: The Odyssey at SIGGRAPH in a few weeks, but I have a very narrow window to see it in between all my travel over the next few weeks.
I missed this for Oppenheimer a few years ago and am not making the same mistake. All signs point to it being an excellent flick.

2026-06-21 05:43:50 UTC

Huh.
#nevent1q…ptrj

2026-05-04 02:15:08 UTC

This is what 26 years of being married looks like in our house:
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/513/892/118/785/994/original/610a9ce7163c3c90.jpeg

2026-04-27 01:46:04 UTC

If anyone has any tourist-y suggestions for someone (me) visiting Stuttgart Germany, I’d appreciate it.
Weather-wise, I’ll be visiting next month.
I heard the Mercedes museum was worth seeing, and that there were some good mineral baths there, but I don't have any specific recommendations.

2026-04-01 05:50:05 UTC

We’ve had a lot of visitors here at the MEM compound in the last month or so.
I’ve gotten a lot of feedback that it’s a little intimidating from an information density perspective.
Here’s half a wall of the over 100 walls in the compound.
Seems fine to me.
@nprofile…ck07 - thoughts?
Note: the whisky is for guests. Not my thing.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/327/881/199/997/488/original/4b60f60eafee748c.jpeg

2026-03-08 06:33:53 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…76fl no. But depending on the production, you can do a non union show. For example, lots of union editors work in animation, which most unions shunned.
As I’ve never derived much income from it, I am not too up on things. The productions I’ve worked on know the rules and I trust them.

2026-03-08 06:25:02 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…76fl was the keynote a SAG show? I doubt it.

2026-03-08 00:59:22 UTC

Always delightful to see one of these arrive in the mailbox.
Not that’s it’s much money, but reminds of the gift of a voice credit that Brad Bird gave me in the Incredibles 2 as Victor Cachet.
Bucket list item checked off before I wrapped at Pixar.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/190/842/591/089/513/original/dde0ba85b4f13f39.jpeg

2026-03-01 20:35:28 UTC

Excellent movie haul for the birthday - nice to get 4KUltraHD replacements of old classics…
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/116/155/831/071/529/436/original/5d21d6f8d42c8fd1.jpeg

2026-02-21 22:48:39 UTC

Needed to turn off power to a particular outlet the other day, but our box is badly labeled, and we have a battery backup system so some stuff is on 2 breakers in different boxes.
Took me a long to figure out what breaker(s) I needed to turn off, but I did.
But now I have a circuit in our main bedroom/bathroom that has no power, even though all the breakers are back on.
Suggestions on debugging this? I've checked if there are toggled GFI outlets, Toggled the breakers, etc.
I'm at wit's end.

2025-12-22 03:28:20 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…8e0q look what I just got for Christmas!
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/761/092/078/405/479/original/d07ef6e6f38aba1e.jpeg

2025-10-28 06:50:51 UTC

Excited to go watch the Springsteen movie in the theater this weekend.
I remember asking for (and then getting) “The River" for Christmas and listening to it over and over again.
I was 15.
It was 1980.
I was already a big Springsteen fan. He was a poet, he was (to my ear) entirely original compared to what was out there.
Then buying “Nebraska” and listening to it when it came out in 1982.
It all made sense to me.
I was 17.
Excited to see the movie and relive those times from a distance.

2025-10-27 03:31:17 UTC

Exciting to get a glimpse of the next project from #laikastudios -#WildwoodMovie :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HQ-HrwIgOc
When folks would come visit Pixar and see how we make movies, they would tell me we were crazy.
I would always correct them, and say "no - we're not crazy. the stop motion people, though - they’re crazy”.
And of the few stop motion studios out there, the most ambitious of those is Laika.
Looking forward to #wildwood when it comes out!

2025-10-19 02:14:33 UTC

Nice day in #oakland #nokingsday march today - good turnout.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/413/462/971/693/original/e8c5f7327430d58f.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/009/981/555/original/485b3d8e8639c982.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/373/971/912/original/6445fb9c50adc074.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/398/414/749/220/504/original/d12000b048c62342.jpeg

2025-10-17 04:43:13 UTC

Huh. Maybe my granddad was wrong, and we should head back…
https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:wph2m77nb4kru2m5jhic4dt2/post/3m3bdppe7os2x

2025-10-16 03:51:52 UTC

Didn't manage to see any inflatable frogs on this trip to #portland, but I did see some #PortlandFrogs going up down the street from Powells…
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/381/810/116/504/258/original/47d46f561dbbe351.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/115/381/810/513/137/026/original/ac3aa8acca5e3f82.jpeg

2025-06-07 20:45:01 UTC

I’ll never forget the hours he spent with me at Foo Camp years ago, explaining all manner of things re: graphics.
What an interesting, interested person he was.
We in the tech world owe him a lot.
https://timeloop.cafe/@bunnyhero/114643177733365619

2025-03-26 04:29:31 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…ckck holy shit! What vague location is that?

2025-03-17 07:28:01 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…e2ev @nprofile…0fu2
God forbid someone might admit to the economic reality that a developer needs to get paid, so they should either:
- front load the price to fund development
- or phase it out so that if the customer stops finding value from the product they could bail.
Horrors!

2025-03-15 17:19:21 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…qtlf one of my professors at MIT, Muriel Cooper, was the designer on that book. I think it’s interesting to get a summary that makes you understand some of the context of the book’s impact, but would encourage you to actually handle a copy of the book and experience it, as that’s IMO vital to getting it.

2025-02-08 09:05:26 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…zsaa You and I have very different lived experiences, AR.

2025-02-08 08:04:53 UTC

So I went through a phase last year where I bought a lot of "rubs”.
I'm an OAK boy these days, and have been a big fan of https://oaklanddust.com over the years, so I subscribed to getting a bunch delivered.
Turns out I was thinking pre-COVID entertaining levels, and while we're getting back there, we're really not close yet.
My wife has been doing a bunch of cleanup in the kitchen, and she pointed out that I had a backlog.
Fair.
So I leaned into what I could do with it.
1/

2025-01-15 01:32:32 UTC

For those of you who want to help folks in the LA area affected by the wildfires (and pretty much everyone there is in some way), and you have the resources to do it, check with your employer and see if they do a match if you donate to a charity that's helping there.
Even better, some employers are offering a 2:1 match, so you can really make a difference.
#wildfires

2024-12-29 05:56:00 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…5nyj Probably a Santa Rosa local who skated at the rink (now next to the Schulz Museum)

2024-12-27 00:46:52 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…5nyj thanks!
Btw, your book was a big hit at the CAM holiday party.

2024-12-18 05:04:56 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…md38 @nprofile…8nvu sure, but everyone is busy.
I find the real skill is in asking the right questions in ways that that can be answered easily and definitively.

2024-12-18 04:45:21 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…md38 @nprofile…8nvu neither does.

2024-12-18 04:39:32 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…8nvu @nprofile…md38 I have two 20-something engineers that work for me and SwiftUI flows out of their fingers.
We're old.

2024-12-17 06:31:23 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…6gnj @nprofile…h52n a good friend! Thanks for the tip.

2024-12-17 04:29:12 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…md38 Parts are overrated. Never could make it work.

2024-12-07 02:25:46 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…z7vu Neat!
Unfortunately the link you linked to seems to be dead now.

2024-12-07 02:21:55 UTC

I did not know about this!
https://mastodon.social/@rosenz/113603725205241310

2024-12-02 06:25:19 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…gftj those are really shitty seats, John.
But whatever gets you through, pal.

2024-12-01 15:33:09 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…5nyj Congrats!

2024-11-24 21:14:19 UTC

- reply

@nprofile…md38 Thanks!

2024-11-24 20:27:33 UTC

Anyone have a GUI example of elegantly composing a compound search query?
Something like “all the files starting with foo that are a directory containing more than 100 files or zero files”
Doesn't have to be for a filesystem, just using that as an example.
I like what the Finder gives you, but I'd like to intermix compound statements so (A and B) or C or (D and E)
I feel like I'm missing a canonical example out there…

2024-11-23 06:24:53 UTC

I also just backed this project being done by an ex Pixar friend!
https://mastodon.social/@otherthings/113530308140040423

2024-09-10 03:20:43 UTC

- reply

@npub1u24…32pl Sounds great - congrats!

2024-08-29 06:45:46 UTC

My dear friend Adam Savage, starting about 3:50 in this video, gives a beautiful description of the history of the value he’s found as a creative person in being a denizen of the Bay Area, especially San Francisco, since his first experience here in the late 80s.
Really lovely and compelling:
https://youtu.be/bmPq4oQODkE?si=OVX_3728q9p-TtVc

2024-08-25 16:04:12 UTC

- reply

@npub1t5m…9guy the light in Paris is just very unique. To me, it has a yellowish, warm cast.

2024-08-24 23:54:30 UTC

- reply

@npub1t5m…9guy you can tell this person has never been to Paris.

2024-08-13 05:59:22 UTC

Sometimes I think the best engineer/programmer interview test would be to show them a full LitterRobot and say "please clean/empty this" and just see when they give up.
It would tell me so much about them.

2024-08-13 05:36:07 UTC

- reply

@npub1t00…kx23 Enjoy it! Especially when they head up north side and punch some Nazis.

2024-08-03 00:49:57 UTC

- reply

@npub1lrv…tth9 yep. 100%

2024-07-24 03:14:08 UTC

Solid.
https://mastodon.social/@ancientjames/112772703184975353

2024-07-23 04:30:45 UTC

- reply

@npub1sy6…5dxr well, I do file bug reports, so I’m working on it…😜

2024-07-23 03:45:40 UTC

- reply

@npub1sy6…5dxr It's a thing I use daily.

2024-07-23 03:38:24 UTC

It's an awesome team - if this is your thing, come join (the larger) us!
I love the developer tools team here, would love to see them get another excellent engineer.
https://pleroma.al45tair.net/objects/36171c29-3049-4ee4-94ad-dec0c9035c26

2024-07-17 04:34:37 UTC

- reply

@npub19mj…ugjc I just heard “shillbilly” which I think is apt.

2024-07-16 01:06:45 UTC

If you're doing a PhD in computer graphics, it's hard to think of a more OG set of folks for your supervisory committee.
Can you guess whose thesis this is?
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/793/485/391/669/905/original/f67445afeb71183d.png

2024-07-14 03:59:29 UTC

- reply

@npub1lrv…tth9 can I say “not good” and collect any precog points?
Fine. I get it.

2024-06-22 22:02:43 UTC

There are few things that say “Saturday” to me than spending 30 minutes in a local hardware store…

2024-06-08 22:40:22 UTC

- reply

@npub1hvd…9sq9 You’re better with words than I am, but would have thought it lit upon your shoulder - alit sounds even more archaic than what I think you're going for…
Also, check for poop.

2024-06-05 12:43:26 UTC

- reply

@npub1xxt…f2tp that’s me, right now, today, starting at 4AM

2024-05-25 03:09:49 UTC

- reply

@npub1xxt…f2tp ah, good luck. I have recs for Austin and San Antonio, but not Lubbock…

2024-05-25 00:27:09 UTC

- reply

@npub1xxt…f2tp which city?

2024-05-18 20:29:46 UTC

At Dr. Stravinsky’s Cocktail Bar in Barcelona (highly recommended):
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/463/982/287/134/595/original/2be0b4f096b6dfbb.jpeg

2024-05-02 04:37:05 UTC

So I have a mosquito buzzing around my right ear. Other than occasionally slapping my own head in hopes of taking out the skeeter, any other suggestions? I’m getting a headache…

2024-04-30 01:42:57 UTC

- reply

@npub1lrv…tth9 my two cents: I do a fair amount of things (drive, walk) an hour or two a day where I can listen but not read, which is where I consume podcasts.
Also, Apple Podcasts has transcripts of all podcasts.

2024-04-27 04:45:24 UTC

- reply

@npub1xsy…cevg man’s gotta have a hobby.

2024-04-27 03:13:18 UTC

Finally leaving, about 80 minutes late, but at least we’re going. This is why I try to fly out on the first flight of the day, but that wasn’t possible today.
And my consolation prize is my #favoriteseat !
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/340/998/113/754/909/original/317977c873592b14.jpeg

2024-03-26 21:56:23 UTC

- reply

@npub1hvd…9sq9 Saw you just passed $150K - congrats!

2024-03-02 20:42:46 UTC

- reply

@npub1u24…32pl never be without for at least a decade or so!

2023-09-03 23:32:47 UTC

I do so love prototyping in place…
As the #stablereplacement starts to come in to actual focus, I'm looking at all the various pieces (worktops, toolchests, standing tools...) I have and trying to figure out how they'll fit in the space.
I had big plans initially, but the reality of renovation economics caused me to scale back quite a bit. The new space is literally the same 560 sq ft of the original 1949 stable - just way stronger/earthquake resistant and laid out in a more useful fashion…
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/003/825/403/692/648/original/3d7df828e590aa8f.jpeg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/003/825/788/219/068/original/7dd25c5714d7ba42.jpeg

2023-08-15 13:30:53 UTC

- reply

@npub1xsy…cevg that’s pretty much the best takeaway.