Joel D

@joeldueck.com

77 Followers 84 Following

Minneapolis, MN (1981–) Multi-class chaotic good / pluperfect progressive passive. Nice smells. Birds chirping. 16th and 21st century music. He/him https://joeldueck.com

A wide, sunlit view of a youth softball complex on a clear summer day, shot from behind a chain-link fence at the edge of a grass field. In the middle distance, two teams of girls in bright pink jerseys are lined up along the infield dirt, filing past each other in a post-game handshake line; several wear batting helmets and carry gloves. A man in a red T-shirt and gray shorts walks along the baseline near them, and adults in pink shirts stand at either end of the line. On the left is a green-roofed dugout shelter with a yellow sign about a senior scholarship program; parents and children cluster around it with tote bags, coolers, and cardboard boxes. A woman in a white tank top, dark shorts, and a cap walks across the grass in the foreground toward the camera. At the right, near the fence, two adults stand watching while a young girl in a light dress walks along the grass. Beyond the field, rows of parked cars, pop-up canopy tents, and additional ball diamonds stretch across the complex, bordered by a dense line of green trees and a tall light standard. The sky is bright blue with a few wispy clouds, and leafy tree branches hang into the upper right corner of the frame. Two bare dirt patches, likely warm-up or practice areas, sit in the grass in the foreground.
A wide, empty rural road under a hazy orange-tinted sky, the color suggesting wildfire smoke or heavy smog. The sun appears as a pale, dimmed white disk in the upper left, muted enough to look at directly through the thick haze. Three orange traffic cones with reflective white bands are spaced out along the worn asphalt, marking a line down the road; the nearest cone in the foreground has a torn or damaged reflective stripe. Yellow center lines and a white edge line divide the road. Beyond the road is a strip of green grass, a set of railroad tracks, and a dense line of leafy green trees. A cell tower rises above the treeline in the distance, its details softened by the haze. Patches of gravel, dirt, and scattered branches line the road's edge in the foreground, with tufts of grass in the lower right corner.
Screenshot of Wikipedia entry for Darline Graham Nordone taken today, notably thin on work history or accomplishments: "By 2002, Graham Nordone had appeared in a television advertisement for Lindsey's campaign in that year's U.S. Senate election in South Carolina. She continued to assist in her brother's subsequent campaigns, discussing her childhood in 2014 and 2026. Graham Nordone additionally supported her brother's campaign for President of the United States in the 2016 election. "By 2008, she had worked in the South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department. She helped coordinate a work-from-home program for Time Warner."
A sunlit park lawn on a clear summer day beneath a deep, cloudless blue sky that fills the upper half of the frame. Bright green mown grass stretches across the foreground. Scattered across the lawn are several picnic sets made of pale, rough-hewn tan stone — chunky rectangular tabletops on thick pedestal bases with matching stone benches. One set sits near the center, another to the right, and two more toward the left, one of them beside a low stone retaining wall and a weathered wooden fence at the far left edge. A row of tall, dark blue-green spruce trees forms the treeline across the middle distance, mixed with leafy deciduous trees, a drooping willow, and a small young sapling. At the right edge, a large cottonwood-like tree with silvery, shimmering leaves rises out of frame, its branches reaching across the sky. Thin power lines cross the sky at the upper left. The light is strong and directional, casting shadows to the right and giving the scene a quiet, empty, midday stillness — no people are visible.
A large cylindrical light-gray water tower or storage tank dominates the right side of the frame, its base ringed with panel seams and fitted with a curved white pipe near the ground. Slender black lamp posts stand around its base and out in the grassy field, one topped with a cluster of floodlights. A paved walking path curves across the middle of the scene, separating a broad lawn dotted with dandelions in the foreground from a line of full green deciduous and evergreen trees behind. A small red fire hydrant sits in the grass beside the path. In the lower left, ornamental grasses and a border of gray landscaping stones edge the lawn. Above, a bright blue sky is filled with large white puffy clouds, indicating a clear summer day.
Three people stand at a residential street corner beneath a spectacular sunset sky filled with vivid pink and coral clouds. A woman in a green dress holding a phone talks with a girl with long wavy hair wearing a light t-shirt and shorts, while a boy in a striped shirt in the foreground gazes off toward the glowing horizon. The wet road beside them reflects the sunset's pink and orange light. A street sign reading "44½ Ave N" and a stop sign mark the corner, with a silver pickup truck parked in a driveway and silhouetted trees framing the fiery sky.
Partial screenshot of a web page notification saying "soolidworks.com was successfully registered" (note the extra 'o')
A lush summer park scene under a partly cloudy blue sky. In the background at left, a tall white water tower rises above the treeline, its bulbous tank labeled “Robbinsdale” in blue lettering and bordered by a dark blue band where the tank meets the slender supporting column. The middle and far ground are filled with dense, leafy green trees of varying types, including feathery conifers, a willow-like tree with drooping branches, and full deciduous canopies. In the foreground, drooping evergreen boughs frame the left and upper edges of the image. The lower left shows a small, still pond surrounded by thick green underbrush and reeds, while the right side opens onto a sunlit, neatly mowed lawn dotted with dappled shade. A slender young tree with a thin trunk stands on the grass at right. The overall impression is verdant, peaceful, and bright with midday sunlight.
A single set of railroad tracks recedes into the distance under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds, photographed from ground level near a road crossing. The gravel-lined tracks run through a small town in what appears to be early spring, flanked by large deciduous trees just beginning to leaf out in pale green. To the left of the tracks sits a metal utility or signal box on a sandy, gravelly shoulder, with a chain-link fence and a white industrial building visible beyond it. To the right, a grassy strip separates the tracks from a road lined with homes and utility poles. A small puddle reflects light near the bottom right of the frame. The overall scene conveys a quiet, flat midwestern town on a sunny spring day.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
A wide twilight sky dominates the photo, layered with swollen, fast-moving storm clouds whose tops catch a faint cold light in pale blue and lavender while their underbellies sink into deeper charcoal and blue-gray. The sky shifts in a smooth gradient from lighter icy blue near the horizon to richer dusky blue overhead, making the cloud masses feel heavy and three-dimensional. Along the bottom edge, a suburban shopping strip sits in near silhouette, dotted with glowing streetlights, a red Target sign at right, a Taco Bell sign at left, low storefronts, and a few cars on the road.
A large protest crowd fills the lawn in front of the Minnesota State Capitol on a bright winter day, with the white domed capitol building rising behind them under a clear blue sky. In the foreground, people in hats and coats hold American and Minnesota flags, handmade signs, and a few large blue and dark flags; one sign reads “NO KING,” another says “ICE OUT.” A stage with big screens stands near the building, and leafless trees frame the packed scene.
A quiet residential yard at night after a fresh snowfall, the ground covered in smooth unbroken snow that glitters faintly under a bright streetlamp. Snow blows diagonally across the scene in dense streaks, partially veiling bare trees, a utility pole, and the dark outlines of neighboring houses and garages, giving the whole image a cold, hushed, wintry glow.
Black-and-white XKCD-style cartoon showing a tall, wobbly tower of stacked blocks representing software layers. At the very top, a curly bracket points to a cluster of many small, uneven blocks labeled “All of useful Python.” Beneath them is an enormous, solid rectangular base block labeled “Fortran and C.” The base is dramatically larger than everything above it, emphasizing that most of the Python ecosystem ultimately depends on compiled libraries written in C and Fortran. The drawing has simple hand-drawn lines and a humorous tone, with the tiny Python stack perched precariously on the massive foundational block.
A quiet winter scene shows a narrow, partially frozen creek winding through a snow-covered park, its icy surface edged with brown reeds and small patches of open water. Tall weeping willow trees with long, golden branches hang over both banks, their limbs dusted with fresh snow, while bare deciduous trees frame the scene on either side. In the distance, a low concrete bridge spans a highway beneath a gray, overcast sky, adding a subtle urban backdrop to the otherwise serene landscape.
The iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture rises from a shallow, partially frozen pond in a grassy park, its long pale spoon arcing upward to balance a glossy red cherry with a curved black stem. In the background, the domed Basilica of Saint Mary and the Minneapolis skyline stand against a clear blue winter sky, with leafless trees and a few bundled pedestrians walking nearby.
A large winter protest march fills a downtown city street, with bundled-up demonstrators carrying handmade signs that read messages like “We Have a Constitution, Not a King,” “ICE Out Now,” and “The People Shut It Down.” Tall brick and glass office buildings line the street, traffic lights hang overhead, and snow or ice covers the roadway as the crowd moves forward under a clear blue sky.
Light snow falls over a quiet park with a thin white blanket covering the ground; tall evergreen trees line a gentle slope and a row of picnic tables sits to the right, while bare branches frame the sky overhead and a pale blue Robbinsdale water tower rises in the distance on the left under an overcast winter sky.
A snow-covered yard in bright winter sunlight, with a small leafless shrub dusted in snow at center as loose powder billows into the air, backlit by the low sun at right, casting long blue shadows across the smooth snow and revealing a house with a dark porch and snow-laden roof in the background.
Overlapping macOS windows showing a local static-site workflow: a browser at “localhost:8000” displays a clean blog home page with a “Home · Feed” header and a list of recent posts (“My First Post” and “Welcome” with December 2025 dates), while a desktop publishing/editor app sits in front with toolbar buttons (“Add Site,” “New page,” “Stop preview,” “Publish”) and a table of posts and filenames; to the right, a dark terminal window shows a successful build command with steps like “Collect,” “Build,” “Feeds,” and “Static,” and a small log pane along the bottom lists HTTP GET requests returning 200s and a few 404s for missing icons.
Annotated screenshot collage showing a “Punct” publishing workflow: a Racket/Markdown source file (“bones.poem.rkt”) in VS Code compiles to a format-independent AST (shown in a DrRacket/REPL window), then renders to Typst or HTML, producing matching outputs—a web page on the left labeled “HTML” and a PDF preview on the right labeled “PDF.” Numbered red callouts trace the steps (source → AST → render → run commands → results) and note that you can insert rendered documents into templates to generate web pages and books from the same source.
Zoomed in photo of a pillow visible on the couch in the $7m real estate listing's photo sildeshow: embroidered text on the pillow reads “live in such a way that those who know you but don’t know God will come to know God because they know you”
A close-up of dried, drooping sunflower heads dusted with fresh snow, their curled brown leaves and brittle stems hanging toward the ground. The background is softly blurred, showing a snow-covered yard, a pale blue-gray building, and dark evergreen trees, all under an overcast winter sky.
Winter sunrise over a rural road with snow-covered ground. A vivid sun dog phenomenon creates a vertical column of golden-orange light rising from the horizon into a pale blue-lavender sky, with hints of rainbow colors at its base. Silhouetted against the light are a water tower, bare trees, power lines, and a curved road with a single approaching vehicle crossing a small bridge. The scene has a quiet, cold stillness to it.
A warm sunset glows behind a line of tall, leafless trees mixed with a few evergreens. The sun is low on the horizon, shining through branches and casting an orange-gold band of light across the sky. Above the trees, the sky fades smoothly from pale gold to soft blue-gray, with a couple of faint airplane contrails in the upper corners. The scene feels quiet and wintry, with the trees silhouetted dark against the bright sunset.
Screenshot of Windows “Properties” window for dnGREP.exe, showing details of its digital signature from SignPath Foundation. The CA is “GlobalSign Code Signing Root R45”. The signing date was Nov 25 2025, and “Certificate status” is presented as “This certificate is OK.”
A person in a winter coat and jeans walks alone down a snow-dusted metal dock extending over a calm lake under an overcast, blue-gray sky. Empty boat slips flank both sides of the dock. Across the water, bare trees and lakeside houses form a quiet shoreline, giving the scene a cold, peaceful, early-winter atmosphere.
Screenshot of DrRacket definitions and interactions: the definitions section shows a TOML document written in a `#lang toml/config/demo` DSL. The interactions section shows the TOML data being referenced with `(toml-ref toml 'database.temp_targets.cpu)` (outputs 79.5)
A soft, foggy autumn landscape with a mix of bare and fading trees on both sides of a small pond or creek. Wispy willow branches hang on the left, while a slender birch with sparse orange leaves stands on the right. The ground is covered in dry, tan leaves and tall, brown grasses. In the distance, the fog obscures the horizon, giving the scene a muted, quiet, late-fall atmosphere.
A large maple tree fills the left side of the photo, its leaves glowing golden and orange in the late-afternoon sunlight. To the right, a leafless tree stands against a clear blue sky, with a few distant trees and power lines visible near the horizon. The scene captures a crisp, bright autumn day.
The photo shows a forest filled with tall deciduous trees in brilliant autumn color. Leaves range from bright yellow and orange to deep red, with some patches of lingering green. Sunlight filters through the canopy, illuminating the foliage and casting warm light across the scene. The sky above is clear and blue, contrasting with the vivid tones of the leaves, creating a classic fall woodland view.
Screenshot of local Fox News headline: “El Paso family claims Border Patrol killed their dog during search, CBP reviewing incident”
The photo shows a close-up of an oven control panel with a digital display reading “9:09.” A small spider is visible inside the display area, partly obscuring the first number nine. The digits glow bright green against the dark background, and the metallic trim of the appliance is visible above the display.
GIF of Ron Swanson saying “pass” in a deadpan manner
The photo shows a lakeside scene on a clear day. In the foreground, a green metal fence runs along the edge of the view. Beyond it, trees with a mix of green and yellowing leaves stand beside the water, reflecting early autumn. The calm lake surface is visible on the left, with tall reeds at the shoreline. On the right, a concrete bridge spans a small canal that separates two halves of the lake, with a shaded walkway running beneath it. Above, the bright blue sky is crossed by power lines with small white markers.
A grassy path winds through a meadow of tall green plants and yellow wildflowers, bordered by dense trees on the left and center. A single tall tree stands in the middle ground, with a high brown sound barrier wall stretching across the background. Above, the sky is bright blue with scattered white clouds, casting a mix of sunlight and shadow across the scene.
The photo shows a sky filled with soft, glowing clouds illuminated in warm orange and pink hues, likely by the setting or rising sun. The clouds are fluffy and scattered, allowing patches of blue sky to peek through. On the right edge of the image, the silhouette of a leafy tree contrasts sharply against the bright sky, framing the scene. The overall effect is peaceful and radiant, highlighting the beauty of twilight light on clouds.
The photo shows a quiet baseball or softball field on a sunny day. In the foreground, two wooden chairs sit under the shade of a large tree, facing the field. The grass is lush and green, with a paved walkway leading past the chairs. Beyond the fence, the ballfield has orange dirt infields and metal bleachers, some of which are shaded by blue canopies. Light poles and a chain-link backstop rise around the field, with a small green sign marked “1” indicating the field number. The background shows trees and a partly cloudy blue sky.
The photo shows a leafy, sunlit clearing in a dense, green wooded area. In the background, partially framed by trees, stands a tall water tower marked with the name “Robbinsdale.” The tower rises prominently above the treetops under a clear blue sky. Large maple leaves in the foreground create a natural frame around the scene. The mix of deciduous and coniferous trees adds texture and depth to the lush landscape.
Screenshot from my Github news feed: "willghatch forked your repository"
The photograph captures a partial view of a weathered, pale blue wooden barn with a red metal roof, partially obscured by lush green foliage in the foreground. A single exterior light glows near the peak of the barn’s gable end. Tall trees frame the scene, and the sky above is filled with a dramatic mix of blue patches and golden-tinged clouds, suggesting early morning or evening light. The overall mood is quiet and pastoral.
The photograph shows a lively urban street scene during what appears to be a summer event or festival. In the foreground, a food truck decorated with large images of pretzels is serving customers; a bright pink “OPEN” sign is visible in its window. Several people, including families and children, are gathered around the truck and on the sidewalk. Another black food truck labeled “FLO’S” is partially visible to the left. In the background, a cluster of modern high-rise buildings and glassy office towers rises into the clear blue sky, dotted with a few white clouds. Notable among them is the rounded, blue-striped Capella Tower. The Four Seasons Hotel sign is visible on the building to the right. The mood is casual and cheerful, with people strolling and enjoying the outdoor event in a vibrant downtown setting.
Font specimen for the Tahoma typeface, designed by Matthew Carter and first distributed by Microsoft in Office 97.
The photograph shows a handmade rectangular wooden planter box placed on a weathered wooden surface outdoors. The planter is made of unfinished cedar with visible grain and knots, and is held together with evenly spaced screws along the sides. The interior of the box has been spray painted with a black rubber coating. In the background, there is a grassy yard with a tree and a sidewalk, suggesting a quiet residential setting.
The photograph shows a weathered (rotting) rectangular wooden planter box on a wooden surface, surrounded by leafy potted plants. The box has a rustic, aged appearance with visible grain, faded coloring, and slight splitting at the corners. It is partially filled with soil and appears to have been used for planting. Some leaves and debris are visible around the edges, enhancing the natural, lived-in garden atmosphere. The surrounding potted plants have broad, vibrant leaves in various patterns and shades of green, adding to the lush setting.
The photograph captures an early evening view of the historic Mill District in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dominating the scene are the iconic Gold Medal Flour and North Star Blankets signs atop tall industrial buildings—remnants of the city’s flour milling past. The structures feature a mix of old stonework and modern glass renovations, surrounded by neatly kept green spaces and a paved pedestrian path in the foreground. A few people are walking or biking along the path, and the sky above is expansive with soft blue tones and scattered wisps of clouds, giving the scene a calm, transitional atmosphere.
The photograph shows a lively lakeside beach scene on a partly cloudy day. Families and children are enjoying the water and sand, with many people wading or swimming in the shallow water near the shore. The sandy beach is dotted with colorful towels, beach bags, and sunshades. On the right side, a lifeguard station with red kayaks stacked beneath it sits at the edge of a wooded area, and a tan canvas sunshade extends into the frame overhead. In the distance, the opposite shore is lined with houses and trees. The sky is filled with dramatic, swirling clouds, suggesting possible changing weather.
A backyard scene featuring a charming, slightly eclectic house with varied siding and a mix of white, brown, and reddish tones. A string of warm Edison-style lights is strung overhead, glowing softly in the early evening light. In the foreground, there’s a built-in outdoor grill area with a kettle-style charcoal grill, wood storage, and a tall heat lamp. The yard is full of lush green plants, small trees, and a mix of structures including a white metal shed and a lattice fence. A small, whimsical upper-level balcony or enclosed porch juts out from the house, adding character to the space. The overall atmosphere is cold and wet but inviting, suggesting a space meant for gathering and relaxing, in defiance of the weather.
A dramatic evening sky filled with textured clouds, softly lit by the setting sun in hues of peach, pink, and lavender. The sky transitions from a pale blue in the lower left to deeper tones toward the upper right. Silhouetted against the colorful sky are the dark outlines of various trees, including one with bare branches and others dense with summer foliage. On the right side of the image, a tall building with a steep red metal roof rises into view, partially framed by tree branches. The scene captures a peaceful, slightly moody moment just before dusk.
A wide-angle view of Target Field, the home stadium of the Minnesota Twins, taken from the upper stands behind home plate. The baseball field is empty of players, except for a few small groups gathered along the baselines and in shallow right field. The grass is neatly mowed in alternating stripes, and the infield dirt is well-groomed. Large video screens above the outfield seats display patriotic visuals and a local school district choir, preparing to sing the national anthem as part of a pregame ceremony. The stands are sparsely filled, and the overcast sky casts a gray light over the scene. The Minneapolis skyline rises in the background beyond the stadium.
A utility truck is parked beside a railroad track in front of a dense line of green trees under a dramatic, darkening sky. The clouds are heavy and gray, suggesting an approaching storm. The white utility truck, with a cherry picker arm folded on top, bears the logo of a local electric company. In the foreground, a brown wooden fence frames the bottom of the image, and tree leaves hang into the frame from the top corners. The contrast between the vivid green foliage and the brooding sky creates a tense, anticipatory mood. A small white house is partially visible through the trees.
A close-up photo capturing an American robin perched partially out of view behind the edge of a beige house gutter. The robin, with its distinctive orange breast and gray-brown upper body, has a beak full of long, dry grass or roots, likely for nest-building. Behind the bird, a large tree trunk dominates the background, with intricate bark texture and budding spring branches reaching across the scene. The composition highlights a moment of natural behavior in a suburban setting, with a contrast between the manmade structure and the surrounding trees.
A quiet suburban scene under a dark grey, overcast sky. Bare tree branches with a few tiny budding leaves frame the top of the image, reaching inward from both sides. Below, a small residential neighborhood is visible, with modest houses partially obscured by trees that are just beginning to leaf out in soft greens. Two railroad crossing signs and signal lights are positioned prominently near the center, hinting at nearby train tracks. The overall mood is subdued and a bit somber, with muted colors and early spring vegetation.
Screenshot of an excerpt from the linked blog post: “There’s a notion going around that em-dashes signify AI authorship. From a comment on Slack: Yesterday a buddy of mine told me that the "-" between words in a sentence is a perfect indicator it was written by AI. Anybody else hear that? Now i can't unsee it! —soon followed by the logical and unfortunate: Yes, this is a really common indicator. […] I actually go through and remove them afterwords. Gently: this is the wrong way to look at what is happening here. You should be using em-dashes in your writing. The AI has learned this practice from writers and editors who are good at what they do, and you should follow its example.”
A serene springtime scene by a quiet pond. In the foreground, vibrant green grass grows thickly near the water’s edge. A large willow tree dominates the right side, its long, yellow-green catkins and delicate new leaves cascading down like a curtain toward the reflective surface of the river. The water mirrors the surrounding trees, some still bare and others just beginning to bud. Across the river, faint outlines of houses peek through the trees. The overall mood is peaceful, with soft natural colors suggesting early spring.
Photo of a passage in the book “The Shadow of the Wind”: “Just in case, I deleted Carax's address from the company files. I was the only one who wrote to him, and I knew the address by heart.”
Screenshot of the relevant excerpt from the April 13 issue of Robin Sloan’s “Trespassers” newsletter, which reads as follows: I loved Joel Dueck’s recent newsletter about “a certain category of literature which has no name”: the web-native work posted on a rudimentary HTML page now crumbling before our eyes. One of Joel’s examples — the one that really struck me — is this poem by John M. Ford posted (so casually!) as a comment on the blog Electrolite in the year 2003. Joel has now given the poem a fresh presentation, spare & solid. It’s lovely. Bravo to John M. Ford (who died in 2006) & bravo to Joel.
A clear, sunny day at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul. The foreground features the Capitol’s grand neoclassical building made of white stone, topped with a prominent dome and a golden statue barely visible on the roof’s edge. A dark blue flag with a white eight pointed star flutters above one of the rotundas. Trees with bare branches suggest early spring or late winter. At ground level, people are walking and gathering around the Capitol grounds. In the background to the left, the Basilica of Saint Mary rises with its dark, domed roof and ornate architectural details, creating a striking contrast with the Capitol building. The bright blue sky adds to the crisp, vibrant atmosphere.
A late afternoon outdoor scene featuring a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees beside an old wooden structure. A tall pine tree with vibrant green needles stands in the foreground, partially obscuring a weathered building with faded green wooden siding and a red metal roof. The building has a small, dark window and an open doorway. To the right of the pine tree, a large, leafless deciduous tree with thick, twisting branches reaches toward the sky, casting shadows in the golden sunlight. The ground is covered in dry grass, fallen leaves, and tangled underbrush. A paved driveway extends into the distance, lined with more trees, a wooden fence, and a few trash bins near the curb. The scene is bathed in warm sunlight, casting long shadows.
A cozy kitchen scene looking out through a window covered in frost and condensation at a snow-covered backyard. The window has a white curtain with a black stripe along the bottom, and a garland with greenery and small snowflake decorations drapes across the top. A hanging plant with small, round leaves cascades down the right side of the window. Outside, a wooden fence and snow-laden trees are visible in the background. On the windowsill and counter, various kitchen items include a potted plant, a dish with cherry tomatoes under a glass dome, a soap dispenser, and a blue tumbler. A warm light from a lamp in the top left corner adds a cozy atmosphere.