New puppy!
When we picked her up, we met her parents, Clark (dad) and Pip (mom). Pip is a rocket! Such a fast runner and excited to meet people.
Welcome to my personal website
I am Mike Wilhelm from California.
I created this site as a place for me to write publicly and to share what I’m learning with friends, family, and colleagues.
Featured notes
How I use AI
I got my first computer in the mid nineties, just before Windows 95 was released. In 1995, the internet was still a technical novelty.
Published notes
Kenya (Nairobi and Homa Bay) Nov 8-16, 2025
In November 2025, I traveled to Kenya as part of a project with illuminAid. It wasn’t a vacation in the usual sense.
AI Overview
AI isn't more capable or more trustworthy than an average human. We should take nothing it says as gospel.
My take on the ethics of meat consumption
I stopped eating terrestrial meat in 2016, a few years after my dad suffered a serious heart attack.
Black Sabbath Studio Albums Ranked
Paranoid - Every track on this album is perfect.
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeon Master (DM) Players don't really care about the story you've created. Keep it simple and easy to follow.
Taking a break from reading
The first hour of my day is typically reading time. No one is awake. It's quiet. My mind is caffeinated and alert.
New puppy!
When we picked her up, we met her parents, Clark (dad) and Pip (mom). Pip is a rocket! Such a fast runner and excited to meet people.
Benefits of Books by Category
Not all books are equal in terms of the benefits to an individual. Consider "just in time" information vs "just in case" information.
Writing for AI
Some believe AI will fundamentally reshape how we read. Instead of starting with a book or article, people might begin with a summary generated by AI.
Ozzy Osbourne died today
This news hit me harder than I expected. Black Sabbath has always been my favorite band. I first heard Ozzy on a tape my friend Mike copied for me.
Intelligence
Our society values intelligence over nearly all other traits. One way to get ahead in life is to be smarter than average.
How to Get Rich (without getting lucky)
This comes from Naval Ravikant's famous Twitter thread.
How to write clearly
By Edward T. Thompson Editor-in-Chief, Reader’s Digest See palge-scans here.
Writing
Guiding principals Writing is thinking. Writing is worth doing even if no one ever reads it because it helps one clarify their own thoughts.
How to write with style
By Kurt Vonnegut Originally published in Reader's Digest See page-scans here.
Writing with AI
AI makes writing for fun even more fun and writing for work bearable.
The stages of AI coping
“We’ve seen this before with automation. This is nothing new.”
Stigma of AI-assisted writing
A lot of people look down on writers who use AI to help them write. I think that’s ridiculous.
How I use AI
I got my first computer in the mid nineties, just before Windows 95 was released. In 1995, the internet was still a technical novelty.
Twilight Imperium
Covering the map in PDS' isn't as strong as it seems. PDS often misses and when shooting into adjacent systems, they only shoot once.
The fox and the hedgehog
An enfeebled fox is plagued by flies, ticks or mosquitoes, of which a hedgehog offers to rid her.
East of Eden
This book is more about people and their emotional growth than it is about dramatic events (though there are several of those).
Tobacco
I enjoy tobacco and reject the notion that abstinence is the only reasonable approach to consumption.
Goodbye Günter
We said goodbye to Günter today.
John Coltrane's Giant Steps
God, I love this album.
New Orleans
Heather and I spent a long weekend in New Orleans. It's been on our list for years but neither of us had ever been. What a great time! Some highlights:
A simple trick to finish any book
I've found a way to make it easy.
Looking forward to spring
From My Struggle: Book One by Karl Ove Knausgård Few things are harder to visualize than that a cold, snow-bound land-scape, so marrow chillingly quiet and...
No more hair
My hair has been thinning since my early twenties, so always knew this day would come. Heather has too.
My 10 Favorite books
People need to abandon books they don’t enjoy. Forcing oneself to read when they’re not into a book makes one hate reading.
2024 Retrospective
Heather and I just wrapped up a New Year's Eve party at the Danners' house. My parents and Brad Danner also attended.
Twilight Imperium (4th Edition)
A little less than a year after I took up the hobby of board gaming, I learned about Twilight Imperium and set my sights on it.
Scount Sentinel
I still need to base this, and in retrospect, while I should have aded some cammo striping for a bit of color, overall I’m happy with this.
Heather in Reno
Painting faces is much harder than painting fruit. I can’t quite seem to get the contrast right.
Still Life 3
Adding some complexity.
Still Life 1
Did this after a few unsatisfying attempts at more complex subjects (birds). The goal was to practice painting gradients.
Still Life 2
More gradient practice.
Alcohol consumption
I had this thought after drinking a bit too much.
Cigars
I like cigars.
Thoughts on the 2024 total solar eclipse
I didn’t take this photo, and I don’t know who did, but it accurately captures what we all saw.
Rogal Dorn complete
I finished this model over the weekend. It’s taken about three weeks of assembly and painting.
Welcome
My name is Mike Wilhelm and this is my Digital Garden. A digital garden is like a personal wiki made public. It's a place for notes and thoughts.
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