I am a woman who is scared of bats and there is a bat in my house. I thought I would love bats because spooky + adorable but with all the flapping they are too much like birds and I would like neither of these types of creatures near my face or hair. 😡

We've hit capacity already for the Kitchener-Waterloo Infosec and Privacy Salon so I have opened up the wait list. If I get at least 10 people on the wait list I will move the event to a bigger venue, so please don't shy away from signing up.

Straithe@straithe.com · 6d ago

My new meetup, "Kitchener-Waterloo Infosec and Privacy Salon", will be having its first meetup on August 17th. Our first speaker will be Michael Ossmann, who will be giving a short talk on GPS security. More details for the event are here: luma.com/0y6y88oa

My new meetup, "Kitchener-Waterloo Infosec and Privacy Salon", will be having its first meetup on August 17th. Our first speaker will be Michael Ossmann, who will be giving a short talk on GPS security. More details for the event are here: luma.com/0y6y88oa

Kitchener-Waterloo Infosec and Privacy Salon · Luma

Kitchener-Waterloo Infosec and Privacy Salon (KWIPS) is an event where folks who are interested in infosec and privacy can come together, learn about a niche…

luma.com

I was on a call with the hottest people I know and my phone couldn’t handle it. @alpenglow.bsky.social @lasermistress.bsky.social @jumperless.org

Ireland does not make good enough use of their TLD, .ie. There are so many adorable URLs they could be making, and I have not seen a single good one in my multiple days of touring.

I will be at #emfcamp this week! Find me if you want to talk about VPN security or planning a hacker conference. I will also be collecting sticker stories to write about on my Die Cut Digest blog (www.patreon.com/collection/2...).

When you add an AI generated header image to your post and it has just incoherent text and inconsistent design and it actually makes no sense at all given the technical content of your post then I have no reason to trust the technical details of your post

I'm hosting a security/privacy/hacking conference in Canada next year. So much of the conference is planned and prepped, but it still needs a name. This is always the hardest part of event planning for me because names carry so much weight and meaning. Any suggestions for names?

I just received some of the most gorgeous stickers from one of my favourite artists, @1dark1.com. 😍 If you hold a handful of your favourite infosec/hacker stickers, chances are @1dark1.com has created at least one of them. Hire this woman for your graphic design needs! She does not disappoint.

“This meeting WAS an email” was an actual experience I had this week.

As a Canadian, I absolutely pronounce it "zed scaler".

Finally got my hand-painted ceramic mushroom plate back after the kiln firing process. The green came out more brown than I expected, probably because I didn’t add enough green layers on top of the orange base layer I had underneath the grass. Regardless, I love the whimsy of this plate!

Straithe@straithe.com · 3mo ago

Took a class this evening on using underglazes to paint mushrooms onto ceramics. It was my first time intentionally layering underglazes to achieve some colour theory effects I’ve been meaning to try. The true test will be seeing what the colours look like after coming out of the kiln.

In Montreal for F1 this weekend. I’ve got a few hours to see interesting people and art. Reach out if you’ve got suggestions or want some of my time.

Little ceramic companion ghostie Dora is looking for a home to be adopted into. If you are in search of someone to yap at for hours who will sit and listen politely, Dora is for you! straithelaboratories.etsy.com/listing/4482... #ceramics #smallBusiness #ceramicArt

You can press ctrl+shift+9 in Google Docs to create checkboxes now, and that brings me a lot of joy.

If you want some long-lasting queer joy in the form of stained glass in your life, I've now got some stained-glass pride flags in my Etsy store: straithelaboratories.etsy.com/listing/4494... #stainedGlass #prideFlag

Took a class this evening on using underglazes to paint mushrooms onto ceramics. It was my first time intentionally layering underglazes to achieve some colour theory effects I’ve been meaning to try. The true test will be seeing what the colours look like after coming out of the kiln.

I've taken up an editing role over at OpenBoardsGuide.com. This is the first article I've had a hand in, and it would mean a lot to get your feedback. If you are afraid of being too mean publicly, roast me via whatever contact method you have for me. www.openboardsguide.com/pimoroni-bad...

Pimoroni Badgeware Tufty

The Pimoroni Badgeware Tufty proffers a low-barrier event badge, desktop companion, DIY gaming console, and MicroPython learning platform all in one polished polycarbonate package.

openboardsguide.com

Finished soldering this stained glass pride flag prototype and adding jump rings to it. What do you all think?

Every time you see an advancement in robotics you should think "what does this mean for the sex robot industry?" because that's exactly what every robot engineer is also thinking

Canadian friends, please, please, please fill out this Transport Canada survey on how you feel about headlight glare while driving at night: tc.canada.ca/en/corporate...

And once you get into needing CE certification, you'll also be continually frustrated by the terrible kerning! Forever!

OSHWA@oshwassociation.bsky.social · 4mo ago

If you decide to sell your hardware it won't be long until you learn that CE is a thing...and a little confusing. On Day 1 of #OHS2026 we've got @smandercom.bsky.social taking us through the ins and outs of legal requirements, responsibilities and more of selling open-source electronics in Europe!

The zine scene in Kitchener-Waterloo is thriving because of @cyborggarbage.bsky.social. Inspired by this community, I created my own zine: www.patreon.com/posts/zine-s...

The Zine Scene in Kitchener-Waterloo and Making My First Zine | Straithe

Get more from Straithe on Patreon

patreon.com

An acquaintance recently asked me how to become a CFP submission reviewer, and instead of firing off a quick reply to just the one person, I wrote this blog post so anyone interested could share in the opportunity to learn: www.patreon.com/posts/153376...

How to Become a Conference CFP Submission Reviewer | Straithe

Get more from Straithe on Patreon

patreon.com

I've got a new open access blog post up on Patreon: “Removing Underglaze From Greenware” — aka me trying to fix a piece without completely losing it. ("It" being my mental health AND the clay ghost I was working on.) www.patreon.com/posts/151822... #ceramics #ceramicGhosts #underglaze #greenware

I reviewed my ceramic ghost-making process to document how much time I was spending on each step. It turns out that I spend about 3 hours on each ghost. The open access post below goes into more detail. www.patreon.com/posts/counti...

Counting the Hours: Creating a Collection of Handmade Ceramic Ghosts | Straithe

Get more from Straithe on Patreon

patreon.com

Meet Vicky, the companion ghost. She is socially shy and very adventurous on her own time. You can see that the stresses of the world have slightly flattened her out, but she always keeps her head held high. Her favourite activities are stargazing, storm chasing, and hearing about your day.

I am transitioning from tech to being an independent artist. My first collection, “Ceramic Companion Ghosts: Classic”, is ready for adoption! If one of these ghosts calls to you and you must have it, message me. Each one is available via private auction/sale until February 24th. Happy Haunting!

My friend, @lasermistress.bsky.social, is constantly doing good for others and she needs us to do some good for her. Please, donate to her Go Fund Me ASAP so she can keep bringing us all impactful resistance art. * clairecassidy.info * www.gofundme.com/f/keep-my-am...

Donate to Keep My Amazing Maker Rig Alive, organized by Claire Cassidy

After my first Maker Rig and open source regenerative living space conversion on wheels… Claire Cassidy needs your support for Keep My Amazing Maker Rig Alive

gofundme.com

Spent some time at the art workbench making more ceramics. I make each piece with so much love and time. 🥰