# abigail — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 8 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover abigail. Page: Feed: --- ## [Read Spanberger’s address to joint money committees](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/read-spanbergers-address-to-joint) _2026-08-19 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Gov. Abigail Spanberger addressed the General Assembly’s joint money committees this morning. ## [Cue the commercials](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/cue-the-commercials) _2026-08-17 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ This is the Virginia Political Newsletter covering Virginia politics from top to bottom. ## [Luria releases two ads](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/luria-releases-two-ads) _2026-08-12 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ VDH says vaccine policies in Virginia won't change. ## [Weekend Visit to Cleveland (Weeknote No. 26-32)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-32-2026) _2026-08-11 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Miscellaneous Stuff 🏦 As an employee of a regional bank, one of the requirements was to maintain an account with them.\[^bank\] My final act since leaving last month was to close that account and move whatever money was left to my regular bank. I wasn’t too nostalgic about it, and I got a nice walk out of it. 🦷 I went to dentist on Wednesday to have an old silver amalgam filling replaced.… ## [Beyer talks AIPAC, Michigan, Hasan Piker](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/beyer-talks-aipac-michigan-hasan) _2026-08-11 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Jason Parker files to run for state Senate. ## [My Favorite (Spectator) Sports Teams](https://mihobu.lol/my-favorite-sports-teams) _2026-08-09 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ ⚾️ Baseball I grew up watching baseball. I remember watching Cleveland Indians on television on those humid late summer Ohio nights. I still love listening to the games on the radio. Cleveland Guardians (MLB) — My number one top favorite sports team Columbus Clippers (MiLB) — My home town team. Plus, I love minor league baseball in general. ⚽️ Soccer/Football I became a soccer fan when the MLS… ## [Left-wing Democrats won big this year. Not so much in Virginia.](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/left-wing-democrats-won-big-this) _2026-08-07 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ But as they look toward November and 2028, some candidates say their movement is just getting started. ## [Spanberger wants to be involved in the review of the Dominion/NextEra merger](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/spanberger-wants-to-be-involved-in) _2026-08-06 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Spanberger published an op-ed in the Washington Post stating that she is getting involved in the review process of the merger between Dominion Energy and NextEra. ## [The results are in](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/the-results-are-in) _2026-08-05 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Primary races have already been called. ## [Arizona Update (Weeknote No. 26-31)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-31-2026) _2026-08-04 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ The rising sun is hidden by a storm on the horizon. Bits and Pieces I was walking through the mall to kill time one day when I came across some kind of manga or gaming shop. I don’t really know, they had stickers and keychains so I popped in. While I was browsing they guy behind the counter asked me if I ever thought about cosplay. Surprised, I simply said, “no.” He then told me that if I grew out… ## [Zuverlässiges Hosting, Domains, Server (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/BvMexN2sMkQP) _2026-08-04 · **Sponsored**_ Zuverlässige Infrastruktur, niedrige Preise und skalierbare Server für deinen Webauftritt. ## [Leaders respond to the passing of Sen. Howell](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/leaders-respond-to-the-passing-of) _2026-08-03 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Odds look good for Democrats in midterms. ## [Moran starts AI consulting firm](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/moran-starts-ai-consulting-firm) _2026-07-30 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Former top Virginia Republican operative Matt Moran has launched an artificial intelligence consulting firm aimed at helping small and midsize businesses adopt AI technology. ## [Getting Some Work Done in Arizona (Weeknote No. 26-30)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-30-2026) _2026-07-30 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ High temperatures in the 100’s were the norm all week. A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That… It’s was hot all week, but getting out a little bit in the mornings and evenings, and getting a lot done inside during the day. I spent a few hours every day working on my two university classes — grading labs and writing content for a new course. There were plenty of chores here at the Arizona place… ## [Spanberger appoints director to Virginia Department of Energy](https://virginiapoliticalnewsletter.substack.com/p/spanberger-appoints-director-to-virginia) _2026-07-29 · Brandon Jarvis · Virginia Political Newsletter_ Gov. Abigail Spanberger has appointed Vince Maiden to serve as director of the Virginia Department of Energy. ## [My Third Tattoo](https://mihobu.lol/my-third-tattoo) _2026-07-26 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ After getting a half sleeve tattoo a few years ago, I thought I’d like to get a companion on the other arm. I didn’t know immediately what I wanted, except that it should have some color. It took a few years, but I began to home in a design based on Baroque filigree ornamentation. I found a local artist named Steve and I made an appointment to share my ideas and get his thoughts. That was July… ## [My Third Tattoo](https://mihobu.net/my-third-tattoo) _2026-07-26 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ After getting a half sleeve tattoo a few years ago, I thought I’d like to get a companion on the other arm. I didn’t know immediately what I wanted, except that it should have some color. It took a few years, but I began to home in a design based on Baroque filigree ornamentation. I found a local artist named Steve and I made an appointment to share my ideas and get his thoughts. That was July… ## [My Second Tattoo](https://mihobu.lol/my-second-tattoo) _2026-07-25 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ A while back I wrote a post about my first tattoo . I’ve since gotten two more. I’ve mentioned them in a few weeknotes posts, but I thought it’d be nice to have a dedicated post about it. So here’s the story about my second tattoo. Every December, AWS hosts an enormous conference in Las Vegas called re:Invent . I attended for the first time in 2021, but it was pretty overwhelming and I missed a… ## [My Second Tattoo](https://mihobu.net/my-second-tattoo) _2026-07-25 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ A while back I wrote a post about my first tattoo . I’ve since gotten two more. I’ve mentioned them in a few weeknotes posts, but I thought it’d be nice to have a dedicated post about it. So here’s the story about my second tattoo. Every December, AWS hosts an enormous conference in Las Vegas called re:Invent . I attended for the first time in 2021, but it was pretty overwhelming and I missed a… ## [More Everyday Phrases From Movies](https://mihobu.lol/more-everyday-phrases-from-movies) _2026-07-24 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ This is a follow up to an earlier post in which I shared a few phrases that I use regularly, but that actually came from movies or television shows. Since then, I’ve been trying to keep track when I use such phrases and realized that I have quite a few! So here are a few more, in no particular order. “Right you are, Ken.” Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (2003-07) If you haven’t seen MXC, you… ## [Home Week (Weeknote No. 26-29)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-29-2026) _2026-07-22 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Home for the Week I spent the week back at home in Ohio, while the spousal unit was away on a business trip. It was my first week at home as a “retiree,” although that’s a misnomer because I am still employed — albeit only part-time — and am still as busy as ever. I admit though that I do not miss my “day job.” Rough Week for Charlie Charlie , our 8-month-old puppy, had her appointment to get… ## [8.1% APY Plus Free Stock (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/PWitF7nlCbLB) _2026-07-22 · **Sponsored**_ Claim 8.1% APY and up to $1,030 in SK hynix and Nvidia stock. ## [Tucson Notes (Weeknote No. 26-28)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-28-2026) _2026-07-14 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Tucson Notes I arrived in Tucson on Sunday, fresh off my retirement. I wouldn’t ordinarily come to Arizona in the summer, but my mother is contemplating a move there full time. I told her that she must first spend some time in the summer Arizona sun. She agreed on the condition that I accompany her and help her get situated. I spent some time cleaning and getting my mother’s place to a sort of… ## [It’s Official (Weeknote No. 26-27)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-27-2026) _2026-07-07 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ My Last Week of Full Time Office Work After years of planning and months of counting down, my retirement from full time work finally arrived! I hadn’t thought about how the week would play out, so I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that is was a strange week. Monday was sort of a normal day. I worked from home, as I had done for most of the last nine years. I say “worked” here, but my… ## [Almost There (Weeknote No. 26-26)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-26-2026) _2026-06-30 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ The Haps My boss sent out an announcement about my retirement . I thought I’d start getting a lot of frantic requests for help with last-minute things, but not so much. Plenty of congratulatory messages though and that’s really nice. I have a few thank you notes to write. There was a post on the AWS Machine Learning Blog about a project I was part of last year. We built a system that located and… ## [Two Weeks Notice (Weeknote No. 26-25)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-25-2026) _2026-06-23 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Goings On ⏱️ The big personal highlight is that I tendered my resignation ahead of my upcoming retirement. I’ve begun gleefully declining meetings. 🚘 We accomplished something we thought we never would: after four years in this house, we can finally get a car in the garage !. 🧩 We attended another Puzzled Pint , an evening of problem solving with longtime friends over beers and pizza. If you… ## [Postcard from the Lately (Weeknote No. 26-23)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-23-2026) _2026-06-12 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Here is another late dispatch. You haven’t missed much, to be honest, but I’ll make a go of relaying the highlights since my last update . 🐕 The new doggos are beginning to settle in. We try to give them two decent walks a day, and plenty of stimulation. Fortunately, we have a nice fenced back yard for them to roam. Charlie occasionally gets the zoomies and that’s a lot of fun. Still a long way… ## True Kindness _2026-06-09 · At The Table_ [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/19243328-true-kindness.mp3) ## [New Puppies! (Weeknote No. 26-20)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-20-2026) _2026-05-18 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Charlie (left) and Teddy are both pretty chill. 🐶 Two New Canine Family Members. This week’s big news is that our family grew by two this week. Teddy is a 7½-year-old brown lab who needed a new home. Charlie is a 6-month-old lab mix who was a rescue. In just a few days, they’ve already begun to settle into their new surroundings. We, on the other hand, are still getting used to having four-legged… ## The Aroma of Christ _2026-05-18 · At The Table_ In this episode, we dive into the biblical idea of carrying the “aroma of Christ” and what that looks like in our everyday lives. Through scripture, conversation, and reflection, we talk about how our relationship with Jesus should naturally shape the way we love, serve, speak, and live. Just like a fragrance lingers wherever it goes, our lives should leave behind evidence of Christ in the places… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/19137989-the-aroma-of-christ.mp3) ## [Hatsue Miki](https://mihobu.lol/hatsue-miki) _2026-05-17 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ In the mid-1990s, during the early years of our marriage, my wife and I accumulated a modest collection of art pieces — paintings, photographs, lithographs, linocuts, posters, ceramics, and more. No art-as-investment stuff, just things that caught our eye at local galleries and arts festivals. Many of the more commoditized pieces have since found other homes or have been discarded, but a few… ## [Hatsue Miki](https://mihobu.net/hatsue-miki) _2026-05-17 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ In the mid-1990s, during the early years of our marriage, my wife and I accumulated a modest collection of art pieces — paintings, photographs, lithographs, linocuts, posters, ceramics, and more. No art-as-investment stuff, just things that caught our eye at local galleries and arts festivals. Many of the more commoditized pieces have since found other homes or have been discarded, but a few… ## [Countdown to Getting Paid (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/bd0Avs0BTRdu) _2026-05-17 · **Sponsored**_ Create a shareable wallet timer — deposits buy back time and pay debt down ## [Final Rankings of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Finalists](https://mihobu.lol/eurovision-2026-final) _2026-05-17 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Bulgaria is this year’s winner. But Denmark was my overall pick. For the Grand Final, I carried my scores over from my initial rankings . In the case of ties, I ranked in order of my personal preference. In the table below, I’ve also included the finishing order in the contest and the difference between my ranking and the official finish — positive values show where I ranked an entry higher;… ## [Eurovision Song Contest 2026 Semifinalists Ranked](https://mihobu.lol/eurovision-2026-semifinal) _2026-05-16 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ This year I used a rubric to score all the entries. Ranking Order Country Artist Song Notes Camp VocPyr Costume Shrug Budget Earworm Lore Inexpl Total Outcome 1 210 Denmark Søren Torpegaard Lund Før vi går hjem We are now passing through the red light district. 5 5 5 5 4 4 5 5 38 ADV 1 206 Armenia Simón Paloma Rumba I found my retirement anthem. Cover me in sticky notes and take me to Armenia. 5 5… ## Remaining & Abiding _2026-05-12 · At The Table_ In this episode, we talk about what it truly means to remain and abide in Christ. Instead of trying to produce spiritual fruit in our own strength, Jesus calls us to stay connected to the true vine so that love, joy, peace, and lasting fruit flow from Him. [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/19160161-remaining-abiding.mp3) ## [Abigail’s Graduation (Weeknote No. 26-19)](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-19-2026) _2026-05-12 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Celebratory luncheon with the family before Abigail’s graduation ceremony (from left to right: Eli Burkhardt, Abigail Burkhardt, Vera O’Neil, Marilyn Everhart, Marlene O’Neil, Mary Ann Burkhardt, Michael Burkhardt) Highlights 🎓 This week’s big highlight was our daughter Abigail’s graduation from Kent State University. We started the festivities by attending her senior retrospective show on Friday… ## [Abigail’s Senior Capstone Show](https://mihobu.lol/abigails-senior-capstone-show) _2026-05-09 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Last night we attended Abigail’s senior retrospective show at Kent State’s Taylor Hall gallery. Today she’ll graduate with a BFA in Photography. So proud of this kiddo! Abigail’s announcement, as it appeared on Instagram: Meet Abigail! Abigail Burkhardt is a Photography major and Arts Entrepreneurship minor from Columbus, Ohio. With her love of sports, she developed a strong interest in sports… ## [Six California Chardonnays](https://mihobu.lol/six-california-chardonnays) _2026-05-08 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Every now and then, we like a Chardonnay with that rich, buttery flavor produced by malolactic fermentation. You can spend almost as much as you want on wine, but we wondered whether you really need to. So we picked up six Chardonnays ranging from $8 to $46 per bottle and ranked them from favorite to least favorite. We are not wine connoisseurs, we just like drinking wine. We didn’t use any… ## [Six California Chardonnays](https://mihobu.net/six-california-chardonnays) _2026-05-08 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Every now and then, we like a Chardonnay with that rich, buttery flavor produced by malolactic fermentation. You can spend almost as much as you want on wine, but we wondered whether you really need to. So we picked up six Chardonnays ranging from $8 to $46 per bottle and ranked them from favorite to least favorite. We are not wine connoisseurs, we just like drinking wine. We didn’t use any… ## [Weeknote No. 26-18](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-18-2026) _2026-05-04 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Shopping ⌚️ I stopped wearing my Apple Watch a few months ago when I realized that it didn’t function correctly with my new sleeve tattoo. I miss having a wristwatch so I’ve been thinking about an alternative. When I got an email from Casio that the G-Shock GW5000HS-1 had become available, I impulsively ordered it on the spot. This one sets the time and date automatically and is solar powered. 📷… ## [My AI Assistant](https://mihobu.lol/my-ai-assistant) _2026-04-30 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ There seems to be a lot of outrage with respect to generative AI lately. Well, friends, prepare to be outraged. I use an AI virtual assistant nearly every day. In my experience it works well . A lot of people report getting crappy results from virtual assistants, but when you dig in you often find they are using a free model rather than one of the more modern paid versions. I have a Claude Pro… ## [My AI Assistant](https://mihobu.net/my-ai-assistant) _2026-04-30 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ There seems to be a lot of outrage with respect to generative AI lately. Well, friends, prepare to be outraged. I use an AI virtual assistant nearly every day. In my experience it works well . A lot of people report getting crappy results from virtual assistants, but when you dig in you often find they are using a free model rather than one of the more modern paid versions. I have a Claude Pro… ## Gospel Urgency _2026-04-28 · At The Table_ [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/19083661-gospel-urgency.mp3) ## [Weeknote No. 26-17](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-17-2026) _2026-04-27 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ We capped the weekend off by watching our daughter’s club soccer game in Cleveland. 🎤 This year’s Eurovision Song Contest is just a few weeks away, and I was delighted to learn that I’ll be able to watch for free on YouTube here in the US. I’m disappointed that some countries have opted out and that’s understandable, but I like the idea (even if that’s all it is) that music can unite us in ways… ## [Weeknote No. 26-16](https://mihobu.lol/weeknotes-week-16-2026) _2026-04-20 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ As I write this, I realize that I haven’t posted a weeknote in almost a month. I used to be so disciplined about it, dutifully posting something every week. Alas, 2026 has been different. 🎒 Having spent a week or so in Puerto Rico and nine weeks in Arizona, I’ve been away more than I’ve been home. I suppose that was enough of a disruption to my routine to throw me off. Now I’m back home and no… ## [An Atheist’s Creed](https://mihobu.lol/an-atheists-creed) _2026-04-13 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Christopher Hitchens Today is the birthday of one my favorite authors, the late Christopher Hitchens. (He’d have been 77 years old.) How I wish he was still around to layer the current goings on with his profound erudition and incisive wit! Alas, he is not, so we celebrate his memory and the rich body of work he left behind. One of the cornerstones of that work is God is Not Great: How Religion… ## [An Atheist’s Creed](https://mihobu.net/an-atheists-creed) _2026-04-13 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ Christopher Hitchens Today is the birthday of one my favorite authors, the late Christopher Hitchens. (He’d have been 77 years old.) How I wish he was still around to layer the current goings on with his profound erudition and incisive wit! Alas, he is not, so we celebrate his memory and the rich body of work he left behind. One of the cornerstones of that work is God is Not Great: How Religion… ## Fully Known and Fully Loved _2026-04-06 · At The Table_ In this episode, Paul and CJ explore the powerful tension of being fully known and fully loved by God. Even in the depth of our sin and brokenness, God’s love remains constant and unchanging. Together, they unpack what it means to approach Him with honesty and confidence, wrestle with the reality of grieving God, and discover how this truth reshapes our worship, relationships, and daily walk with… [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/18905912-fully-known-and-fully-loved.mp3) ## [Big Tech Roundup](https://mihobu.lol/big-tech-roundup) _2026-04-05 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ These are my thoughts on some of the biggest firms in the technology industry. Some are informed by my own experiences with these companies over the course of my 35-year career. Others are just observations. This is not intended as an exhaustive academic or financial analysis, just some random observations and opinions. Nvidia ( NVDA ) Market cap: $4,300,000,000,000 CUDA is an impressive and… ## [Big Tech Roundup](https://mihobu.net/big-tech-roundup) _2026-04-05 · Michael Burkhardt · Michael Burkhardt’s Blog_ These are my thoughts on some of the biggest firms in the technology industry. Some are informed by my own experiences with these companies over the course of my 35-year career. Others are just observations. This is not intended as an exhaustive academic or financial analysis, just some random observations and opinions. Nvidia ( NVDA ) Market cap: $4,300,000,000,000 CUDA is an impressive and… ## Come to the Altar _2026-03-31 · At The Table_ In this episode, Brock and Abigail explore what it means to build altars today—creating intentional space to meet with God through surrender, remembrance, and attention. Drawing from Scripture, they reflect on whether we’re relying on past encounters or making room for fresh ones, and what it looks like to lay down anything that’s taken His place in our hearts. [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/18933321-come-to-the-altar.mp3) ## Stability & Authority _2026-03-23 · At The Table_ [Listen](https://www.buzzsprout.com/690652/episodes/18888568-stability-authority.mp3)