Mike O'Connell | The Web home of Michael O'Connell

I don’t see a shadow, just corporate greed

Posted on February 2, 2026 by moc

As the guy who literally wrote the book on dates and movies, I should note that today is Groundhog Day and there’s an obvious choice for what movie one should watch.

In the streaming era this should be easy, right? It’s a popular movie; just see what streaming service has it.

(Pause for clicking through options.)

Clever, clever, the folks at Netflix are, who dropped Groundhog Day from their roster on January 31, making us calendar-following chumps pony up a few bucks on Amazon to see it. It’s not as though they don’t understand what day people will want to watch this movie. They understand exactly when people will want to watch this movie, and double down on some dirty “surge pricing” to collect a few bucks. Keep the Big Streaming Syndicate happy. Can’t upset the cartel.

Weak move, Netflix.

Snow day week (unfortunately) continues

Posted on January 30, 2026 by moc

We’ve come full circle on snow days this week, literally, as Snow Day #5 today completes the full-week cycle of school cancellations.

Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but yeah, it’s now beyond the tipping point, no longer amusing, and a classic case of be-careful-what-you-wish-for.

But on today’s episode of Math and Musings you’ll hear Franklin and me basking in the glory of Snow Day #1, pondering the possibility of whether we’d get another or perhaps in a crazy scenario three in a row.

Those were the days.

Enjoy.

Snow Day week continues

Posted on January 28, 2026 by moc

Snow Day number three in a row today for Loudoun County Public Schools.

Have we reached the tipping point where it’s now too much of a good thing?

Not yet.

The real order of the months

Posted on January 26, 2026 by moc

Snow day today ’round these parts, leaving me ample time to think of things perhaps unrelated to my employment but enjoyable nonetheless.

For example, I like to make lists.

I’m list guy.

I especially like to make lists by months. For example, months by color, months by beverage, months by fruit.

You’re welcome.

But somehow I never listed the months by popularity.

Allow me to right that wrong.

1. June

2. July

3. August

(Okay, that was the easy part.)

4. December

5. October

6. May

7. November

8. September

9. April

10. March

11. February

12. January

Again, you’re welcome.

MAM goes Medieval

Posted on January 23, 2026 by moc

Today on Math and Musings Franklin and I discuss our recent trip to Medieval Times.

The dining reenactment, not actual time travel.

For once it was my son’s suggestion, not my own, to head here, and like his dad is wont to do, found a good way to spend a Saturday.

Squire off the old block.

New governor, same tired jabs

Posted on January 21, 2026 by moc

Talk about the Commonwealth the past few days has concerned the sartorial choices of our new governor, Abigail Spanberger.

Spanberger is the first female to hold the position of Virginia governor, and apparently the first(?) not to wear something called a “morning coat” at her inauguration.

According to “A Guide to Virginia Protocols and Traditions” (yeah, that’s a thing I guess), “morning coat” is the proper attire for such occasions. (Yes, morning, not mourning.)

Spanberger wore a white coat. And apparently not “morning.”

The horrors.

My friends in the opposition jumped on the opportunity to criticize. (Never miss a chance, right?) But let’s wait a minute, folks. Soon enough she’ll mess up something that’s actually real and let’s work on that one. Frankly I can’t believe I’m on the side of let’s-not-worry-about-what-a-woman-is-wearing-but-what-she-actually-does, but here I am.

Now let the criticism begin!

A walk in the College Park

Posted on January 19, 2026 by moc

Yesterday I was in College Park, Maryland, seeing the 0-6 in conference Maryland Terrapins face off against the 0-6 in conference Nittany Lions of Penn State. Two bad teams means two cheap tickets. Nice.

In retrospect it wasn’t two bad teams. It was one bad team and one very bad team, as the Terrapins showed something that had been lacking all season. Penn State? They looked like a team that had hadn’t won a conference game all season.

The Terps dominated from basically the opening tip and led by thirty points at halftime. For once when my son asked if we could leave early I was like… yeah. We could leave early, but we should see if super-senior Diggy Coit would set the school’s single-game scoring record. (He had opportunities but came up one short, finishing with 43.)

Final score Maryland 96, Penn State 73.

A walk in the College Park.

Maryland puts its one-game winning streak on the line Wednesday at Illinois.

Because you can never get enough Disney talk

Posted on January 16, 2026 by moc

Today on Math and Musings Franklin and I discuss Disney World again, this time focusing on the rides and experiences that make for the happiest place on Earth.

This is basically Monday’s post again

Posted on January 14, 2026 by moc

Monday I noted that most of my students, when asked which team they thought would this year’s Super Bowl, responded with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Those who didn’t say Eagles said the Steelers.

So much for that.

Now, whom to jinx next?

This sort of worked out

Posted on January 12, 2026 by moc

Last week the “survey question” in math class was which team was going to win the Super Bowl.

Most of my students said the Eagles.

I was struggling with what this week’s survey question should be; sometimes the solution presents itself.