iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Montréal, I am in you. This photo was taken at the Barbie Expo, a must-see for any visitor new to the city.

Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Another morning, another instance of Facebook being down. Of course, my iPhone's Face ID not working only compounded the annoyance, especially when I realized that all I needed to do was to wipe off the camera lens. I'm not sure this isn't a preview of Monday.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Introduced Leif to “The Duchess of Duke Street” tonight (which I finally found on DVD). As I had expected, he loved it.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

This has been making the rounds on Bluesky for many months, but it's just now hitting my social feeds, so here's a late-to-the-party repost:

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

Yes, this is our polycule being discussed by comedian Ashley Gavin. youtu.be/NC1jZfpZeMg?...

youtu.be

Mom and Dad Joined a Polycule | Ashley Gavin Crowd Work

YouTube video by Ashley Gavin

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Given that I just had an MRI for my injured (right) shoulder last Friday, you could say that Rina Piccolo’s comic today resonates strongly for me.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 13/04/2026

I cannot overstate how delighted I was to be able to retire before I was forced to deal with AI tools in nearly every facet of my workplace to handle my daily job tasks.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Apropos of absolutely nothing other than my finally remembering to post it here…last Friday, March 13, 2026 was my last day at work. I am now (happily) retired.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

Our family feels that love is not best professed by a single holiday such as Valentine’s Day, but by the loving acts of service we perform for each other on a daily basis. (And restaurant service is always worst on VD, so we go out for dinner a few days after.)

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

As long as I’m ranting mildly on the topic of generative AI… youtu.be/CsQtUSTSX40?...

youtu.be

STOP USING GENERATIVE A.I (Original Song)

YouTube video by Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 14/02/2026

I am adopting this abbreviation into my online vocabulary immediately.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

As a furry ally, I rather liked this, which was written from a mainstream point of view. slate.com/advice/2026/...

slate.com

My Son Has Discovered a Beloved Hobby. I’m Trying to Accept This, But It’s Too Weird!

I keep hoping it's a phase.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 30/01/2026

My Apple Watch was charging slowly and erratically. I power-cycled it, updated it to the most current WatchOS, and now it’s charging speedily once again. Sometimes the most hackneyed fixes (“reboot it and apply updates”) are hyped repeatedly because more often than not, they actually DO work.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 16/01/2026

Between my impending retirement and current news, I'm rethinking some of my personal tech choices. Today, I set up a paid Proton account. I'll start the email migration from Gmail shortly. (Post-retirement M365 work calendar will follow.) I'm not feeling trustful of Silicon Valley right now.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

I’m sure I’m late late late to the party on this, but I found this to be pretty amazing. Also highly intriguing to see how the results vary from series to series. trekkiefeminist.com/category/bec...

trekkiefeminist.com

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 09/01/2026

"The war we fight is not against powers and principalities, it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender." — G’Kar, Babylon 5.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

Song of the now, after reading recent headlines. youtu.be/1BFwLwEK5-E?...

youtu.be

Where Are the Grown Ups?

YouTube video by Shaina Taub - Topic

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Our version of NYT Cooking’s Carrot Tart with Ricotta and Feta. It was a nice way to break in the Cuisinart 11-Cup food processor @lljsky.bsky.social gave me for my birthday earlier in the month. It’s not a difficult or fussy recipe, it just takes organized prep and cook time.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

We used the Got Junk people half a dozen times (no…really!) just before we moved from Sunnyvale to Sacramento. Today we used them again here in Sac to remove old furniture, clothing, shoes, old paint and dead monitors and batteries. I feel like singing “Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life.”

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Reposted by Allan Hurst

Dan Hon @danhon.com · 23/12/2025

OH MY GOD THEY DID

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 22/12/2025

And sometimes, looking out the (virtual) window at all of the craziness, all I really want to do is think about how great our dinner of Costco ready-to-bake salmon, air-fried rainbow carrots, and brown rice/quinoa with sautéed almonds was tonight. (Randy didn’t even put bacon salt on anything!)

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 18/12/2025

Best dad joke of the week (thus far): — — — I asked the librarian if they had books on paranoia. She whispered, “They’re right behind you."

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

In a "normal" political environment, this story wouldn't raise a lot of eyebrows. In the current (abnormal) political environment, however, this is a big deal. www.metroweekly.com/2025/12/cons...

metroweekly.com

Conservatives Slam Chick-fil-A for Celebrating Gay Wedding

Conservatives say the fast food chain has betrayed its former values after a franchisee celebrated a gay wedding.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 10/12/2025

I spend a slowly increasing amount of time staring at this every week. logwork.com/countdown-a1zr

logwork.com

Days until Allan Retires - Countdown Timer

Days until Allan Retires Countdown Timer

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

The original space mom, and I will miss her terribly. If not for her, we wouldn't have had DS9's Kasidy Yates-Sisko, The Orville's Dr. Claire Finn...or Princess Leia. (And don't forget that Maureen Robinson was a biochemist, one of the first STEM role models for girls!)

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

Ah, if only my acquaintance George Madison (“Furr”) was still alive. He was a _huge_ Amiga fan (some might have called him fanatical, actually), and he would have LOVED this.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 19/10/2025

PSA: I won’t be posting or commenting on anything really juicy or political or naughty here until after I retire on March 13, 2026. (“Beware the Ides of March!”) But…I _am_ here, I _am_ reading, and I _am_ liking your posts, even if I’m not commenting. (Yet.)

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

I am increasingly disenchanted with pols who aren’t doing anything visibly yet keep begging me via unsolicited texts for money.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

Regarding a recent story on Frontier Airlines planning to swap jet bridges for portable stairs to load flights, because they believe it will provide a faster turnaround (I thought this seemed rather ableist), I've referred to this related story from 2024. www.scientificamerican.com/article/ther...

scientificamerican.com

There Are Quicker Ways to Board a Plane--So Why Don't Airlines Use Them?

These boarding methods are more efficient, but they come at a cost

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

inside my head: “Be like Tim.”

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

I was very surprised to have not one, but two excellent dining experiences at the Chili's in Willis, Texas during my recent stay in that area for a square dance caller school. This article helps to explain how that happened. I found it fascinating. slate.com/business/202...

slate.com

It’s the Hottest Restaurant in America. It’s Probably in Your Mall’s Parking Lot. How Did This Happen?

It started with a cheese pull.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 13/08/2025

Artist unknown (but feel free to let me know if you know).

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

I have never been comfortable with private equity firms, and this Vanity Fair piece does a great job of explaining the ways in which PE firms are harmful to employees and consumers. www.vanityfair.com/news/story/m...

vanityfair.com

“We’ve Been Sold a Story That Isn’t Remotely True”: How Private-Equity Billionaires Killed the American Dream

In her new book, ‘Bad Company,’ journalist Megan Greenwell shows how the secretive industry has insinuated itself into average Americans’ lives.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Lili Thomas has just stolen my theater heart as the Best. Miss. Muzeppa. Ever. youtu.be/KqSYVWHAPQQ?...

youtu.be

Gypsy: Tiny Desk Concert

YouTube video by NPR Music

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 10/04/2025

Clients keep telling me that on-prem services are always more $$$ than cloud. Until they see charges on their first bill for data in, data out, data stored, data backed up, data even just thought about... As Robert A. Heinlein once said: "TANSTAAFL."

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

This article made me feel quite melancholy. I grew up in a movie-going world where Technicolor was The Standard. And now it's all gone, along with cellulloid moviemaking in general. www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/bus...

hollywoodreporter.com

The Rise and Fall of Technicolor in Hollywood’s Golden Age

The exquisitely exacting and expensive process (three to four times more costly than reliable black and white) was a major gamble — and win — for the nascent entertainment industry. Then came the copy...

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 27/03/2025

After seeing Costco's frozen kimbap described in passing in an article, I ordered a bag (ink in comments). Lazy description: "Korean vegetarian futomaki [sushi roll]". Looks like futomaki, but has different flavors and textures. Usually eaten plain. Randy and I were both impressed.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Tonight’s recipe from NYT Cooking: Crispy Sheet Pan Noodles with Glazed Tofu. I won’t deny I felt a little silly with some of the steps in this recipe. (Mixing the noodles on the sheet pan was just a tad surrealistic at times.). However, the result is surprisingly tasty. Gift link in comments.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 22/03/2025

Tonight’s dinner: NYT Cooking’s Tofu and Green Beans with Chili Crisp. Hint: If you’re gluten-sensitive, using tamari instead of regular soy sauce, makes this recipe GF. Cheap, easy, and healthy. Can’t do much better than that. Gift link to the recipe in the comments.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

Postprandial voguing at Mendocino Farms before heading out to call an Advanced club night for Prime 8s.

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Allan Hurst @allanh.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Every time I post a plant-based recipe, I get notified of a new block. Wow. Tough crowd. (I wonder what would happen if I posted a meat based recipe…?)

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