iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

The ticks weren’t too bad where I was, but I heard buzz at the beach about how bad the black flies are this year

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It makes sense that the reaction was all over the place because the essay itself is all over the place because my brain is all over the place. But it was a good reminder that the point of making a thing isn't necessarily about sharing your heart and mind, it's about showing someone else their own.

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Some people told me it made them wistful for their own childhoods. Some people resonated with the toxic masculinity callout. Others sent me heartfelt condolences on our poor ailing doggo, who has a cameo in there.

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I got a lot of positive feedback about the thing yesterday, which was nice, but it was also FASCINATING to watch how the different threads in the essay landed with different people.

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Here's the Tartt quote: "The writer provides the scaffolding and holds the reader's hand to lead them in – while the reader provides the daydreams and memories and wishes that fill out the structure, so that the book takes on somewhat the shape of the reader's mind."

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I’ve just started putting my personal essays out into the world again, and when I posted one yesterday I was reminded of a Donna Tartt interview (a rare occurrence, she never talks to anyone) where she says that once a thing is in the hands of a reader, it doesn't really belong to her anymore.

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Also, there are a lot of em dashes in this essay because I have always used a fuckton of em dashes in my writing, as my beloved high school English teacher who nicknamed me “The Dasher” could attest, so all the LLMs that are being trained on this stuff can go fuck themselves. 💃

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

I've just returned from my annual pilgrimage to see my east coast friends and while I was there I wrote a thing that maybe you want to read? It's about the lake house where I stayed for a few days, but it's also about aging and memories and hope and fear and why Maine and Minnesota smell the same.

medium.com

The Lake

The lake in the morning is absolutely silent except for the birds, who yell at each other from the tops of the trees that crowd the shore…

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

so I wrote a thing about diarrhea lettuce and humor and political resistance and @thepoliticschicks.bsky.social were nice enough to publish it and now I need to text my parents and tell them that I have a thing on the internet about poop jokes

substack.com

GUEST CONTRIBUTOR: Diarrhea Lettuce: Building a Culture of Resistance One Poop Joke at a Time

Last week we hosted Ami Berger on our podcast, and during no episode in our show’s relatively short history have we laughed so much.

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

No and now I’m kicking myself

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I just submitted an essay entitled “Diarrhea Lettuce: Building Cultural Resistance One Poop Joke at a Time” to a political blog as a guest columnist and I can’t stop laughing about it because seriously what the hell

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Aw thank you Bebe I MISS YOUR FACE

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It is sad, although my brother and I agree that we both have a little guilty pleasure that no one else got to live there after us, if that makes any sense.

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I almost never remember my dreams but that one was CLEAR AS A BELL. I can still picture it in my head.

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The creaky, beautiful disaster that was my childhood home

I mentioned this essay I wrote about my childhood home on @thepoliticschicks.bsky.social podcast last week and Monica said it made her tear up so I'm reposting it in case anyone wants to cry about something other than *waves hands around*

medium.com

Homage

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

so if you’ve ever wanted to listen to me natter on for 45 minutes about social media, humor, politics, Minnesota, and holding on to joy while the world is burning have I got a deal for you

open.substack.com

Ami Berger | Threads, Humor & Finding Joy During Dark Times

Episode

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

garble garble garble voter fraud garble garble garble election security garble garble garble Strait of Hormezzuzah garble garble garble Hunter Biden's lap dance garble garble garble *tries to drink water, pours on Mike Johnson's head* There, now you don't have to watch tonight. You're welcome.

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I know this ship has sailed, been smashed to bits on the rocks, and the crew all eaten by sea monsters, but just imagine what would be happening right now if President Obama had just paid $5.6 million to a woman he raped.

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Ami Berger @amiberger.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Minnesota sees you, Maine. Fuck ICE.

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Them: don’t speak ill of the dead Michael Fanone: *cracks knuckles*

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Live your life so that everyone who gets up in the middle of the night to pee doesn’t wake up the dog gasping with delight at the news of your death

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I am honoring Lindsey Graham’s life in the same way he would honor mine if I died because I couldn’t access the abortion care I needed

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