iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Did they provide any other food at all? I’ve heard of them ordering pizza for everyone onboard in the past…

Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

We passed the train on the way to Fundy last night. Passed the cargo train first and then saw the Via train shortly behind. Brutal.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I really wish Via would provide some sort of compensation for serious delays on the Ocean. It was almost humorous when we were offered compensation for a slight delay in the Corridor when I’m used to barely getting a « sorry » for many hour delays on the Ocean.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

The Starbucks in Miramichi is closing tomorrow & I feel unreasonably sad about it. I know the company is problematic but it’s been my favourite third-place in my end of town. It’s accessible by bike & I have spent a great deal of time there working, cross-stitching, or playing games with my kids.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I’m starting a new job in a few weeks and I was asking a colleague for some advice on how I should prioritize work as he has had more experience in this line of work (albeit in a different role). His answer was straight up AI. If I had wanted advice from copilot, I would have asked it myself.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Well, glad it wasn’t worse, I guess. Sorry it happened at all though. Brutal.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Ugh the number of Miramichi drivers I see on their phones is ludicrous. I’m so sorry. How’d the bike fare? Did the driver stick around?

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This weekend, my family and I were camping at Fundy National Park. For logistical reasons we ended up having to take both of our vehicles there. The cost in gas to take our compact SUV there and back? ~$100 The cost in charging to take our EV there and back? $0 ICE cars are the pits.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

We bought an EV this year and I don’t think we’ll ever go back. We’ve found that it’s infinetely better than our previous ICE cars: quieter, cheaper, way more fun to drive. I wish we could get away with zero personal vehicles but in the meantime, we’re really enjoying the EV.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

In Canada, national parks are for: 🔲 🚶‍➡️🚲 people ☑️ 🚘 cars (Infuriating new sign at Fundy National Park)

Sign that says: bicycles/pedestrians stop for/pour cars on a roadway at Fundy National Park. A large pickup truck turns left up ahead on the roadway.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

I’ve been to all 10 provinces, but no territories. I am currently tending to visit half the provinces (NB, NS, PEI, QC, ON) ~yearly, and Nfld semi-regularly. But having the prairies & BC on my list is only thanks to my parents taking my sisters & I on a cross-country trip when I was a kid.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

*intercity trains are used. I’m tired. Still recovering from my economy Ocean line trip on Sunday. 😅

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I love Gare Centrale and I love the frequency at which intercity trains but I hate hate hate the obsession with lining up for Via rail corridor trains. Seats are assigned. Lines are irrelevant.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Haven’t had caffeine yet and for a second had a small hope that the Miramichi Water Taxi was expanding its offerings.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

I saw an ad for that the other day and had an immediate « wtf, Gross » reaction. This is like Tim’s pizza to me. They can do it but… should they?

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Reposted by Amy Pike

ℳatt @matttomic.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

I've seen everyone sharing that US Dialect Quiz so I decided to make my own, much crappier, CANADIAN DIALECT QUIZ to guess where in Canada you're from

A flow chart I have created with multiple questions and the answers determine where you're from.

Question 1 is do you call it a hydro bill (which then branches down to ON, QC, BC, MB) or an electric bill (which then branches down to SK, AB, NS, NB, PEI, NL)

Question 2 is do you call it a cabin (BC, MB, AB, SK) cottage (ON and atlantic) camp (northern Ontario) chalet (QC) or bungalow (Cape Breton)

To delineate BC from MB: do you call it dinner or supper

To delineate southern Ontario rural or big city: have you heard of a stag & doe

To delineate SK from AB: do you call a hoodie a bunnyhug

And finally to delineate NL from the other atlantic provinces: whaddayat? (Correct answer: dis is it b'y)

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Reposted by Amy Pike

Urban Truth Collective @urbantruth.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

No matter what they claim, the REAL “war” that’s been going on in our cities has been a WAR ON WALKING. And it’s been going on for a century. #UrbanTruth

Mostly black text on white background: “ The Road Lobby claims that there’s a war going on in our cities. There is, but it’s not the war they’ve been lying about. They’ve been waging a WAR ON WALKING for a century.“ Via the Urban Truth Collective.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

As someone who is currently in Ottawa after just visiting Montreal and QC, it feels especially jarring. Sidewalks closed all over the place, sending pedestrians ping-ponging across major streets, priority for cars everywhere, and a lack of vibrancy downtown.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

So far on this trip, we’ve taken the following forms of public transit: 🚂 Via Ocean ⚜️🚏 QC bus (RTC) 🚆 Via Corridor 🚇 Montréal Metro (STM) 🚌Montréal Bus (STM) 🚊Montréal REM (STM) Anyway, I think some people take their kids on normal vacations and not just transport sampling. More to come!

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

The world feels a little sadder today. I’m so lucky that all three of my kids got to have her as a teacher. I’m so lucky that she was there when I needed her. While I thanked her many times for her investments in my kids’ lives, I wish I had thanked her more explicitly for her investment in mine.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I never had a teacher who took particular interest in me as a kid. I always felt jealous of kids who had made those connections. But as a parent, Mme. Breau was that for me. She took an interest, she cared. And I know it wasn’t just me/us. I know she was like this to so many kids/families.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

When she received her diagnosis 1.5 years ago, she told us but asked us not to tell the kids. She took 6 wks off for treatment, then came back for the last few weeks of the school yr. She worked this entire past year but the cancer had returned & she was planning to take next off for treatment.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We talked about their schoolwork, yes; but it was so much more than that. She listened, she encouraged, she cared. As a parent I never really truly know if what I’m doing is good/right. It’s a series of judgment calls and very rarely does someone encourage you in that. But Mme. Breau did.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

She regularly told us how much she loved hearing all about our trips and outings as a family, how rare family time is now for most families, and how much she felt it helped our kids development. She always hyped up our kids to us, telling us how kind, respectful, and polite they were.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

She replied that it was but how she’d been thinking earlier that this would be her last parent-teacher with the Pikes so we decided to go in. I’m so glad we did. She spent three years of parent-teachers encouraging my husband and I as parents, and this last one was no different.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

… knowing what a sensitive soul he is. We met with Mme. Breau at every parent-teacher over the three years. In fact, we almost skipped this last one. After having met my kids other teachers, I was running late for a work meeting so stuck my head into her room to see if all was good & we could skip.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

… especially sensitive to feeling like people are disappointed in him or like he let people down. So I sent her an email to explain that it was my fault & he had asked me to do it but I had put it off. Well, didn’t she take that to heart. She adjusted her whole approach with him over the year …

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

He was insistent that Mme. Breau wanted it that day but I reminded him it wasn’t due until the next day so it would be fine. While I was tucking him in that night, he started to cry about how Mme. Breau had “growled him” for not bringing it in that day. Now, C is very sensitive, and he is …

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

…made her enjoy/interested in math. I don’t know how she taught it, but she was a miracle-worker for E. At the beginning of this last school year, when my youngest (C) was in her class, he asked me to sign a permission form one day, but I was running late for work so I told him I’d sign it later.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

She also told us she’d make sure E did not fall behind: and she stuck to her word. She stayed after school with E many days to make sure she could get caught up. She was the FI homeroom teacher but her specialty was math. She has been the only teacher in my daughter’s 9 years of school that has…

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We took our kids to Disney that year, which meant they missed 2 weeks of school. We weren’t concerned about the boys, but were concerned about E catching up. Mme. Breau was not cross with us, in fact she told us how happy she was to see us take family trips together, and how important that was.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

That fall, my daughter (E) was in a community musical production. Practice schedule meant she didn’t always get her homework done. Mme. Breau encouraged her to keep doing what she enjoyed. And when it came time for the production? She bought tickets, and her and her sister showed up to support E.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

… drastically overshared with her. Told her that school was very easy for me growing up, that I was frustrated that it didn’t come easily for my daughter, and that I wanted to advocate for her but didn’t know how. Mme. Breau did not judge me. Instead, she guided me, and encouraged me.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

She just taught my youngest this past year (until June) so memories are fresh. The first parent-teacher I ever went to with Mme. Breau was right after my daughter started grade 6. We had just received her diagnosis of acute dyslexia and I was scared. I didn’t know this lady, but I went in and…

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

First, some context. My kids are born 3 years in a row, and for K-8 they have gone to a small school with (generally) 1 FI and 1 E class per grade. So, since grade 3, each homeroom teacher has been stuck with the Pikes for three years in a row: first my daughter, then middle son, then youngest son.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

We got word this morning that my kids’ grade 6 homeroom teacher passed away. This really hit me hard and if you’ll allow me, I’d like to tell you a bit about her (🧵), and how much teachers can mean not just to students, but also to parents.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Day two QC highlights. We spent more of the day inside so I snapped fewer pictures, but still managed to check out these spots!

An open book being read in front of a large window that looks out towards Le Diamant in Québec City.

Looking down Rue Saint-Jean in Québec City with a large tree on the right followed by la bibliothèque Claire-Martin which is housed in a large former neo-gothic stone church.

Colourful art-graffiti on overpass supports near Rue Saint-Paul in QC.

Looking up from the pool area at l’Hôtel Palace Royale in QC. The walls are a salmon colour and there are 9 levels of balconies facing the pool area all around. At the top of the ceiling is a large skylight.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I really miss vacationing in New Hampshire - a place I used to visit yearly. But we’re choosing to spend our vacation dollars in Canada now, a decision that feels more right than ever. Some highlights from our day in QC yesterday.

The ceiling of the atrium in the Gare du Palais in Québec City. The ceiling is bricked with stained glass windows on the sides and very top. In the middle of the top window is a stained glass image of Canada.

A statue of a log roller found between two stone walls, in an alley, in Québec City.

A photo of pedestrians walking by and two teenagers doing wheelies on their rented bikes F Place D’Youville, Québec City. In the background you see two interesting stone/brick buildings and part of the fortifications of Québec wall.

Madison Mère-Mallet peaking up from between two stone buildings separated between a narrow street in Québec City.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Truly can’t wait to read this.

Picture of a book being held up titled: capitalism is sexism. The book cover has a large upside down red triangle on it. In the background, people walk on a pedestrian street in Québec City.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Bring back Crystal Palace! (This picture is brought to you by the Miramichi Via Rail Station, my home for the last 2.5 hours because the train is never on time).

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

That was the vibe they were going for, apparently.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Right? And there’s even a picnic-ish table at the park!

A green permanent table with three benches around it in front of a large kids playground

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Have a few hours to kill in a NB small town. Found a school playground for the kids to play at. A lot of things are prohibited at this playground and (while I think it’s overkill, ) I understand most of them but am stumped as to why sneakers are prohibited? This playground is outside on pavement.

Six signs on a chain link fence outside a playground. The signs are:
1) no cats/dogs
2) surveilled 24 hours by camera
3) no inline skating, scooters, bikes, or skateboards
4) no sneakers/high heels
5) no drinks or food
6) no smoking

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Very curious to know how much bribery was involved in Moncton getting the closing show in the Jonas Brothers tour. (In other news, I don’t listen to the JB, but I do think my parents’ house might be close enough to the show that I might be able to hear it from their back porch tonight. 🤞)

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Now I’m curious what the purpose of those controls are. Do they stop the elevator at a given floor? Skip that floor? Open a portal to a different dimension?

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

I love a city. I love a non-car commute. I love an old elevator with exceptionally tactile buttons.

An elevator control panel with the older style push-in buttons.

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Amy Pike @amykpike.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Nothing will change my mind on how great it is to take the bus (and all public transit, really)… but this bus driver is quite aggressive with their stops and my dress is very slippery against this seat so I’m spending this whole ride trying not to slip right onto the floor.

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