iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Happy birthday, SZ! Congratulations on 50 successful orbits around the sun, and may you be pampered all weekend.

Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

If you’ve been waiting to pre-order, this is the perfect time. Use the code PREORDER25 at checkout. If you’re not already a member, enroll in their free rewards program before checking out. Thank you for your support! www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=97813...

barnesandnoble.com

Instagram For Dummies

Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

As you probably already know, I’ve been busy the last several months writing Instagram For Dummies, 3rd Edition, and I wanted to share that Barnes & Noble is running a 25% off campaign for members for all pre-orders, including my book! The sale goes through Friday, September 11th.

The cover of Instagram For Dummies, 3rd Edition by Corey Walker, Jenn Herman, and Eric Butow.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

You can read more in my latest blog post here: www.butow.net/with-thanks-... I hope you're enjoying your weekend and have a prosperous rest of your August!

The front cover of the Italian edition of Blogging to Drive Business.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Hello again, and I hope your weekend is going well. There's been a lot going on around here, including an unexpected royalty payment from a long-ago Italian blogging book, recognizing and appreciating the co-authors I've worked with, and recapping my latest medical adventures.

butow.net

With Thanks and Appreciation

Hello again, and I hope your weekend is off to a great start. Around here, the most interesting thing that happened was a surprising $316 royalty payment from a book that was published 15 years ago. ...

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Hello again. Around here, the first half of August has been busy even without books to work on. I have to make important decisions fairly soon, as I talk about in my latest website post: www.butow.net/mid-august-p... I hope you had a great weekend, and have a prosperous second half of August!

butow.net

Mid-August Post? Check

August has been quiet around here. One custom Dummies book is on hold as I wait for the client to return feedback for the chapters I sent over a month ago, and I'm waiting for decisions on two more pr...

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Thanks. Right now, I'm not pushing any additional benefits beyond getting my updates in their e-mailboxes. I'm focused on recovering from my brain surgery first.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

I don't expect to post much on social media this month, but I'll share important updates if any come up. I hope you're enjoying your weekend and having a great start to August!

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

The neurostimulation therapy isn't going well so far, and I continue to experiment as much as my brain will allow. I'm happy to have a short break from writing and focus on preparing for autumn.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Happy August, and I have an update for you about my new and possible upcoming books here: www.butow.net/hello-august/ If you like what my website offers, please consider subscribing. When I get enough subscribers, I'll start unlocking more subscriber benefits.

butow.net

Hello, August

August is the month when I hunker down and get ready for autumn. I don't do well in the summer heat of interior northern California, and autumn can't get here soon enough. (The equinox is on September...

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Congratulations! I'm sorry I couldn't purchase this time around -- the timing was bad. I'll plan to contribute next time.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

I've included a few photos from lunch with my literary agent on Friday, July 17, at the new Acorn Ridge Casino in Plymouth, CA. We had a good chat, and I have some more book/business ideas. I hope you're staying cool and hydrated where you are, and have a prosperous rest of your July! #proofoflife

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Hello again. Now that I've come up for air before I dive into writing my next book, here's my latest update with book news and neurostimulation news: www.butow.net/proof-of-life/

butow.net

Proof of Life

I've been running pretty hard since I had my head stitches removed in mid-May. In the past two months, I've written four custom Dummies books for the following clients: * Cloudera * SailPoint * W...

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

The deep-brain stimulation recovery isn't going well so far, but it's only been 4 weeks since the unit was activated. I won't know for sure if the zaps will help with the pain until my birthday in November. But I'm still writing, and that helps.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Happy Independence Day to everyone celebrating the day in the U.S. I have an update about my health, what I'm working on, and a new book project my editor is excited about on my website: www.butow.net Enjoy your weekend, and I hope you're staying cool and hydrated wherever you are! #4thofJuly

The Jackson, California 3rd of July fireworks show seen from Eric Butow's family room window.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Happy Canada Day to all my Canadian friends and colleagues. I hope you're having a wonderful day celebrating your lovely country, and I'm lucky to know you. #canadaday

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I’ve been busy the last several months writing Instagram For Dummies, 3rd Edition, and I wanted to share that Barnes & Noble is running a 25% off campaign for members for all pre-orders, including my book! The sale goes through Thursday, March 26th. www.barnesandnoble.com/w/?ean=97813...

barnesandnoble.com

Instagram For Dummies

Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I hope you're enjoying your Father's Day and your Sunday no matter where you are, and have a prosperous start to your summer!

The bumps on my head connect the two main surgical sites on the top of my head to the surgical site on the side of my head.

Once a week, I have to recharge the implanted neurostimulator in my chest with the charging unit that's draped around my neck.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

My head incisions are healing well, but I have more bumps on my head now. I'm still experimenting with the neurostimulator settings, and moving up and down gives me different symptoms.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

I'm still waiting for clients on two custom Dummies books to send their feedback, and on Friday I received a new custom Dummies book offer that's a rush job. I suspect the next two or three weeks will be quite busy.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

My parents ran the Court Street Inn until early 2005, and then my mom eventually opened a home-based daycare business in 2008. She retired last month, and now she's happily redecorating what is now the family room.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

My dad was a third-generation business owner; my parents purchased the Court Street Inn bed and breakfast in Jackson, California in 1996. He encouraged me to start Butow Communications Group in 1994.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Happy Father's Day to all you fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, and father figures. Also, happy summer solstice, which means it's only three months and one day until autumn. Here are some photos of my dad, David Butow (1938-2012) in the 1970s when my sister and I were young. #fathersday

My father David Butow holds me on Halloween in 1971.

My dad David Butow with my sister Lisa (left) and me after trick-or-treating in our Oakland neighborhood in 1973.

My dad David Butow carving pumpkins with my sister Lisa and me in 1975.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

In the meantime, I have some book news that you can read about on my website at butow.net. I also have rhubarb pie photos for your enjoyment. I hope you're having a great weekend and have a prosperous third week of June!

butow.net

Butow Communications Group

Business and computing book news and guidance.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

The app definitely works, and I quickly dropped the setting to 1 to let my body recover from a high setting that it's not ready for. It'll take weeks for my body to get used to this.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

On Saturday afternoon, I charged the neurostimulator using the large charging device that you put in a drape pocket and hang around your neck. I also tested the communicator and settings app on the Samsung A10e that came with the therapy kit.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

I noticed a slight drop in my pain, but I suspect that's because I felt a lot of irritating numbness and tingling, especially on my left side. That's no surprise because my left side has been the worst since the shaking and dystonia started in 2011.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

The stimulation range is 0 to 10, and I can change the stimulation level in one-point increments. The Medtronic rep set the level to 5 before I left to see how I'd do, and I stayed at that level into the morning.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Hello again. Yesterday I had my first follow-up appointment with my neurosurgeon at the new UC Davis Medical Center 48X building in Sacramento. My neurosurgeon is pleased with my healing progress, and the Medtronic rep set up my implanted neurostimulator. #brain

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Now it's time for me to get back to work. Thanks for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the first holiday weekend of summer! #brainsurgery #daycare #booksky

The playroom is being dismantled gradually, and toys have been put in bags for donation or sale.

The two surgical sites on the top of my head.

The surgery site is on the left side of my head, with a swollen vein/artery going from the surgery site down my neck to the base of my neck and shoulder.

The surgical site in my chest with the outline of the embedded Medtronic control unit.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Now I have bouts of pain, pressure, and discomfort at different times during the day from the surgery sites and needle sticks. Several areas of my head are swollen, and some swollen veins have appeared that connect the surgery sites.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Three days later on the 21st, I drove to the UCDMC neurology clinic in Sacramento for my 35th Botox session since 2018, and after 40 shots I was back on the road to Jackson.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

On Monday the 18th, I drove to the UC Davis Medical Center neurosurgery clinic in Sacramento and had my stitches removed from my head and upper chest (where the Medtronic unit is implanted). My nurse practitioner was pleased with my healing progress.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Two more custom Dummies books landed on Friday: I signed a contract with SailPoint and received information to write a new book for Wiz.io about CTEM, a security topic I've written about before for another client.

wiz.io

Wiz: AI Cybersecurity for All Your Cloud and AI Applications

Wiz connects code, cloud, and runtime into one agentic cybersecurity platform. Prevent risk, detect threats, and start secure – across every cloud and AI layer.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Work on Instagram for Dummies, 3rd Edition continues. I expect to finish one custom Dummies book for Cloudera next week.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

My mom's last day as a daycare provider after 18 years (yes, since 2008) was May 15. The breakdown of the playroom and the collection of toys and games to sell/donate is proceeding apace.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Hello again. May was a busy month, and we still have a week left to go. I have several parts to this update: A big change in my mom's life (and mine), a busy book summer, and a lot of brain health stuff. (Warning: surgery photos included with the last post.)

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

Thanks, James. I hope the surgery helps and I’ll keep you posted.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Here's my first article on my website detailing my first disappointment with deep-brain stimulation. Please consider subscribing (it's free) to get more news as it breaks -- and help my brain by pushing me to keep writing. May you have a prosperous second week of May! www.butow.net/wired-but-no...

butow.net

Wired, But Not Connected

It's been one week since I survived my deep-brain stimulation implants and hospital food. The only changes I've noticed are the bandages on the top and side of my head, more pain in my head, and a bad...

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Mindy is a friend of mine here in Jackson, California.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

On Thursday, my editor at Wiley asked if I would write another custom Dummies book. I'll start on it next week, health permitting. Happy Mother's Day to all you moms, grandmoms, and mom figures out there!

In ER bay 38 at UC Davis Medical Center after my surgery. There are a lot of holes and scarring from being in a clamp for most of the six-hour surgery time.

The first of three surgery sites is on the right side of my head.

An overhead view of the two surgical sites at the top of my head on May 9. By then, I took off the bandages covering the holes above my eyebrows.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

I don't feel any dramatic changes, and the pain is still with me, but I'll ask about that stuff during my follow-up appointment. I finished and submitted my last two chapters of the custom Dummies book late Sunday night, so that gave me a boost of energy heading into the surgery.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

I'm glad I finished my chores and ran a couple of errands in the days after I returned home. My follow-up appointment is on Monday, May 18, where they'll remove all the stitches and sutures.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

My deep-brain stimulation surgery on Monday was successful, and Mindy drove me home on Wednesday evening. I'm recovering gradually, and some hours are worse than others. (I've posted my post-surgical photos in the last of this four-post thread.)

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Get your copy by clicking here: bit.ly/4lSiGAm I'll have an update after my neurosurgery on Monday. In the meantime, have a great weekend! #booksky

bit.ly

Amazon.com

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Good news, everyone! Instagram & Facebook All-in-One For Dummies is now available to purchase! This book is 3 books in one: the latest information on Instagram (with a bonus chapter on Threads) and Facebook, and on using Meta Business Suite and ads effectively.

Eric Butow holding up a copy of his latest book Instagram & Facebook All-in-One For Dummies.

The front cover of Instagram & Facebook All-in-One For Dummies by Eric Butow, Amanda Robinson, et al.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

Hello again. I've published a new post on my website about my new books, health updates, and a book I'm reading by an old friend. You can read it at butow.net. My brain MRI had no new issues, so I'm clear for neurosurgery on 5/4. If you're here in California, stay warm and dry this weekend! #booksky

butow.net

Butow Communications Group

Business and computing book news and guidance.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Happy Easter to those of you who celebrate. Yesterday's MRI scan was (mostly) uneventful. After the scan, my mom and I enjoyed dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory. Today we're enjoying a quiet Easter at home. I hope you're enjoying your Sunday, and have a prosperous first full week of April! #easter

Me with my usual order at The Old Spaghetti Factory -- the Manager's Special with half clam sauce and half mizithra cheese -- and a big bandage on my right arm from the IV. (The MRI scan was performed with and without contrast.)

The tiramisu from The Old Spaghetti Factory is big and light, so it didn't weigh me down on the night of April 4.

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

My neurosurgery for deep-brain stimulation hardware installation is set for May 4, so I'll be offline until after the surgery. You can get today's entire update on my LinkedIn profile here: www.linkedin.com/in/ebutow/ I hope March treated you well, and have a prosperous April!

Dogwood trees in full bloom at a neighbor's house at the end of Eric Butow's street in Jackson, California, in March 2026. You'll see this photo in Chapter 3 of Instagram For Dummies, 3rd Edition, which Eric's working on now and will be published this holiday season!

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Eric Butow @butow.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

There's only one day left to save! The entire Dummies series is 30 percent off at Barnes & Noble through March 31. You can purchase one of my Dummies books at a healthy discount, and browse the entire Dummies catalog on the B&N website here: www.barnesandnoble.com/s/dummies #booksky

The covers of Eric Butow's most recent Dummies books about Instagram For Business, Digital Etiquette, Programming Interviews, Funding a New Business, Bluesky, and AI ChatBots.

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