iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

I put together 4 starter packs for anyone who wants a more useful, less doom-driven way to follow German politics, democracy, civil rights and context. If that sounds helpful, the packs are in the replies as well as a few long-form videos on YouTube I found helpful for perspective and outlook.

Article 1 of Germany's Basic Law, as published in the first Federal Law Gazette on 23 May 1949. It begins: "Human dignity shall be inviolable."

Scanned page from the 1949 German Basic Law. Heading: Grundrechte.

(1) Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar. Sie zu achten und zu schützen ist Verpflichtung aller staatlichen Gewalt.

(2) Das Deutsche Volk bekennt sich darum zu unverletzlichen und unveräußerlichen Menschenrechten als Grundlage jeder menschlichen Gemeinschaft, des Friedens und der Gerechtigkeit in der Welt.

(3) Die nachfolgenden Grundrechte binden Gesetzgebung, vollziehende Gewalt und Rechtsprechung als unmittelbar geltendes Recht.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Northern German Pear, Green Bean & Bacon Stew Early autumn cooking, even if the afternoons haven’t got the memo yet. Pears, green beans, potatoes and smoked bacon, simmered with thyme and bay leaf. A little sweet, salty and smoky. #GermanFood #GermanCooking #HomeCooking

Close-up of Northern German pear, green bean and bacon stew with potatoes and peppered pear wedges, on a dark wooden table.

Overhead view of Northern German pear, green bean and bacon stew with potatoes and poached pear wedges in a light broth.

A bowl of Northern German pear, green bean and bacon stew with potatoes, topped with poached pear wedges and black pepper, on a dark wooden table.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

We had multiple forest fires in the towns next over and surrounding us, and while it was extinguished, the local inversion weather causes a lot of the pollution and even the smell to just get stuck here too. It’s not extreme but noticeable.

Screenshot of the IQAir website showing air quality in Dietzenbach at 20:00 on 16 August. The US AQI is 58, rated “Moderate,” with PM2.5 as the main pollutant at 13.2 µg/m³. Weather conditions show 30°C, wind at 6 km/h, and 35% humidity. The data is provided by a satellite-derived model, with the hourly forecast remaining around AQI 57–58 through midnight.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Is this the point where we start moaning competitively about the temperature? Because I am OK with that and have been looking for others to complain about it! I am already done with summer and it’s even July!

Alt text:

Screenshot of the Netatmo Weather app in German showing current outdoor conditions. The current temperature is 38.4°C under partly cloudy skies. The day’s low is 24.9°C and the high is 41.2°C. The feels-like temperature is 44°C, humidity is 30%

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Flash! Ahaaaa! Sometime in the 80s 😁

Princess Aura from Flash Gordon in a golden getup slightly sneering at the main character looking ridiculously toxic yet gorgeous at the same time. Okay I’m a weak man okay? This is my kryptonite.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Oh brilliant idea! I‘d forgotten that these are a thing on YouTube. Works like a charm 😊

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

That was my fist thought. Thank you for these lovely impressions. I don’t have a fireplace in my flat, but I’ve recently upgraded to a reading chair that would go rather well with the sound of a fire. I think that‘ll be my New Year’s Eve.

A deep green velvet reading chair with yellow and dark green cushions sits on a small round white rug beside a bookcase filled with books and whisky bottles, with a black side table and candle in a bright, modern living room.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Merry Christmas, and wishing everyone a lovely and peaceful holiday season. Christmas Eve dinner: slow-braised beef short ribs with carrots and mushrooms, gently cooked with red wine, thyme, sage, and juniper berries. Served with potato dumplings. Be kind to yourself; wherever you are right now.

Corrected alt text:

White plate with slow-braised beef short ribs in red wine gravy, served with carrots, mushrooms, and potato dumplings. The plate sits on a wooden table, with a glass of red wine and soft Christmas decorations blurred in the background.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Creamy Brown Butter French Onion Pasta I started with nutty brown butter, then let the onions cook down until sweet and deeply golden. That flavor builds the base for a silky, creamy sauce that coats every strand of pasta. Rich, cozy, and packed with French onion vibes in every bite.

Alt text
A black bowl filled with creamy French onion pasta, coated in a rich sauce made with brown butter and slow-cooked onions, topped with grated cheese, cracked black pepper, and fresh herbs, set on a dark wooden table with warm lights softly glowing in the background.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 26/09/2025

I just could reproduce this on the deutschebahn pages. This sounds like this bug in WebKit bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi... You can try turning on reading mode as a workaround 😊

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 19/07/2025

It’s hot and I wanted something bright, delicious and simple. A creamy, herb-packed one-pot dish with sautéed leeks, garlic, lemon zest, and za’atar — blended with silken tofu and tender butterbeans. Topped with golden toasted breadcrumbs and fresh thyme Citrusy, and full of comforting flavor 😊

Creamy white bean and leek stew in a white bowl, topped with golden toasted breadcrumbs and fresh thyme, garnished with two lemon slices. The bowl sits on a dark wood table with minimal festive decor in the background.

Ingredients
• 400 grams of butterbeans (with liquid if using canned)
• 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon of za’atar spice
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 100 grams of silken tofu
• 3 medium-sized leeks, washed and finely sliced
• Yeast extract for seasoning
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Instructions
1. Prep the Vegetables: Wash and finely slice the leeks. Peel the garlic and slice it thinly.
2. Sauté the Leeks: Heat a large pan over medium-high heat, add about a tablespoon of olive oil, and sauté the leeks for about 6 to 7 minutes. Then add the sliced garlic and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the Beans and Seasonings: Pour in the butterbeans (with their liquid if using canned), season with a generous pinch of salt, add the za’atar, and stir in the lemon zest. Let everything come to a slight simmer.
4. Prepare the Creamy Sauce: In a separate container, combine the silken tofu, the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Once the leek and bean mixture is simmering, take about 3 to 4 tablespoons of it and add it to the container with the tofu mixture.
5. Blend and Combine: Use an immersion blender to blend the tofu mixture until smooth and creamy. Then pour this creamy sauce back into the pan, mix thoroughly, and adjust the seasoning to taste.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

It’s delightful! And don’t let anyone tell you it’s hard. It’s much simpler than many make it out to be and so with it! If I may recommend a great recipe, Nosrats recipe is fantastic food52.com/recipes/8266...

Alt-Text für das Bild:

A golden, crispy Persian tahdig (scorched rice) served inverted on a white plate, showcasing its uniformly browned crust. In the background, a bowl of mast-o-khiar (Persian cucumber yogurt dip) garnished with pomegranate seeds, raisins, dried mint, and a sprig of parsley sits partially visible. The table is dark wood, creating a warm, contrasting background. Text on the image reads: “Persian Rice with Tahdig & Mast-o-Khiar.”

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 31/05/2025

Here’s the entirety of Nemik’s Speech

There will be times when the struggle seems impossible. I know this already. Alone, unsure, dwarfed by the scale of the enemy. Remember this: Freedom is a pure idea. It occurs spontaneously and without instruction.

Random acts of insurrection are occurring constantly throughout the galaxy. There are whole armies, battalions that have no idea that they’ve already enlisted in the cause. Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.

And then remember this:

The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear.

And know this: the day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance will have flooded the banks of the Empire’s authority and then there will be one too many. One single thing will break the siege.

Remember this. Try.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

It’s Labour Day and Beltane, and the bakery’s taking a well-earned rest. Luckily, I planned ahead. A high-protein Italian 00 flour, 90% hydration, and a 48-hour cold proof in the fridge.It’s golden and airy, topped with cracked pepper, fresh rosemary, garlic, olive oil, and a pinch of fleur de sel.

A freshly baked rectangular focaccia bread cooling on a wire rack, topped with rosemary, cracked black pepper, and fleur de sel. In the background, there’s a rustic stone mortar and pestle, a small ceramic container with a wooden lid, and a neutral-toned wall, giving the scene a cozy, kitchen-counter aesthetic.

A close-up of sliced focaccia bread showing its airy, open crumb structure and golden crust. The top half rests on the bottom half on a black wire rack, with the same mortar and pestle and soft neutral backdrop

Another angle of the whole focaccia loaf on a wire rack, showcasing its, dimpled surface speckled with herbs and seasoning before going into the oven to bake.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 09/04/2025

My blocklists strike again 😊

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Thank you 😊 I’ll have another planning session in autumn this year. I like to use different art styles for my ink. This is my right upper arm for example. I’m quite smitten with the idea of getting one yours on my upper left arm.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

#theWheelOfTime S 3 is off to an amazing start. Lush visuals, colours and gorgeous designs. Complex characters, stunning cinematography and great acting. This easily exceeds anything we’ve seen in prior seasons. It does help to think of this as an alternate turning of the wheel. Just beautiful!

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 24/02/2025

As a native German speaker, the use of „Gabelung“ („Fork“) sounds old fashioned but it turns out the usage is still significant. Which shows how little I know 😁

Ngram viewer result of the use Gabelung in german. The graph increases from the 1950 to modern day

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

Lost Records : Bloom and Rage is a gorgeous game. Beautifully told stories of coming of age, childhood friendships and strong unique characters are just what I needed on todays election day to take my mind off. Please buy and play this to treat yourself.

Screenshot of a computer Gabe with four girls crossing a stream over a fallen tree as a bridge, magically lit by the setting sun in a forest

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

I gotchu: 😊. I made these a while ago: Based on www.bonappetit.com/recipe/brown... The toffee can es easily found from Ruf: Karamell Tropfen, or just buy Daim and chop it up. I omitted the wavers. For the sprinkle of salt on top I used fleur de sel. This came together easily and quickly.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 12/02/2025

This is nice! I’m afraid the olds are still the deciding majority :/ I do believe in our youth though. We can do this together with our votes from the elder generations if we can convince the olds to do the right thing and not vote like they always have just because of tradition or nostalgia.

Percentage of eligible voters by age group in Germany from November 2024 In a bar chart by the Tagesschau

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

@jamesgunn.bsky.social‘s G.I. Bot is a good boy. „Oh Boy“ seems to be the slogan for the foreseeable future. Image by www.natejonesdesign.net and with permission.

Image of G.I. bot from creature commandos by DC
Asking whether you’d like to kill Nazis with him

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

If you’re on iOS, Skeets has an option to show if a post is a reply www.skeetsapp.com

Shows the reply attribute in a screenshot of the Skeets app.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

. We’re actually not that bad when it comes to general elections: 76% It’s the 20% of right and the 30% conservative that fills me with dread. Even per age, it was decent last time.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

What an absolute delight! Skeleton Crew was everything I had hoped for and more. Adventure, wonder and space pirates. Found family and hope in a package that was far more than Star Wars Goonies in space. If you haven’t watched and would like something pure and good, this will work wonders. 😊

The Star Wars skeleton poster showing all the main characters in a typical Star Wars movie poster style.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

I bet it was still delicious! And I’ve had cakes get stuck also, it happens which didn’t stop me from eating the cake mind you 😁 even with the nonstick Bundt pans I always go with butter and flour / or sugar, waiting for 15 minutes and then turning them out. This usually gives me results like this

A chocolate pound cake, one slice cut dusted with confectioners sugar using a nordicware fancy Bundt pan to create a swirly spiral shape with sharp ridges plated on a white placte.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

It does! And frankly, there is nothing wrong with box mixes. I like to make it from scratch. However when it comes to consistency and ease, a good cake mix can be wonderful. A good slightly fancy and handmade, is a simple Galette using a pie dough based on seriouseats J Kenji‘s recipe.

An Apple galette on a dark plate dusted with confectioners sugar, sitting on a dark wood table. Lights and a candle along with a apple are out of focus in the background to add atmosphere

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Yep, you’re clearly going through a service. Try opening 18.116.252.227

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 03/12/2024

Turkey has apparently blocked bsky.app and plenty of other social media pages. www.experte.com/internet-cen...

Screenshot of https://www.experte.com/internet-censorship?url=https:%2F%2Fbsky.app%2F to show that Bluesky is blocked in Turkey

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Todays hike was short and the German Autumn has not blessed us with golden days. So have a few more impressions from previous months 😊

A meadow with a brown horse grazing in the light of the rising sun

A glade illuminated by rays of the rising sun, dark green grass and green trees bathed in golden light

A wooden sculpture of a bird of prey, backlit by the sun shining through the trees in the forest standing amidst brown long grass and undergrowth

The rising sun casting golden rays over a meadow with a few trees and the sky painted in blue and a smattering of white clouds

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

You've been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who is coming to save you? I’m good 😁

Screenshot from the show Special Ops Lioness showing Zoe Saldana, Jill Wagner and other cast members standing arms crossed in military fatigues during a briefing

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

I know many of my American friends are grieving right now, and I’m deeply concerned for everyone in the coming years. It’s hard to warn enough about what could happen next. Today is November 9th, the anniversary of Kristallnacht. If we don’t learn from history, we’re doomed to repeat it. (Thread)

An example from a different city of a Stolperstein, photographed and listing the name, dates and the fate of the person described.

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 06/11/2024

I also love to cook, and shoot what I’ve cooked because good food should look as delicious as it tastes if possible

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Dirk @coffeemeoften.bsky.social · 06/11/2024

I haven’t been too active on social media in the past years. But I’ll be happy to give it another go. I also have found that hiking has been working wonders for my mental health this year. Let me show you some impressions:

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