iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 11h

We’re moving my desk to a different room today. This under-shelf held a big box and, apparently, a raccoon.

A great amount of grey dust on a black shelf. Two cat paw prints and another print with elongated toes.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 08/10/2026

Giving my opinion on something in my digital journal. Being assisted. Not in the fucking mood, iPad. Don’t get cute.

A screenshot of a hand-written entry in my digital journal. The word HORSESHIT is underlined in red with spellcheck suggesting replacement words such as HOUSESIT, HOUSECOAT, and HOUSES HIT.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

Another letter from BFF Jana, apparently the spring after she moved. Later, another card complaining that I haven't written to her and neither has anybody else. Her move was hard on my entire friend circle. (FWIW, I did write every time, and she got 3 letters from me all on the same day after this.)

A letter from Jana, to "Poptart" (me). She writes about a good-looking guy who is a year behind her in school but the same age. She's used a typewriter for this one, and the ribbon kept fading out on her.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

The back of an envelope from my BFF who'd moved the year before. She writes HEY!!! "POP TART", referring to a nickname I actually forgot I had at one point. The letter is breezy, the boys in Georgia are "mighty fine", and one gave her a teddy bear. She wants me to visit. (I did, a whole side story.)

A pale orange envelope with "Hey, Pop Tart!" written on the back. The front is addressed to P.T. instead of my name.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

The back of one letter from a childhood friend whose grandparents lived 2 doors down from me. He sent this in 1990. We dated for about 3 months after I received it. The back page of another letter from another guy who asked for a date. He was nice, and the date was nice, and I wasn't into it.

Childhood friend wrote "Greenpeace - No more driftnets" on the back of his envelope with a peace symbol. He also added a p.s. that spurred us dating for real for a few months. "p.s. Would you like to 'do lunch' sometime?"

Obviously, I answered yes.

The back page of a letter from someone named Scott. He'd called me and we arranged a date, but he sent this meantime. He was busy preparing for university finals, I was busy applying to universities and visiting them to literally sing for my money (scholarships for performance).

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

Next, a way-to-go note from a supervisor at my first job, at the French Bakery at King's Island. Last time I was there, the bakery was a Starbucks, near the Eiffel Tower. I hated that job, I was sent to costuming to sex up my uniform, and everything about it was demeaning. But I was good at it.

A battered yellow cardstock square, with a big red apple and a yellow Eiffel Tower on it. The text reads "The Apple Award, a reminder of my appreciation for your performance at Kings Island. Thanks!" I remember getting these was like being winked at by the Queen. We all wanted one.

The reverse side of the card.

To: Crystal
Date: 6/18 (this would have been 1988)
From Michelle (my supervisor at the minute)

Safety, friendliness, cleanliness, service, and show were all sort of crossed through with a big ornate flourish. In the comments section, she writes "For working hard!"

There's a sequence stamp in red in the lower right corner. I was the 10,917th compliment given at that amusement park. I guess.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

First up, a mystery: an envelope with my mother's handwriting on it for some reason. Inside, the January 1989 inauguration of George H.W. Bush, and something about (I assume) Tony Montana and "the Jungle" — since this was Cincinnati Enquirer, it's likely to mean the stadium there. More in ALT text.

A battered envelope with my mother's handwriting. "Crystal's Scrapbook '89". I didn't keep a scrapbook, and I'm not sure if I clipped these things or if she did for the first and only time in my life. I have no idea what this is about.

An assortment of Cincinnati Enquirer clippings about the January 1989 inauguration of George H.W. Bush. "A new breeze is blowing" is one headline, with an assortment of photos of the ceremony itself and Reagan's final salute as he boards Marine 1 to depart the White House. I didn't like either man. I don't know why I would have kept this, but I super-don't know why my mom would have clipped them for me. It would have been the first and only time she did something like this.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/10/2026

I've been emptying out my hopechest over the past week. I'm over halfway done, but I need to sort through some of the things in there before repacking them to put away. Today, I'll be going through The Shoebox.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 29/09/2026

Sweet. I've fulfilled the prophecy. It's the only thing I've managed to do today.

A screenshot of the green "repost" button On Here. I was number 666.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 17/09/2026

I guess that settles how Ireland feels about Canada becoming part of the EU Buddy Program.

An Irish pub flying the tricolour, the EU flag, and the Canadian flag above the shop door.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 11/09/2026

You know, his choice of hairstyle never made sense to me, considering he's all about outward appearance and projecting a certain image. I've had clarity today, thanks to the RTE Archive.

A screenshot of a video thumbnail from RTE Archive, in Ireland. The text reads MEET DONALD TRUMP'S MOTHER 1994. The image is of Mrs Trump with a thinning blonde bouffant hairstyle.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 02/09/2026

@support.bsky.team Heya, I'm consistently getting this error message on both phone app and in two desktop browsers (Safari and Firefox). I have a notification that someone has send me a DM, but can't access it. This has been going on for around two weeks now. Any clue what's up?

A screenshot of an error message in my DMs.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 02/09/2026

Fashion history hat thread! I used to wear hats a lot, up until I was about 30. Sunhats, cowboy hats, ball hats, outback hats, you name it. Then I had children, gained weight, and hats suddenly made my face look like a melon trying to avoid being recognised.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 31/08/2026

Red is arguably the most masculine colour.

A still of Jessica Rabbit, an animated character from the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. She is a redhead, 1940s-style vampish sort of woman (she's awesome) in a strapless red dress.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 29/08/2026

I've read too much Dolly coverage this week.

A screenshot of a family Discord chat. Himself announces:
"Hashbrowns on the counter"

I follow up with:
pickles in the jar
cat's in the cradle and
mama's in the bar

extreme banjo playing

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 26/08/2026

In June 2016, I took my middle kid to see Randy Newman performing in Austin. There was a funky little shop nearby so we killed some time there. It had a glorious array of votive candles for all sorts of celebrities.

Votive candles feating Bernie Sanders, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Prince.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 25/08/2026

The family is reacting well to the continued hosepipe ban.

A screenshot of a text message from our water authority. It reads "To help protect water supplies for everyone in your area, the water conservation order is being extended to the end of September." It includes a weblink for more information.

A screenshot of a Discord chat. "Bones" writes "I swear, I will register this garden as a data centre". "Andy" replies with "Datatoes."

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 24/08/2026

Zoe has taken up gardening in her golden years.

A tabby cat crouching on the kneeling pad in front of some potted vegetables.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 23/08/2026

Machine restart report. Sending my laptop to cognitive behavioural therapy before trying a low dose of Lexapro.

A crash/restart report from my laptop, which rebooted overnight. The relevant text is where it says "panic" at the instruction level, and the debugger message is also "panic"

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 19/08/2026

Cool things happening over Costa del Fingal County tonight.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 19/08/2026

Apple Reminders app playing some weird California vegan game with my shopping list today.

A screenshot for my Apple Reminders shopping list, for Tesco. It automatically sorts items into categories. In this case, it has correctly placed thyme and cauliflower in the Produce category. Unfortunately, it has placed broccoli in the Snacks & Candy category.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 18/08/2026

They're all mad scientists, in my head. Big plasticky coats, elbow-length gloves, maybe some goggles pushed up high on the forehead. Like Dr Horrible, but working with pill sorters and maybe a few antibiotic salves.

Neil Patrick Harris in costume as Dr Horrible

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 11/08/2026

These look like glamorous starlet headshots from 1920-30s Hollywood. Will Stevie be doing pinups next?

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 06/08/2026

We're just missing Tiggly. His Zoom is updating.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 04/08/2026

We found it. Well, he did. He's good. I won't post the name because we feel like we cheating, having to use the maps to figure out where we were both guessing.

An apartment balcony with flowers on the railing.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 03/08/2026

The only thing could have been more helpful is if they'd developed leering eyespots on their bodies.

A buff-coloured moth with "eye spots" on its wings. The spots are large greyish-blue circles outlined in black, with inner circles of a gold colour.

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Crystal Raymond-Edwards @crredwards.eurosky.social · 07/05/2024

I recently had two deadlines and the to-dos that had been stacking up since Christmas were suddenly so sexy and, well, ticked off the list. At the end I was staring at an empty Reminders app like...

A two-panel comic. In the first, an angry man with short dark hair is standing with his arms crossed and an angry scowl on his face, as if he's looking at or listening to something or someone. In the second panel, he's throwing his hands above his head and yelling I GUESS.

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