iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 11h

When it’s your birthday and you’re a movie/media/culture nerd and your spouse knows what you love. 🥰 Buy physical media.

Side by side, the special DVD set for the movie EXCALIBUR (1980) and the book YOU’VE SEEN ME BEFORE by actor and activist James Hong.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

Local seafood, wine tasting, a beach visit, and a whole lot of resistance in a small artsy town. It was a good day.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

First day of birthday observance/celebration.

View of an island in the Salish Sea from a ferry.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

For those interested in the plush manul toy from IKEA. It’s almost as big as my domestic cats, though not quite as large as an actual manul. Also not quite as grumpy, though a good effort. The head should be more square.

A plush toy in the shape of a manul/Pallas’s cat sitting on the arm of a couch above a gray and white actual cat.

A plush toy in the shape of a Pallas’s cat/manul, propped against a gray and white domestic cat. The toy’s head is oddly large.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

I’m sorry. Here’s a video of a cranky snow leopard.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Have all the pieces of my costume assembled.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

We always knew the weather was changing when our dearly departed boy cats did that. Photo from 2009. (Current girl cats do it periodically, based entirely on mood.)

A black cat and a lynx-point cat snuggle together on a purple blanket. The lynx point cat, on the right, is half-curled in comma shape with his head up but his eyes closed. The black cat is tucked into the space made by the comma curve, curled tightly with his head resting on the other cat's stomach and his eyes half-open contentedly.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

One more thing about this game. During ice maintenance in the 1st period, the team awards a grant to a local person or organization doing good work in their community. Tonight, they gave it to the local builders' union. That is a MESSAGE.

Members of LIUNA Local 242 receiving the Heroes of the Deep award at a Seattle Kraken game.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

KRAKEN WIN. Final score SEA 6-CGY 1. Too bad about the lost shutout but Joey Daccord was otherwise MAGNIFICENT. Loved nearly everything I saw from this team tonight. Bravo.

Arena scoreboard screen with the word WIN repeated multiple times and the logos for Calgary Flames 1-Seattle Kraken 6.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Today’s activity. It’s the home opener for the Kraken.

The “blue carpet” arch for Seattle Kraken home opener, with the Space Needle half-hidden behind fog in the background.

Seattle Kraken mascot Buoy weari wearing a white suit. The lapels, cuffs, pockets, and trouser seams all have Sharpies in multiple colors hanging from them.

Close-up of Seattle Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn, who has gently chiseled facial features, hazel eyes, carefully trimmed facial hair, and short, curly dark brown hair, wearing an oatmeal-colored sweater and cream fleece vest, as he signs an autograph. He looks very handsome.
(Guess who my favorite player is, though it’s not solely because of looks.)

Arena screen showing a graphic in shades of blue with logos of the Calgary Flames vs. the Seattle Kraken.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Here is the snow leopard I mentioned previously. (This is video, not positive it’ll work.)

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1st intermission entertainment. Spectators threw (faux) axes at the net.

Arena scoreboard with card reading Sea Axe Axe Throwing.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It’s a Friday night in autumn, so… (Hoping the Birds play like they did last week!)

An arena scoreboard showing the logos for Seattle Thunderbirds vs. Wenatchee Wild.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Final Kraken practice before the start of the season. Philipp Grubauer (R) with the team’s new permanent EBUG, Dolan Gilbert.

Two Kraken goaltenders kneeling on practice ice.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Welp. I didn’t get a photo of the final score; it was 8-0. Absolutely did not expect the T-birds to play like this (nor Prince George to play so poorly). And this was with multiple fights and matching 10-min misconducts at start of the 3rd. Quite a game.

Arena scoreboard reading T-BIRDS WIN! and THREE STARS.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Well that escalated quickly. And a bunch of players with points.

An arena scoreboard showing the game score at the end of the second period: Seattle 1-Prince George 0.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Miss Effie seems to be overcome by ennui.

A gray and white cat lies on her right side on a purple blanket. Her front paws dangle listlessly in front of her. Her face has a dull, uninterested expression, with her eyes narrowed but open.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This post turned up on Instagram last night. While I appreciate the clarification and remorse on the anti-trans initiative, I'm not particularly inclined to forgive the anti-tax stance and lack of research. We can take him out of that tax bracket by not shopping at Archie McPhee. Problem solved.

A screenshot of an Instagram post made on the official Archie McPhee account. Here is the text:
"I made a personal $10,000 contribution to Let's Go Washington because I supported its income-tax initiative, I-645. I did not adequately investigate or account for the organization's full agenda. When I learned about the other initiatives they were funding I asked for and have received a refund of my donation. I have always believed in and supported LGBTQ+ rights.
To help mitigate the harm I have caused, I have donated $10,000 to No Hate in Washington State to stop these appalling initiatives from being passed. I'm sorry, to the community and to the people who work at Archie McPhee. I am committed to making Archie McPhee a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community to work and shop. That was my mistake and I take full responsibility.
Mark Pahlow, owner of Archie McPhee".

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Yet more things we saw at the state fair today (livestock division).

A brown and white Guernsey cow lounging in a stall. The sign on the stall says that her name is Holy Cow.

A goat in a stall eating hay. Above the goat is a hand-painted sign that reads "Miniature Fainting Goats."

Two hand-lettered signs on the stall for the fainting goats. One sign reads WEEBLE and the other reads WOBBLE.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

More things we saw at the state fair today (agricultural division).

A "scarecrow" that it literally a scary crow: A human mannequin dressed in a black cloak, a corvid mask, black feathers, and skeletal "hands" made of twigs. It is leaning on a piece of weathered fence, with a sign that reads "BEWARE Scary Crow".

Another "scarecrow" entry: A mannequin dressed to resemble Dolly Parton, with a big blond wig, lots of makeup (including long red fingernails), a bright floral dress, tights, silver high-heeled shoes, and holding a ukelele (in place of a guitar).

A mural made with a huge variety of agricultural products, including fresh vegetables and fruit, jams, dairy products, seeds, eggs, and honey, along with greenery and seashells. At the top middle of the mural is a huge papier mache head of a bald eagle, trimmed with feathers, and at the back is an American flag with the words FREEDOM, STRENGTH & UNITY printed on it.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Things we saw at the state fair today cont. (More creative arts division.) (The cross-stitch piece is by a friend.)

A quilt depicting a bookshelf with an open ledger and a pen, and books on either side of the ledger; above the ledger is an outline of the contiguous United States in red, white, and blue. Below the shelf are the words FREEDOM TO READ.

A cross-stitch panel in black and red on white, decorated with a variety of traditional folk motifs, and words in the center which read:
We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.
The words “disagree” and “disagreement” are in red. The rest of the words are in black.

A white quilt designed to have the basic shape of a United States flag. The area where the stars would be has a large blue peace symbol and some scattered stars. The area that would be stripes contains words in red and blue that name a variety of pop songs that serve as protest songs:
War by Edwin Starr
Long Walk to DC by The Staple Singers
Strange Fruit by Billie Holliday
Imagine by John Lennon
Blowin’ in the Wind by Bob Dylan
What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
Get Up Stand Up by Martha & the Vandellas
Ohio by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Fortunate Son by Creedence Clearwater Revival

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Things we saw today at the state fair (creative arts division)

A green and white quilt depicting the life cycle of s frog from egg to fully-limbed and talless adult.

A purple, white, and black hoodie with witchy moon phase embroidery, 3D butterflies, and a witchy woman with four eyes surrounded by mystical creatures and the words STAY WEIRD above and below her.

An American robin on its nest with an egg. The robin is made of felt and paper; the nest is made of paper shreds and twine; the egg is painted resin; and the base for the piece is a paper plate.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Morning activity, featuring my favorite bromance (Seattle Kraken players Adam Larsson and Vince Dunn). Struggling a whole lot with men’s hockey & the toxic culture. But I still love the sport despite myself.

Two men’s hockey players on the ice at Seattle Kraken training camp. On the left is Afam Larsson, bent over with his hands against his knees and looking at the opposite side of the rink. On the right is Vince Dunn, standing upright and side-eyeing me for taking this photo.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog from Looney Tunes are union men. Just watched a short where they clocked out for an hour-long lunch. Unions matter.

Still from the Looney Tunes cartoon "Steal Wool," featuring Sam Sheepdog and Ralph Wolf. They are clocking back into work after taking a lunch break.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

This one had to have ALL her teeth extracted back in April. Good drugs were on tap for several days. All my best to the void.

Closeup of the face of a dark gray and white cat sleeping on a skull-pattern fleece blanket. Her tongue is sticking out as she sleeps.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The Detective Girls are displeased. (Annual checkup, they’re both fine, other than hating us for doing this to them.)

Two gray and white cats are lying together, one in front of the other, in a cat carrier that has the top removed, with extremely grumpy expressions.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

And because that one made me think of this one:

Dave Bautista in a still from HOTEL ARTEMIS as Everest: he is wearing scrubs and a first responder's radio, and an ID tag that reads ORDERLY.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

What's an example of perfect casting?

Still from the movie MURDER, MY SWEET: Mike Mazurki as Moose Malloy (which is what I'm using as my example of perfect casting), looking perplexed as he sits next to a blonde woman asleep or dead on a fancy couch.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Last four characters you saved on your phone are your D&D party. …oh, this is QUITE a party.

Photo of Kimmy Robertson as Lucy Moran in Twin Peaks.

A photo of the animated Mulan, signed by Ming-na Wen.

A black and white image of Matt Damon as Odysseus in THE ODYSSEY, with lyrics from the song “Scotty Doesn’t Know” that Damon’s character sings in the movie EUROTRIP.

Joan Blondell as Zeena, the “mindreader,” in the 1947 version of NIGHTMARE ALLEY.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

One of the reasons I love this time of year is because the light can change so quickly and do such interesting things. Look what the cumulonimbus cloud did to the reflection on the lake as the sun fell just a bit lower.

A lake with hills behind and darkening skies. A large cumulonimbus cloud behind the hills reflects rosy late sunlight in a path onto the lake between two large trees.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Miss Effie is on my lap (which she doesn’t do very often) and Miss Torchy has claimed spouse’s lounge chair. (He’s gone inside to take a nap.)

A round gray and white cat sits in loaf position on the legs of a person in a lounge chair. She is facing away from the camera.

A dark gray and white cat sits in loaf position in the seat of a light gray lounge chair. She is facing to the left with an alert expression.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Finally able to do a balcony afternoon (with wine, cheese & charcuterie for an early dinner) and it’s so nice I’m going to stay out here until the light is gone. These summer-into-autumn days have become precious, respite between miserable summer heat & smoke, and the rains of autumn.

An evening sky starting to darken over a lake and neighborhood, streamers of clouds and the last of the sunlight reflecting apricot.

A large western cedar against the darkening sky and clouds, with the lowering sun just visible to the left.

Dark streamers of clouds over a lake and hills. Banks of clouds turning pink rise partway above the hills, with one large cumulonimbus cloud reflecting the last of the sunlight.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Also, he got a celebratory ghost beignet in honor of his birthday weekend.

A black stoneware plate holding a small cup of chocolate sauce and a beignet shaped like a cartoon ghost. The beignet and the plate are covered in powdered sugar. There is a lit birthday candle stuck into one of the ghost’s “hands.”

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

They set spouse’s second drink on fire.

A cut glass old-fashioned glass with a cocktail in it, and a corn husk that has been set on fire. The drink is named Children of the Corn.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

We are at a haunted-house-themed bar. Look at my drink (the one that lights up). Yes, that is an erlenmeyer flask. (It turned out basically be an extra fancy cosmo, but it’s tasty.)

A table in a dark bar with two glasses of water and a glowing pink drink served in an erlenmeyer flask.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

A li’l weekend adventure underway.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

This is Squish. He left us in 2021, but he was truly epic in the "no thoughts, just vibes" category. I described him as the cat version of Derek Zoolander. I wrote this account of a particularly emblematic circumstance he got into: popcornandpretension.com/2021/08/03/t...

A brown/gray/white lynx-point cat lying on a purple blanket. He is lying half on his side, half on his back, in a semi-curled position, with his front paws drawn up against his chest and sort of dangling, and a goofy expression on his face; his eyes show a lack of all thought. He is adorable.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

We named this goober Fezzik because he's very big, extremely strong, loyal and affectionate, and Not A Thinker. (The day we met him he got so excited he fell off a curb.) Astoundingly, he's the *second* empty-headed GSD we've had. He did that with the box himself. We don't know why.

A German shepherd dog lying in a large black dog crate, with his head resting against an empty box that is propped on one end. He is looking at the camera with a rather vacant, slightly perturbed expression.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Since I was already talking about this today... (And this brings up two songs)

Image from the movie EUROTRIP: Scotty, the main character, sitting on a bus filled with Manchester United fans, with former footballer Vinnie Jones in front of him, and looking completely bewildered as they sing/chant.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

If you all knew the extent to which EUROTRIP references get made in my house, you would probably lose all respect for both of us. This post brought to you by my spouse wearing this shirt today & playing the song to annoy me.

Image of a T-shirt: a shot of Matt Damon in THE ODYSSEY screaming during the scene with the Sirens. Above the image are the words THE ODYSSEY. Below the image is the opening lyric of the song Matt Damon performs in his cameo as a punk band singer in the movie EUROTRIP:
“Scotty doesn’t know
That Fiona and me
Do it in my van every Sunday”.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Without downloading anything new, where are you mentally?

Double panel image featuring French director Agnes Varda. In the first panel she says, "I tried to be a joyful feminist," and in the second panel she says, "but I was very angry."

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I think Torchy was assembled incorrectly.

A gray and white cat lying on her right side with her belly exposed. She has arranged her body in a severe curve. Her back right leg is stretched completely out with the foot placed parallel to where her head is lying. Her back left leg is bent with the foot lying on her right ankle. Her right front leg is stretched out over the back legs in a way that hides her left foot and makes both back legs look like one very long and odd limb. Her left front leg is stretched over her face with the paw on her mouth. She looks weird, as if assembled incorrectly.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Yeah. This giant was technically trained when we got him but he wasn’t fully adult, he’d been a stray & he went through a lot of change in a short time. And he has a tendency to forget to go (still). For a couple weeks at the beginning I was up at all hours for him.

A large German shepherd dog lying on grass with his head up and facing the camera.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I don't post photos of myself here very often, but this is a keenly relevant one: Me at the Chuck Jones exhibit at MOPOP in Seattle in 2015. Reader, I *wept* with joy.

A woman standing on a red X marked on the floor, with her head tilted back looking upwards with a worried expression. There is an image of the Looney Tunes Road Runner on the wall on the right side of the photo. Above the woman's head is an anvil suspended by ropes that do not look very strong.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

She’s been like this for 10 minutes.

A plump gray and white cat lies on her back, belly exposed and feet curled, seeming very comfortable.

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Elisabeth Van Every @e-van-every.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

And I also got to hold and interact with a spectacled owl, who trilled and cooed when she wanted scritches. I told her she was not disproving the theory that owls are just feathered cats.

Me holding a spectacled owl on my left arm (wearing a falconer's glove) and petting the owl's head gently; her head is down to request/receive my touch.

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