iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Listening to Heretical Fishing and cross stitching after hitting some PRs at the gym on squat cleans and cardio movements feels like some kind of nontoxic masculinity healing.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I just said “acrid smell” (I was getting some B vitamins), and I realized that’s (presumably) the pun of Akrid Snell in #thursdayNext … had sort of wondered on and off for a couple decades whenever I reread it. How unfortunate for him.

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Amanda Litman @amandalitman.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I love the optimism about Dems winning in November - I share it! And: I'm a tiny bit nervous that winning will free folks of the urgency to fix deeper structural problems in our party that will fuck us in the long-haul if we don't grapple with them.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

New tank top made from Goodwill find, very slowly. Barista had no idea what it referenced “That’s a lot of text on a shirt.”

Selfie of white man in sunglasses with tank top showing blue screen of death text

Sleeves from original shirt and ripped thread and ripper used to slowly remove said sleeves

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Meanwhile this random iseksai litRPG I thought would not be as good is surprisingly fun! Maybe it’s the difference between teen protagonist narrator and adult.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Has anyone read the Inn Side Shop? Very curious about your takes on it. I can’t tell if I enjoyed it or not, like maybe I liked it enough as a concept to read the rest of it? It felt incredibly uneven, like baffling so.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Happy Full Moon in Aries! The Full Moon in Aries (3º Aries 37') arrives on September 26 at 12:49PM EDT, and I’ve got a tarot spread / oracle card layout for you to welcome its light. www.hermitsmirror.com/musings/taro...

Fuel: Where have I let my intuition gently guide me that my instincts wouldn’t go?
Magical peak: How can I celebrate what I’ve completed to keep charging ahead?
Purging: What latest passion is just a flash in the pan?
Clear mirror: How do I use bold action to avoid dealing with what I can’t face?
Dancing luminaries: What does anger teach me about my capacity for love?

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Working out with a 1:1 trainer in addition to my normal CrossFit classes, which are practically doubles every time, is meaning A LOT of load and a lot more recovery than I would like to accept.

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Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

NO FLUID was found in Nolan Wells' lungs or airways, per the autopsy report by the Mississippi State Medical Examiner. How do you die by "accidental drowning" if there is no water in your lungs?

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

“The Waiting Song” by Ani DiFranco has been running through my head the last few days. It’s been running in and out the last couple years honestly. Lyrics in image or alt text.

The Waiting Song by Ani DiFranco lyrics

your basic average super star is singing about justice and peace and love
and i am glaring at the radio, swearing
saying that's what i was afraid of the system gives you just enough to make you think that you see change
they will sing you right to sleep and then they'll screw you just the same
but i will wait, yes i'll wait for the truth

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

May the equinox adjust some shit

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

“How do I show up in my relationship?” Princess, I’ve got good news and bad news. I’m adding to my series on one-card readings with actual one-card readings starting off with a question around love and relationships. www.hermitsmirror.com/musings/one-...

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Thirsty Thursday / expansive Jupiter Day blessings (this chest is expanding)

Shirtless torso mirror selfie torso shot of a middle-aged white gay guy

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Remember when we had to text using T9? You can do hard things, babe.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Something’s coming through the desert these last few days

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Jynnette The Oracle @innersunalchemy.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Now is the perfect time to think about and talk about the hard things. It's just as important to plan for the good as it is to plan for the bad. Read my insights for spiritua/business development in my September Astrology Report on the blog www.innersunalchemy.com/blog/septemb... #innersunalchemy

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Soul sisters Moon in Libra coming to hang with Venus in Scorpio

Crescent moon and Venus on horizon at twilight

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

“The wise woman does what she knows / If it’s fighting, she fights. If it’s sewing, she sews.” I’m doing what I *don’t* know how to do. I’m learnedning. Ignore the erased pencil lines. I misunderstood what gridding meant 🫠 and they didn’t keep me on track anyway #steotchalong Pattern 1 done!

Cross stitch of a lil guy going da fuq with random squiggles and partial symbols

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Saw “Murder for Two” last night. So dang good! (said like a 50yo Southern lady) I thought it was a 2 person comedy (it is); didn’t know it was a musical. Uh oh. 2 people but not “Last 5”? Random breakout into song before “needed”? Uh oh. But it was SO SO SO funny. Gags got funnier every time.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I love that the Phoenix gayborhood is centered around the one street in Central Phoenix where the grid is BENT.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

1950s low-budget/pulp noir horror or me after another brutal at-home workout while my car is being repaired? I’ll post the WOD if you want it ⤵️

Sweaty, exhausted, grimacing white man, low angle shot in high-contrast black and white, industrial-style exposed ceiling fixtures

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ProPublica @propublica.org · 05/09/2026

The FDA won’t tell Americans where their generic drugs are made, so ProPublica did it instead. Use information from your prescription label to locate the factory and see if the plant has a history of inspection violations.

projects.propublica.org

Where Was My Generic Prescription Drug Made? - Rx Inspector - ProPublica

The FDA won’t tell Americans where their generic drugs are made, so ProPublica did it instead. Use information on your prescription label to locate the factory and see inspection reports.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 02/09/2026

how i be getting around in my car now that Apple Maps and Google Maps are dead to me

pic of printed out paper Mapquest directions mounted to rearview mirror

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Finished Book 5 of DCC and went out and looked at the eclipse. I’m the 12th person waiting for the one copy of Book 6 owned in Libby by the Phoenix library system. Guess I’m just buying the whole series before it’s done. Lord help me if they change the cover art midway.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I’ve got my new Semester of Divination lined up! Three intro series, delivered webinar style: Astrology 101, Tarot 101, and Divination 101 (multimodal strategies) More spacious live courses: Astrology 201, two half semester 300-level Tarot classes, and Divination 411: Reading the River of Time

hermitsmirror.com

Semester of Divination — Hermit's Mirror

The Semester of Divination is a special opportunity to transform your intuitive practice. You’ll learn about different methods and synthesize the insights to create your own special mixture of magic. ...

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

When in caloric deficit, I get a not-so-little Venus Day treat to honor pleasure + the goddess and to stave off the potential disorder that comes from my obsession with beating goals in spreadsheets. Yesterday, a semi hit me, so I’m eating the rest of that big slice of cake this morning.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Just finished Book 4. And while I have a Masters in English (two really), I am a painfully slow reader. You know those TikToks where the girl laughs at a caption and then is shocked that her boyfriend hasn’t laughed and takes, like, 10 seconds longer? I’m the boyfriend. Still, plowing through.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Hit a new 2RM on my back squat: 340# for two reps and could’ve done more or gone higher. Not a huge jump over old best, but improvements are improvements! And it wasn’t sketchy on the way back up or about to crush me in half.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

I’m tearing through these Dungeon Crawler Carl books. Almost done with book 3. They’re not complicated and they’re incredibly fun. And the suspension of disbelief / diegetic logic / worldbuilding mythology is set up readily from the get-go so that you can’t really worry about it too much.

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John Scalzi @scalzi.com · 14/08/2026

All across Florida mothers take the rare opportunity to air out their spare rooms and garages, ridding their homes, if only temporarily, of the musty incel funk that emanates from their jobless adult sons, the smell of flop sweat, creatine powders and crunchy socks

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Not gonna lie. A salad of ripe avocado, chopped (veg) spicy chicken nuggets, Mexican cheese, bell pepper, crushed tortilla chips, and arugula is really damned good. It could be all the delicious fat.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Leo risings, suns, and moons, good luck! 🌑 My dual Leo rising household is struggling already this morning, and the eclipse is still a few hours off.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Leo eclipse thirst trap maybe?

Desaturated shirtless gym bathroom mirror selfie postworkout.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Spreads: New Moon in Leo + New Moon Solar Eclipse Happy New Moon eclipse in Leo! This season we have the New Moon in Leo (20º Leo 02') happening August 12 (13:36 EDT). It’s also a solar eclipse this year, so you might enjoy the spreads for the eclipse as an additional element!

hermitsmirror.com

Tarot Spreads: New Moon in Leo and Full Moon in Aquarius — Hermit's Mirror

With the New Moon in Leo and the Full Moon in Aquarius, it’s time to find what fuels your future. Be you and shine bright. See how you can stoke your inner fire with these tarot spreads.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Mini cross stitch project for some mindfulness. Light pink bits are done. Haven’t done embroidery/cross-stitch since my Oma taught me in the very early 90s

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

I saw a funny clip of a woman complaining that everyone uses dark mode on their phones, so I thought I would try light mode. I know it was the only “mode” for years, but I don’t remember ever thinking this looked normal. I know I did. It just seems like glaring light in my face now. Weird.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Leslie Mann always makes me think of Julie Hagerty. And Julie Hagerty is in some of my favorite comedies.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

I feel like I just did the most “bro” thing. It wasn’t anything to do with women or barbells. It was drinking milk directly from the carton. (In my defense, it was the last of it.) I’m not sure if I’ve done that in at least 30 years, if ever.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Spread: Full Moon in Aquarius Living through inspired giving Happy Full Moon in Aquarius! This season we have the Full Moon in Aquarius (6º Aquarius 30') happening July 29 (10:35 EDT). Here’s a #tarot or #oracle spread you can use to celebrate!

A spray of kipper cards from the Seaborn Kipper featuring mermaids with text “Full Moon in Aquarius”

Tarot spread / Oracle card layout for the Full Moon in Aquarius five card cross by me. Questions text is in the posts.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Enjoying this high seas fantasy murder mystery / conspiracy with a chubby queer protagonist with some romantic potential. Voyage of the Damned by Frances White I know it made the rounds of bookTok, but I’m not there, so it was a random library Libby recommendation for me. #booksky

Cover image of audiobook Voyage of the Damned by Frances White

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Wolverine got the skimpy outfit treatment in Giant-Sized Annual X-Men #9 from 1985. He went to Asgard and Rogue got him this cute little disguise to blend in. He was nonplussed. Lion-O graced TV later that year. My #fanart take on the Arthur Adams original. He really said “Leather Wolf.” #xmen

Wolverine in a slutty little Asgard outfit, a pauldron harness with loincloth and leather bicep cuff. Leather daddy wolf, not bear. Fanart pencil sketch version by me.

Wolverine in a slutty little Asgard outfit, a pauldron harness with loincloth and leather bicep cuff. Leather daddy wolf, not bear next to Phoenix and Shadowcat in costume. Close in on the comics panel with dialogue about how much Wolverine doesn’t want to hear any cute quips from Shadowcat about his lewk.

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Two Venus Day postworkout mirror selfies about 40 minutes apart. First is sweaty post intense heavy lifts and HIIT workout; and the second is cooled down and dried after a finishing dumbbell shoulders and back workout. Same space but different color and adjustment settings too.

Shirtless sweaty white guy in pink shorts smiling at mirror while taking a selfie

Shirtless less sweaty white guy in pink shorts tired and no longer smiling at mirror while taking a selfie

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

A Golden Girls cozy murder mystery novel and hoochie daddy shorts with a jockstrap built in? Must be a gay walking on a treadmill. (It’s me. I’m the gay on the treadmill.)

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

On this final Mercury Day of Mercury retrograde, ask yourself, “What have I learned these last three weeks?” Consider “book learning” of course, but also emotional knowledge and somatic wisdom since this was a retrograde through Cancer season. #witchsky #astrology #mercuryretrograde #journaling

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Jynnette The Oracle @innersunalchemy.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

Jupiter transits Leo over the next year & increases our motivation to fulfill our desires. Creatively, this is a boon! Financially, watch out for impulsiveness & constantly treating yourself. This is a time of legacy building. #mindsetiseverything #emotionalregulation #visionkeeper

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Bloody Disgusting @bloody-disgusting.com · 21/07/2026

Gillian Anderson has officially revealed the upcoming 1,478-piece LEGO set for THE X-FILES. The set is centered on Mulder’s office, paired with a forest clearing scene and a hovering UFO. Includes 8 minifigures, featuring Mulder, Scully, The Flukeman & more. August 4.

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Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

I took a hard look at the financial donors to ICE’s biggest supporters in Congress. These are people who want to significantly expand ICE’s power and have sponsored or co-sponsored legislation to do so. Here are the top 25 consumer brands bankrolling the biggest ICE supporters in Congress:

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

A little evening sketch of Storm from X-Men #243 Havoc’s outfit is even more distressed, and I’m not mad about it. They both get real mad. They were my favorites in this era.

Pencil sketch of Storm in tattered vampiric outfit

Comics pages from X-Men 243, showing that same outfit/source pose

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Thomas @hermitsmirror.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

In honor of Mercury retrograde in Cancer, I posted one of my old college poems for my patrons on Patreon. Digital tech storage throwback + a slightly cringey emotional communication is very astrologically apt for the transit. And yeah it’s at the $1/month tier. Cringe doesn’t come for free.

patreon.com

Behind-the-scenes cringe for the end of this retrograde | Thomas Witholt | Hermit's Mirror

I was originally going to write about this astrological "basket" of outer planets that people are suddenly excited about, but I don't really

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