iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 8h

This is just Lit Twitter from 2010-2019.

A screenshot from the goodshirts Instagram account: a beige t-shirt with a black and white illustration of a long submarine sandwich. The black and white text says "GOD, I LOVE NEW YORK WHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD CAN YOU GET A SANDWICH"

The LOVE is placed in front of a red heart.

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

I ran the Salem, Virginia Half-marathon this morning. My training time went to shit the last couple weeks, but I finished with a decent pace and also finished a lot stronger than I expected. Gearing up for my last half-marathon at the end of November.

Me, a cis white man wearing a black New Orleans Pelicans cap, a blue running vest, and a gray tank top. I'm holding up a fall-themed race medal that says "Salem Half Marathon, 13.1." I have a brown and white beard, blue eyes, and I'm very stinky post-race.

140 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Justin Verlander is one of my all-time favorite baseball players, and he apparently hails from a town that sounds like a Star Wars planet.

A screenshot of Justin Verlander's Wikipedia page:

Detroit Tigers-No. 35
Pitcher
Born: February 20, 1983 (age 43)
Manakin Sabot, Virginia, US
Batted: Right Threw: Right

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A glimpse into how my mind works. I contain multitudes.

A screenshot of my Bluesky search history, displaying searches for "slut gnomes" and "Kris Bryant"

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A happy birthday to @hcohen.bsky.social, my favorite person, a talented writer and thinker, and just an overall gorgeous, good person. ❤️

Hannah, wearing brown sandals, white pants, and a white and black striped top stands in front of Monticello with her hands folded behind her back. She's standing on steps in front of the columns and windows of the back side of the estate. It's very sunny out.

010 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Not sure if I'll stay awake for the Mariners and Dodgers tonight.

010 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I bought a couple new baseball and basketball card albums to replace the ancient ones I've had since high school. Also used the opportunity to open a couple packs I bought earlier this season, and pulled some good ones. This activity was really soothing for some reason.

A horizontal Topps 75 Paul Skenes baseball card

A portrait mode Topps 75 Kyle Teel rookie card.

A portrait mode Topps 75 Cal Raleigh baseball card.

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Well, I'm saving this as the absolute perfect response to virtually anything baseball related.

An Instagram post from Dugout Report: Bryan Woo wearing a backward ballcap, his face pinched in confusion. He's also wearing a teal and blue jacket. The text says "It's baseball, and it's kicking my ass"-- Bryan Woo

001 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

No joke: laundromat writing beats the coffee shop sometimes. Working on the same damn essay series I seem to mention here every six months or so. 🙄

A brown wicker basket sits on a white folding table, on top of an old white tile floor. My knee in jeans is visible in lower right corner. Behind the table: the side of a washing machine, a blue bottle of detergent, florescent lights overhead.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

I haaate posts where people mention their birthdays as a way to fish for birthday wishes. Unrelated? I'm 43 today.

Me, a cis white male wearing a white t-shirt. I have a brown and white beard, I'm reclining on a couch, and I have a tortoiseshell cat on my chest.

230 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Dinner tonight with @hcohen.bsky.social celebrating 5 years together. The world is terrible, but we keep each other afloat. When we're laughing at a stupid meme so hard that we can't breathe or aggressively elbowing each other to point out one of the cats being cute? That's what it's all about.

Hannah, wearing a sleeveless leopard-print dress, sitting at a table, with a water glass, a white plate, a menu, and a candle in front of her. There are string lights behind her.

3222 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Went for a run around my parents' place this morning before we packed up to head back to Virginia, and my rule of thumb: if you see a random goat, you damn well better take a snapshot of said goat.

A grassy area, a fence, a black and white goat, all in front of a decrepit barn with hollowed out windows and broken wood panes.

050 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Spending the week in Upper Michigan with my folks, and I always need this more than I realize.

Sunny woods, a partial wooden walkway, and a stone bird bath.

040 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

Will this be the coffee and biscuit that will fix me? Stay tuned.

A giant sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit on a white plate, sitting on a brown coffee table. The table is messy, with a green coffee mug, a white disposable coffee cup, coasters, bowls, and various papers and notebooks scattered about.

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Got some good shots up today, footwork is better, still not nearly good enough at basketball to even think about joining any pickup games, but maybe in due time, etc. I know this isn't frivolous, but shooting baskets at the Y is both a treat and a way to steady myself when the world is on fire.

A basketball backboard, hoop, and net, photographed from the side baseline. There's a curved railing above the court, with lights and pipes in the ceiling. Beyond the court: an exit door and metal bleachers.

010 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Sometimes your breakfast is a hot dog at a minor league ballpark, and that's okay.

A baseball field. It's a cloudy day, and there are gorgeous mountains visible in the distance. The outfield wall is covered with local advertisements.

64141658 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Come to my account for the running and lukewarm baseball takes, stay for the anti-A I sentiments.

120 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 10/04/2026

I genuinely try to not be pissy about trivial things, but goddamn, some of the comparisons and/or pop culture references on the MLB app articles make me cringe so hard. Like, come on, what is this?

Screenshot from MLB.com

KANSAS CITY-- The streak is over.

No, this is not a recreation of "All my Children's" Susan Lucci winning an Outstanding Lead Actress Award in the 1999 Daytime Emmys after the icon lost 18 straight nominations. It's about the White Sox claiming victory at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night with a 2-0 decision.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

This one popped in my head while I was driving to work.

A tweet from amelia elizalde:

every book is called 'the tiny things we know to be small' or 'the darkest wife'

0216 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

My longest run ever this afternoon, just a hair over fifteen miles. Still not ready for the Blue Ridge Marathon (nineteen days away), but given how good my legs feel already, and once I finally fine-tune my fuel and hydration? I'll be golden.

A gorgeous assemblage of green grass and green and pink trees on either side of a running path. Mill Mountain is in the background in front of a cloudy sky.

0130 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 27/03/2026

Another season of East Coast Mariners fandom and struggling to stay awake for West Coast late games. Been needing this badly, though. Goms. ❤️ ⚾️

Me, a cis white man, wearing a Seattle Mariners baseball cap with an aqua bill. I'm wearing a white t-shirt, sitting on a sofa in front of white miniblinds.

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

I ran my first race of 2026 this morning, the Girl Scouts of Virginia Tough Cookie 5K. It's a gorgeous cross-country course, and I'm less than a month away from the Blue Ridge Marathon.

Me, flushed and sweaty, smiling in a car as I hold up a pink race medal. I'm wearing a black baseball cap and a blue and gray t-shirt.

A screenshot of my race results:

Chip and gun time: 31:15

Pace: 10:04 Overall: 14 of 95

Male 40-49: 4 of 10 All Male: 9 of 26

091 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

I haven't shot baskets in over a month. Expected the worst, but my shots fell really well. Needed this unofficial therapy session/marathon training session.

A basketball hoop above a basketball court. It's circled by a metal railing covered in ads for local businesses, with curved windows beyond the railing.

131 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Morning coffee routine with Hobbes, the clingiest cat I've ever known.

A striped brown and black tabby cat sits with his paw on my hand. My hand is holding a cup of coffee. I'm wearing gray sweatpants and a gray zip up hoodie. My face isn't visible.

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

My AWP book haul is probably my smallest ever, not for lack of wanting. I kept it focused on essays and CNF, since I plan to start writing a nonfiction chapbook and/or a full essay collection with various themes: basketball, my relationship with masculinity, bodies, all that good stuff.

A collection of books: DARK DAYS, HOT SPRINGS DRIVE, OUT THERE IN THE DARK, CONCEPTUALISMS, ANOTHER DAY OF INSANE THINKING, THE BODY IS A TEMPORARY GATHERING PLACE, THERE IS NEWS ALONG THE OHIO RIVER, AND THEN HE SANG A LULLABY, all laid out against a green comforter.

160 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 08/03/2026

I took one selfie during AWP, to document finally meeting @anniejowrites.bsky.social. We've been friends and cheerleaders for each other for years, and her writing has been an inspiration. It was an honor.

Writer Anna Vangala Jones on the left, me (James Yates) on the right

1171 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Evening Inner Harbor run. Absolutely gorgeous. ❤️

Me, a cis white man wearing a gray hat, a gray shirt, and a blue hydration vest. I'm holding up two fingers in front of piers in the water outside downtown Baltimore.

050 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 03/03/2026

I started running again about two and a half years ago, after running sporadically from 2011-2012. I'm training for my first marathon in April, and completed my longest run ever this morning, just a hair over a half-marathon. I know it's cringe to post workouts, but I'm proud of myself.

A screenshot from the Strava app, showing a 13.55 mile distance, accompanied by my photo of an underpass mural (a bird drinking from a colorful stream).

170 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

A lovely message on my afternoon run, and yeah, I'll take this into 2026.

An asphalt running path with a yellow divider line in the middle. In white chalk is a hopscotch pattern and the message "Don't wait for life to be easy to be happy!"

070 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Missing actual baseball, started messing around with "MLB: The Show" on the PS5. Hit a home run off Oakland as Julio. ❤️

A TV display of "MLB: The Show 25." A computerized Julio Rodriguez circles the bases. The graphic onscreen says "SEATTLE HOME RUN, JULIO RODRIGUEZ"

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 26/11/2025

Forgot school was out today, so the Y basketball courts were overrun with kids. I drove to a nearby court and had to battle hard winds to get any shots up. But at least I got this pretty photo.

A blue and red outdoor basketball court with a hoop. There's a field of grass and trees behind it, and some gorgeous mid-afternoon clouds.

030 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

I ran the Star City half-marathon this morning. Set my PR, and completed the local Triple Crown: the Blue Ridge half, the Salem half, and now Star City. I just ate a big sandwich, so zzzzz

Me wearing a ballcap and a sleeveless maroon running shirt. I'm smiling in front of some trees and holding up a Triple Crown race medal.

290 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

I think Hobbes is finally over his kidney or urinary infection. Ten days ago, I thought he was dying, now he's back to his sassy self, and we're both exhausted after giving him a twice daily pill since last Tuesday. He's a senior cat, but I hope we have a few more years together.

Me, wearing glasses with disheveled hair, holding a chunky tabby cat by the scruff of his neck. His back leg is dramatically raised.

230 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Happy discovery: the Y that's five minutes from my apartment has a basketball court. I don't need to drive 20 minutes to the next town over. I ran myself into the ground this afternoon, in a good way. 90 minutes of shooting and legwork. Still working on my handles, but they're getting better.

A basketball court, photo taken under one of the hoops, facing toward the other end of the court. There are local advertisements hanging on a railing circling the court.

040 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

I'm on a staycation this week. Getting lots done, but also enjoying supremely lazy moments with the cats.

Me, wearing black glasses and a gray shirt, laying down on a gray couch. Tasha, a tortoise shell cat, is stretched out asleep on my chest and stomach, faced away from the camera.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Forgot I took a screenshot in August of this weird AI bot, before I blocked the account. I was going to share it when the Mariners won the AL West, but a 2-0 ALCS lead is a good enough time. Snacking on good vibes, indeed.

An AI account named Bella 'writes:' Ahoy Mariners fans! Picture this: cozy nights, game nights, and the thrill of cheering for our boys in blue while snacking on good vibes! Who else loves the M's atmosphere? Let's chat about those siren vibes of the ocean and baseball magic #Mariners #HomebodyVibes

010 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

This is TOTALLY just as good as watching the game on TV! I'm so glad I paid for Sling and got access to 793 crappy Fox affiliates and not the one, you know, showing the damn game.

A screenshot of the MLB app's live simulation of tonight's Mariners Blue Jays game. It's an animation of the field and current box score.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

Ran my second half-marathon in Salem this morning! Set my PR at 2:18:27.12. I'm exhausted, but feel great.

Me, a white cis male wearing a New Orleans Pelicans ballcap and a blue and red running shirt, holding up a race medal. I'm smiling and my face is splotchy.

130 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

After over two years, my basketball finally had to go to the Big Basketball Court in the Sky; it was peeling, and the air needle snapped off inside it in the cold. Looking forward to more baskets and footwork with my new one.

An extremely worn, faded Wilson NCAA basketball, sitting in a car trunk.

140 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

Took this picture on my morning run, and I can't explain it, but it feels like the inspiration for a bad "New Yorker" cartoon.

A deer stands behind a chain-link fence, on which is a white sign with black text reading NO PETS ALLOWED.

0100 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

I never doubted the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners come out of the dugout after winning the 2025 AL West title.

030 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 22/09/2025

Took this lovely picture on my late afternoon run. Not pictured: me covered in dozens of dead gnats after running through a swarm of them.

A late September sunset on the Roanoke River Greenway. There's a cyling/running path with grass, trees, and small hills on the right-hand side. The sky is blue with a couple small clouds visible.

000 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

A happy 34th birthday to my love, @hcohen.bsky.social. She's beautiful, has an infectious laugh, and we keep each other going despite how toxic the world can be. ❤️

Hannah wearing a black Randolph Wildcats sweater and pink headphones around her neck, sitting in her home office. She's holding Mikey, our fluffy black kitty, on her lap.

Hannah sitting at a restaurant table, beer in front of her, wearing sunglasses and a white shirt. The sun is setting and reflecting off her.

1130 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

These next three weeks will be marvelous. Stressful, possibly deflating, and all over the place, but marvelous nonetheless. At least I hope so. Goms.

A screenshot of the American League West standings on September 7th.

Houston leads Seattle by 2.5 games and Texas by 4.0 games.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Had a grueling day at work, and forced myself to go for a sunset run. I haven't done an evening run in ages, and it was gorgeous.

The sun sets behind a bridge in the background. A black metal fence in the foreground stands in front of a bunch of rocks, trees, and the Roanoke River.

110 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 23/08/2025

Documenting all the books I read in 2025, including rereads Book 10: REAL LIFE: A novel by Brandon Taylor. The secrets, friendships, loves, and hardships of a queer Black graduate student. Brandon's sentences are so good, the way they dig out metaphors, expand, and reveal layers in this story.

A copy of REAL LIFE: a novel by Brandon Taylor. The font of title and author name is yellow. The jacket is orange with black lines and boxes, with an illustration of a gray and white bird.

030 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

Documenting all the books I read in 2025, including rereads Book 9: "LIKE LOVE: ESSAYS AND CONVERSATIONS by Maggie Nelson. Maggie Nelson is one of my top five writers, but this took me forever to finish.

A copy of the book LIKE LOVE: ESSAYS AND CONVERSATIONS by Maggie Nelson. The jacket is purple with pink, blue, and yellow font.

100 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Documenting all the books I read in 2025, including rereads Book 8: TERROR COUNTER: Poems by Fargo Nissim Tbakhi A fierce collection that balances the speaker(s)' self with a plea for Palestinian agency, and the realization that all our systems are irrevocably fucked. But it's still hopeful.

The cover of TERROR COUNTER by Fargo Nissim Tbakhi. The border is a dark gray, with a charcoal and pen drawing by Hani Zurob depicting a solitary, faceless person sitting on a long bench, surrounded by white space.

020 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

Documenting all the books I read in 2025, including rereads Book 7: CULTISH by Amanda Montell I went into this expecting confirmation bias, but it digs deeper into cults of all stripes, and stresses how language makes a cult, and we're all susceptible to it.

A copy of the book CULTISH by Amanda Montell. The artwork has a UFO and psychedelic color schemes. It's held up in front of a yellow wall and a white door.

100 0

James Yates @jamesyates.bsky.social · 10/06/2025

Spending the week in upper Michigan with my folks. I try to get up here every June. It's an essential reset, letting me focus on running and reading and writing. It also gets more bittersweet as my parents get older, and retail management means I can't get up here as often as I want.

A duck swimming across a pond, leaving ripples in the water. The pond is surrounded on all sides by green trees and bushes.

020 0