iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I leerned its a feature on the iPhone. I can turn it off. It might have been set off by a suggestively folded shirt.

Reposted by Leslie What

The Deadlands @thedeadlands.com · 07/10/2026

this october instead of donating to us, THE DEADLANDS we're asking you to please considering donating to help our #1 editor in chief @ecatherine.com with the bills stemming from her ongoing hospital stay. no coin fundraiser only fundraising Elise 🖤🖤 pls join us + spread the word

gofundme.com

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Tech folds - why did my FaceTime call go silent and blank as this notice appeared? I asked the caller if he was doing a Jeffrey Tobin (no) and we tried to replicate the warning with curses and inappropriate President, lube, and bunny innuendos but whatever was listening had moved on .

(Some words were cut off in the red, black, and white screen shot)

On black background with white text: "audio and video are paused because Ga may be showing something sensitive.
you feel uncomfortable, you should end the call.

In white stripe with black text: "Resume Audio and Video"

In red stripe with white text: "End Call"

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Copenhagen is what Portland hopes it can become. People are kind but we were warned by an ex-Brit to say we were Canadian. A Dane who has been told he looks Hispanic said he's postponing a U.S. visit until 2028 or never, depending. I'm wearing my Hardenberg pendant in solidarity. I am so sorry, DK.

An empty platter from Hallernes Smørrebrød. There's a wee speck of chicken sold on the fork and platter and a half bottle of Rully Chardonnay in the background. We plan to eat every meal at
TorvehallerneKBH or other food hall.

Bronze fly on a sterling leaf pendant by Danish silversmith Torben Hardenberg. https://torbenhardenberg.dk/

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The short ride to a long walk to another plane.

A lone plane, formerly my plane, stands alone on the tarmac. We took a bus to here, not far from where the bus picked us up. Shortest plane ride ever followed by the shortest bus ride ever We are told this is normal procedure as they continue to see if there's an issue. Another passenger called his pilot uncle who said this happens all the time. I am giving out purse candy and cookies collected in the lounge.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

On the bus to the next plane, the plane that isn't broken (we hope). Still smiling but happy to still be in France where they will have restocked the wine.

Still smiling. On the bus to the plane with one of two sisters. The other is on the other side.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I have won the bet. We will be changing planes. I was hoping for more exciting news because there's no jokes in having things work out.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Back at the gate. Firemen and gendarmes are checking everything. There are no infants on this planes as nobody is screaming uncontrollably! Though many of us want to.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

It's apparently routine, or so they say, for any plane that returns unexpectedly to be checked by l'avion gendarmes and led pompier. They are swarming the plane in their bright orange and yellow vests.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Wee hiccup as the plane began building speed to take off and stopped abruptly. Everyone who had fallen asleep was jolted awake. In a while the captain announced they were aborting the takeoff. No word on what will happen next but I'd rather the flight was aborted before takeoff than up there.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

And just in time time as someone else needs the handicapped table. I realize now it's the place one goes so the assistance peeps can easily find them.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Without a 12-foot cord to reach an outlet I had to resort to hobbling over the second a nearby table was vacated to snatch it away before someone else could nab it! It's every man for himself in the AF lounge!

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Not to complain too much, because I am in the Air France lounge and on my way to Copenhagen, but why is the only seating without a fucking plug for a phone charger at the designated handicapped table?

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

We met this artist in Dijon. Her work is remarkable. She sees connections is such a unique way she's got brain scientist fanboys. I'm not sure everthing shows as well on the small screen as it does in person but prepare to be amazed by Quantum Paintings. www.veronique-barrillot.com/en/canvas-do...

veronique-barrillot.com

Double Vision Paintings - Véronique Barrillot

Véronique Barrillot est une artiste peintre muraliste, précurseur dans l'art de ces œuvres en double-vision. Pour voir de près et de loin

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The trois sœurs have not yet reached a dead end but today is our last day in Paris.

Photo of our three sisters standing in front of Impasse Des Trois Sœurs
sign. I am the grey-haired lady on the left. We all have funky glasses. I look especially short because I'm leaning in to get the sign in the frame and also having to stretch out my arm more than it realistically stretches, while watching out for bicycles and pigeons.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

It was still a little dark out when we started for the train station but looking sat the photo now I'm wondering if it was a demo with a trial slice? Wedding cake neep is not something I know anything about .

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Bad news/ good news: It's been a challenging trip due to my creeping decrepitude. Yet several times I've been pulled from the back of long lines & brought to the entrance by event workers who saw me teetering and wanted to make it easier. Sorry to leave y'all behind at L'Orangerie.

La Cathédrale de Rouen by Claude Monet

Gauzy, muted tones of the facade of the cathedral, framed in gold "The Rouen Cathedral series was painted in the 1890s by the French Impressionist painter Claude Monet. The paintings in the series each capture the façade of Rouen Cathedral at different times of the day and year and reflect changes in its appearance under different lighting conditions. "

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Sorry. I know it can be a dark and lonely space and I hope it helps a wee bit to say something.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

My day-to-day is often lived in Bixbyworld. I'm fortunate to get away to faraway places where cornfields are the faraway places. Today I got lost trying to return to our apartment and ended up at the Tour Eiffel. Found the way back another hour later and feasted on roasted pumpkin and cheese sammie.

The lit base of the Eiffel Tower at night.

Breakfast radishes, wee cluster tomatoes, roasted pumpkin from La Grande Épicerie de Paris with Taleggio and Comté cheese, open-faced sandwich all foraged from Marché alimentaire Bastille. It's what's for dinner.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

A new Lois Metzger story! Hurray!

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Poor babies, families, staff. What a nightmare.The airborne measles virus is contagious up to 4 days before symptoms show & many people don't wear masks correctly so they don't prevent viral shedding. Masks cut down exposure but vaccination is a more effective policy to prevent spread. Ah, well.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I don't know much but I know this: we can treasure each day. We can show those who most matter to us that we cherish them. We can accept that as the storm gathers, the sky darkens, and its heavyness oppresses us, we need not give in. We can still seek joy, still find calm in the light.

Young man and woman sit between their motorcycle helmets and embrace as they sit with their backs to the Pontile di Ostia and their legs dangling over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Above them is a layer of blue sky and above that heavy and dark clouds.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I know that each loss magnifies the last, and that grief is cumulative. I'm so sorry.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Happy 5787 to all who keep count. The High Holy Days niboca.org/what-are-the... give us time & reason for reflection. Working on repairing fractures, asking for, & practicing forgiveness. The work continues....

A photograph of some symbols of Rosh Hashana that includes a Crimson Apple, a small pomegranate, a pop-up card with flowers and butterlies in a honey jar, some glass candleholders, and a shofar (ram's horn).

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The wonderful thing I read/saw today: "Crop Art Tributes to the Minnesota Resistance" www.cropart.com/Resist.pdf?_...

cropart.com

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

A friend died two years ago. He came to me in a dream and gave me a story to write. I finished it today. I'm not sure why it took so long unless it was my way of keeping my friend with me for a while longer. Also, my dream stories usually suck, but maybe this one doesn't cuz it was his dream story?

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Had a day off yesterday. Wrote a few lines of fiction, gardened, cleaned, practiced French. I can't grok how acing these sorts of questions will help me communicate on my next visit, when I'm mostly trying to clarify how big a slice of cheese to cut (I've had great success w/just finger signs).

A Duolingo translation question: "Il nous en raconte tout le temps."
My correct answer: "He tells us some all the time."
Duolingo says my answer is "Amazing!"

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Must the plaintiff prove he is not an incompetent drunk? Or is it up to the defendants to prove that he is? Seems like a difficult issue to resolve when the competence bar has been set so low.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Couldn't identify all the crosswalks& wasn't allowed to sign-in. Had to let the AI train me after realizing it was reading the wide column of thick white lines near the accessible spaces as crosswalks. I verified that square and finally passed its test.

Are you a Robot? quiz page asking me to verify crosswalks in the nine squares of crowded freeway, empty freeway w/bridge, few cars on freeway w/bridge, divided road w/bus, freeway w/car, freeway w/cars and trucks, car on side of 2 handicapped spaces in parking lot (each space has a column of thick white lines painted to one side, 4-lane UK road, bike path w/rider

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

I liked it but I agree with classicist Robert Mendelsohn that (SPOILER ALERT) Nolan went too far putting Telemachus in long sleeves. Great wincing action from Robert Pattinson & you could almost see the special effects guy tugging on Argos's bony tail. Worth it to see John Leguizamo's performance

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Oh, Nisi. I'm so sorry. <> (hugs) as we used to say.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

She's also been to a great aunt's funeral but she'd never met her and I led the service so in many ways the dog's death was more real. I'm all for curating death stories for kids and I know a bit about dying. Her mom's a doctor so it's def a part of life learning for both kids.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Her brother has experienced more loss but her Bubi and Abuelo's dog died& she's read plenty of fairy tales&watched the usual& I've minimally told her of our family history so she's familiar with the concept. She is curious if I'll be able to take her to Paris when she's 16 and come to her wedding.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

I today was my day off but the girl child arrived at noon and asked if I had any jewelry I would give her. I have a pile of stuff to sell and picked out a sterling butterfly pendant. "Can I take this home? Or do I have to wait?" She didn't need to tell me what she was waiting for. "Take it," I said.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

This is a real question: At what age does it stop being cute when a child asks if she can have your jewelry when you're dead (age of child and age of grandparent)?

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

I thought I'd seen all the bugs here, even the tarantula hawk wasp. I'm good with this guy, though. She's still out there this morning, waiting, waiting. I am going to trap some extra bugs in her net to give her some fast food options. www.savedbynature.org/post/tarantu...

savedbynature.org

Tarantula Hawk Wasp in California: Identification, Sting, and Where to See Them

Quick Answer: What Is a Tarantula Hawk Wasp?Tarantula hawk wasps are among the world's largest wasps, reaching 2 inches long with metallic blue-black bodies and bright orange wings. Found throughout C...

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Just learned that the spider preventing me from opening my garbage can is called a Writing Spider (AKA Zigzag or Orb Spider and I'm trying to find inspiration in how she can write without caring what she is saying so long as she catches food. askentomologists.com/2020/09/08/z... am not #writing

Gnarly 1-inch black and white spider white scary stomach plate and white spikes on her abdomen waiting, waiting, waiting on her web. There is a small strand of silk spun in a zigzag pattern.

Another view of the spider, who now looks a little yellow, white, and black in the sun.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Woke at 5:00 AM after a nightmare starring the new First Lady, Usha Vance. Clearly, things were even worse. I couldn't get back to sleep after. I was wound up, worrying about the mundane. I finally gave in and got up to empty Saturday's pot of beans into the compost bin before it was picked up.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

I started out rooting for Argentina but they were so mean to the Redshirts switched teams at the halftime.

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

I happened to be in San Sebastián in 2018 when Real Sociedad Femenino won the Copa de la Reina (watched the game on a projection TV outside a bar). There was a parade the next day and everybody celebrated. Watched games in France & Germany this year, but the celebrations ended in the bar.

realsociedad.eus

Real Sociedad S.A.D official website

Real Sociedad de Football S.A.D. home page

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Leslie What @lesliewhat.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

I don't get out much and miss a lot of news.

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