iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Doing some late night mapping. Sometimes I think they look a lot cooler before I smash a bunch of labels and troop movements on top.

Grayscale map showing the terrain of the Beaver Dam Creek battlefield

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Putting up the finishing touches on some Cedar Creek maps, a project made substantially harder by the usually reliable Jedediah Hotchkiss essentially putting "here by dragons" on a crucial part his otherwise outstanding maps of the Shenandoah Valley

A portion of the Jedediah Hotchkiss map of the Shenandoah Valley, preserved by the Library of Congress, in which a large section east of Strasburg and south of Middletown (the Cedar Creek battlefield) is simply marked "unexplored."

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Grand Canyon but make it a mountain instead

Screenshot from a mapping software showing the shaded relief inverted so the Grand Canyon looks like a tall ridge instead

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Bouncing Souls to close it out, reminded that my favorite bad smell is Chuck Taylors stuck on a beer-coated venue floor, iykyk

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Suicide Machines played Destruction by Definition straight through, in other words half a song the entire set to catch your breath, hell yeah

The Suicide Machines on stage at The National in Richmond, Virginia

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Lived in Richmond way too long before finally seeing Strike Anywhere

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Big news from the Illini tailgate: Joey Chestnut puts mustard on hot dogs when eating for leisure

Screenshot from @WhityRemarks on Twitter showing competitive eater Joey Chestnut next to Illinois blogging legend ALionEye

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Can't tell if this is a Netflix glitch or an easter egg

Continue Watching section of the Netflix homescreen in which it says there are 1889 hours and 5 minutes remaining in the film Memento

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

If Illinois were to ever adopt one its rumored potential mascots, Martin Pescador would be such a good message board username

Lego box for its Kingfisher set, showing the name translated in other languages

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

They got them doing that Angels headline meme

ESPN summary of Tarik Skubal fans six in six innings while the scoreboard says Dodgers 1, Cubs 5

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Made the mistake of going to Google for more info. AI is a scourge.

Google search result for Nate Lavender greyhound in which their unwanted AI overview that's forced to the top of every page informs me that the New York Mets pitcher is not a racing dog.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

The owner sure is enjoying the spotlight before she plans to bail later this year - www.chron.com/life/travel/...

Chron article excerpt:

"Hammit is 62 years old now and has eyes on her own retirement. She wants to wait out Route 66's centennial before she sells the MidPoint, though, because nothing could get any better than being smack in the center of the action.

"'This is probably one of the most satisfying things I've ever done,' she says. 'It's not about the money–I've just had a blast in here, it's just amazing.'"

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

If only there was a way CNN could've checked to verify the prices over the last few years

June 2026 menu, the basic burger is $14.50

June 2025 menu, the basic burger is $13.50

October 2023 menu, the basic burger is $11

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Oh so they're real shook. Hell yeah, union folks. Never let someone say a job is not worth a livable wage. Especially don't let anyone think they can get away with paying less "for love of the game," "you're lucky too work here" blah blah. Spent too long getting paid inadequately in a similar field.

Email from Lewis Ginter CEO: Dear Garden Patron,

Thank you for your long-time and passionate support of our Garden. We all deeply believe in the Garden’s mission to connect people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature. This mission has garnered our organization’s national recognition as we nurture meaningful, mutually beneficial partnerships with diverse organizations in our community, including the Autism Society of Central Virginia, Families First, Feed More, ReEstablish Richmond and so many more. In addition, we serve as the home base for several botanically relevant nonprofits: Ikebana Society of Richmond, Central Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association, Richmond Horticulture Association, and Reynolds Community College Horticulture Department. Throughought the school year, we host over 10,000 school-aged youth in the garden for formal environmental education with a majority visiting from Title 1 schools.

Because of your support and the support of the Richmond community at large, we are a major economic driver across the region with our popular exhibitions, community days, festivals and concert series. Our Garden is a keystone to the cultural fabric of Richmond and is essential to this community.

The recent news and press around the Garden’s negotiations with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Union (Machinists) has threatened the very well-being of our Garden, your Garden, and thus the community. The very place you love has unfairly come under attack based on misinformation. To date, we have opted to provide minimal comments to the broader media about negotiations in order to protect the Garden and respect the negotiating process. However, given the impact of the Machinists’ actions this past week, I’d like to use this opportunity to share some facts about negotiations.

(and so on)

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

my guy, the one thing most people know about you pertains to your feet

Football game photo of Dan Orlovsky running several feet out of the back of the end zone for a safety

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Today's Illini haul dispels some notions I had about modern cards. All the different parallels can seem tedious but it's nice to have the orange one for school colors. Unlicensed sets can come in handy for portal transfers (and super cheap, at that).

Three sports cards relevant to the University of Illinois: a Berry Wallace autograph basketball card, a Topps rookie of baseball pitcher Andrew Hoffmann with an orange outline, and an unlicensed (uniform logos removed by photoshop) autograph of quarterback Katin Houser.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

I know why it's done and all but I'm still gonna laugh at the inclusion of this completely redacted, unnamed, noncontributing site in the Cedar Creek historic landmark form

The top of page 123 of the Cedar Creek Battlefield and Belle Grove Plantation National Historic Landmark Nomination form. An entire irrelevant section is entirely redacted.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

I'm sure this one's a pleasant enough dude, but the jump scare I got when seeing this in my inbox

Email received from Brock Turner but presumably not that one

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Absolutely despise this trend in modern cards. The 1991 design commemorating a 1998 season as part of the 2026 set. Just let things stand on their own.

Sammy Sosa baseball card from this year's Topps set but feating the 1991 design. The back, not shown, talks about the 1998 season.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Why is it that a massive airball bounces straight off the post right back to me while a perfect swish from deep always hits the wheels at the bottom and has me chasing after it down the street right as the neighbor looks out the window from doing dishes?

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Being a dad's pretty cool though, spent a few hours this afternoon playing Legos

Fantasy baseball notification saying: "David Bednar is starting in your lineup but was downgraded to Paternity."

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Nice addition to my collection of oddball Illini-related trading cards

A blue skip card from the NFL branded Uno card set, featuring Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Ted Karras, who played college ball at Illinois

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Just got a brick of base cards, mostly Cubs and Illini alum, in the mail for something like 2 or 3 cents apiece. Happy sorting!

A couple hundred sports cards packed in bubble wrap

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Yeah that train's gonna have a rough go though

Screenshot from the Bluey trains episode where Dad is all worn out by passenger Bluey's antics

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Never have I been happier to give up a kick return touchdown in the final minutes to lose the lead. "Oh cool, the offense can now win it instead of the defense giving it away." @shutdownfullcast.bsky.social @newap-georgia.bsky.social @hollyanderson.bsky.social #charitibundibowl

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Two upcoming UNC titles with my maps

Book covers for Rachel Shelden's The Political Supreme Court: A Forgotten History and William Blair's Arlington: An African American History

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

Just added this beauty to the card collection. - most obscure Illini to play in the NBA - sweet mullet - Smokey the Bear, with fire prevention message on the back

1990-1991 basketball card of Seattle Supersonics forward Scott Meents

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Sigh, I guess I'll just give it the hurricane Sharpie treatment

Adjusting the troop movement arrow on the battle map to better fill the space, akin to what the president did in 2020 except I'm not defacing official government documents and messing with disaster response to appease my fragile ego.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 05/02/2026

Didn't properly center the frame for the map I'm currently working on with the troop movements I started drawing in after the canvas was in place. Tempted to start it all over again. Usually I have a decent eye for not having wasted space and this is probably the fourth time I've mapped Five Forks.

Screenshot of Adobe Illustrator with a battle map I'm currently designing. There's unfortunately a bunch of empty space on the left side of the frame.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

The entirety of the grocery store comes from 3 or 4 companies

Reuters article about Keurig Dr. Pepper trying to acquire JDE Peet's

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

I mean, come on, why are you shrinking away

Kevin Byard covering his face instead of jumping on a fumble

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Oh that's just a confusing angle. It leads across the street to where the fox wants you to eat the hats in his display window.

Photo of part of a page in Richard Scarry's Busy Busy People book, showing animals owning and operating various businesses

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

Something is amiss in Richard Scarry's Busytown

Illustration in a children's book showing a butcher, who is a pig, selling pork products

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 04/01/2026

As far as I'm aware, this is going to be the first basketball card to ever feature a player on the Illini women's team in college uniform. At least as far as national releases go, I know there are some 90s team sets that were stadium giveaways. This is a cool thing for the program.

Front side of upcoming release in the Bowman U Now basketball card set featuring Berry Wallace, noting "Illinois star fuels upset over No. 7 Maryland."

Backside of Berry Wallace 2025-26 Bowman U Now card #43, stating: "Berry Wallace powered the Illinois Fighting Illini to victory with a clutch performance over the No. 7 Maryland Terrapins. The star sophomore poured in 22 points, sinking two free throws with 15.6 seconds left in the game to seal a 73-70 win. Wallace's late-game heroics propelled Illinois to their 11th-straight triumph, marking the best start in program history."

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

The intersection where this happens needs to change. Southbound vehicles on 10th Street have to go right or left (but for the few allowed onto Capitol Square), so most will be forced to turn. They should not have a green light to do so at the same that pedestrians have the walk signal across Broad.

Google Maps street view showing the intersection of 10th Street and Broad Street in Richmond, VA. The vehicle traveling south on 10th has a green light but is not allowed to go straight, forcing a left turn onto Broad, over a crosswalk where a pedestrian has the go-ahead walk signal.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Welp, I spoke too soon. Topps should've stuck with the guy who only posted twelve plate appearances this season. This was just from one blaster (~84 cards). Pulled a /250 Jon Berti holo out of it too, so it would've been a loaded box for the PC had they been anyone else on the team.

Three Matt Shaw baseball cards, including two inserts, pulled from a box of 2025 Topps Update.

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

But he went to every Mizzou home game!

Fans holding up MIZ ZOU signs at a Missouri Tigers game, except they have the ZOU upside down

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 14/12/2025

My letdown after skimming over the word teammate

Screenshot of article text saying: "Yesterday, it also produced the funniest thing I saw all day: a Bulldog carrying his cramping teammate to the sideline."

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

Police-evading apps are perfectly accepted, however, when they help folks drive recklessly

Screenshot of Google Maps navigation showing a police vehicle in the median up ahead

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Edward Alexander @makemeamap.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Gray unis... an unfortunate lasting image of the biggest moment of the Lovie Smith era

Illinois kicker James McCourt, in gray uniform, carried off the field after beating #6 Wisconsin on a last second field goal in 2019

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