iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

how to tell it's chilly in NYC: I'm wearing long sleeves but more importantly, there's a cat claiming her share of my body heat for the first time in months.

photo of a contented-looking tabby cat, head, one front leg, and one paw visible, cuddled in the arms of a woman whose head is mostly visible behond the cat. the woman has short purple hair and glasses that have drifted halfway down her nose. she is smiling.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

the Dell cover was great, and was the edition I owned, but Berkley did this edition a bit later: she's too old but we couldn't put a kid on the cover without it looking like YA.

front cover of the Berkley mm edition of Zelde M'Tana by F.M Busby, showing a dark-skinned Black woman in a close-fitting tan uniform and a red beret, holding a large knife and standing in what might be an airlock

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

in early June, my HS classmates & I had a reunion dinner. at everyone's place was a tiny stuffed tiger (our HS mascot). since then, he has been having Adventures all over the world, with photos posted to our alumni group.

color photo of a tiny stuffed tiger being held up in a white woman's hand, in a modern atrium/lobby. Reggie & me at the Whitney Museum, waiting while dd cruises the gift shop.

color photo of a tiny stuffed tiger dangling from a white woman's hand. behind the tiger, an array of hair care tools. Reggie and me at the salon.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Photo of the partially-unwrapped Flatiron Building, lit at night. Photo by J. Singer. There's still construction barriers all around the base; I walked past her last week.

Color photo of the Flatiron Building at night, upper floors illuminated. Taken from ground level looking south so her silhouette stands out against the sky. Construction not yet completed but some scaffolding and netting has been removed.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

My daughter is quite fond of a big annual arts festival in Tasmania; she's gone twice now. Here's my favorite pic she sent me from last year's, of a person-sized frog person statue.

Photo of a large, naked, humanoid frog statue

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Scored at the Brooklyn Museum. Was there to see Iris van Herpen which is hands down one of the best fashion exhibits I have seen. And you could touch stuff (in 1 area)! Fashion & tech & upcycling & recycling & gorgeous.

Photo of a magnet which reads MUSEUM NERD in big, multicolored text against a black background

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

The classic male gaze vs. female gaze Hugh Jackmain pairing:

color photos of a person's hand holding a magazine. on the left, "Muscle & Fitness, showing a ripped & flexed, shirtless, Hugh Jackman with Wolverine's claws. on the right, "Good Housekeeping," showing clean-shaven, neatly-coiffed Hugh Jackman in a v-neck shirt, hands on his hips

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I am very boring about this. Peri Peripoo Baby/my baby/baby cat Little kitty My little girl My little puss-puss Sweetie

I have like a million photos of Peri lying across my bosom like this. It is her favorite spot. In many of the pix, her head is titled up because she wants me to kiss the top of her noggin. In hot weather she plasters herself along my thigh instead, all furry and purring, on her side so I can ruffle her belly fluff.

She is a brown&black mackerel tabby with blue-green eyes, about 8 years old. I am an older white woman wearing eyeglasses. I am not smiling bc I am trying not to drop my phone.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Here's mom's (I'm visiting today). Between the bend in the handle and the shaped blade, I cannot use it "right"/to her standards.

A photo of a butterknife with a shaped blade laying on a faux marble countertop

Side view of butterknife showing the bend in the hanlde

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

Spotted in a classroom at my HS: the school edition of NEUROMANCER. My brain glitched when I saw it, I swear. When I was in school, Orwell was as SF as we got. Flanking it are THE STARS MY DESTINATION and DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?

A photograpgh of 3 books, Alfred Bester's THE STARS MY DESTINATION, William Gibson's NEUROMANCER, and Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP?, lying face-up on a table. The Bester and Dick are only partly visible; the Gibson and Dick are in school bindings.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Current weirdo, who has squeezed herself between my hip and my laptop. She's not fat; she has that loose skin thing that some cats have, plus she's kinda bunched up here. She must be close to me at virtually all times.

Photo: a view from kinda above of a black&brown mackerel tabby who has squeezed herself into a space where she has room to stretch out but this way her tush is jammed firmly against her person. If left alone, she will lower her head to the computer and attempt a nap, but this is unlikely to happen today as I have work to do.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Peri has been sleeping on the smooth sheets of my unmade bed the last few days, because it's hot. She generally wakes up when I draw near (to ask for affection), but I managed to get a photo of her not on me for once by offering a hand for sniffing and pets.

Photo: A sleepy brown and black tabby cat sniffs a woman's finger. The cat and woman are both relaxed and love each other.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

My HS reunion is coming up fast, so I offer my yearbook photo, taken shortly after my 16th birthday. My smile is weird because about 2 months earlier I knocked my top 2 front teeth out in a fall. My hair hasn't changed much, except for the color. 😉

A b&w photo of a young white woman's face. She is looking directly into the camera with a calm, neutral expression.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 12/04/2026

Finally took a shower after my not-the-right-color dye job last week (popped a fever the next day, sigh, better now, yay). So this is plum, a redder purple than my usual violet. I don't hate it! How it fades will be the acid test.

Photo of a woman's head taken at an angle to mostly show her short hair, which is plum-coloed.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

I have developed a sudden case of feline paralysis. Peri _demanded_ access to my bosom, shoving at my arm with her skull, then spread herself across my torso and hooked her front claws lightly into my t-shirt. She's purring loudly and is entirely relaxed.

Photo of a tabby cat spread horizontally across a woman's upper chest. The woman looks disgruntled but really is just trying to hold the camera steady.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Most of my pictures of my cat also have me in them, since if she is awake she tends to Velcro herself to me in some way. But in honor of #NationalPetDay and #Caturday, here's Peri, who is 7.

Photo mostly focused on the face of a very relaxed tabby cat.

Photo of the head and shoulders of a tabby cat lying on one side. A person's hand can be seen ruffling the tummy fluff of said cat, who is completely relaxed and thinks life is wonderful right now.

A photo from soon after Peri came to live with me, showing her gorgeous tabby cat face with its prominent M above her eyes as well as those expressive eyes themselves, which have 2 rings of color around the pupils. The inner bands are turquoise and the outer bands are yellow-green.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 26/03/2026

Only to discover her sitting in the carrier, paws folded, looking up as if to say, "let's get this show on the road." 6.5 years later she still wants pets first thing in the morning. And frequent cuddles and kisses.

Photo: A black and brown tabby with a white chin tilts her head back so the human she's lying on can kiss her between her ears. Only the upper parts of the human's face is visible--most of the nose, then glasses, eyes, abd forehead--because she is in fact kissing the cat

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Same cat, a minute later, still glaring and purring, now squeezed in between my thigh and my laptop.

The face of a glaring but purring tabby, with whiskers sticking out and up.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

Peri demanded access and then banged her head into me until I kissed her right between her ears.

A tabby cat lying in a person's arms with her head tilted back and up. The person is kissing the top of the cat's head. The cat looks slightly demented but was purring loudly the whole time. The person looks a bit off herself for no good reason.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

I keep screens on my windows year-round, which means under the right conditions, this happens:

A photo looking straight through a window at a wire screen. The tight mesh of the screen is covered in little clumps of snow, ranging from a few flakes up to several inches in length. The top of a window guard intrudes into the bottom of the image. Part of a brick building can be seen through and beyond the clumps of snow. It's chilly but pretty.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

Anyway, you'll have to make do with yet another shot of Peri in my arms, this time close enough that you mostly see her pretty face and just a fringe of my purple hair sticking out behind her.

Slightly blurred close-in photo of the face of a contented tabby cat.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 08/02/2026

A few days ago I got this, in which it looks for all the world like she is giving me serious side-eye, but she is about to lift her head to ask for pets.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

My talented friend, Jacquelyn Reingold, is offering 1-on-1 TV script consultations. She is, well, see here:

a promo sheet for Jacquelyn Reingold, offering 1-on-1 TV script Consultations. Reingold is a TV writer, Executive Producer, and playwright, and has taught at NYU. her face is featured, along with thumbnails of shows she's worked on: "The Good Fight," "East New York," "In Treatment," and "Grace and Frankie"

quotes on the image: "Her rigorous approach to analyzing and constructing story is invaluable."--Nina Braddock, "Mankind," "The Sinner"; "I still rely on Jackie for her resources and wisdom."--Davon Briggs, "Law & Order OC," "Snowfall"; "If you want to learn to write television, Jackie's where you need to go."--Molly Smith Metzler, "Maid," "Sirens"; "Jackie showed me what was possible and how to achieve it."--Julia Brownell, "This is Us," "Parenthood"; "The best screenwriting teacher I had!"--David Scherker, "The Traitors," "The Vow"

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Went to @hillarymonahan.bsky.social & @peculiarityshop.bsky.social & said, basically, "I need 6-pointed stars & have a short neck, can you help?" Now I have these & they are perfect:

A pair of dark silver-gray metal 6-pointed star earrings, textured surfaces surrounding small purple stones (amethyst), mounted on a black card, in a clear plastic envelope.

One of the earrings, looking shiner and lighter than in the other photo, dangling from the stubby earlobe of a very pale white woman's ear. The woman's hair and the amethyst in the earring are almost the same color.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

I'm like, a present! Thank you! And we part, wishing each other happy holidays. I assume, from the size of the object--about the size of my palm--and because it is hard, that it is fancy soap. It is not fancy soap. Anyone know if this stuff is scented?

A 2.53 Oz container of Dove "body love" beauty cream.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 17/12/2025

Niece is an actor. We talk about theater. We are walking together during this. We reach the corner, where we must part. She says, wait, I have something for you. (I am now slightly anticipating something religious.) She says, I do this every day in Decmber, and hands me this:

A small round object wrapped in green tissue paper with a gift tag that reads, Joy

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

I mean, this is literally me right now

A tabby cat leans her head back for a kiss from the woman she is cuddling with

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

I had decided to adopt Peri after seeing her photo but our vist was kinda "eh." But when I went to pick her up, she packed herself into the cat carrier while I & her foster searched high & low for her. Gave me a look like, "I'm ready, what's the holdup?" Now we are this, every day for 6 years.

A tabby cat snuggles, completely relaxed, in a woman's arms.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

I am 2 months in on a dye job, with a different dye than usual as Pravana discontinued my color. Looks good enough that 4 separate people complimented me on it today!

A photo of part of the top of a woman's head, showing that her hair is mostly purple, with an inch or so of dark brown and silver roots.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 14/11/2025

Wow, that was scary! I'm satisfied with my result.

a horizontal bar graph showing Slate News Quiz results

OP answered 8 out of 12 questions for 365 points and is marked "Winner!"

Slate staffer got 127 points

Average score was 343 points

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Have another. She's warm and purring, that might help.

A tabby cat looks stoned in a woman's arms. She's not, though, she's just in her happy place.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 06/11/2025

It was both a wonderful and terrible place to work. But we loved her, creaky and drafty though she was. The summer before we moved out, I got this:

A woman's forearm with a tattoo of the Flatiron building

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 02/11/2025

the message is vague about exactly what functionality is impaired, but yesterday my shelf would not synch at all, though I was able to return a book. I haven't opened the app today. here's the official status report:

Libby status report from OverDrive, reads:

Identified: We have identified an issue with Libby "tags" resulting in some functionality being impaired for users and are working on a resolution.

posted November 1 at a little after 8 PM EDT

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Exercised the franchise. Got my sticker.

A round sticker with an illustration of the Unisphere in the center and the words Queens Votes Early around the edge.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 26/10/2025

Clearing out my purse. Here's my last MetroCard, which expires on Halloween. The MetroCard machines at my station were replaced by OMNY machines a couple of months ago, so I switched. I feel no significant connection to the MetroCard, unlike the Y-slit subway tokens of my younger years.

A MetroCard for public transport in NYC. A small rectangle of smooth, stiff, coated paper with one notched corner and a magnetic strip, around the size of the palm of an average hand. Prone to getting midplaced.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Peri is purring particularly loudly today so I tried to catch it... The weird bit at the end is me repositioning the phone one-handed, to stop recording.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 23/10/2025

Peri demanding petting yesterday morning about 10 minutes after I got out of bed.

A very close up, slightly blurry photo of a tabby cat's face as she pushes her head into her person's hand for early morning petting

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

and @kradec.bsky.social's SUPERNATURAL CRIMES UNIT: THE THIN BLUE LEY-LINE

A copy of SUPERNATURAL CRIMES UNIT: THE THIN BLUE LEY-LINE sitting on top of a stack of books

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Seen at the Blackstone booth at NYCC, @ericlarocca.bsky.social's AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME

A copy of AT DARK, I BECOME LOATHSOME on top of a stack of books

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

He's beautiful! My current cat is a former feral but her foster mom did a LOT to make her more domestic. She finished her journey with me.

Happy tabby cuddled in a woman's arms, looking a bit leonine

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Sometimes I worry that the heat of summer has permanently disrupted our routine but then it starts to get cool in the evening and Peri gets back into her happy place....

A contented tabby sits on her person's bosom, cradled in a human arm. All is right in her little furry world.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 16/08/2025

3 of my right answers were complete guesses. Very tough quiz.

Slate news quiz results box, showing 3 bars indicating scores. "You"--the person who posted this--got 9 of 12 answers correct for 417 points. The Slate staffer got 271 points and the average score is 319 points.

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Melissa Ann Singer @masinger.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

If you see this, I implore you to post an image from your device without context.

A statue of a frog-human, with a frogs head and a mostly human, nude body that still looks fragile, with its mouth open and tongue hanging out, in a pose which might evoke surprise or fear.

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