iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 20/02/2026

Great ride tonight! Really great to see the return of Ann, Craig, and Catherine! Not pictured is Nelson who I didn't notice had ridden out to hit the street crossing button. #bicycle #charlotte #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 24/11/2025

My #RedCross branch finally got the 2024 plaque up. That's two years in a row for me. :) I missed 2022 by one donation, only got 17 that year. This year I've hit 20 so far, and am on track for 23 by the end. We'll see. Donate #blood if you can. There's always a need!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/10/2025

It would have been so easy to put the post in the middle of the path where it'd be more visible, or to put some kind of sign or flags on the cable right there. This is so dangerous.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/10/2025

I just left and went to another shop. I know I'm just out that money now, but the point of this is social stress relief, and I just couldn't add more... I went to another shop and had a very nice light roast pour over and read some more comics, and the world is coming back into position.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/10/2025

You ever get social overload? Spend too much time interacting with people and get social drain? Today, too get away a bit, I rode up to a coffee shop. Put in my order, and went to read comics. 30 minutes later the coffee hadn't come up. I know I should have gone to ask what was up, but couldn't.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 09/10/2025

So, yeah, this package was not delivered to my house. I usually just look at the photo and from that I can generally figure out where it was mistakenly delivered. This time, though, the photo was taken while the package was still on the truck. So... great.

An email confirmation of a package delivery from UPS. The photo is a picture of the delivery driver's feet and the front seat of the delivery vehicle, with a package in it.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 03/10/2025

Getting a little bit of a chill in the air. I love riding at this time of year! #bike #charlotte #bikecommutercabal Thursday Night Lights!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/09/2025

I wonder if these tariffs will apply to these fixtures when bought for Trump hotels....

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 12/09/2025

Great night for a bike ride! Get out there and ride ya #bike! #charlotte #bikecommutercabal

the 8 of us, out at night, on our bikes. Lots of headlight glare is on the photo.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 08/09/2025

I need a little welding/fabrication done to my '71 Beetle. Anyone in #Charlotte know a good place to get some welding done? This is the worst of it in the bottom of my A Pillar, but there are also a couple of other little spots.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 06/09/2025

Out for a ride on the Virginia Creeper.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 01/09/2025

Brew day in the Malt Garage. A Belgian Session, an American Brown, a Red Bitter, and a Holiday Ale.

My mash tun, kettle, and fermenter, ready for Brewing.

On to chilling the wort, getting ready to pitch yeast.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 28/08/2025

Bikes on sidewalks aren't a problem. Speed on sidewalks can be, whether that's an ebike, scooter, regular bike, rollerblades, running... all of these can be perfectly safe on a sidewalk. It's all about the speed.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/08/2025

And found some unwanted ventilation. The crack is in the passenger side footwell. Not structural, so I'll just fill it with seam sealer and cover it with carpet. The hole is under the back seat next to the battery tray. Again, not structural, but not good. I'll patch that with fiberglass cloth.

The front passenger side footwell in my 1971 Beetle. There's a crack about 5 inches long running across the front of the car. Looks like maybe it got hit with a cutting blade while someone was working under the car.

This is a hole, big enough for me to put three fingers through, in the back of my 1971 VW Beetle. It's not uncommon for rust to build up here, as it is a low spot in the car, and right next to the battery which can also cause corrosion.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/08/2025

More rust treatment on the #vw #beetle. For this, since it's quite rusty, I hit it with the wire brush and got off as much surface rust as I could, then used POR-15's degreaser to really clean the entire floor, then use POR-15's etcher to help with adhesion with the POR-15 paint. Driver's side next.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 22/08/2025

Another wonderful Thursday Night Lights. Love this group. Hopfly Brewing Company didn't disappoint either, with an excellent Dunkel. #bike #bikecommute #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 16/08/2025

We went to visit my parents for their 60th anniversary. One of their neighbors came by with this beautiful 1929 #Ford Model A. He took us for a ride and then said, "Do you want to drive it?" So much fun! 3 speed stick with no synchros, so you have to time the shifting. #antique #antiquecar

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/08/2025

3) Also, it's incredibly rude to talk at your table during a comedy show. And, even though we knew that we were not *at* a comedy show, it still felt somehow wrong to be talking to each other and ignoring the comic. I kept waiting for a @stevehofstetter.bsky.social to absolutely destroy us.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/08/2025

2) Venues, don't pipe the audio outside. What we heard was just the comic, none of the audience reaction. As such, to us, it appeared that every single joke was met with absolute silence from the audience. A few of the jokes we heard were solid, and I'm sure they did better inside.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/08/2025

1) These comics were very new, very green and as such, were not very good yet. However, I have *nothing* but respect for people who do this. This would be terrifying, and just getting up there and doing what you love is extremely cool. Much love for people who follow their dream.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 15/08/2025

We went to a brewery last night with live comedy. We weren't there for the comedy, so we sat outside. The brewery piped the comedy out there, and I have some notes...

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 10/08/2025

Tackling some of the rust on my 1971 #vw #beetle. This POR-15 can paint right over rust. Get the loose rust out and you're good to go. The spare tire well here has several pinholes, but it's still got enough steel left that it doesn't need to be replace, if I can stop the rust now. #aircooled

A picture of the inside of my spare tire well in my 1971 VW Beetle. It's rather rusty, with some pinholes.

The inside of my 1971 VW Beetle's spare tire well, after cleaning out much of the rust, and vacuuming out all debris.

A can of POR-15. A very thin paint that is good at stopping and preventing rust.

The spare tire well in my 1971 VW Beetle, with loose rust removed, and Por-15 painted on. The Por-15 is grey, contrasting against the red of the interior, but since the spare tire will go here, this area will never be seen anyway.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 09/08/2025

First Cars and Coffee event. Had some problems getting it started, so I arrived late, but here it is.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/08/2025

Of course you can carry a 55" tv with a Fiat 500. You just have to get creative!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/08/2025

I do wish blue sky let you edit. Burrowed, not borrowed. :)

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/08/2025

Of all of the native plants in my #northcarolina native #garden, the Joe Pye Weed seems to be the favorite for sleepy bees. Every evening, we can see several that have borrowed in and fallen asleep.

A bumble bee, sleeping in the blossoms of the Joe Pye Weed. Joe Pye Weed has small pinkish blossoms in large tight clusters.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 31/07/2025

I've wanted another beetle for many years after selling my old one. Today that wait is over. It needs a lot of attention, but I'm already loving this little '71 beetle.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 28/07/2025

It took 31 hours of working last weekend to accomplish it, but we at McClatchy Media have successfully migrated our news sites to our #cloud provider. A Herculean effort from many different teams. Really happy with the results. #devops #sysadmin

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 19/07/2025

W00! I just got home and noticed that one of my Kajari's was almost ripe, and the biggest one was missing. I checked the ground under the vine and there it was. It'd picked itself. This could be the most perfect Kajari Melon I've ever grown. #kajari #northcarolina #garden #gardening #nc

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 17/07/2025

These late nght,/early morning shifts during this migration are really getting to me. I just answered my boss's Yes/No question "Zero." "Has node 21 restarted yet?" "Zero." "???" It had not restarted yet.... #sysadmin #devops #cloudops

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 17/07/2025

They're throwing gang signs. Deport!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 12/07/2025

Really like these pretty little Stregonta Beans from this year's #garden. I wish I'd planted a lot more.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 11/07/2025

Riding through uptown #Charlotte, on a wonderful Thursday Night Lights ride. Everywhere we went, the rain had just stopped. And yes, I call it Uptown, because I moved here in '89. My wife's a unicorn and would never call it that. :) #bike #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 07/07/2025

Same Kajari melons, 16 days later. Just a little longer before they turn orange and will be ready to harvest. I've been looking forward to these all year! #garden #garening #kajari #charlotte

Two small kajari melons, on a vine. They're dark green with light green stripes. They're a little larger than my fist.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 04/07/2025

Free Wheeling Friday Breakfast ride.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 26/06/2025

Little Fairy Tale Eggplant Fasciation. So cool when you get little doubles like that. #garden #gardening #fasciation #charlotte #northcarolina

A photo of my Fairytale Eggplants. They're very small purple eggplants with variegated skins. In this picture, I have a single flower that has split into two eggplants joined at the same stem. Very cool.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

A buddy cop movie. A heist movie. Maybe a comic horror like Shaun of the Dead.... Whatever. They're both such strong personalities but very very different vibes. I never thought to put them together, but yeah, absolutely!

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

I don't care what the premise is. Natasha and Awkwafina. I'm in.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

Little waterfall lean. I pass by this little secluded waterfall along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway often, but today was my first time stopping to really appreciate it. #bike #Charlotte #northcarolina

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 21/06/2025

First baby Kajari Melons of the year. Really looking forward to these, if I can keep the deer at bay. Last year, I only got one tiny melon because the deer ate much of the early plants. #gardening #charlotte #northcarolina

Two tiny green melons about the size of my fingertip, growing along a fence line.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 20/06/2025

Thursday Night Lights (all 5 of us!) met up with the NoDa Social Ride at Lower Left Brewing Company tonight. A good time was had by all. Great night to be on a #bike in #charlotte!

A few dozen bikes parked outside Lower Left Brewing Company

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 13/06/2025

Turn around, don't drown. The first underpass, I couldn't tell how deep it was until I was way too deep. I submerged my top tube. Not a good idea! #bike #flashflood #bikecommutercabal

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 13/06/2025

Sometimes the rain wins. Thursday Night Lights ride. We switched destinations and hit up Lost Worlds.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 08/06/2025

Rainy homebrew day. On the left is my summer beer, a light pilsener with chamomile, lemon verbena, and lemon balm. On the right, Rob's ESB.

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 03/06/2025

For the Colombian team, one of them was sharing their screen, and an IM popped up, all in Spanish. The only part I could read was 'Tio Stephen.' I think I prefer Uncle Stephen to Sir, but really, just Stephen would be fine with me. :)

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 03/06/2025

I lead a few tech teams. My current teams are in India and the previous teams were in Colombia. Both, I've found, to be extremely polite, but in different ways. The team in India is very respectful, and always calls me 'Sir.'

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Stephen Gilbert @redcloud.org · 31/05/2025

This little tomato volunteered in my garden, so I'm letting it grow. A week ago, the deer came through and ate the top. However, I noticed that there was a little sucker growing on it, so I let it go, and sure enough, it's becoming a new main branch. #garden #gardening #charlotte

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