iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Yay! 🚗 Well, as much of a yay as 664 can be, I guess. But it means we're almost there!

The exits where the road splits and branches left to I-664 towards Newport News and Hampton, and right to I-64 east towards Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

There are cars on both routes, and a sign on the right showing the estimated wait to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The text looks like it's been run through an AI slop machine, but it hasn't - we're just going fast and my phone camera is old and getting worse.

Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Hahahahahahaa 😂 Keroppi was my favorite as a kid, and I have some strong feelings (good) about Ghidorah. *chirbling intensifies* Joyful, indeed! What in the world am I going to do with this? I guess I should go inside and get groceries now...?

A small plastic figurine of Keroppi and two siblings, I think, as the 3 heads of King Ghidorah.

They are sitting on the crumpled paper they came wrapped in, in my outstretched hand.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Okay, I fully admit that I squealed a little when I opened the box. 😅

The inside of the happy meal box, with a themed bag of apple slices and a tiny burger visible. Underneath the food and some napkins, the corner of the toy's box is peeking out. A gold colored wing and dragon tail is mostly obscured by the napkins, and the number 2 is printed in the corner.

Which means I got Keroppi as King Ghidorah - my top choice of the 3 I really wanted.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I am an adult, childfree person... But you know what? Things are pretty bleak, and this seemed like a joyful upgrade to a drink on my errands run. I think the last time I had a Happy Meal was easily over 30 years ago.

A Hello Kitty and Friends x Godzilla Happy Meal box, with the signature golden arches handle and Hello Kitty trying to look menacing in a Godzilla head, on the passenger seat of my car.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Apparently I have a whole bunch of Sheetz points that I need to use before they expire. And I *do* love a weird LTO... So here we go! (Also...$2.69?? For 2.6 ounces? Yeesh. All the more reason to use points and get them for free, I guess.)

A small bag of Utz Limited Edition Lemonade potato chips, which are a collab with Alex's Lemonade Stand.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

🤩🏒🦆😂 Is that the DUCKS MASCOT?! Are....are we @anaheim-ducks.bsky.social fans now? I mean, we were never anti Ducks, but...this might be enough!

A close up of Wild Wing, the mascot for the Anaheim Ducks, on stage with Reel Big Fish at Warped Tour. The band is out of frame.

Wild Wing, halfway out of frame, dancing on stage next to Scott Klopfenstein on trumpet.

A zoomed out shot of Reel Big Fish on stage at Warped Tour in Long Beach, California.

The band is playing Sell Out, and Wild Wing is on stage dancing around with them.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Womp womp. I've had pretty good luck with the seat lottery on my few flights, so I guess it balances out. And it could be worse. At least it's the aisle. 🤷🏼 How long does it take to board a plane that size? (By which, I mean, how long do I actually have to eat my food?)

Screenshot of my assigned seat on the airplane's seat map, for my flight from Atlanta to Raleigh.

I'm in the aisle seat, in the very last row, way in the back of the plane. Right next to the bathrooms.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Y'all. 😂 That's absolutely wild. I think I paid 6 or 7 dollars for it. Dessert and probably breakfast for dayyyys.

The massive container of blackberry cobbler on a small digital kitchen scale, with the lid back on so it's not super aesthetic.

It weighs 496 grams, even.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

It's not completely full, but it's over half full. I'm here doing food work, so there's a scale back where I'm staying... I'm going to weigh it when I get there.

The same styrofoam container and bag, but now the container's lid is off. There is a glorious mess of blackberry cobbler inside.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

I was so pleased with my perfectly reasonably sized dinner portions, I ordered dessert to go... And then let out a very audible "Oh my God...?!" when I picked up the bag, because it was so heavy. No banana, because I'm out, but I have a banana bag, so that's the scale here.

The three now empty plastic bowls, stacked up on the sheet pan.

My banana bag, which is an ugly cute mishmash of different plaids, is on the table behind the tray for scale. The smaller bowls are about the size of my palm (not shown), and obviously smaller much than the little crossbody bag.

A lidded styrofoam quart container, next to the same banana bag on the passenger seat of the rental car. The container is humongous next to the bag.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Oh HELL yes, Mississippi. 🤤

Three plastic bowls of delicious food on an absolutely no frills 1/8 sheet pan. There's bowl of gumbo, a smaller bowl with some Southern style green beans - they are full of bacon and have that soft texture they get when you pressure cook them, and another small bowl of turnip greens.

There's also a couple double packets of Lance crackers, which I feel like I haven't seen in forever, but apparently they are made in my current home state of North Carolina.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

I present to you: A very large cucumber from my uncle's garden (I think?).

Pic from above of a large cucumber
It's a bit longer than my forearm and wide at one end, and on a stack of cushions about knee height, with a dark gray one on top.

Annie, my senior Staffie mix dog with a black coat, has her chin resting on the cushion stack. She is staring intently at the cucumber, which is at least twice as long as her whole head.

It was the only picture I got before she tried to steal the cucumber for herself.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

This part is always neat, though. 🚀🧑🏼‍🚀

A blurry picture through our car windshield of stoplights at an intersection. The pic is zoomed in on a blue street sign attached to the bar holding the stoplights that reads:

Neil Armstrong Parkway

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

Yes! It was our first show there, and it was soooooo good! Hot, but still super fun. Also, J went to close out the tab, and showed back up next to me in the audience with a fresh grilled cheese..?!? It was a full and normal one, but I didn't think to get a pic until after a couple of bites.

A blurry picture of a halfway eaten grilled cheese sandwich on a paper plate, bathed in yellow and green concert lighting. There is part of a bitten off cheese pull from the middle of the sandwich that has flopped up and is lying on top of the toasted bread.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

There's been a lot of both Godzilla and hockey watching lately. Something different for tonight! A note: I have seen the stage show, and most of the movie, but not all of it? J has never seen it, but knows that it's on the AFI's Top 100 list... So I had no objections when he put it on!

Our TV, from the angle of the couch, with the title screen for The Sound of Music, in 4K.
Well, mostly. I wasn't quite fast enough, so the title is fading into the Austrian hillside.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Well at least the Canes are up! But the graphic is still...um...😂

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Aww, thanks for keeping us up to date, DBAP. I'll forgive whatever that graphic is, I guess.

Scoreboard before the Cosmos Baseball game at DBAP, showing maybe AI hockey players from the Hurricanes and Golden Knights, and the score for game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Vegas 1
Carolina 1

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

I took this screenshot just so I could send it to you. Your post is in there, but...looks like some folks have definitely caught on.

5 out of 6 consecutive posts from mutuals, each talking about Jaccob Slavin's being terrible.

The odd one out is a buddy posting about eating fried chicken livers.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

We were busy getting out of the house, but I did end up chugging it! How are you these days?? Are you still in the Triangle?

Me holding a Monster energy drink, in the passenger seat on the way to watch the Canes game at the bar.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

I know Jordan Staal is a big dude, but goodness! 😂 Get that nice reporter a box or something!

A post-game interview with Jordan Staal on my TV.

He is being interviewed by a nice dark-haired lady from TNT's broadcast team. I missed her name, but she is smiling and holding the microphone up for Jordan. The top of the microphone is above the top of her head, as she only comes up to about the middle of Jodran's chest.

This pic has the splash graphic with Staal's player info on it. It blends into the reporter's black jacket and covers part of her chin, making her look like just a floating head.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Apparently I have at least a couple pictures of Svech saved, including this one...? Which...😂 Thanks, whoever made this one! Please feel free to also post silly Svech pics if you feel inclined! (Also, I might steal them.)

Andrei Svechnikov, making a silly, imp-ish face with a dimples showing and eyes off to one side.

The overlaid text has, for whatever reason - probably a dig at the national broadcast announcers, purposefully butchered his last name.

Text, in all caps:

Andrei Smechmikobf

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

We had a friend on our door when we got home! 🐸 Frogs are lucky, right? Or something?

A close up of some sort of dry vibrant green tree fog, on a black painted door. He is crouched in the typical frog pose and hanging on tight - his little frog toes are spread and the toe pads look like little bubbles.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Wait, really??! I'll take it!!

A tiny screenshot of my phone's home screen, showing the overlaid weather widget.

There's a little raining cloud icon, and the widget says:

68 degrees Farenheit in Cary tomorrow

23 degrees colder than today

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Newhook is from St. John's? That's fun, we love St. John's! (For real, we do. Even though it took us 4 days to see the sun. Which, honestly, is part of the charm!) I hope they're all having a screech and some FDG to celebrate that goal! (But just for tonight. Not for the next games.)

A floor to ceiling viewing window at The Rooms, in St. John's, Newfoundland.

There is a plaque in front of the window that reads:

The view from here

And has images of everything you're supposed to be able to see in St. John's, like the harbor, Signal Hill, and some landmarks around town.

The actual view from the window, however, is completely obscured by dense sea fog and is almost entirely white-ish gray.

A pile of fresh house-cut French fries, dressing (think like stuffing mix in the US), and gravy on a white plate at a restaurant in St. John's, Newfoundland.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Don't worry, y'all. We went!! 🐕🌞

Big Dog, a.k.a Claire, my yellow pit bull mix dog, standing on a turf hill in the sunshine at the big dog park. There is a concrete tunnel running under where she is standing.

It's a really good picture of her - she is smiling and has her tongue straight out in front, her ears are perky and her tail is mid-wag. She looks strong and healthy here, instead of her regular chonky, relaxed, couch potato mode.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Lol I guess I shouldn't have put work project in quotes there? It's wild that it's a thing I'm getting paid for, but clearly it was actual work (and a lot of it) because my hand looks kind of busted up in that picture. 🤷🏼😅 Sometimes real life looks like...an obscene amount of crackers?

A stack of 4 half sheet pans, and another one solo alongside the stack, on top of my oven. Each pan piece of parchment and a pile of about 200 small dark orangey red Cheez-it type crackers.

So... somewhere in the range of 1000 crackers.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 30/04/2026

Finished my "work project" that took over my kitchen for a week, so that means it's time for Fishbone!!! 🎺🐟🦴🏁 At least pregaming in my 40s looks remarkably consistent. #LetsDance #FuckRacism

My legs in the driver's seat of the car. A sugar-free Peach Red Bull is in my lap, and there are 3 ibuprofen tablets in my open hand.

I wasn't driving yet, I promise!

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Anyone want to play "Guess the Airport"? Except for @flyoverphotos.bsky.social and @lizroscher.bsky.social , I guess, because you both already know where I am. 😆

A small and very empty airport terminal. About halfway down the short terminal, there is a lone woman with a rolling suitcase.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 04/04/2026

It's time. Happy Friday night, everyone!

The title splash screen for Shin Godzilla on my TV. It's all black, with the title in big white blocky katakana, along with the comparatively tiny English version displayed as a subtitle along the top.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

I ordered some chocoflan to take home, and... y'all. It's SO BIG?!

Said chocoflan in its aluminum takeout container with a clear lid, like the kind that would hold a big salad from a pizza joint. The chocoflan is whole and round, and almost entirely fills up the container.

There's a skewer of fruit on the top - a maraschino cherry, a blackberry, and a few slices of strawberry, which would be normal and good amount of fruit with a single portion, but mostly just looks small and draws more attention to how big the chocoflan is.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

Way to go, #ArtemisII! ❤️🚀🧑🏼‍🚀🌕 I'm not a kid anymore, but will forever be a #NASAKid at heart. (Even if my Dad insists that he was "just a sensors guy." 🥹❤️🌌)

The Artemis II mission patch, showing the moon, with the Earth in the background.

The astronauts last names are listed around the edge: Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

I'm late responding here - such is my life lately. So, thanks! And seeing it was from you, my mind went straight to this... Bc you are also very kind, and I'm not sure you give yourself enough credit. I mean, I only know you here, so maybe/hopefully you do? But I think we both struggle with it.❤️

A comic panel from @vreni.bsky.social.

A hand drawn, cute but still menacing Godzilla turns to the camera to say “Hey! The traits you love in me you must also love in yourself!”

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

I felt too guilty to take Rock Star, because there were just the two, and I'm not actively working in this industry... But I absolutely took Big Cheese!! 😁 I guess we'll see if I'm the only one tomorrow, but I doubt I will be. Big Cheeses everywhere in this crowd!

Close-up of my name badge, with the yellow Big Cheese ribbon covering everything but my first name.

So, it's just:

Amanda

Big Cheese

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

This is from the registration table earlier. You can see that this is clearly a very serious professional conference. 😆

Sticky label ribbons to put on our conference name tags.

There's an official looking stand, which is mostly out of frame, that has all the normal ribbons like Student, Speaker, Sponsor, etc.

But this picture isn't about them.

It's about the extra ones on the table:

Three blue ribbons that say King in gold script.

Two black ribbons that say Rock Star in silver foil.

And for some reason, a whole big pile of yellow ribbons, shingled out for display, that say Big Cheese, in all caps black letters.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

I don't really have any great pictures yet, but are any pictures of the Rockies bad...? Also, Coloradans - how do you deal with the sun while driving? I have been blinded during both the rising and setting, even with sunglasses on. But now I understand why the state flag has that sun motif.

View from my hotel room of the Rocky Mountains, with a far less majestic but still very nice suburban strip mall in front of them. There's a Skechers store, a Dollar Tree, and a Macaroni Grill which doesn't appear to be open.

There's a lot of wide open sky, with a few long flat clouds lit up from the sunset. There's also two separate, tiny clouds near each other that don't match the rest. One is just a little dark blob, and the other looks like a spider with wispy legs, save for one which is detached now.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 09/03/2026

Whose bright idea was it to book a 5am flight?... Oh. Right. Mine. 🤦🏼

The setback in front of me, on my 5am Southwest flight, with the safety literature peeking out of it's slot.

It has nice USB charging ports. But I forgot the USB cord in the car, so I guess I'd better stop playing on my phone.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

Happy Bridgerton Season 4, Part Two Eve to all who celebrate! Got some fancy pastries for the morning, but I don't have storm prep + in laws arriving this time...so maybe I'll actually get to have a little morning coffee watch party. ☕🥐🍰 But for now, a little last minute Cinderella spirit. 🥿

My Blu-ray copy of Ever After: A Cinderella story.

Drew Barrymore is on the cover, looking angelic and romantic with her eyes closed. Dougray Scott, who plays Prince Henry, cradles her face with his hand and is leaning in towards her, with the bridge of his nose near her forehead.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

Also, did I make a triangle with my fingers at the screen in the third act and get the side eye (and then laughter) from my dude? Maaaaaaaybe. iykyk 👀😅

A stock photo of someone's hands, with their pointer fingers and thumbs together in a triangle, against a pitch black background.

Bill Cypher, the interdimensional dream demon from Gravity Falls. He is a yellow triangle with one big central eye, a very skinny top hat, and a bow tie.

He looks a lot like that famous symbol - The Eye of Providence, The All-Seeing Eye, or the Illuminati triangle - whatever you prefer to call it.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

For whatever reason, a handful of movies have popped into my mind recently. Like, all movies I've seen before, but it's been ages, so I feel like I should rewatch them? Movie nerd J is, of course, DELIGHTED by this and eager to help. 📼🍿 Up first: Shaolin Soccer

Movie poster for Shaolin Soccer.

A man and woman are flying through/suspended in the space between city buildings, in kung fu poses, basked in golden light.

She looks collected and has her arm extended, with her hand pointed up and palm outward.

He is mid-kick, and there's a soccer ball at the end of his foot.

Text:
Get ready to kick some grass!

Stephen Chow
Shaolin Soccer
Coming to theaters this August

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 13/02/2026

Friday afternoons are for ska! And donuts, I guess? Because I had an errand across the street. lol they're still so hot, that strawberry cream center is melting. The world is...not great right now. But both of these are nice, happy things. 🎸🎺🍩

Screenshot of my current spotify Daylist, which describes itself as: Punkish ska Friday Afternoon.

Text:
You listened to studying and library on Fridays in the afternoon.
Try some punkish, ska, horns, warped, trombone, and reggae rock.

The first three songs on the playlist are also showing:

Shining On, by Big D and the Kids Table
She Has a Girlfriend Now, by Reel Big Fish
The Bumble Bee Tuna Song, by Mephiskapheles

They all have green checks, which means they're already saved in my liked songs.

A super fresh half dozen donuts from Duck Donuts, in their open box.

- Two are plain lemon glazed, because they are the absolute best
- A plain blueberry glazed
- One each chocolate and vanilla glaze, both topped with Oreo pieces and a chocolate drizzle
- A chocolate glazed, with a big blob of maybe strawberry buttercream in the middle, which is melting and separating a little because the donut is so fresh from the fryer.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Finally time to get back to this!! Here's to a nice, cozy, and quiet couple of hours!! 🫖☕ 👑🌷🌸🌹🎻 🧤🕰️🔍

My Bridgerton tea cup and tea box on my table, ready for a watch session.

The cup is lavender, with a gold painted bottom edge, a scroll-y gold handle, and a painted picture of Newton, Kate's corgi, from season 2. A Twinings tea bag is hanging over the edge and steam is rising from the cup.

The tea tin is a lighter shade of lavender, with darker lavender silhouettes of Bridgerton-y things -mostly flowers, but also tiny hearts, bees, and the Lady Whistle down silhouette in a heart shaped frame- printed all over.

A 3-wick candle is lit and sitting on a colorful woven potholder in the background.

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Amanda @refinedladybug.bsky.social · 01/02/2026

Yes, let's keep it just like this!

Zoomed in photo of the jumbotron screen, showing one shot on goal for the Canes, and one goal.

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