iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 14/10/2026

What a ride Monstera by @delilahsdawson.bsky.social was! Crisp writing you won't want to put down once you start. A fantastic spiritual sister book to Bloom. 5⭐, will read again soon.

Delilah S. Dawson
New York Times bestselling author
Monstera

A bloody hand is over some flowers beneath this writing.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 13/10/2026

Great seeing @delilahsdawson.bsky.social last night at The Twisted Spine for the release of Monstera. Read 9 full chapters across two trains and a bus ride.

Delilah D Dawson holds up her book, Monstera, while T Kingfisher takes a sip of water

Delilah S Dawson holds up Bloom and Monstera as I take a picture of the two of us

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Nearly time for @delilahsdawson.bsky.social to talk Monstera at The Twisted Spine

A book store with four shelves in the back, three leather chairs in front, and a table with candles on it.

Delilah S Dawson
Monstera

This is the cover of Monstera, which has a bloody right hand by a bunch of flowers.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

An eerie, fun story to read over this rainy, windy weekend. Another great work from @delilahsdawson.bsky.social!

Delilah S. Dawson
Ride Or Die
A USA Today bestseller!

Underneath those words is a cover image of the book that is a roller coaster heading into the open mouth of a skull

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Had a birthday, now on the path to this next year.

Three interlocking circles. Life is at the top, the universe is the bottom left, everything is the bottom right. A whale, a dolphin, and mice appear in overlapping sections. At the center of the three overlapping circles is 42.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

A fantastic conclusion to a great trilogy. A must-read fantasy series that once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down.

Finale to the New York Times Bestselling Series
Blood at the Root

Ashes
at the Altar

LaDarrion Williams

A black teenager appears behind the above words. He is surrounded by candles and appears before a golden-hued background

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

I give $10 a month to the University Press of Kansas because I like the books they publish. They sent this sticker. So go Kansas! tonight.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

If Mr. Met is at the Unisphere, where is Mrs. Met?

A Mr. Met bobblehead. He is leaning against a Unisphere with an orange sign in front of him that says "Welcome to Queens 'The World's Borough". On the base is "Queens Icons".

Same as the previous photo but in this one the Unisphere is lit up

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

My Euler's bagel is going to be able to do this?!?

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Looking forward to reading my copies!

Two books side by side. Jefferson's Landmark Deal: The Politics of the Louisiana Purchase by Lara M Brown with an image of Thomas Jefferson over a map of the United States that highlights the area of the purchase. The book on the right is Losing the Good War: Obama and Afghanistan by Sarah Burns and Robert Haswell with a picture of Obama and his advisers in the situation room following the Abbottabad raid

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Found this old brain teaser game and the answer to this is making me scratch my head 🤔

MINDTRAP

The coach of the college baseball team, Buck Knox, was checking the residence grounds to be certain his players were in by curfew. Suddenly, he heard a loud crash and turned to catch a glimpse of a man running into the residence. Buck thought it was his star right-handed pitcher, Art Dodger, but he couldn't be sure.

Buck went to Art's room and opened the door. Art Dodger stood in the middle of the room, his right leg in his pants and his left leg out. Art, looking at the wrist watch on his left arm said, "I heard a loud crash and was just getting dressed to see what happened," he stammered. "Forget the bull," said Buck, "I'm certain it was you who just ran in here. For that little caper, you won't by playing tomorrow." How could Buck Knox be so certain it was Art who had been out after curfew?

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

I'm not gonna click on that "View full thread link". Nope sorry, won't do it. I'm just going to be like LEGO Snoopy here and stare up at the ceiling.

Ryan Nanni @celebrityhottub.bsky.social • 43s ok it's time for a very stupid thread
to distract myself the other day, i started building new college football conferences, not based on geography or history or competition but on much nominative similarity.
for example: there are 23 FBS universities named after a city. we can split them in two:
View full thread
Ryan Nanni@celebrityhottub.bsky.social • 43s
my imperfect solution is to put these ten schools into THE EPHEMERAL CONFERENCE
Air Force
Army
Florida International
Liberty
Miami-OH
Navy
Notre Dame
Old Dominion
Temple
TCU
there is no perfect logic here. they simply do not fit the other categories, nor can they all fall under one label.
门
•••
Ryan Nanni@celebrityhottub.bsky.social • 42s
thank you for reading this thread, which was not behind a paywall and therefore cannot be complained about

A LEGO set of Snoopy and Woodstock. Snoopy lays on his back on top of his red doghouse. Woodstock is on Snoopy's stomach.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Paranormal smut starring a historian? Yeah, this was a fun read!

The haunt is over.
This is the hunt.
DEVOUR ME
New York Times
Best Selling Authot
EMILY RATH

On the cover is a woman with red braided hair and the head of a man with a bony hand reaching for his neck.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Chipping in $62.36 (plus fees) for this year's EDSBS Charity Bowl (www.edsbscharitybowl.com) because Colorado beating Nebraska in 2001 remains one of the most surprising games I've ever watched. @edsbs.bsky.social

Thanks, Russell!

Your card has been billed $64.01.

An image of Spencer Hall, who has glasses on and has a beard.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

Just got my latest from @univpressofkansas.bsky.social and this seems like a fitting place to put it.

A replica of the U.S.S. Missouri made of building blocks. In front of the ship is a book with the title Mr. Truman's War

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 19/04/2026

The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen is a sharp fantasy that follows a scholar looking to research one topic but winds up looking into another one, as many a historian would tell you happens. A fantastic read for those looking beyond fights and magic.

Book cover for The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance. At the forefront are two individuals, one with antlers above his ears and blonde hair and the other turquoise-colored with black hair. Behind them in the middle of the image is the inn and a large tree with yellow leaves. Farther back is Mount Vengeance.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

Yearly reminder that the History Channel had a Bible series in 2013 that had Satan look like Obama.

A screenshot of a History Channel show about the Bible. A man in a black-hooded cloak with his left eye obscured by the hood. He beats a resemblance to Obama.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Oh yeah @delilahsdawson.bsky.social as Isla Jewell with the cool stickers and book plate!

Three stickers in a row. On the left is a book plate that reads "to Russ! Isla Jewell." In the middle is a stickers that reads "Books & Bewitchment, Romantic AF, Arcadia Falls, Georgia" A squirrel is to the right of AF. The third sticker is a glittery shiny sticker that has Books & Bewitchment and Isla Jewell on it.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

The good brand @homefield.bsky.social has done it again, this time with the ABA.

I'm wearing a white shirt with a purple design in it. It says Mile High Flyers around an image of a basketball player on a rocket in front of the state of Colorado. The shirt also says A Denver Rockets booster.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

Anyone else a Lay's Challenge winner from the Super Bowl commercial? Got my chips in less than 48 hours!

A collage of three pictures. On the left is an image go a yellow box that says "The Lay's Challenge from Potato To Door." In the upper right is a view of the inside of the box the chips came in with a paragraph about chips. On the bottom right is an image of the bag of chips, classic-style, upside down.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 28/01/2026

They should get haircuts probably

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Yeah, like, who could forget this classic @willbuikema.bsky.social moment?

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Ending the year with some homemade challah

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 31/12/2025

12 years ago someone at C-SPAN didn't get a joke

Russ Oates
2013: The year I became a C-SPAN star while attending a SHAFR panel
[photo of me while the chyron on screen has the name Charles Duelfer displayed]
Matthew McGuire
Here's another picture of you so folks won't confuse you with Mr. Duelfer
[same photo above but without the name]

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 30/10/2025

My father collected hockey pucks with team logos on them in the 70s and 80s (including the Atlanta Flames and the original Colorado Rockies). We added the early 90s expansion team pucks and stopped then. So I decided to add to my dad's collection again, got the Kraken and Mammoth today.

Two hockey pucks laying side by side. On the left is the Seattle Kraken puck, which has that team name written in an arc at the top of the puck and a "S" that looks like a kraken. Underneath it is "National Hockey League". On the right is the Utah Mammoth puck with that written in an arc at the top. In the middle is a Mammoth with "National Hockey League" underneath it. The main color is a light blue on each puck.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Went to my first NY Rangers game in 11 years back on Sunday.

The view from Section 209 at Madison Square Garden during a New York Rangers game. The Rangers are in their blue jerseys on the left and the Washington Capitals in their white jerseys on the right.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 05/10/2025

Just finished the ARC of Books & Bewitchment by @delilahsdawson.bsky.social that's written under the pen name Isla Jewell. If you're looking for a comfy, cozy story with a bit of magic, this is the story for you when it comes out next year. Plus. there's a whole opening-a-bookstore story!

Books
&
Bewitchment

Isla Jewel

That is what is written on the book cover. Flying books and the silhouettes of a man and a woman also appear on it.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

This should be reevaluated and graded down.

A yellow-gold box with "3.0" in white and ten small circles below it, three colored white.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

Found this screen grab from 2010 when Tulo ended a Rockies loss with his bat in two pieces, one sticking out from home plate. I always think of this as being almost as memorable as Helton celebrating the NLCS win.

A screengrab from a 2010 Colorado Rockies game. A Dodgers catcher walks in front of Troy Tulowitzki at the end of a Rockies loss. Tulowitzki's bat is broken into two long parts. One is slender and sticking up from home plate.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 12/09/2025

Awesome time at Twisted Spine where @delilahsdawson.bsky.social read from House of Idyll, did a Q&A, and signed books.

Delilah S Dawson
House of Idyll

A book cover with a bleeding unicorn

A signed title page

To Russ
House of Idyll
Delilah Dawson's signature and a unicorn stamped in the lower right

Delilah Dawson reads from House of Idyll.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

The cool goodies for my (Kindle) preorder of @delilahsdawson.bsky.social's House of Idyll (out Tuesday!) arrived. Looking forward to getting a physical copy of it signed at the Twisted Spine on Thursday!

A bookmark that says Delilah S. Dawson House of Idylee with a red unicorn that appears to be dripping blood, stickers that say Guillotine, Bloom, and Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd, and a book plate that says for Russ!

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 29/08/2025

I played Dungeons & Dragons once, about 10 years ago. I was a mage and wound up casting a massive damage-dealing fireball that defeated the enemy. It was a ton of fun. And that's what reading @delilahsdawson.bsky.social's Dungeons & Dragons: Ravenloft: Heir of Strahd is like.

Dungeons & Dragons
Ravenloft: Heir of Strand
Delilah S. Dawson

On the book cover are seven individuals, including a human and and orc. There are bats flying around a castle as well.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

A fantastic read by a debut novelist (and friend). Avery, a young graduate living in NYC, must deal with her abuser appearing in her life again now that he's set to be the best man at her best friend's wedding. The writing will draw you in and make you not want to put it down.

The cover of She Used To Be Nice: A Novel by Alexia LaFata.

A young woman wearing a white tank top with a gold chain around her neck and her hair flowing down her left shoulder. Her face is covered by a blotch of red.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

A light-hearted, humorous book arriving later this year.

A Fae in Finance
Juliet Brooks

On the cover is a woman, the Fae Princeling with green wings, and teh Gray Knight.

After seeing the title and cover art, I thought A Fae in Finance would be a hilarious read. It certainly was! Miri works for an investment bank (with a horrible boss!) and gets stuck in Faerie after a work visit. Thus starts her quest to get back to the human world. From human-Fae misunderstandings, teaching Fae about taxes and human customs, and making sure her cat Doctor Kitten is well taken care of, Miri is going to outsmart her Fae captors.

This is a great start to a new series with a story you won't want to put down, and I look forward to new installments.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 27/07/2025

Catching up on some of my backlog and finished @delilahsdawson.bsky.social's It Will Only Hurt for a Moment today. A woman arrives at an artists' retreat on the grounds of an abandoned hotel that the owner just doesn't want to talk about. A gripping horror/mystery novel you won't want to put down!

The cover of Delilah S. Dawson's It Will Only Hurt for a Moment. At the bottom of the cover is a woman submerged in water except for her head. At the top of the cover is an abandoned building and trees but it is upside down.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Unfortunately there was no Stone Cold Stunner performed into my friend's 40th birthday cake yesterday, but there was this banner.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Can't stop, won't stop getting @univpressofkansas.bsky.social books. Just days later the next one appears

Book cover: The 1929 Sino-Soviet War: The War Nobody Knew by Michael M. Walker.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

This fresh take on Charles Evans Hughes from @univpressofkansas.bsky.social is going to be a great summer read

An image of a book: Charles Evans Hughes and the Dawning of Modern America by Joanne Raitano. The cover has an image of Hughes with his beard and side-sweeping mustache.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Today's Rockies news is (probably) just another reminder of this:

A tweet from edsbs that says: Again, follow your dreams, because unqualified idiots are paid to do things they shouldn't be doing every day, why not you

0101

Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Clearing out some old photos and found this Jon Gray mood pic from 2015. Pretty good start with 5 shutout innings and 6 Ks, so I don't remember why he had this look. The Rockies lost 2-1 in the bottom of the 9th.

A photo of Major League pitcher Jon Gray when he was with the Rockies. His arms are folded across his chest.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Hey @iamhectordiaz.com, saw some great shitposting on LinkedIn today.

80% of the employees you onboard should be fired within 15 days.
That's where we are at at my firm, and we're crushing it.
It all comes down to a new hire's pacing during onboarding.
If each individual is onboarded in the same way, with the same checklist, you know exactly how they're pacing against their previously onboarded peers.
Wasting time in "get to know you" calls and endless Zoom meetings and piles of documents? Not us.
Here's our process:
For the first two weeks, new hires barely talk to their manager because they're too busy going through a checklist with 100+ items to complete:
• Reading company docs
• Sitting in on team calls as observers
• Watching "Never Been Kissed" at least 17 times
Each day ends with a 15-minute check-in with their manager where their manager is filling out a scorecard of:
• Are they getting it? i.e. Could they follow the plot that Josie was a reporter embedded within a high school, even though she was -- important -- 25 years old?
• Do they get creeped out that a romance is playing out between an English teacher and a student he believes to be a minor, or do they agree with me that it's a fantasy to begin with and handled appropriately anyway?
• Can they make the initial buy that Drew Barrymore - a cutie-pie by any metric we have programmed into our Al model - could reasonably be considered a "Grossie?"
There's no hand-holding.
No ramping.
Just small daily evaluations of "are they good at work" coupled with team sentiment of "do we like working with them" and "do they have original ideas for how to update 'Never Been Kissed' into a premium streaming show. It feels like Peacock to us, but do they think Amazon? Netflix? Is Crackle still happening?
You owe it to the great people who are already on your team to only let other great people in, much like Josie.
And if they can't, they're out.

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 30/05/2025

Putting a LEGO Statue of Liberty together 🗽🗽🗽

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

OK, so the moment it happened still exists!

Spencer E Hall
Super important fanshot: https://www.sbnation.com/2015/1/29/7947813/man-drifts-with-child-is-now-king-of-dads
Brian Floyd
Hand on one sec
Michael Katz
King of Naboo full scene!
Spencer E Hall
goddamit I hate my children right now
Michael Katz
hahaha
I thought it was just a sick troll
Spencer E Hall
I am resigning
Brian Floyd
still laughing
Ryan Nanni
yesssss EDSBS is mine I'm gonna sell it for parts

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Russ Oates @roates33.bsky.social · 13/05/2025

Unfortunately it appears the original message has been deleted, but what a great running gag!

A series of Slack messages with a link to a YouTube video of the Battle of Naboo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qZJ85MdS-g

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