iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

At the first game of the rugba leeg 2026 World Cup. The pitch looks a little green. Australian have won the toss and sent New Zealand in.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 8h

There are a few things I’d like to do in my time left on the planet. Two of them are to live in a Gaeltacht area in the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland. The other is to live in France in a nice little village with awesome baguettes probably around Burgundy.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 19h

Nah, I don’t need a spot. Jesus had got me.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Indeed one the great joys in life is finding new wine. It doesn’t always need to be wine from the usual suspects but it should be relatively affordable. No need to flex by drinking a ridiculously expensive bottle. Good wine should be for everyone.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

This week I discovered that Lebanon makes wine and they are very good. All thanks to stopping by Sambousek in Newtown. The food was great as well. Lovely little restaurant.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

So the Tatts were woven into my younger years. And while I firmly believe that you should rock till you drop, getting old doesn’t excuse being a racist dickhead.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I dug the working class, egalitarian lyrics of the Tatts, the more problematic elements of some lyrics went over my head. I also remember an end of year footy party around when I was 16 drinking beer and singing along to We Can’t Be Beaten with a team mate who committed suicide a year or so later.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Rose Tattoo were one of Australia’s greatest Rock’n’Roll bands. And Angry Anderson was a racist, misogynist. And Scarred For Life was an important album for my teenage self. I have the tattoo. So I’m here conflicted. My teenage self was rather naive.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Almost done with War and Peace. Tolstoy sure could put a sentence together.

Pic is a text from War and Peace. “Princess, wait, for God's sake!" he cried, trying to stop her. "Princess!" She glanced back. For a few seconds they looked silently into each other's eyes, and the distant and impossible suddenly became near, possible, and inevitable.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Started a new job today. First day went well. Was made welcome and everyone seems really nice. I think I’ll go back tomorrow.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

The Angels are playing banger after banger and a magpie is attacking the drone trying to film the show. The Last Roar at Leichardt Oval is going off.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

If it had of been made 60 years ago it would have been considered a classic. But indeed a great, modern flick. Exactly what I need on a Friday night.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

And as everyone loves a good samurai action flick, “11 Rebels” on Netflix is worth a look. Lotsa action, lotsa blood (both traditional and modern sensibilities are catered for), political intrigue and just a dash of using historical events as a basis. Do yerself a favour.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Can’t wait till we can opt out of the algorithm. I watched just one interview on Insta of a contestant in the Irish ploughing championships and now that is all I get. In other news, I might need to buy a tractor. A Case 165, not a John Deere.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I’m sure his thoughts in my Mum converting to Catholicism to marry Dad (Irish descent) would have been interesting. Also a small example of why Anglo-Celtic is such a stupid definition for “Australian” culture. Glosses over the sectarian nature of Australian society.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Researching my maternal grandfather’s WWI service I found out that my great grandfather was one of the founders of the town of Federal near Lismore in NSW. This was done by clearing The Big Scrub (99% was cleared) and dispossessing the Wiyabal people. He was also a member of The Orange Order.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Sure you should be poasting about this?

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Lovely birds. We had a juvenile as well visiting our apartment courtyard the past few days.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

When Penrith scored the try to seal the win, I heard a cry of despair from a Roostets supporter in a nearby apartment.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Make a band edible: Judas Quiche

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

My proxy for measuring the decline of Western Civilisation is whether if anyone in the gym actually puts the equipment away after use.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

That said, I do think we can do with less white blokes stringing a Strat with heavy strings and trying their best to be SRV. Find your own voice. And FMD, you don’t need vintage guitars either.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

As a white and very middle aged Australian bloke who loves the blues, this is a great post by Corey Harris on the sociohistorical roots of the blues can’t be ignored. And he is t gate keeping, far from it. It is a generous, nuanced argument. coreyharris.substack.com/p/bluesist-b...

coreyharris.substack.com

“Bluesist” Black Music

An interrogation of ownership in Whose Blues by A. Gussow

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Methinks the women will be totally fine with this.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Finally watched Supergirl. It wasn’t a bad film. Milly Adcock is quite good. However the significant change from the source material for the ending ruins a decent supes movie. Also a bit more colour would have been nice.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The big split in with the socialist seems to be whether it is ok to go to the gym. A reminder that the fascist obsession with fitness is ableist and about eugenics has not gone down well with the swoleteriat.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Rudd’s failure to get the CPRS over the line was his failure, not The Greens. He should have ignored the Libs. Alas, Albo continues to prefer working with the Libs than The Greens.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Why can’t average people just be content with being poorer?

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

When trying to be objective means you lose credibility by assuming good faith from people who have never acted in good faith. www.smh.com.au/world/north-...

Text from a Sydney Morning Herald. “The same accounts frequently allege that Trump has fallen asleep during Oval Office events, using live-stream footage to back up their claim - when, in fact, he is looking down at paperwork on the Resolute Desk.
However, Trump's claim to have been carried out of One Liberty Plaza in the aftermath of September 11 is also disputed, and adds to numerous anecdotes he has told about that
week that have never been substantiated.”

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

And as I’m at the age where ageism is a thing, I’m sure I was a factor in some rejections. However I was able to work out which type of companies skew older and that helped in determining if an application was worthwhile. So age was less of a factor in some orgs. Of course you gotta find ‘em.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Getting a human read to read your CL/resume. In the end 18 jobs applied for over 3 months. And three offers within 24 hours of each other. I was pretty good at interviews by the end as well. It was challenging but my advice is trust your judgement and not AI.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Resume writing was also pretty poor with AI. I also work in a bit of a niche area and AI didn’t cope with that. It was easier (and rewarding) to write it myself. So not using AI helped as if my CL and resume was actually read by a human it didn’t have the any AI tells. But that is the hard bit.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Job hunting for the first time in a while (and hopefully the last time in my career) was interesting. I experimented a little with AI. It is really crap at writing especially cover letters. I wrote my own. I did use it a few time to prep interview questions. That it did relatively well.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Signed the contract for a new job today. Anxiety and uncertainty now substantially reduced.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

And I had to go to six attempts as my brain decided to not see the obvious. Well done!

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Took a massive risk a month ago when I quit my job with nothing to go to. And I’m at that age where ageism becomes a real thing. However Verbally accepted a new job today with two other potential offers tomorrow. It has been one test of resilience and relieved it seems to have worked out.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

“And how do you explain your fingerprints being found at the scene of the crime?” “It wasn’t me guv. It was one of them delinquent koalas that did it.”

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Dealing with some mild mental health issues recently I’ve got some good supportive friends. The check in question is “What is alive for you today?” It is a great way to get beyond the usual “how are you/are you ok - yeah I’m right mate” response. It really works well to get a honest response.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Pocari Sweat. If you know, you know. Japan’s greatest invention. Except maybe some of unique Japanese Fenders.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

A mighty and worthy challenge. I read it in 2023 and it was a difficult but oh so rewarding experience. And I’ve had a pint in the Davy Byrne.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

I read it 3 years ago with a copy bought in Dublin. It took me eight months of reading, I often had no idea what was going on and when I finished, I was sad that I could not continue the experience. An amazing book and I hope you find something in it for you.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

It was apparent he had talent before his shoulder injury but his form this year has been pleasantly surprising. Even with Luai coming next year I hope Parra can keep him.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Marles sycophantic blindness to the US is going to royally fukt Australia. www.smh.com.au/national/lab...

Extract from Sydney Morning Herald article. “To give Australia influence over and access to these models, and to avoid being a passive
"taker" as the US and China battle for tech supremacy, Marles declared: "We're with the United States - there's no question there.
Marles admitted there were unanswered questions about what types of capabilities
Australia could develop if it turned into a relatively important player in the US tech buildout, which some have compared to the nuclear arms race.”

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I don’t see AI being something that will take away the need or desire to learn a language. It can help (abair.ie is great) and apps are great for travel. But while AI can translate well it doesn’t interpret or deal with the cultural nuances. Plus learning a language requires human interaction.

abair.ie

ABAIR - Speech & Language Technologies for Irish

ABAIR develops synthetic voices and applications for the Irish language at Trinity College Dublin.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Sunday morning reading. And for practice leitheorieacht maidin Dé Domhnaigh.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

The first herald of spring today. People having a practice in the local nets.

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I’ve always thunk that George’s notion of the blues is was far broader and deeper than yer average bloke who plays a Strat especially if they are from England. He also made sure John Lee Hooker’s got the credit. youtu.be/obJpegVB5zk?...

youtu.be

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer

YouTube video by George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Topic

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Shaun C @shaunyc.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The only surprising thing is she did not refer to herself as an “expat.”

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