iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Five-year-old Addy playing Lego Jurassic World, doing the Jurassic Park section where they feed the cow to the velociraptors. She was not having it when she realized what was happening. “Noooooo! The cow is too cute to be eaten!” Thankfully, the cow escapes in the game. #gaming

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I own the physical version of The Witcher 3 on Nintendo Switch. I was always tempted to buy the digital version when I’d see it on sale for $10. Now I get the remastered version as a free digital download. I’m glad I procrastinated. #gaming

The Switch 2’s Home Screen shows The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Remastered downloading next to the icon for the original Switch version. Also shown are icons for the games RuneScape: Dragonwilds and Orbitals.

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Today is Dad’s birthday. He would’ve been 76. It seems impossible to me that this November will make ten years since he died. He passed after Trump was elected but before he took office, so I’ve missed out on a lot of phone calls that started “Did you hear what that crazy S.O.B. said today?”

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I played a bit of RuneScape: Dragonwilds online with Sam, tanking fights while we hit a few vaults. I like that it let me go into his world with all of my gear and abilities. I could even access the Personal Chest back in my world. I built a small cabin for myself in case I visit again. #gaming

Terry and Sam run toward the burned-out ruins of a small deserted village.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

September TBR results. I read five of the six. #books ✅ Bitten, by Kelley Armstrong ✅ Give the Boys a Great Big Hand, by Ed McBain ✅ Off Season, by Anne Rivers Siddons ✅ The Providence Rider, by Robert McCammon ✅ The Talisman, by Stephen King and Peter Straub ❌ Post Captain, by Patrick O’Brian

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Watching the second season of Downton Abbey. I always swear I’m going to catch up on shows during my vacations and I almost never do, so this is a nice change of pace. 🍋🟨🟨🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🩸

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I took down Velgar in RuneScape: Dragonwilds in the most cheese-tastic way possible. If you stand on the plinth in the center of the arena, most of his attacks can’t hit you. You just pelt him with ranged attacks until he dies. It’s not cheating if the game lets you do it. #gaming

The player stands on a raised column and aims magic attacks at a large green dragon.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Introduced the great-nieces to split-screen Mario Kart. I turned on Auto-Steering and Auto-Acceleration to make it easy for them. They have fun veering from one side of the track to the other like little kindergarten drunks. It’s a Peach vs. Rosalina grudge match, #gaming

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Awhile back, a neighbor unloaded his DVD player and discs on Mom. “I don’t want them,” she told me, “but you can go through them the next time you’re home and take what you want. I’ll toss the rest.” I just pulled 35-40 discs, and that’s maybe a third of what was in there. My #Plex server is hungry.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sister and I stopped at Goodwill. She bought some cool stuff. I thrifted DVDs. I got Gremlins, Skyfall, The Last Unicorn, and Soap: The Complete Series for $12. Not a bad start to the vacation.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

On vacation for a week of hanging out at Mom’s and reading and slowing replacing my bloodstream with unhealthy amounts of lemonade. 🍋🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🩸

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I took a run at Velgar, the first big boss in RuneScape Dragonwilds, not expecting to win but just to assess where Instood with my gear. I whittled his health down to about half before he took me down with poison. I need more anti-poison potions and a better staff before I try again. Heh. #gaming

An armored player stands atop a tall bower and faces a large green dragon.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

My #FridayReads update: I started Stephen King and Peter Straub’s “Black House” (ebook). I’m nearing the end of Robert McCammon’s fourth Matthew Corbett novel, “The Providence Rider” (audiobook). Imagine Moriarty kidnapping Sherlock Holmes and asking him to uncover a traitor in his group. #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

It's hard to narrow the list down to the nine titles that have cast the longest shadow over my gaming life, but I've tried to be representative. I could do another list of nine with just honorable mentions. #My9Games

A three-by-three grid shows cover art for nine video games: Blaster Master, Resident Evil 4, Stardew Valley, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 11 Online, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda: A LInk to the Past, and Pokemon Blue.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I’ve been doing a lot of mining and crafting in #Dragonwilds , using the new resources to upgrade my gear and the exterior of my base. I’m also decorating a bit. I have more than 50 hours in this game and I’ve only uncovered a small fraction of the map. #gaming

The player stands outside his cottage base in a wooded area.

The player stands in his bedroom. There are shelves with books along the walls.

The world map is shown. Most of it is blank except for a small explored reaction on the western side.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Another day, another “permanent main base” built in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. I had missed this location while scouting around, but saw it in a YouTube build video and immediately became obsessed with the view. I’ll still be building small forward bases as I explore new regions, of course. #gaming

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

I don’t think I’d ever heard the term “Souptember” until last night on TikTok, but I like it. Kind of appropriate, because I’ve had a pound of pinto beans soaking all night to cook later.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Did I play RuneScape: Dragonwilds on my dinner break and set up the basic frame for a combination workshop and greenhouse? Yes. Yes, I did. #gaming

The player stands in the center of a large wooden platform with several raised garden plots lined in the center. The edges are surrounded by low walls.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

My #FridayReads update. I'm about a quarter of the way through Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novel "Give the Boys a Great Big Hand" (ebook) and just starting Robert McCammon's "The Providence Rider" (audiobook). What's everyone reading? #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I've started building a permanent base near the temple in the first area where it will be free from dragon attacks. It's not much to look at right now, but I'll upgrade it as I get access to new materials. Huge thanks to Chaos Bear Gaming on YouTube for his inspiring build tutorials. #gaming

The player stands in the center of a large foundation with wooden beams sticking up from the various corners. The rear of the cabin is surrounded by a small lake.

The player stands outside of a large wooden cabin in the woods near a lake.

The player stands in the middle of the cabin, with a kitchen area in the background.

The player stands in the center of the cabin with the sleeping area behind him. A weapon rack is next to the raised bed. Storage chests line one of the walls.

Amelia Sandrine Reisinger 🏳️‍⚧️ @ameliasandrine.com · 17/09/2026

This is why I'll end up pouring a ton of time into RuneScape: Dragonwilds. Do I need small cabins right outside dungeons so I can respawn there if I die? No. Will I keep building them anyway? Yes. There's fast travel and a shelter spell that will summon a tent, but pfft. I've gotta build! #gaming

The player stands on the porch of a small cabin lit by torches.

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Reposted by Terry Estep

Gonna start referring to Democrats who take anti-trans stances as “Biological Republicans”

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Watching "Phantasm II." I honestly don't think this movie makes a lick of sense, but somehow I've always managed to vibe with it. It probably didn't hurt that 16-year-old me secretly thought James LeGros was a hottie.

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The Whimsical Muse @whimsicalmuse.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I learned how to fish in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. Now begins the long climb to getting that skill to 99 so I can have a cool fishing-themed cape and decorate my base’s walls with fishing plaques. #gaming

The player fishes in a lake near his cabin. The fish on the line splashes as it struggles against the line.

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Reposted by Terry Estep

All I want is a cool October night, a full moon, a vintage copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula, a mysterious Victorian mansion, a crackling fire, an emotional support owl, a basket of freshly-baked scones, and the heartwarming sound of wolves in the distance.

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Anne Rivers Siddons’ “Off Season” was a decent coming-of-age story and romance, but it felt like a remix of her better novels and the ending did not work for me. I was entertained, but it’s the weakest novel I’ve read from her so far. #SummerOfSiddons #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Good luck, Ed Sheeran. How big of a piece of shit do you have to be for MISS RACHEL to call your ass out? That's like if Mr. Rogers called you an asshole.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I’ve found a decent spot for my base in RuneScape: Dragonwilds. It’s on a small lake, so there’s water and fish. I set up some garden plots to grow crops. There’s the possibility of goblin raids and dragon attacks, but I think it’ll work. If not, I can always move. #gaming

The player stands at the end of a long wooden walk leading to a cabin in the middle of a lake surrounded by woods. To the side is a porch area with crafting stations.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I can’t say I know what I’m doing in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, but so far I’m managed to build a rickety shack to serve as a temporary base until I find a spot I like better. It seems like the kind of game I could pour hundreds of hours into. It even has fishing, so bonus. #gaming #NintendoSwitch2

The player stand outside of a small shack with a cook fire outside. Two garden plots are set against an outer wall. The background is a wooded area with ruined buildings.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I finished reading Kelley Armstrong’s “Bitten.” It felt a little long, but I can’t complain because I was invested in these characters. I’m going to need to read that entire series and see what happens with the werewolf pack after this. #books #MyNovelLife

Kelley Armstrong’s “Bitten" is the 2001 selection for the My Novel Life reading challenge. The task: Read a novel from every year of your life in chronological order with no author represented more than once. The book is rated four stars out of five. Challenge created by author Mark Hodder.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Curled up in bed with a book and listening to the sound of rain outside. If that’s not the perfect Sunday evening, I don’t know what is.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

The Little Free Library had a phenomenal find: Jean Battlo’s “Behold the Man,” a meditation on Jesus discovering his “Christ-consciousness.” Jean was a poet and playwright from here in West Virginia. I adored her. The few occasions I got to spend time with her are fond memories. #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Tonight on #Svengoolie was my first time watching the 1958 version of The Fly and I’m honestly surprised by how disturbing that last scene is. “Help meeeeeee…. Help meeeeeeee…” I was genuinely creeped out.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Make a band edible: Miami Sound Saltine

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

My #FridayReads update: I’m a little over halfway through Kelley Armstrong’s “Bitten” (ebook) and liking it a lot. I’m still early into Anne Rivers Siddons’ “Off Season” (audiobook). For #CimmerianSeptember , I read Robert. E. Howard’s Solomon Kane story “The Right Hand of Doom.” #books

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Nothing says I'm my mother's son like going through a stack of old mail and finding a bunch of red address flaps from Netflix DVD envelopes.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

I started listening to Anne Rivers Siddons’ “Off Season” this morning and realized I’d gotten the abridged version from Hoopla. They also had an unabridged recording, so I checked it out and started over. Lots of restored detail. Heh. #books #SummerOfSiddons

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I’m about forty hours into Final Fantasy XIV’s free trial and have received my chocobo. In honor of my longtime Final Fantasy XI duo partner, I named him Neyla so he can carry me through the game. With that goal met, I can go back to working on my fishing skill. #gaming #FFXIV

In a screenshot from Final Fantasy 14, the player sits on the back of a large yellow bird.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

I worked the holiday shift. On my way home, I swung by the Little Free Library at the church and found nice trade paperbacks of Joyce Carol Oates’ “We Were the Mulvaneys” and Colleen McCullough’s “The Thorn Birds.” I’ve been thinking about reading the latter for months, so maybe now I will. #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Sam bought a copy of Orbitals and we were able to play online via GameShare. I adore the 80s anime art style. It’s full of co-op puzzles, the kind that make you laugh with relief when you solve them. We had a blast and I need my own copy ASAP. #gaming #NintendoSwitch2

A screenshot from Orbitals shows the two main characters. One is a human-looking girl and the other is a boy with blue skin and horns.

The two players stand in front of a green control panel that says “Engine is running.”

The players aim beams to guide a small object through a safe path

The players stand in front of rhythm game panels marked Y B A.

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Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

For my #FridayReads update... I'm about a quarter of the way through Kelley Armstrong's "Bitten" (ebook) and halfway through Stephen King & Peter Straub's "The Talisman." Not sure how I ended up reading two books with werewolves at the same time, but I'm not complaining. #books

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

My dream for Ocarina of Time is that they expand on it in all kinds of crazy directions and build a true open world to explore… but that they also include the option to play a version of Grezzo’s 3DS remake. #gaming

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Thinking back to when I was in college and how I got to hear Maya Angelou and Alice Walker speak. I sometimes wish I could have a do-over on Walker because I wasn’t as receptive to her speech as I would be today. I guess that’s progress. I hope it is, anyway,

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

With the impending shutdown of Pokemon Bank, I fired up the 3DS and checked my Virtual Console games to see what Pokemon need to be moved over. I moved the Red-Blue starters over to Home, complete with the Game Boy mark. I'll have to hunt more to preserve before the door shuts. #gaming

A screenshot from Pokemon Home showed a dozen Pokemon transferred from Pokemon Blue.

Terry Estep @terryestep.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

My September TBR list. #books “Bitten,” by Kelley Armstrong “Give the Boys a Great Big Hand,” by Ed McBain “Off Season,” by Anne Rivers Siddons “The Providence Rider,” by Robert McCammon “The Talisman,” by Stephen King and Peter Straub “Post Captain,” by Patrick O’Brian