iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 3h

*sigh* They won't last the day

A photo of my hand holding a package of Biscoff cookies in the supermarket.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 6h

Welcome to the Stockdale Paradox, gents.

The Stockdale Paradox
You must retain faith that you will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties.
At the same time
You must confront the brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 9h

Lil’ Blue Guy, Lil’ Brown Gal A male & female pair of Superb fairywrens, in the front garden of a roadside café along the Great Ocean Road outside Anglesea, #Australia 🇦🇺 #birds🪶🦅 #sciart 🐡

A photo of a male Superb fairywren, a very small bird with a bright blue head and back, black "mask", and blue-gray body. Its body is almost as long as its tail. ©️Matt Baldwin

A photo of a female Superb fairywren, a very small bird with a reddish broen head and back with a gray-white chest. Its body is almost as long as its tail. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 23h

“Appalachian Acorn Pie” is my favorite later-career Tom Waits song.

A sign in front of an ice cream parlor, advertising that they are now scooping a flavor called “Appalachian Acorn Pie.”

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

No. The conversation is about *Juniper*. Your reply here makes *zero sense* as a response to what I said, which is about bigotry as a personal issues. You trying to shoehorn in weirdly-capitalized "Genocide" just looks *weird*, on top of being a very naked deflection from the topic at hand.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Ah, OK, it’s the ol’ “I accidentally did bigotry because I’m stressed out*” canard, who could have seen that coming. *”about something that is completely self-inflicted and I could stop doing at any time.”

Juniper’s non-apology for posting Nazism on main over on Twitter. “I take this back, fully retract it, and i apologize for how i phrased this. i posted this while angry at the constant barrage of years of my life witnessing senseless murder in palestine, and this is no way to express my opinion, which is an end to all conflinct in the region. i'm sorry”

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Sorry, no, I prefer that my snacks have a little bit more self-esteem.

A bulk bin sign for dried nectarines at Sprout’s that reads, “Hello, I’m Ugly, Diced Upcycled Dried Nectarines.”

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

All right, I liked LANTERNS overall, and no spoilers, but….it was a pretty perfect expression of the “surf dracula” tweet from a few years back.

The old “Surf Dracula” tweet: “back in the day if u did a tv show called surf dracula you'd see that fool surfing every week in new adventures but in the streaming era the entire 1st season gotta be a long ass flashback to how he got the surfboard until you finally get to see him surf for 5 min in the finale.”

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

BTW I *still* mostly use this approach; sometimes the map is digital instead of paper, but I usually plan out a route ahead of time (including while visiting foreign countries, see below) rather than rely on GPS. I've had GPS try to turn me down too many one-way streets & blind alleys to trust it.

Four Lonely Planet travel maps, for the Australian states of New South Wales & Victoria and the cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

OK fuck this, my Australian tourist visa is good for another 10 weeks, I’m getting back on a plane and not returning until Christmas.

A screenshot of local San Diego weather forecast temps, showing a range of 100F to 84F over the week.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

I became a qualified crewman on a historic tall ship, started writing a novel, and visited both Australia and New Zealand for multi-week visits.

A photograph of the Star of India under full sail.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Personally, I think I smell a hint of fish breath here.

A photo of a pair of California sea lions perched on a rock. Once of them is barking. ©️ Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

“Come to Australia” they said. “See the majestic and unique wildlife” they said. “Nature in all it’s majesty and splendor” they said.

A Sulphur-crested cockatoo digging into a eucalyptus tree hollow in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia. It is mooning the camera as it does so. ©️ Matt Baldwin #birds 🪶🦅

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

By Any Other Name. Veale Park/Walyu Yarta, Adelaide, #Australia 🇦🇺 The last photo I took before I packed up my camera for the journey home. #birds 🦅🪶

A Rainbow lorikeet perched on a rose bush in Veale Park, Adelaide, Australia. The bird looks like it’s trying to be a flower. ©️ Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

One thing I’ve learned during this trip is that cockatoos in seaside Australian towns behave exactly like seagulls everywhere else, right down to trying to swipe food right off your plate. (Note: they also have seagulls, which likewise do their usual thing.)

A pair of sulphur-crested cockatoos sitting on the sign for a kabob shop in Lorne, a seaside town in Victoria, Australia. They are pretty much just acting like seagulls. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Three times, same result. It’s true, I will just outright massacre a bunch of grapes if no one’s looking.

My medieval creature is a hedgehog, and apparently, I love to steal grapes (true).

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Well, that doesn’t sound like much of a lark at all, actually.

A sign warning about aggressive birds: CITY OF ADELAIDE
CAUTION
MAGPIE-LARKS IN THIS AREA
MAY SWOOP
(FROM ABOVE OR BELOW)
PROTECT YOURSELF BY;
(1) BEING ALERT TO THEIR PRESENCE
(2) RAISING AN UMBRELLA / STICK / ARM
OVER YOUR HEAD
(3)WEARING A HAT / BIKE HELMET / GLASSES
(4) IF CYCLING, GET OFF BIKE & WALK
DO NOT;
THROW ANYTHING AT MAGPIE-LARK;
IT MAY ATTACK MORE VIGOROUSLY

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Wryly amused that someone decided a memorial to two early explorers in South Australia also needed a femme angel whose smock is open and whose boobs are clearly visible.

A bronze statue of a feminine angle at a monument. The angel is holding a large palm frond, apparently as a peace offering. Her smock is open down below her shoulders, putting her breast on display.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Welp, today I was (placidly, calmly) chased by a living dinosaur. #birds 🪶🦅 #Australia 🇦🇺

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Also shout-out to this almost certainly unlicensed Bob’s Big Boy ripoff Americana burger joint in a tiny lil’ Australian beach town.

A photograph of a Bob’s Big Boy mascot ripoff outside an American-themed burger joint in Apollo Bay, Australia.

A photograph of The Pit Stop, an “American beach diner” & Bob’s Big Boy ripoff in Apollo Bay, Australia.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Did I feel like drinking last night? Not really. Did I pop into this place for a beer just so that I could say I had done it? Yes, absolutely.

A sign posted outside the Great Ocean Brewhouse, Apollo Bay, Australia: “You are standing outside the
SOUTHERNMOST
PUB
of the
AUSTRALIAN MAINLAND CONTINENT”

Yes I had a drink there.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

……………….ooohhhhhhhhkay…..

A photograph of a kangaroo sculpture, that is painted pink, and has an upside-down melting ice cream merged onto it. It’s all very marsupial-themed body horror.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Wow, Australia really IS a dangerous place!

A giant container of Nutella with a fountain dispenser attached to the lid.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Hmmmm, I think I'll have a look at US news headlines over breakfast. .......okay, I think I'll stay in the southern hemisphere a bit longer.

Headline: "The Sydney Sweeney football boob ad sexualizes Sydney Sweeney, not women in sports."

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

@brooklynmarie.bsky.social I thought you might enjoy this Pied Currawong I persuaded to pose for a few photos in exchange for some peanuts yesterday.

A photograph of a Pied Currawong bird perched on a branch in Australia’s Blue Mountains. It is hoping for some more peanut treats. @ Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Got a widescreen version of it too, if that's more your thing.

A photograph of Wentworth Falls in Australia's Blue Mountains. The sun is causing a rainbow effect in the downstream flow, making it look like the waterfall is itself a rainbow. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Where Rainbows Flow Like Water. Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains, #Australia 🇦🇺 #travel 🧳 #photography 📸

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Gravity is no obstacle to snacking. Rainbow lorikeet, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, #Australia 🇦🇺 #travel 🌏 #birds 🦅🪶

A Rainbow lorikeet, hanging upside down on a branch, chomping on some plant berries. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

3….2….1…..LIFTOFF. Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney #Australia 🇦🇺🦘 #travel 🌏 #birds 🦅🪶

A photograph of a Sulphur-crested cockatoo, perched on a eucalyptus branch, preparing to take off. ©️ Matt Baldwin

A photograph of a Sulphur-crested cockatoo, perched on a eucalyptus branch, squatting down, preparing to take off. ©️Matt Baldwin

A photograph of a Sulphur-crested cockatoo, perched on a eucalyptus branch, wings flapping, preparing to take off. ©️Matt Baldwin

A photograph of a Sulphur-crested cockatoo, wings flapping, taking flight. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Hey wouldn’t that just be the entire booksto—*is violently deported*

A photo showing a section labeled “Australian crime” at a bookshop in Sydney, Australia.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Hmmmm. I appear to be in Australia. That’s an interesting turn of events. Eh……crikey?

A photograph of a proper Australian flat white coffee.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

*extremely Spider One in Powerman 5000 voice* Now this is what's it like when WORLDS COLLLIIIIIIDE!!!

A snapshot of Nacho the orange tabby kitten examining Scrimshaw and Scuttlebutt's cage at my sister's place.

Nacho the orange tabby kitten investigating Scrim & Scut's cage. They are not thrilled about it.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Granted, this is the cat in question.

A photo of Nacho the orange tabby cat, fully splooted-out and asleep on top of a bamboo TV tray.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

These two have no idea that they're going to meet my sister's new cat in a couple of hours.

Cockatiels Scrimshaw & Scuttlebutt on my shoulder in a coffee shop.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Did not realize that they yassified the Pirate’s Booty buccaneer.

A bag of Pirate’s Booty popcorn puffs. The pirate mascot has gotten a glow-up makeover.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Became a crew member on a historical tall ship The Star of India) and helped sail her for her 160th anniversary.

A snapshot of my legs and feet aloft in the rigging of the Star of India while doing some repair work.

The foremast of the Star of India under full sail. The yards are braced to starboard, and the setting sun is obscured by the topsails. ©️ Matt Baldwin

The view down to the Star of India's foredeck as seen from the upper rigging while under sail. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Next you’re gonna have to take her down to the Maritime Museum so she can see the HMS Surprise herself.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Thank you! There's a non-migratory mated pair who maintain a perennial nest down at one of my local beaches. Been watching them raise generations of chicks for 7-8 years now.

A juvenile Osprey in a very large nest built atop a sports field light structure. It is very excited that it's father is returning to the nest, even though it does not have a fish to eat. ©️ Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

That feeling when you're an Osprey and you're unlocked. #birds

A juvenile osprey perched on a sport field light under a mildly cloudy blue sky, just screaming its absolute fool head off. ©️Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

@rsgat.bsky.social Thought you would probably enjoy this bookmark that also turned up in the mail this week:

A bookmark advertising CAPTAIN AHAB'S
WHALE WATCHING TOURS 5 Guaranteed Sightings
or Your Sanity Back
PEQUOD
NANTUCKET

It's a gag Moby Dick reference.

Back of bookmark:

PASSAGE INCLUDES Quarter-Deck Addresses
by Capt. Ahab
I Distant Waters
Unscheduled Pursuit into Exceptional Views of
the South Seas One White Whale,
Providence Permitting Departure and return times subject
to the Captain's discretion. No warranty is made as to calm seas, reasonable judgment, rescue,
return passage, or survivorship.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

"Three sheets to the wind": sheets are lines that help secure a set sail to the rail. During a tack (adjusting course), the sheets on headsails (pictured) must be loosened so the headsails don't trap the wind and interfere with the tack. They blow about to & fro pretty aggressively.

A black & white photo of the bowsprit and jib boom of the Star of India, with three of her four headsails set. The sheets are the lines running from the corners of the sail back down towards the deck. ©️ Matt Baldwin

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

It amuses me a great deal that you think I’ve been fooled into believing that you’re acting in good faith here.

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Matt Baldwin @thisbrokenwheel.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

One of the things I love about visiting this guy is that he always has a big smile whenever he sees you.

The full size Megalodon shark model at the San Diego Natural History Museum.

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