#Most Effective Home Rem

[loreartisan]

Rembrandt & Artist's Isolation

Rembrandt is my fave Warrior, so im gonna rant about her :)

Lighting Study in the Mirror. C. 1628.

From the beginning, Rembrandt doesn't have much to say. She mostly backs up the words of her fellow Warriors and offers either short expressions of agreement or concern. From personal experience, such is a common side effect of being an artist. We are always vigilant and observant, but rarely do we get involved (and often, people assume the quiet ones are oblivious).

One of Rembrandt's biggest (and one of my favourite moments from her) is in 'We Got You (Reprise)', when she follows the entranced Fox, Cochise, and Cowgirl to the Bizzie's fancy apartment. While each of the three enamoured Warriors expressed their relief at their supposed luck, Rembrandt hangs back. Aside from Fox, Rembrandt is the Warrior frequently expressing her desire to go back home (likely due to the fact that she's presumably second-youngest). She wants to 'stay on track', completely rebuffing the charms of a random boyband that spawned in the subway. Naturally, she steps back and observes these suspicious characters, keeping an eye on everyone to catch a moment. While artists usually do this to catch a good composition, Rem is doing this to watch out for her girls.

In this moment, when she sings "Step back see the whole scene / Step back see it catch the light" I really felt for Rembrandt's isolation. It's the most soloest solo in the entire musical. Too often do I look at everything from a distance, feeling like you don't fit in, or that no one is seeing things the way you do. Each girl sees the world with a sense of safety, attraction, or nourishment, but Rem doesn't feel any of that.

In a way, Rem's always felt a sense of isolation wherever she goes. The Warriors have mitigated some of that isolation, but even a grey sheep feels off amongst a herd of black ones.

However, in her distance, she proves it to not be completely detrimental. She catches the twist behind the Bizzie's plot, and manages to save her friends from them when they pull out the knives, calling out the exits she's noted (in my mind's eye, she probably saved Fox first, as she was the next most alert and the Bizzies likely targeted her first). After they escape, the others learn the lesson that Rem knew from the start, from all the observations and patterns she's made by herself.

Although artists tend to feel lonely, we find ways to use it to our strengths to make others see the bigger picture.

[flowersandskeletons526]

This is mostly for myself because I have to keep it straight in my head while writing fics but this is how I imagine all the Warriors ended up in the gang prior to the events of the album:

1+2) Cleon and Cochise broke from a different gang together in order to start their own. I can't remember where I saw this so I'm not entirely sure but I read somewhere that this is what happened in the extended material associated with the 1979 movie. Could be completely wrong but that's where the headcanon now is in my head. I think Cleon got sick of the leadership in their old gang and decided to start her own, and Cochise was a soldier who was also sick of whatever shit was going down so she tagged along. This (to me) explains why Cochise is always on Cleon's side backing her up and seems to be around the same level as Ajax and Swan when it comes to leadership levels in the gang but doesn't try to challenge the hierarchy like Ajax does in "Woodlawn Cemetery"

3) Ajax got picked up by Cleon and Cochise. She was a scrappy fighter with no gang affiliation but had a big mouth and the fight to back it up and they needed someone who could act as an enforcer for the group, stepping up to bat when violence was the only option left. I do believe she got picked up before Swan and that's another reason for her challenging Swan's standing. I like to think she and Swan are friends, they do care about each other (made obvious by Swan trying to stay with Ajax during "Park at Night" before Mercy pulls her away) but they have very different leadership styles and Swan's style was most conducive to being an effective second in command

4) Swan gets found under the boardwalk and Cleon takes her in and makes her second in command. We know this

5) Rembrandt gets recruited by Ajax when the gang is gaining traction and starts looking for a tagger. I just finished an entire five part fanfic about how I think all of this went down so go give it a read if you'd like :)

6) Cowgirl was good friends with Cochise before joining the Warriors. Cochise wanted her in the gang as her friend and Cleon wanted her as another soldier/scout as they start to expand because she likes her energy and Cochise can already vouch for her being a badass. This makes sense to me because they're more or less paired together throughout the whole album

7) Finally Fox gets picked up. I can't decide exactly who I think recruited her but part of me wants to say Rembrandt. They're the most vocal out of the group about wanting to get home. Fox has her entire "why can't we just go back home" running theme beginning with the gang's run in with the Hurricanes and ending when... you know. And Rembrandt has her repeated "what are we gon do" line after Cyrus's death and after they finally get home. Also in "Derailed," Rembrandt sings the "when you woke up today" part with Fox. I just think that they tend to think alike and there's some type of connection with Rem that Fox doesn't necessarily have with the other members. Exactly how I think Rembrandt recruited her, I'm not sure yet

Aaaand that's how I think about it. Excuse my ramblings

[vilevexedvixen]

AU Jervis Tetch

Me and @dariusblake have discussed how we'd write our own Batman / DC TV or comic series and each individual character that would appear in it. Tetch being among them. At his core, Tetch is someone deeply reluctant to stay in the real world and would first seek to create his own sanctuary (his Wonderland) like a Hikikomori before even considering developing a mind control device. Which would be later on, when he feels it's the only real way to feel in control of his life which - up to that point - slowly fell to pieces. He'd be one of the earliest antagonists sent to Arkham while it's still a respected institution genuinely there to help mentally ill and vulnerable people get back on their feet, before Arkham (under Strange's management) is effectively turned into a prison for super-criminals.

I'm also of the mind that Tetch would look very average, not a pretty boy or a decrepit leprechaun. Maybe on the shorter side and seeming shorter by the way he haunches both to make himself smaller and because he himself feels small with his cripplingly low self esteem after years of being put down and treated like he didn't belong. Creating Wonderland as a place where he does finally belong, though still feeling stuck behind the looking glass unable to reach through it for company. Isolated in his escapist safe haven.

Like in the animated series, Tetch would work in tech with a grant from the Wayne foundation, but not on a project to "enhance the brain's potential". Instead to make the neural / Brain-computer interface (BCI) of a more cost-effective mind-controlled prosthesis. Something which would go on to be used in Gotham's main hospital for patients with amputations and limb-paralysis. The focus being on stimulating motor function and sensory input. At home he'd try to translate that same BCI for simulating sensation and motion (like lucid dreaming, disconnecting is like awaking in the midst of REM sleep) in a virtual landscape (basically an especially immersive VR software akin to Sword Art Online's nerve gear) dubbed "WonderOS" and his pet project running on it called "Wonderland".

Less a direct recreation of Wonderland from Lewis Carol's novels and more his personal sandbox to tweak and enjoy in his own time. Although its only user, Tetch put meticulous detail into his avatar that no one would likely see. Standing tall and proud with a top hat and bow tie. His smile charming, rather than unnerving. He'd always manage to overdress no matter the occasion in real life, so it felt fitting to extend that habit here too. With so little going on in his life outside of his job, what started as a fun side-project soon encompassed all of his free time. Progressively losing his interoception the more he becomes engrossed in his pet-project. Easily losing track of time to the point of forgetting to sleep, eat or drink, or would fall asleep in the sandbox and be disorientated whenever he'd wake still wearing the headset.

Still, he'd always disconnect eventually. Each time hit like a worse hangover than the last. His shortening time spent in the real world only existing to fuel himself for a longer expedition into his expanding digital world. That is until he'd exhausted all its mechanics and NPC interactions. By now, adding more felt hollow. He'd know exactly what they'd say anyway so why bother? The comforting predictability of the oasis he'd constructed started showing its cracks, or rather it could no longer obscure what cracks had been there all this time. The loneliness... the isolation. When was the last time he spoke to a real person, even at work?

Frankly it was always hard to know what to talk about. He'd tried pitching Wonder OS at work before, garnering minimal interest at best. Like most of his ideas. It always seemed like any attempt to make conversation ended abruptly with no explanation. Who would want to spend time with him in the virtual world if people never wanted to do so in the real one? No, if he wanted to add more player characters he'd have to reach out a different way.

For all his difficulties making friends in the real world, Tetch accrued a fair few online. He'd originally used the forums to post tech support tips, gush about his favourite books, and provide updates about Wonder OS' development to mixed reception. Some genuine interest arose, so when the time came to test Wonderland's "multiplayer mode" there were already a handful of people eager to test it within an hour of the announcement's upload. He'd had about ten additional headsets he'd built for multiplayer mode ready to post and was willing to make more but for now he happily sent out the initial batch. Specially made to not include the admin privilege of being able to log off. He would get to dictate if or when they leave and, well, he cannot guarantee they'll be back so it's best not to give them the option.

Tetch's performance at work may have been deteriorating before, but now his complete absence was noticed enough to garner a pink slip. One which never arrived. While Tetch's absence may have been more an annoyance to his colleagues that hadn't yet realised how much they leaned on him to get things done until now, the people he'd roped into being his captive audience were missed far sooner. Although they were found soon after their missing person cases were opened (being stuck at home), it only raised more questions. When someone tried yanking off one of their headsets, they were in a catatonic state - still partially in Wonderland.

The escalation from a missing persons case to some sort of hostage situation lead to the cases being grouped together and them entering Batman's radar. A common link was a. the headsets and b. the return address - which directly led back to Tetch. Most of the users hadn't recycled the packaging of their hardware before putting it on, making it easy to find. It's a good thing too, since no one (not even Tetch, who is the only one actually able to leave) has left Wonderland for a full week by the time Batman's on his trail. Too much longer and they'd keel over from neglecting to eat or drink.

Expecting a fight and some nefarious hostage scheme (as with the mob bosses he's faced thus far), Batman is shocked to find not a mastermind controlling a flurry of monitors, but someone rigged to their headset just like the other hostages. His apartment was in a shoddy state. Cables strewn about the floor haphazardly like mangrove roots in a swamp, the air stale and warm from days worth of heat emanating from the hardware that dominated the room he was found in. Curtains shut and dusty, untouched for what must have been months. Among the cables were tubes, an IV drip? Did Tetch plan ahead to make sure he could survive indefinitely rigged up to whatever he'd made?

After inspecting the computer the headset was connected to, Batman forcefully overrides Tetch's admin privileges and logs the hostages off. That alone seemed to stir something, like Tetch was in the midst of a night terror, which grew into a full-blown, panicked breakdown when Batman pulled his headset off. Shaking like a leaf, hands clasping his head as he sank from his chair to the floor. Honestly Batman doesn't really know what to do. Up until now he'd cracked down on Gotham's crime families who all put up a fierce fight, but this... is different. Still, it seems best to bring him in, if only to get him out of this dingy apartment and figure out where to go from there.

The GCPD aren't sure how to prosecute him. Would what he did be legally considered kidnapping? Or any other crime? He's kept in a holding cell while they fumble for a specific crime to charge him with. With nothing landing, he's instead sent to be a long-stay patient at Arkham (which at this point is a genuine respected psychiatric hospital for regular civilian patients) for both evaluation and therapy. They confiscated the hardware he'd used to run Wonder OS and sent it in for analysis, though couldn't make heads nor tails of a lot of his work.

Honestly being "sentenced" to free therapy really wasn't much of a punishment at all! Still took some time to adjust to the cold white brick walls, overly sanitised surroundings and the inescapable brightness both natural and not that did his head no favours. Haven't they heard of curtains? Until therapy he hadn't realised how infrequently he spoke out loud, stammering with nerves and the unfamiliarity of it. Like his mouth had forgotten what to do. Despite it all he was grateful for the company each session brought, even if it was for a prescribed purpose. Each chat feeling more sincere than any he'd had in years, to the point that his heart sank a little as each session came to a close. He hadn't really drank tea before coming here. Coffee, especially on days he'd forgotten to really sleep working all night on Wonder OS, was his go to, but a switch might be in order. Been a while since he last felt this calm. Calm enough that even his stammer was beginning to fade with the help of some speech therapy alongside his normal sessions.

The tea and kind words warming him to the idea that maybe the world isn't so scary and that he might even have a place in it. After a year or so of progress, the staff agreed to release him on probation. Pretty difficult to build a social support network while cooped up in an asylum, so they thought it best to give Tetch the opportunity to go out and meet new people. With no real support network to go back to, he'd really be starting from scratch like a tourist. Not the safest idea in Gotham, so they pointed him towards a few clubs and support groups first as a good starting point.

Of course, he went with the book club. Barely saying a word for the first few meetings, what confidence he was emboldened with upon release was slightly dampened by the reality of actually having to put himself out there. Truth be told, a few of the club's members recognised Tetch from his "Wonderland" incident a year ago and those that did make a concerted effort not to sit next to him, not that he was especially keen to initiate conversation either. That was until the week's topic turned to Alice in Wonderland, at the suggestion of one such clued-in member. As they'd suspected, Tetch perked right up, brimming with energy to discuss it!

The sudden shift in gears was pretty jarring, but one that people warmed up to. Though he'd still mainly talk about the story and occasionally let slip about aspects of his passion project (not realising it made more people clock where they'd heard of him from), it opened the door for more general conversation. His excited friendliness still on the jittery side, one of the members felt a little bad about how clearly anxious he was and offered to help him feel more welcome.

Giving advice on what helped him, including teaching Tetch how to microdose, which they preferred to take by brewing magic mushrooms into tea. And it helped! Becoming part of Tetch's morning routine, it's the closest he's felt to being himself back in Wonderland since well... you know. Tetch responded well to therapy, making remarkable progress even without medication, so his therapists though it best not to prescribe anything since it wasn't strictly necessary. The difference self-medicating made had Tetch second-guessing their judgement though.

After a few months of settling in, for once Tetch is invited to a social gathering outside of the book club to their annual Christmas do. In his youth as an apprentice lab tech at Wayne Enterprises he hadn't really gone out before. Most alcohol tasted vile to him unless it was disguised by more pleasant things like in a cocktail, not to mention how hard it hit him after barely a few sips felt as unpleasant as it tasted. Even so, he felt in no position to be picky about where they went that night given how flattered his was that they thought to invite him at all!

Most of the bars were fine, but a bit too loud and crowded for his liking. He may be able to cope with people better now he's started having his morning "tea", but it was still a bit overwhelming. That was until they reached one of Gotham's Goth bars. How rare it was for him to finally not feel overdressed! Amidst the buckles and leather waistcoats, lace and striking makeup he, weirdly, fit right in despite his attire being far more colourful than the bar's usual clientele. By the night's end he'd gravitated away from the group he'd come with, making his own fun with new people for the first time in forever. People he'd come to know as friends as he truly started re-building his life better than it was before!

Since his old workplace fired him before Batman linked him with the missing persons and found him, and Arkham's vouching for him didn't get Tetch his job back (especially since they weren't too happy tetch had adapted their BCI for recreational use), Tetch was out of work. That was until Grant Walker reached out, wanting to adapt Tetch's Wonderland to create a virtual theme park and to improve the IRL parks' AR and immersive elements (think the Xbox connect Disneyland game, but actually functional). An opportunity Tetch couldn't pass up, given he'd been struggling to find work since leaving Arkham and was entering an increasingly precarious financial situation.

Since Tetch adapted Wayne Enterprise's BCI they'd help develop into the hardware running Wonder OS, there was some dispute about whether or not his project would be entirely his own IP or if the resources he technically stole to make it could get him in legal trouble. "Fortunately" Walker offered to protect Tetch from any such case, in exchange for Tetch granting Walker the right to use, market and profit from the virtual he'd created Wonderland - which he agreed to. As successful as Walker's ventures so often were, the opportunity to experiment with park ideas without the expense of land or labour seemed too tantilising to pass-up. Not to mention it could be another venue of advertising his existing IPs to people who otherwise couldn't afford to go to the parks themselves.

Initially, the public reception to announcing Wonderland's debut was... mixed. Reviews from playtesters were glowing, and Walker had his team refine the multiplayer headsets Tetch had prototyped into something that could be made and distributed much more cheaply. Still, trust in Tetch's handiwork was minimal at best after what he did, how could they trust he wouldn't just use it to trap more people again? A green tick of approval from an asylum wouldn't be enough to convince people Tetch was sane. Eventually though, a mix of relentless promotion and sanitisation of Tetch's past got Walker the results he wanted and a steady player base grew.

Honestly, Tetch had tried deliberately to avoid going back into Wonderland or doing any work on his old pet project while he was still getting back on his feet. Especially because until he had a reason to return to the real world, he probably never would have. Oh the temptation, especially early on, was gnawing at him as the dread and self-doubt lingered despite all the progress he'd made in therapy. Returning to it now seems... strange. Like staring at an old picture of himself, so detached from how he felt at the time he'd made it. But he needed the money, and was a different person now, right?

By his therapists' orders, Tetch limits his screen-time only to a few hours a day and goes on a walk / runs errands outside for at least an hour every day, to better facilitate chances of meeting new people and to prevent another spiral into self-isolation. The people he used to chat with online, his old "friends" of sorts, weren't exactly keen to keep talking to him anyway after nearly dying of dehydration in his digital cage, so he didn't have much reason to go back online anyway. That is except for one person, though Tetch hadn't realised it. Too busy making a new life out in the world, to notice the hundreds of messages spamming his inbox on every conceivable chatroom he used to frequent.

"Cat" / Caterina Bressi, one of the Bressi mob family that mostly deals in drugs and information, has helped with her family's dealings modernise by data farming and hacking into police devices and those of other mobsters either for blackmail or to sell to other people in Gotham's underworld who need the info for their own schemes. She is bed-bound due to a mix of chronic illnesses that leave her with little strength and energy to do anything, which is partly why she was on the same forums of Tetch and why they related to each other in their isolation. Cat's skills in coding are the only thing keeping her family from seeing her as anything but a liability and she resents being whittled down to her unappreciated usefulness - again, like Tetch was in the lab. She was one of the people who was sent a prototype headset and actually loved every minute in Wonderland and desperately wished to go back once she was "rescued" from it.

She eventually get's back in contact with Tetch and convinces him to restore the old version of Wonderland (not the polished, commercial form it now was under Walker). .Partly out of sympathy and partly due to some difficulties adjusting to his newly formed social life and existance out in public, Tetch is grateful to still have a friend he relates to in ways he can't with his new, more "well-adjusted" friends and ends up spending more and more time with Cat. .Overtime, their friendship morphs into an unhealthy dependancy (moreso Cat depending on Tetch than the other way around) as she begins to isolate him from his newer friend groups.

Eventually, to get away from her responsibilities to her family she insists Tetch use his lab experience with nerve-based prosthetics to help her move again. Both to get away from her family and so they do not narrow her self-worth down to how useful she is to them. Tetch insists she is fine as she is and he can help her without changing her in that way, but eventually caves and makes what would become the basis of this AU's version of the mind control device. Not actually mind-control, but instead stimulating controlled movement of the body similar to how some existing peripheral nerve interfaces work Although the main controls were designed so Cat / the person being moved is the one controlling the motion, it can in theory be connected to another person (have a remote control centre on someone else, as a backup of sorts).

Once completed, Cat begins to tag along with Tetch everywhere he went so she wouldn't be alone even for a minute. Which became an issue when he had to go to work, since Walker was worried about leaks of any new content his team might work on if someone like Cat tagged along with Tetch to work. When Tetch tries to enforce reasonable boundaries and see his newer friends more like before Cat came back into his life (offering to help her make more friends of her own / introduce him to his other friends) she refused and doubled down in her attempts to control his day to day activities.

Defying his therapist's orders, wanting to relive how their old friendship was, she encouraged him to work more on the old WonderOS and give her access to it so she could help him with it too and spend more time in Wonderland again.

Without Tetch's knowledge, Cat steals Tetch's old lab notes and changes the old WonderOS code to be compatible with her peripheral nerve interface's control centre - basically wanting to see if she can fully immerse herself like a ghost in the machine and fully escape her real life. Once Tetch finds out, right before she's about to upload herself, he tries to stop her - worried it might kill her or otherwise go wrong. In the scuffle, Cat falls and Tetch isn't sure if her plan worked or if he'd just accidentally killed her or failed to prevent her death (if her plan killed her). Not sure what to do with the body, he jerryrigs the control centre so he can use it and (once revival fails) ends up trying to evade suspicion (and preserve his sanity) by animating her like she was still alive, trying to rationalise it all.

Given his new friends haven't seen him in a while, a couple days into his descent into madness they visit him. If this was part of an animated series, I would show his descent into madness as an abreviated montage of him going through the motions of grief while mimicking his day-to-day routine with her reanimated corpse weekend at Bernie's style - probably to this song, ending with his friends' knock at the door:

Once he is eventually returned to Arkham (charged with Cat's manslaughter and found with the old headset back on but now "haunted" with Cat's ghost in the machine goding him to stay in Wonderland instead of dreary reality - especially with his return to Arkham once again isolating from his new friends, even as they do try and visit) the doctors think he is hallucinating, but he's not. He just keeps one foot in the escapist realm he created, both in an attempt to deal with his guilt towards what happened to Cat (even if she personally holds no hard feelings and considers what happened an improvement on her old life), and for comfort like he did back before his first admission to Arkham. I like to think of it like Pyro-Vision / an AR WonderOS ("Wonder-Vision") built into his hat that's genuinely painful and distressing to remove.

Tetch's access to his Wonder-Vision varies depending on the management at Arkham. Hugo Strange allows him to use it, but sometimes deliberately removes it - both of which serve to help Strange better understand Tetch (by his behaviour in both circumstances). Under Bolton's management, access to Tetch's Wonder-Vision is strictly prohibited (as with most posessions of the inmates). While still under Hugo's management, however, Cat tries everything in her power to expand her reach across other devices. Including Strange's work computer at Arkham, meddling with his work in her wake (if accidentally). It wasn't long before her seeming sentience was distinguishable from just an irritating computer virus. Strange couldn't help but seize the opportunity to study (and toy with) one of the rare instances of seemingly true artificial intelligence. He manages to trap her in his system through a mix of almost complete isolation from local networks and an aggressive firewall he had one of the security staff code.

Kept like a fairy in a jar, he studied her much like he did Tetch. Their co-dependent friendship based largely on their shared isolation. When one might prove uncooperative, the other might run their mouth in ways that implicated the other. Once studying them separately bore nothing more of note, Strange did exactly what Cat had hoped she'd forever escaped since becoming a ghost in the machine... He re-embodied her. Not with mortal flesh, fortunately, but with something just as infuriatingly restrictive - a pixel pet (robotic toy body with digital interface, like a cross between a tamagotchi / pixel chic and a furby) to keep Jervis company after losing his hat priviages.

That is the gist of things so far! I will update as and when new plot beats and edits come to mind.

[crackkids-of-hollownest]

WELCOME BACK TO! THE CRACKKIDS OF HOLLOWNEST!

by @blue-jester, @altra-tes and @ravendragons

Back in 2020 me and a few friends had a web of rp blogs that told a story, and the journey we took with it was exstremely fun for all of us but because of multiple factors, we had to stop. Now 4 years later we are BACK baby! AND YES WE'RE FINISHING THE DARK AU WE ONLY GOT HALFWAY THROUGH!!!

But! After there will be other stories perhaps, other tales. A lot of fun times :) These are ask blogs that will be able to rp, but primarily with eachother. If you want to rp with one of the blogs please note that your character is not cannon and does not effect the ending of the story, but our guys like friends :) they will primarily be ask blogs, though, so send asks!!!

But what's the premise of these blogs? Well there is a being born of root and void- but no wyrm, who found an ancient entity deep within the void, and she wants to consume everything in the world. Her half sibling, Wisp, very much does not want her to do that and will be at constant odds. This is primarily an oc story but canon characters do appear.

This is a story that must have caution to interact with as it features darker and more mature content, read this post carefully and interact with the story with caution if you think you won't be able to handle it

CHARACTERS:

EVEN: She/her, a child of root and void [wl and just the void], an all devourering force who wants to kill death himself. BLOG: @rooted-limbo

ODD: She/her, a young and sweet little voidling, born of root and void like her older sister, she's very innocent. BLOG: @rooted-limbo [they share a blog]

WISP: Any pronouns, a child of root and flame [wl and nkg], a hopeful bloom who loves their family more then anything, especially their siblings. They're best friends with... An odd character. BLOG: @blooming-flame

DAWN: She/her, a bargaining chip from wyrm to light, to stop a war much like hornet. She's a little confused with her place in the world, but she just wants to make the people surrounding her happy, even if she has her.. Rebellious moments. She is only 13 after all. BLOG: @darkened-sunlight

CHERRI: He/him, the runaway pale prince, son of wyrm and flame [pk and nkg], a reserved and mysterious individual that's been away from home for far too long, but has recently returned to see his siblings and help them, not many get past his intimidating appearance, but those who do find him to just be a big ol nerd. BLOG: @the-pale-flame

PHOBIA: He/him, a little guy who is not what he seems... A child of beast and void [Herrah and void]. He adores his younger sister Even and actively aids her in her quest to destroy the gods and consume the world, he's smaller then most but trust me, do not trust that little face. BLOG: @parasitic-void

REM: They/them, this is reality themself, watching the world go by and keeping it in tact, they are the child of mother life and father death. They're always watching every scene with their endless eyes.. Most of which, tend to focus on a particular violet flame. They're like the narrator if the narrator was an actual character in the story. BLOG: @reality-rem

THE ORIGINAL ONE: He/they/it. Death. This is death itself, ready to rip the world asunder for the many years he's suffered alone, shackled to the very bottom of the world, and what's worse- separated by a hair from his beloved wife, who was the only thing keeping him together. BLOG: @the-first-and-the-last

LE'CYA: She/they/it. Life. Life herself, mother of all beings, mother of reality itself, the consort of death, she was endlessly loving and compassionate to all who came before her, but greedy mortals saw potential to grow from her strength, and nearly destroyed her, leaving her locked behind blue seals near the bottom of the world. BLOG: @blue-wings-of-life

VOID CULT: There's a cult here too that preaches possible futures and prophesies of void... It's run by an old beetle, named Discipulum. BLOG: @the-church-of-the-voidborne

[newtkelly]

my relationship with the name tommy

the primary reason i want to talk about this is because i’m fascinated by it. this is truly one of the few times in my life i’ve been able to (paradox incoming) consciously understand my subconscious. through my hyperfixation with tommy kinard, i’ve actually been able to tangibly see the way my brain deals with trauma.

so funny story - my step father’s name was tommy. he died in 2022, and i hadn’t seen him since my mom left him in 2020. he was a deplorable person. he was predatory, alcoholic, freeloading, toxic, and verbally abusive. i lived with him in good times and horrible times. he, among several other factors, made growing from a tween to a teenager to a young adult a very tumultuous experience in my family’s apartment. the experiences in that apartment have shaped me into the person i am—a person who values independence, someone with a clean, friendly, welcoming, homey home. it makes it very easy and rewarding to stay on top of my shit when i remember how i had to live at twelve and fifteen and nineteen. stories for another time and i am always open to chatting about it. you wouldn’t believe, or maybe you would because you lived like that too.

tommy would send me on guilt trip spirals while he drank bottles of hard liquor and slept all day. he yelled at me in ways my own parents never have or ever will. i don’t think i will ever tell my dad what my mom allowed to go on in that place because it would fuck him up. she only left him after all us kids moved out and there was no one else to blame for the horrible energy in the household. tommy had bouts of productivity and kindness which always complicated our relationship because i am a peacemaker and i abhor conflict, but his crashes scared me. sometimes he stained the bathroom with wine-purple puke. the first time i ever got sick from alcohol, i was sixteen and who do you suppose supplied the sangria?

there are lots of stories, but what i really want to talk about is the human brain, or at least my human brain. something very nuanced happened to me when tommy kinard became the object of my affection/brainrot. at first, you can’t imagine how difficult it was to immerse myself in fic. i legitimately couldn’t. that name meant one thing to me. the only way you can understand what that is like is if you’ve ever shipped a character who has the name of someone in your immediate family or circle. for example, you probably don’t want to read your sibling’s name in a sex scene. i didn’t know how deep i’d even be able to take my interest in him because of it. so… i trained myself. somehow. it wasn’t very conscious, but it happened. in my waking existence, the name tommy started to mean tommy kinard. the association shifted. tommy kinard is the only tommy i think of now, at least on a surface level.

the side effect of this is that i started to dream about my step father a lot. i guess in the process of trauma blocking, i banished him to my subconscious, and there he was (and is) for the first time in a very long time - a main character in my dreams. and along with him, the apartment i grew up in. probably on a weekly basis.

i am an avid and vivid dreamer. it’s one of the things that probably interests me the most about life in general. i know my sleep cycle perfectly, and i think it’s probably atypical. i can tell you that my peak REM cycle happens right before i am due to wake up in the morning. that helps a lot with remembering dreams. also, i’m a light sleeper, and that actually lends itself to “lucid dreaming” which i trained myself to do and did a lot when i was in college. so anyway, what’s really enamoring to me is that because i consciously think/read/write the name tommy on a daily basis, my brain is tricking itself into thinking that i’m thinking about my stepfather and that i need to process the trauma that i moved to my subconscious. also, the dreams aren’t necessarily negative in nature most of the time (but not all of the time). in fact, on one amusing occasion i must have really mixed my signals because he came out as gay at a birthday dinner for my twin siblings.

hey - if you made it this far, thanks for reading! i haven’t really spoken to anyone about this because in my family, we don’t bother giving him the satisfaction of being a conversation topic. anyway, i HIGHLY recommend the human brain. it can do some really complex shit. also does this make me the most devout tommy kinard stan? i literally erased a person for him so i vote yes

[allergictocolor]

Character Profile - Lurch

“This towering mute has been shambling around the house forever. He is not a very good butler, but a faithful one. He is often sent on local errands to pick the awful herbs from the garden, for instance, but will often forget the most important ingredient of all, say Eye of Newt. He is shamefaced about his oversight and the object of good-natured ridicule from the family. The children are his favorites and [he] guards them against good influences at all times. One eye is opaque; the scanty hair is damply clinging to his narrow, flat head. He will gladly undertake to dump the boiling oil on the carol singers, but, generally, the family regards him as something of a joke.” - Chas Addams

Lurch was never meant to look like Frankenstein’s monster. In fact, in his first appearance in the comics (below) he didn’t even look like Lurch. He had the appearance of a butler, but he had a round, full head of hair, complete with a beard, and didn’t tower over Morticia nearly as much as he would later on. In his second appearance, and those subsequent, he had the recognizable look and shambling gait that would cause many to assume he was some manner of undead.

Lurch was always depicted in connection with the Addams family’s home. When he wasn’t with the family, he was somewhere in the house, fixing or working on something. We can assume from Charles Addams’ description that we should believe Lurch was doing a bad job at the task at hand.

In the 1960s TV show, they decided not to make him a mute, but instead a man of few words. Here, he birthed his famous catchphrase “You rang?”, which has endured throughout the years. He also had an exasperated groan that was accompanied by an eye roll and was the answer to many of the ridiculous things he had to deal with. When he did speak, his voice was gruff, and the words came out slowly. At times, this made him seem slow witted, but the family did not treat him like a joke.

Every room in the house had a noose hanging from the ceiling, and Lurch had an uncanny ability to appear mere moments after a member of the family pulled on one to summon him. Pulling on a noose would have the effect of sounding a loud gong and shaking the entire house. If that didn’t work, they had tiny little tabletop gongs, which illogically had the exact same effect. Lurch nearly always showed up ready to do his job, and took great pride in his work, contrary to Charles Addams’ original brief.

I was surprised by how many of the sitcom’s plots revolved around Lurch. There was one where his mother visited, and he had told her that he owned the house, so Gomez and Morticia pretended to be his servants. In another, the whole family pitches in to teach him how to dance in time for the “Butler’s Ball”. One episode nearly ends with him leaving the mansion because Morticia promises to donate the family’s antique harpsichord to charity. Lurch loves playing the harpsichord. He does it in most of the sitcom episodes, often playing the theme song, in fact. And future Lurches are similarly musically inclined:

The most surprising sitcom episode was “Lurch, the Teenage Idol”. In it, he inadvertently records a song and becomes a pop sensation. Teenagers are suddenly mobbing the house to get near him, and he can’t leave the house due to all the attention. The episode isn’t surprising on its own, but because it spawned a dance craze. “The Lurch” was introduced on an ABC show called Shindig! If you want to see the dance, along with some clips from the sitcom, go here.

That’s not the only Lurch who sings. In the Broadway musical, he surprised the family by singing near the end of the show. In the 2019 animated film, he sings a high-pitched version of REM’s “Everybody Hurts”, and in the sequel he sings Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive".

So, is Lurch a zombie? Is he a Frankenstein? (Shut up. You know what I mean.) It’s hard to say. In the Hanna-Barbera cartoons, he certainly looks like he could be. He has grey skin in one and blue skin in the other. He has grey skin again in the 90s movies and a…unique appearance in the 3D animated films. But no one comes out and says he’s a zombie. He never has bolts in his neck, or is reanimated by electricity. In the 1991 film, he drinks a glass of poison without dying, but that’s to be expected of any member of this weird family.

Perhaps we’ll get some answers in season two of Wednesday on Netflix. Due to scheduling conflicts with George Burcea, who played him in the first season, Lurch will be played by another actor, most likely Joonas Suotamo. Suotamo was Chewbacca in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and is the only actor listed in the upcoming season tall enough to fill Lurch’s enormous shoes. We haven’t heard this Lurch say anything yet. (It was Tyler who got to say “You Rang?”) Perhaps when he speaks, if he does, we’ll find out a little more about the family’s faithful butler.

[flyingwargle]

spoilers for archon quest act i: prelude of blancheur and noirceur

the traveler leaves with heavy footsteps. paimon chirps a hesitant farewell before following, and lynette gives a small wave. she glances at her brother, whose head is bowed, shoulders slumped, breaths uneven. “lyney?”

he pivots and walks away. lynette walks behind him. one, two, three, four. his fifth step falters, his sixth step reduces him to his knees. he presses the heels of his hands against his eyes, shuddering as he releases a long exhale. his words tremble as he murmurs, “i didn’t mean for any of that to happen.”

“i know.”

“i never wanted the traveler to find out.”

“i know.” she rests her hand on his shoulder. his body shakes beneath her touch. once the curtain has fallen and the audience has left, that’s when his mask comes off and unveils the anxiety and fear accumulated beneath the spotlight. “lady furina did it for dramatic effect. that’s all.”

“that’s what angers me the most. it…it had no relevance whatsoever, and yet…” his anger simmers like a stew left on the stove for a moment too long. the longer it remains, the more ruined it becomes. “no one needed to know, and now they do. i imagine there’ll be a swarm of reporters waiting for us.”

and he’s too exhausted to handle them. lynette, despite her stoic coldness, is also on the same tightrope of poise and fatigue, but she must remain level for both their sakes. “we’ll stay here until they leave. you won’t be able to get up, anyway.”

“ah…sorry…” it’s happened before. during a high-profile operation, their plans had derailed, and it was only thanks to his quick wit that allowed all of them to escape alive. once the adrenaline had receded, he fell ill to a severe fever.

it’s been a long time since that happened.

they stay on the floor, wrapped in one another’s silence, hidden in the shadows. the audience doesn’t notice them as they exit the opera house, occupied with gossip, dramatic reenactments, and their own speculation. why did lyney go through the vent? who did the thief steal the ticket from? why was the number machine rigged for that particular seat? how did the tank drop from the ceiling?

could the other young women who disappeared also dissolved into water?

lynette flattens her ears. she refuses to listen further.

finally, when all seems to have settled down, footsteps echo in the dust. a shadow approaches nearer and nearer, until they tower over them. “monsieur lyney. mademoiselle lynette.”

“monsieur neuvillette.” lynette greets him when her brother doesn’t.

“does your brother require medical attention?”

“no need to be concerned,” he chirps, head turned away, hands pressed together to mitigate their shaking. his upbeat tone is a little too sunny. “i’ll be fine.”

neuvillette glances at lynette, who gives an unhelpful shrug. he says, “i have asked for a few gardes to escort you home. there are a few journalists outside waiting for you, but am i correct to assume that you wish to leave, undisturbed?”

lyney finally raises his head, words strained through his twisted smile. “you are correct, as expected of the chief justice. if you can spare the manpower, we’d like to leave as soon as we can.”

“i’ll direct them to the main entrance. please meet them there, once you’re capable of doing so.”

“noted.”

he gives a slight bow his head, turns his heel. neither twin sees his expression, only hears an echo of hollow remorse when he says, “i apologize for what furina revealed. it was unnecessary for the trial.”

there is no reply. he walks away, words lost to the echoes of his footsteps. “your shows are a source of pride and joy for our people. please remember that.”

they don’t move, waiting until the air has stilled before releasing their breaths. lynette catches her brother’s eye and offers him her hand. “shall we?” it takes a few attempts, but he eventually pulls himself up, and she guides him to the main entrance. he doesn’t let go.

their entourage waits for them, a trio of uniformed men. a handful remain onstage to inspect the pool of water left behind, while the rest are suppressing the crowd outside. the twins are flanked on either side as they exit, the night breeze caressing their faces. lynette blinks stars away as camera flashes invade her vision, voices ricocheting around them. she hears their names spoken with contempt, admiration, interest. hands reach out. gardes deflect them, but when a few lay too close to her, she pulls away. lyney stays huddled by her side, even on the aquabus.

it’s passed midnight when they return home. lynette thanks the gardes before pulling open the front door wide enough for them to slip inside, locking it behind them. she has barely caught her breath when a quiet whisper makes her jump. “lyney? lynette?”

freminet emerges from the shadows. lyney releases her hand and looks up. his eyes are too wide, smile too wide. “freminet! how nice of you to wait for us.”

“you don’t have to do that.” their youngest brother shakes his head. “you don’t have to pretend.”

lynette nods in agreement. his mask has unraveled too much at this point. lyney falls quiet, stumbles passed them to sink onto the couch. they flank him. he takes his hat off. “what did you hear?”

“there was an accident, but it became a murder. the traveler helped prove your innocence.” freminet hugs his penguin companion closer. “they also said…you and lynette are fatui.”

silence. lyney lowers his head. “i’m sorry.” his siblings don’t answer. they know that his words aren’t meant for them. “it wasn’t meant to happen.”

“whether it did or not, we can’t do anything about it,” lynette says softly. “all we can do is keep doing what we’ve been doing. the traveler will see that we mean no harm, soon enough.”

“blood is already on our hands, lynette. but…” he straightens. his makeup is smudged, expression haunted with exhaustion. and yet, fire burns in his eyes. “we’ll make up for it. i promise we will.”

“the rest of us are behind you,” freminet murmurs. “we’re just as guilty as you are.”

they rest, huddled together in the darkness, buried beneath the weight of their sins, carrying the burden of retribution on their shoulders.

[tollthebell]

Nix is an Oneirologist; a researcher in the study of sleep and dreams. Their practice aims to assist people and pokemon in processing the influence of their unconscious mind, memories, and experiences through manipulation of dream states and spaces.

They are a born Psychic, that much is known to their clients. Those who care to learn more about them likely wouldn’t be surprised to know that they also have a sleep disorder. After all, there are few things that motivate people to learn more than personal necessity.

Though not all would agree, Nix feels deeply that all three of these things (ghosts, sleep and dreams) are linked. As a professional the link seems natural enough, after all both Ghost and Psychic Pokemon share the propensity to observe, manipulate and consume the dreams of others.

Now, in their early 40s, they have developed several techniques by which to interact with dreams and dream spaces. The most in-depth and effective way they have found to study the dreams of their patients has been through a ritual technique that they have developed alongside their companion pokemon, Musharna.

This technique allows both people and Pokemon to open their dreams to others, the process is outlined below.

First, Nix and their client typically meet at a place in which the client, also known as the Dreamer, will be able to effectively sleep. This can be done anywhere that the Dreamer is comfortable, but is typically in the Dreamer’s home. 

Before the session begins Nix and the Dreamer will sit down and discuss the purpose of the Dream Session. More often than not, a client has reached out because they have a recurring dream or nightmare that they wish to investigate and further understand. During this discussion and planning stage Nix retrieves two pipes from their belongings–the necessary tools for the ritual.

The pipes are handmade, long-stemmed and made from clay. The clay itself is fragile, powdery and thin–tinted the same light blush color of Dream Mist. These two pipes, one for Nix and one for the Dreamer, are fail safes. They will appear in the dream, if either the client or Nix need to end the session safely, one need only break the pipe to return to consciousness.

The Dreamer is instructed to make themself comfortable and restful. Once situated, one of Nix’s pokemon will assist by way of Hypnosis, they will be instructed to sleep and dream (of what they discussed). When REM sleep takes hold, Musharna then reaches out to consume the dream in progress.

As Musharna consumes the dream, Dream Mist begins to pour out of the false ‘third eye’ on her forehead. It is this mist that Nix grasps psychically, pulling the substance (both airy and somehow heavy with energy) toward them, pressing it into their own pipe. They twist the mist tight and dense with an unseen hand, packing it into the bowl of the pipe. It’s a delicate process, and a strange one; not even Nix can properly explain it.

Once sufficiently packed with material Nix lights the pipe, breathing in deeply. They then blow several concentric smoke rings. The smoke hangs in the air, hovering like the Dream Mist it was created from. They smoke until nothing remains to burn. When the embers finally fade, Nix’s Pokemon send them to sleep with Hypnosis, same as the Dreamer, pipe held loosely in-hand. 

Then they lucid dream. 

Years of practice have given Nix the skill to begin lucid dreaming with the ease of putting on a favorite coat. It’s almost second nature for them to wake up within a dream and peel themself away from their physical bounds. Soul separated from body, they seek out the Dream Smoke created from their client’s Dream Mist and pass through it like a portal into the client’s Dreamscape, clay pipe in-hand.

Dreamscapes vary wildly from individual to individual: for some they are perfectly-average realities, indistinguishable from the waking world. For others, more abstract: shimmering light or winding dark, all sounds and shifting angles. People contain multitudes and experience has shown Nix that each Dreamer and their own internal world are unpredictable and unique.

Within that Dreamscape lies the Dreamer. Dependant upon the skill of the Dreamer, and their ability to lucid dream, they may be aware they are dreaming or not. Regardless, two things will be true. One, their dream body, how they’re represented in this Dreamscape, is a reflection of their soul. And two, they will be in possession of their clay pipe. The fail safe. 

If the Dreamer is aware, the two can begin manipulating the space together–a joint process that is different for each patient, planned out at the beginning of the session.

Once complete, or in the case of a setback or client discomfort, either Nix or the Dreamer may break their clay pipes. Once one pipe is broken, both are forced out of their dreaming states and back into their waking bodies.

Some Additional Notes:

The clay pipes that act as Ritual Objects have a slight pink tint because they contain a trace amount of Dream Mist. Dream Mist itself has a faint shimmer & tint which includes particulate that Nix refines into a fine powder. The powder is mixed into the clay before being fired. The Dream Mist that this powder is refined from is generated by Musharna from Nix’s own dreams.

This part of the process is a closely-guarded secret. The technique is powerful and in the wrong hands could be used to invade someone’s dreams unwillingly to wreck terrible havoc and cause significant psychological harm. 

[svedupelle]

alright. watched all of re:zero. mixed feelings. its got some good highs but a recurring thread of either baffling or boring writing decisions

i like a surprising amount of the characters. though i do not like subaru (yes he is the main character and yes this makes things difficult).

but i found that no matter how much i could enjoy a character, it was really hard to enjoy them consistently. subaru for example oscillates constantly between pretty fun and unbearable, while other characters tend to get progressively worse the more they develop/are explored. characters will be set up with compelling backstories that make you interested in their development, only for it to become more and more boring?

few examples:

- garfield, at first, seems to be struggling with the fact that both his mother and sister left the sanctuary and him behind, while he is incapable of overcoming his trial to do the same and follow them. its revealed that although their mother left them behind for her own sake, frederica left in order to create a new home for the rest of their people, in preparation for when they one day would leave the sanctuary. this is pretty cool! it gives us a good reason to predict garfield being the one who will liberate the sanctuary in place of emilia or subaru, since it could lead to the resolution of his conflict with his sister, which we naturally want to see. and the trials are literally there to help characters overcome their inner turmoils. except wait, their mother never abandoned them, she just died before she could return (to a landslide, leaving no one to blame for it), and also frederica never overcame her trial, she didnt need to because she could leave anytime, and so could garfield??? its so strange. garfield at the start seems like a representative of the people of the sanctuary (who receive exremely little screentime), both to us the audience and to emilia's gang. someone who was trapped there, and had been trapped for years, and had given up hope of ever leaving, unlike his sister; the most natural arc for his character would be to find that hope and help the people he cares about so much to a brighter future. him being abandoned by his mother would be reflective of his people being abandoned by the outside world, while frederica would be the opposite, sort of like a call to action and a test of faith (someone out there is waiting for the day they're all freed, ergo there is hope for them). instead we get garfield's personal conflict being mostly disconnected from his people's and once he resolves it he just leaves it all in the hands of emilia and more specifically subaru. its so fucking boring

- rem, beatrice and ram. im covering all three at once because they have the same fucking problem and i hate them for it: their personal conflicts are replaced/amount to nothing more than them loving some guy. its genuinely the worst part of the show to me. they all suck. rem and ram have a compelling sibling relationship and conflict at the beginning, but once the mansion arc is done rem's character is so watered down and reduced that i dont think she mentions her sister in the entire second half of season 1 even *twice*. instead its all subaru. subaru subaru subaru. its also just dumb? in the mansion her arc seems to be about being able to find value in herself outside of her relationship with her sister and the service she can provide in ram's place, but it just ends up with ram being replaced by subaru in her mind. before she did it all for ram, now she does it all for subaru, so you end up feeling as though she hasnt progressed at all, and unfortunately i dont find her relationship with subaru that compelling.

beatrice is the fucking same: she was abandoned by echidna to look after the library and wait for someone to take her place, which she misinterprets as someone who would "sweep her off her feet and carry her away" or whatever, effectively dooming herself to never connecting with the people around her and also never learning to love herself, until all she wants to do is die (LEARNING TO ACCEPT OTHERS LOVE FOR ONESELF AND THUS LEARNING TO LOVE OENESELF HENCE FINDING VALUE IN ONES OWN LIFE IS THE *EXPLICITLY STATED THESIS STATEMENT OF SEASON 2*) but the conclusion to her arc is completely half assed! beatrice doesnt leave the library because she wants to live and give the world a chance, she never fucking connects or even interacts with another character except for subaru and puck, she leaves the library because she decides to bet it all on subaru because he's the specialest little boy or whatever. even subaru himself doesnt ask her to give other people a chance, he asks her to choose him, specifically. her arc is nothing. its a bunch of whinging about how she cant wait around for a knight in shining armor to come save her forever, until that exact thing happens. and no, i dont think you can disguise this with semantics about how subaru doesnt choose her over emilia or whatever.

as for ram, i honestly really liked her character until the moment she tells roswaal that she loves him. after that idc

with all of this im just reminded of chainsaw man part 1, where a big part of the characters is the multi faceted relationships they form. "love" is not just romantic. in re:zero, however, when a character loves another character it feels like there is seldom any room for interpretation. the exceptions to this are familial love, such as puck and emilia, subaru and his parents and the various sibling relationships. even if some of these relationships are meant to be moreso platonic, like maybe ram & roswaal, the show makes no effort to really convince anyone of this nor explore it in any measure, and since so many of them are very explicitly romantic i dont really end up feeling compelled to investigate the matter either. its annoying since love is a big theme in season 2, but it doesnt feel explored nor multifaceted.

- subaru. the show seems to try to ~subvert isekai tropes~ by not making subaru all powerful, but it feels half assed because he does end up all important. everyone cares about subaru. subaru can convince anyone of anything. everyone listens to what he has to say and he always has something important to say. characters who find him irrelevant at first will end up admiring him, depending on him and liking him after he dies a few times, just you wait!... there's some dissonance here, because the show DOES try to make it clear to subaru that he should consider the people around him just as seriously as he does himself, in the sense that he needs to respect them. but it doesnt feel like the show itself does that, when every character orbits the star of the show. the show is telling you that the side characters arent just npc's, but it has a hard time actually committing to that at times.

- echidna. honestly not much to say here except i was a bit disappointed. i just sort of expected... more? as it stands i dont think i even had firm grasp on what her goal is, and it doesnt feel like she ends up doing much. at the beginning she seems charming yet off-putting, so you naturally expect her to be the future antagonist, but then that role gets delegated to roswaal instead, leaving echidna with.. surprisingly little. i might have to think some more about her idk

im not sure how i feel about the second season tho. it grinds the overall pacing to a halt and spends the entire time on the sanctuary conflict, but said conflict lacks a good, compelling narrative and emotional core. what is it about? the half-breeds who are trapped? roswaal, beatrice and ryuzu meyer? emilia's backstory? the witches? it wants to focus on all of it, but i really dont feel like it does it very well. parts of it are completely unrelated from one another. season 1 at least keeps a red thread with subaru and emilia's relationship, and season 2 kinda does as well, but idk if i like it as much.

man i dont even know. its really hard for me to pin down my thoughts and what i feel the underlying issue is here. doesnt help that it just.. wasnt my cup of tea.

[allaboutmarketing4you]

Sinclair ZX Spectrum Story - Birth of a Classic

"The ZX Spectrum is 35 years old on 23rd April 2017, and it also holds a very special place in my heart, so it's time to wish it a happy birthday... It's the machine I grew up with and which led me to creating this very channel. I've covered the Sinclair ZX Spectrum in the past, but frankly I didn't do it justice, so we're revisiting Sir Clive's iconic 8 bit home micro in detail, starting with The Sinclair Years in this two part documentary.

This first part explores Clive Sinclair's early years, from his childhood to the formation of Sinclair Radionics in 1961, through the mini amplifier period, pocket calculator, black watch and finally his range of computers, starting with the MK14 and culminating in the ZX Spectrum 128k. We'll look at the people involved behind the Spectrum such as Jim Westwood and Chris Curry and explore other avenues such as the famous punch up between Clive and Chris in a Cambridge pub. "

Source: Nostalgia Nerd

Also read:

" The Spectrum review – a tactile trip to the 1980s This latest piece of modern vintage hardware from Retro Games Ltd makes for an astonishingly nostalgic experience

The first time I played on a ZX Spectrum was at the Stockport branch of Debenhams, which in 1983 had an impressive home computer section that quickly turned into a sort of free creche for bored 13-year-old boys. You could hang out there for hours, typing rude Basic programs into an array of machines while the harried staff rushed about trying to stop them running. Some of the computers, however, ran games for customers to try – and this was where I encountered Manic Miner, the legendary platformer with its strange flashing visuals and surreal enemies. Speccy games looked utterly unique thanks to the machine’s idiosyncratic way of restricting 8x8 sprite maps to two colours, which meant moving objects on screen were usually collections of coloured pixel patchworks, leading to an effect known as attribute clash. Somehow, it was both ugly and beautiful – and it still is.

Unpacking The Spectrum, the latest piece of modern vintage hardware from Retro Games Ltd, is an astonishingly nostalgic experience. It looks exactly how I remember the original machine: a black slab with rubber keys, each one displaying not just a number or letter, but also a Basic programming command. “Rem”, “Rand”, “Gosub”, the mystical words of the home programming era. There is a USB cable to plug it in (though you’ll need a USB plug of your own) and an HDMI lead, but no joystick. The machine is compatible with most USB gamepads – you just need to configure the buttons yourself, which takes a little time but is worth it if you can’t bear using those rubber buttons to control your games.

Loading it up, you get a modern homescreen showing a carousel of built-in games. There are 48 to choose from, ranging from classics such as The Lords of Midnight, Head Over Heels, Manic Miner and The Hobbit, to modern titles produced by contemporary coders in the Speccy fan scene. These are fascinating projects, including top-down sci-fi blaster Alien Girl: Skirmish Edition and tomb raiding romp Shovel Adventure. If you exhaust the built-in supply, you can also download Spectrum game Roms from a PC on to a USB stick, plug it in and run them here – though if you’re looking for classic Speccy titles rather than modern open-source fan-made games, then you’re in shady legal territory. (Although two sites, World of Computing and Spectrum Computing, do run trustworthy archives of Spectrum game ROMs which are out of copyright.)

As ever, there are a bunch of screen settings so you can add a CRT effect to give a more authentic 1980s television experience, though honestly nothing is going to diminish the wild discombobulation of playing Horace Goes Skiing on a 55in LED display. What amazed me is how these games still carry so much visual charm. The pupils and masters wandering the halls of Skool Daze are filled with character, from the hulking bully to the decrepit history teacher. Sandy White’s Ant Attack retains its stark beauty, the geometric walls and scuttling giant ants providing the same old sense of alienation and terror. Ocean’s relatively sophisticated isometric adventures The Great Escape and Where Time Stood Still pack so much detail into their largely monochrome worlds. It is lovely to see them again.

As with most other retro consoles, there are modern gaming additions such as save points (a little finicky to work, but they do the job) and a rewind function that whizzes you back to seconds before you were inevitably run over by a car in Trashman. But I also love the fact that each time you select a game you get a few seconds of the original illustrated loading screen; these pictorial delights were a key part of the initial experience as you’d be staring at them for up to five minutes as you waited for your tape to finally load – it matters that they have been preserved.

Also preserved are the original computing abilities of the ZX Spectrum. If you select the classic mode, the console switches to ye olde worlde boot screen and you can actually program it. It’s a feature I have taken full advantage of.

Who is this for? Obviously the target audience is people like me who were there at the beginning and remember playing a lot of these games 40 years ago. Sure, there are free Spectrum emulators available online if you know where to look. But part of the nostalgic gaming experience is seeing a reproduction of the machine you remember sitting in front of your TV; and with The Spectrum you also get those legendary rubber buttons, feeling them squidge beneath your fingers as you hammer the leg sweep button in The Way of the Exploding Fist.

In the digital age we sometimes forget how much of memory is about feel. Many of these games were designed with keyboard controls in mind as joysticks were an optional extra and out of the price range of a lot of families in the early 1980s. The Spectrum revels in the tactile appeal of this seminal computer and its springy buttons. It will remind you of how odd Speccy games were, and how they forged their own path beyond the Japanese arcades and flashy American home computers. The days of hanging out in the computer department of Debenhams all Saturday afternoon are long gone, but the games, and the way we played them, are here again. You can come back any time you like.

The Spectrum is available now, £89.99

This article was amended on 11 December 2024. An earlier version indicated that it was difficult to find places to legally download classic Spectrum games; this reference has been updated, and details provided of two places where it is possible to do this."

Source: theguardian.com /games / 2024

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Discovering Esthetic Excellence in Mississauga: A Comprehensive Guide to Beauty and Wellness Services

Mississauga, a thriving city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), is home to a rich diversity of services catering to beauty and personal care needs. Esthetic services are among the most popular offerings, as both residents and visitors seek professional care to enhance their appearance, health, and well-being. This article explores the various esthetic services available in Mississauga, offering a detailed guide to help individuals make informed decisions about their beauty routines.

What are Esthetic Services?

Esthetics refers to the art of enhancing a person’s appearance through non-invasive techniques that focus on skincare, hair removal, nail care, body treatments, and cosmetic enhancements. Estheticians are trained professionals who provide services designed to improve skin health, appearance, and overall well-being. Esthetic services in Mississauga cater to individuals of all ages and genders, offering a wide array of treatments suited to diverse needs and preferences.

Popular Esthetic Services in Mississauga

1. Facials and Skin Treatments

Facial treatments are among the most sought-after esthetic services. These treatments address a variety of skin concerns, including acne, aging, dryness, and sun damage. Common facial treatments offered in Mississauga include:

Deep Cleansing Facials: Aimed at purifying the skin, these facials focus on removing impurities, blackheads, and dead skin cells. They often include steam, extractions, and a calming mask.

Anti-Aging Facials: Designed to combat signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of elasticity, these facials typically use advanced ingredients like retinoids, antioxidants, and peptides to rejuvenate the skin.

Hydrating Facials: These treatments are perfect for those with dry or dull skin. They focus on restoring moisture, leaving the skin feeling refreshed and plump.

Acne Treatments: Specialized facials that target acne-related issues. These treatments may include exfoliation, extractions, and the use of anti-inflammatory ingredients to help reduce breakouts and promote clearer skin.

Brightening Facials: These are designed to improve skin tone and texture by addressing hyperpigmentation, sunspots, or dullness through the use of brightening serums and exfoliants.

Estheticians in Mississauga often use advanced technologies like LED light therapy, microdermabrasion, and chemical peels to enhance the effects of facials and provide deep skin rejuvenation.

2. Hair Removal Services

Hair removal is a key component of esthetic services in Mississauga. Whether for cosmetic reasons, convenience, or personal preference, hair removal helps individuals maintain smooth, hair-free skin. Several techniques are available:

Waxing: One of the most popular methods of hair removal, waxing provides long-lasting results. It involves applying warm wax to the skin and removing hair from the root. Common areas for waxing include the legs, arms, underarms, and bikini line.

Threading: This ancient technique uses a thin cotton thread to remove hair from the root. It is particularly popular for shaping eyebrows and removing unwanted facial hair.

Laser Hair Removal: This advanced method uses laser technology to target hair follicles, preventing future hair growth. Laser hair removal is known for its precision and ability to treat larger areas like the back, chest, and legs. Multiple sessions are usually required for permanent results.

Sugaring: Similar to waxing, sugaring uses a paste made from sugar, lemon, and water. It is considered a gentler alternative to traditional waxing and is often favored by those with sensitive skin.

Electrolysis: This is a permanent hair removal method where a tiny probe is inserted into the hair follicle and an electric current is applied to destroy the follicle. Electrolysis is often used for smaller, more precise areas such as the chin or upper lip.

Each hair removal method has its benefits and is suitable for different skin types and preferences. Estheticians in Mississauga can help clients choose the best option for their needs.

3. Nail Care Services

Nail care is another essential component of esthetic services, with a variety of options available for clients seeking to maintain or enhance the appearance of their nails. Popular nail services include:

Manicures: This involves the care and treatment of the hands and nails, which typically includes nail shaping, cuticle care, and a relaxing hand massage. Clients can choose from a variety of nail polishes, including regular and gel options.

Pedicures: A pedicure involves similar treatments to a manicure but for the feet. It often includes exfoliation to remove dead skin, a soothing foot soak, and a nail polish application. Pedicures can help prevent ingrown nails and calluses, providing both cosmetic and therapeutic benefits.

Gel Nails: Gel manicures and pedicures are popular for their long-lasting results. Gel nails are cured under UV light, creating a durable, glossy finish that can last up to two weeks without chipping.

Acrylic Nails: Acrylic nails are artificial extensions applied to the natural nail for added length and strength. They are customizable in terms of shape, length, and design, making them ideal for those seeking dramatic nail enhancements.

Nail Art: Many estheticians in Mississauga specialize in creating custom nail art designs, ranging from simple patterns to intricate, hand-painted designs. This service has gained immense popularity as individuals look to express their personal style through their nails.

4. Body Treatments

Body treatments are designed to rejuvenate the skin, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. In Mississauga, various body services are offered, such as:

Body Scrubs: A body scrub exfoliates the skin, removing dead cells and promoting smoother, softer skin. It often includes a relaxing massage and the use of hydrating oils or lotions.

Body Wraps: Body wraps can help detoxify and hydrate the skin. Ingredients like seaweed, mud, or clay are applied to the body, and the client is wrapped in a thermal blanket to allow the ingredients to work their magic.

Cellulite Treatments: These treatments use massage techniques, creams, and sometimes technology like radiofrequency to target the appearance of cellulite, leaving the skin smoother and firmer.

Stretch Mark Treatments: Stretch marks can be treated with various methods, including microdermabrasion, chemical peels, or specialized creams designed to reduce their appearance over time.

Detoxifying and Hydrating Treatments: These body treatments aim to detoxify the body through lymphatic drainage massage, promoting overall well-being, reducing puffiness, and boosting circulation.

These treatments are especially popular for those looking to improve skin texture, tone, and elasticity. Many are designed to relax the mind and body while simultaneously enhancing the appearance of the skin.

5. Eyebrow and Eyelash Services

Beauty services for eyebrows and eyelashes are essential for creating a well-groomed, polished look. In Mississauga, popular eyebrow and eyelash services include:

Eyebrow Shaping and Tinting: Shaping involves defining the natural eyebrow shape, while tinting adds color to the eyebrows, giving them a fuller, more defined appearance. Waxing, threading, and tweezing are common methods of eyebrow shaping.

Eyelash Extensions: Eyelash extensions are applied to the natural lashes to create a fuller, longer look. These semi-permanent extensions are available in different lengths, thicknesses, and curl types to suit individual preferences.

Lash Lifts and Tints: A lash lift is a treatment that curls and lifts natural lashes, while a tint darkens the lashes to enhance their appearance. This provides a more natural look compared to extensions and can be perfect for clients who want to enhance their lashes without the need for daily mascara.

Henna Brows: Henna is applied to the eyebrows to create a fuller, darker look that lasts longer than regular brow tinting. It is a great option for those with sparse brows who want a natural-looking enhancement.

6. Cosmetic Tattooing and Microblading

For individuals seeking longer-lasting beauty solutions, cosmetic tattooing, and microblading offer a semi-permanent option for enhancing features like eyebrows, eyeliner, and lips.

Microblading: This semi-permanent technique uses tiny hair-like strokes to fill in eyebrows, creating a fuller, more natural look. It is an excellent choice for people with sparse or thinning eyebrows.

Cosmetic Tattooing: Cosmetic tattooing can be used to enhance the lips or eyeliner. It involves the use of permanent ink to create defined lines or to add fullness to the lips.

Both of these treatments can save time and effort on daily makeup routines, providing a more permanent solution for individuals looking for precision and definition.

Conclusion

Esthetic services in Mississauga offer a wide variety of options for individuals looking to enhance their appearance and well-being. From facials and skin treatments to hair removal, nail care, body treatments, and eyebrow and eyelash services, the city’s estheticians provide an extensive range of services to meet every need. Whether you’re looking for a quick beauty fix or a more involved treatment, Mississauga’s esthetic services are sure to provide a solution that aligns with your goals.

[stephleb]

Open Your Future: Free CNA Training in Louisville KY

**Unlock Your Future: Free CNA ⁣Training in Louisville, KY**

Are you looking to start⁢ a career in the ‍healthcare field as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) but ‌worried about the cost of training? Look no further! In Louisville, ⁣KY, there are opportunities for free CNA training programs that can help you kickstart your ​career without breaking ⁤the bank. This article will provide you with all ⁤the⁢ information you need to know about free CNA training in Louisville, KY, including where to find⁢ it, what to expect, and how to make the most of ‍this valuable opportunity.

### **Where⁣ to Find Free CNA⁣ Training⁤ in Louisville, KY**

There are several healthcare facilities and organizations in ​Louisville, ⁤KY, that offer free CNA training programs. Some of the places where you can find free CNA training include:

1. Local nursing homes and ‌assisted living⁤ facilities 2. Hospitals ⁤and medical⁣ centers 3. Community‍ colleges and vocational schools 4. Workforce development programs 5. Non-profit⁤ organizations

By reaching out to these institutions and inquiring about ‍their free CNA training⁤ programs, you can take ‍the first step towards unlocking your future as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

### **What to Expect from Free CNA ​Training Programs**

Free⁣ CNA training programs in Louisville, KY, typically cover essential topics such ⁤as:

– Medical terminology – ⁤Infection control – Basic nursing skills – Patient care and safety – Communication skills – Ethical and legal issues in‍ healthcare

These⁢ programs often ⁣include a​ combination of classroom instruction, hands-on clinical ⁣training, and exam preparation to⁢ help you become a competent and confident⁣ CNA.

###⁤ **Benefits of Free ‌CNA Training Programs**

Participating‌ in⁣ a free CNA ‌training program in ⁢Louisville, KY, ‍offers numerous⁤ benefits, including:

– **Cost-effective:** ‌Save money on ​tuition ​fees and start your career without⁤ student debt. – **Hands-on experience:** Gain practical skills ⁤through clinical⁣ training in real ⁤healthcare settings. – **Job​ placement:** Some programs ‌offer job⁢ placement assistance ⁤or ‍internships to help you secure employment after completion. – **Career advancement:** Becoming a⁢ CNA ‍is a stepping stone to other healthcare careers, such⁣ as Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or Registered Nurse (RN).

### **Practical​ Tips for Success**

To make the most of your free CNA training in Louisville, KY, consider the following ​practical ‍tips:

– **Stay focused:** Attend all classes and clinical sessions to build your knowledge and skills. – **Ask questions:** Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification or guidance from instructors. – **Practice outside of class:** Practice essential skills at home to reinforce your learning. – **Network:** Connect with fellow students, instructors, ​and healthcare ⁣professionals to expand your opportunities.

### **Case Study: Emily’s Journey to Becoming ‌a CNA**

Emily, ⁢a⁤ recent high school graduate from Louisville, KY, was ‌eager to⁢ start a career‌ in healthcare ⁤but couldn’t afford ‍to​ pay for CNA training. She discovered a free program offered‍ by a local nursing‍ home and ​decided to apply. Through hard work, dedication, and support from her instructors, Emily successfully completed the program and ‍passed the CNA certification exam. She is now working ​as a CNA ‍at a hospital and pursuing further education to become‌ an RN.

### **Conclusion**

Free‌ CNA training programs in Louisville, KY, provide a ⁤valuable opportunity for individuals interested in a rewarding career in healthcare. By taking advantage of these programs, you can ‍acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as‍ a Certified Nursing Assistant without incurring financial burden. If you’re ready to unlock your ​future as a CNA, explore the free training options available in Louisville,‍ KY,⁣ and start⁢ your‌ journey towards a‍ fulfilling career ‍in the healthcare industry.

Remember, your future is in your hands ⁢– seize ‍the opportunity for free CNA training and pave the way for a successful‍ career in ⁣healthcare.

https://cnatrainingcentral.com/open-your-future-free-cna-training-in-louisville-ky/

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Best Advertising Agency in Ahmedabad: How to Choose the Right Partner for Your Brand

Ahmedabad, one of the fastest-growing cities in India, is a hub for business and innovation. With companies in every sector vying for attention, the need for effective advertising is greater than ever. But how do you choose the best advertising agency in Ahmedabad for your business? This blog will guide you through some key factors to consider when selecting the right agency to meet your needs.

1. Understanding Your Needs

Before reaching out to agencies, it's important to understand your own requirements. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or perhaps run a social media campaign? Advertising agencies in Ahmedabad offer a range of services including digital marketing, traditional media like newspaper and TV ads, branding, and even graphic design. Make a list of what you need, and look for an agency that specializes in those areas.

2. Research and Shortlisting

Ahmedabad is home to several top-notch advertising agencies that cater to local as well as national clients. Start by researching agencies online. Check their portfolios, read client testimonials, and look at case studies of their past work. Agencies like Adeves Media Private Limited have earned a reputation for delivering results, especially for businesses in Ahmedabad. Look for agencies that have experience in your industry or have handled similar types of campaigns.

3. Experience and Expertise

A good advertising agency in Ahmedabad should have a strong track record of success. Years of experience matter, but so does the expertise of their team. Does the agency have specialists in areas like SEO, graphic design, content creation, or media buying? The best agencies will have a diverse team of professionals who are experts in their fields.

4. Creativity and Innovation

One of the most important factors when choosing an advertising agency is their creativity. Look for an agency that can think outside the box. Their campaigns should be not only visually appealing but also capable of connecting with the target audience. Ask to see samples of creative work from previous campaigns to judge their style and effectiveness.

5. Local Knowledge

Ahmedabad is unique, with its own culture, language, and consumer behavior. A local advertising agency will have an advantage in understanding the city’s market dynamics. They’ll know the local festivals, traditions, and preferences that influence buying decisions. This local insight can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your campaigns.

6. Client Communication and Transparency

The best advertising agencies are those that maintain open and transparent communication with their clients. They will regularly update you on the progress of your campaigns and provide you with clear, detailed reports. Make sure the agency you choose is one that listens to your feedback and can make adjustments as needed.

7. Budget and Cost

Cost is always a factor when choosing an advertising agency. While it’s tempting to go with the cheapest option, it’s important to remember that quality work comes at a price. A great agency will provide a clear budget breakdown and work with you to create a campaign that meets your goals without overspending.

8. Customer Support and After-Service

A reliable agency will offer post-campaign support to analyze the results, make improvements, and ensure the long-term success of your advertising efforts. This is particularly important in digital marketing, where ongoing optimization is key to staying competitive.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the best advertising agency in Ahmedabad can be a game-changer for your business. Whether you need digital marketing, print ads, or a full branding overhaul, the right agency will help you reach your goals. Agencies like Adeves Media Private Limited, with their local expertise and dedication to quality, can help you stand out in a crowded market and build a strong, memorable brand.

Remember, advertising is an investment in your future success. Take the time to choose an agency that aligns with your vision, and you’ll see the benefits in no time!

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Top Mission Viejo Kitchen Rem

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Top Mission Viejo Kitchen Rem

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Why You Should Soft Wash Your Roof?

A well-maintained roof not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of your home but also extends its lifespan, ensuring that your investment is protected for years to come. One of the most effective methods for maintaining a roof is through soft washing. Unlike traditional pressure washing, soft washing uses low-pressure water combined with specialized cleaning solutions to safely and effectively clean roofs. Here’s why you should consider soft washing your roof.

Protects Roofing Materials

Traditional high-pressure washing can damage roofing materials, especially shingles. The intense water pressure can strip away granules from asphalt shingles, leading to premature wear and tear. Soft washing, on the other hand, uses a gentler approach that preserves the integrity of your roofing materials. The cleaning solutions used in soft washing are specifically designed to break down dirt, algae, and moss without causing any damage to the roof surface.

Effectively Removes Algae, Mold, and Mildew

Roofs are prone to the growth of algae, mold, and mildew, especially in humid climates. These microorganisms not only create unsightly dark streaks but can also lead to structural damage if left untreated. Soft washing is highly effective in removing these contaminants. The cleaning solutions used in soft washing are formulated to kill algae, mold, and mildew at their roots, preventing regrowth and ensuring a longer-lasting clean.

Improves Curb Appeal

A clean roof significantly enhances the overall appearance of your home. Over time, roofs can become covered in dirt, debris, and biological growth that detract from your home’s curb appeal. Soft washing restores the roof to its original condition, making your home look well-maintained and attractive. This is particularly beneficial if you are planning to sell your home, as a clean roof can positively influence potential buyers.

Enhances Energy Efficiency

A dirty roof can impact your home’s energy efficiency. Algae and moss growth can trap moisture, leading to increased heat absorption. This can make your home hotter in the summer, causing your air conditioning system to work harder and increasing your energy bills. By soft washing your roof, you remove these growths and improve the reflective properties of your roofing materials, helping to keep your home cooler and reduce energy consumption.

Extends Roof Lifespan

Regular maintenance is key to extending the lifespan of your roof. Soft washing removes harmful contaminants that can cause deterioration and damage over time. By keeping your roof clean and free from biological growth, you can prevent issues such as rot, leaks, and structural damage. This proactive approach to roof maintenance can save you significant money in repair and replacement costs in the long run.

Environmentally Friendly

Soft washing is an environmentally friendly cleaning method. The cleaning solutions used are biodegradable and designed to minimize environmental impact. Unlike high-pressure washing, which can cause runoff and spread contaminants, soft washing ensures that the cleaning agents are applied directly to the roof surface and effectively break down dirt and growths. This method reduces water usage and prevents harmful substances from entering the surrounding environment.

Professional Results

Hiring a professional soft roof washing service ensures that your roof is cleaned thoroughly and safely. Professionals have the necessary equipment, expertise, and cleaning solutions to handle various types of roofing materials and contaminants. They can assess the condition of your roof and apply the appropriate cleaning techniques to achieve the best results. Additionally, professional soft washing services often include inspections, allowing for the early detection of potential roofing issues.

Conclusion

Soft washing your roof is a smart investment in the maintenance and longevity of your home. It protects your roofing materials, effectively removes harmful growths, enhances curb appeal, improves energy efficiency, and extends the lifespan of your roof. Moreover, it is an environmentally friendly method that delivers professional results. By incorporating soft washing into your regular home maintenance routine, you can ensure that your roof remains in excellent condition, providing you with peace of mind and a beautiful, well-maintained home.