Hello, Friend.
Wishing you a Wednesday where you can comfortably bask in the cerulean glow of the Receptacle. I hope you’ve been enjoying the drinks, there's also some sugar-free stuff in the back of the fridge if that strikes your fancy. This week has proved quite frenetic, between deciphering ancient Babylonian texts and exploring a Triassic-era region of modern-day Canada. Rest is almost at hand, dear wanderers, not only for us here at the Atomic Dream but also for you. As the frost of winter begins to clear for the glimmer of spring, here’s a handful of recent reflections, fresh from the team!
Recently, I’ve been returning to one of my oldest digital media loves: Pokémon. My journey began with Generation 3 and Emerald, though the first game I fully completed was Black (with an Oshawott). Tropius has been my favorite of the 1000+ Pokémon for a while now, mostly due to its distinct dinosaur-like design. Additionally, my favorite typings are Water and Dragon, and my favorite region so far is Unova. I recently saw the Generation 10 trailer and am very excited for Wind and Waves. I love the starters, and I’m curious to see their evolutions and final typings. So far, my favorite of the three is Pombon, with their adorable and delightfully derpy fire-dog design, though I will admit I’ve also seen some hilarious memes of the Grass-type starter Brout floating around. A copy of Pokémon FireRed for the Switch was recently entrusted to the archive as well, and I look forward to revisiting Kanto within the next 24 hours with Bulbasaur at my side.
This week, I’ve also started conceptualizing a new locale in my Monster of the Week universe: Falling Axe, a quaint former logging town located in the heart of Indiana. The most immediate design inspiration was Derry from IT, but I also drew from the real-life Indiana cities of Nashville and Crawfordsville. Some of the key hotspots I’ve prepped so far include the old-school Back Porch Diner and the long-abandoned Falling Axe Lumber Mill, alongside plenty of peculiar citizens. I’m excited to hopefully run content in this setting in the near future, and I’m planning for the first major mystery to involve the Goatman cryptid in some form as well.
As I’ve been completing my obligations for the Atomic Dream this week, I’ve had the chance to listen to SIAMES’s 2020 album HOME in full for the first time. I’d only ever listened to Summer Nights before (and loved it — the retro-nostalgia vibe and music video are a winning combination), so hearing the full album was a trippy experience. I love how the album weaves a folk-rock vibe into the band’s signature combination of soft electronica and flowing vocals. While Summer Nights is obviously the “classic” track on the album, there are a lot of other standouts I’ve been listening to on repeat, including No Lullaby, 2 Feathers, and Easier.
On the Shelves This Week
Reading: Bug Wars by Jason Aaron
Playing: Scarlet Hollow, Chapter 5
Watching: The Pitt
Listening: BA3 by Yung Bae
Tonight, all systems indicate we may find ourselves drifting beyond the 3rd Dimension entirely into unknown territory. I'm curious to see how the physics and perspectives shift when we break the dimensional barrier. In the meantime, warm up by the fireplace, take a nap, and let your mind wander, staying curious all the while. Every week on Wednesday, a new tale, a fresh curiosity, a spark of wonder awaits.