Complex numbers aren't a "failure" of our math system at all! They aren't a patch for a bug, they're just an easier way to describe more complicated graph behavior.

This boisterous fractal theme looks like a neon eye with a hexagonal pupil, made of electric yellow, orange, blue and white filaments, against a chaotic swirl of purple and pink vapors. It feels like if the Eye of Sauron dressed up for a rave, piercing and brilliant, if a little ominous.

"Intuition"
flam3 fractal

Recently, I've been busy building a whole new school of magic. It's one of those projects that takes up a lot of time without much to show for a while. So I took a break to do some old-school fractal magic.

Anyone approaching today acutely aware that we could be in a "where were you when.." scenario? Is this the right playlist to put on right now? Do I really want to be watching that video when the news hits?

The cloak is amazing, and came from Kai Gonzalez at Armory & Atelier

A photo of Yamen wearing a fancy partial cloak with hood. The cloak extends only just past his shoulders, and features many different occult images like skulls, eyes, hands, cards, and alchemical symbols, all in gold on black. Yamen is smiling like he just figured out a secret

A half body portrait shot of Yamen in his wizard outfit. His tall black pointed hat is decorated with many small, colorful charms. The partial cloak from the first photo frames his face and beard. Underneath, a long, orange, sleeveless robe and a dark blue cotton shirt. A tattoo of a frog wizard is on his arm.

Another photo of Yamen in his wizard outfit, this time outdoors. His expression looks more wisend and thoughtful, and the orange robe flows down from the partial cloak in a charming way.

Can you believe I've never been to a ren faire before? A druid is determined to change that, and got this fantastic new hooded cloak for my outfit.

Games and other interactive types of art are often dependent on the process of exploring and uncovering the details. I don't think we'd stop doing that just because we could airdrop experiences into each others' minds. I might mind blast a story, but not a riddle.

There are of course alternatives, one where you simply began, cloth-footed, inside that airplane bathroom and Find Shoes was on the Getting Started checklist right after Exit Bathroom. And a more horrifying one where you walked in fully shod and found cause to leave two loafers less on purpose.

Upgraded my poetry cards. Sound up for the flip, these are all metal!

Two Chaos Coins. One says "Cleave" with an image of an axe swinging in a large arc. The other says "Manic Mallard", with a depiction of a duck. Around the rim of each, text reads "Carry Chaos Coins with caution, Fate's a fickle friend. Destined to save desperate days, or supply silly ends." The opposite sides of these coins are in the next photo.

The reverse side of the coins from the previous image. One says "Clove" with a garlic clove image. The other says "Magic Missile" with a meteor image. Both have the same description around the rim: "Carry Chaos Coins with caution, Fate's a fickle friend. Destined to save desperate days, or supply silly ends." On each coin, the "good" side is light with fldark markings, and the "bad" side is dark with light markings.

New laser trinkets, inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl's "Fireball or Custard" coupons. These tangible treasures give your RPG players a risky clutch move, or a hilarious misspell.

"My least favorite thing to be is a hypocrite, but I'll be one.
The worst part of my mistakes is they're all reruns."
-MC Frontalot

I know that subverting his persona is the whole gimmick of the song, but this line still hits me like an Alan Watts lecture mounted on a monorail.

An image containing a cryptic clue: "early amphibians play short record with endless detail (7)" in white text against a dark background with a repeating geometric pattern in dim gold lines. The bottom of the image labels it as "Complicated Cryptics #1", and the Complicated Reality logo is stamped in the lower right corner.

The solution will seem obvious, in context.

The front of a laser etched business card for Complicated Reality, featuring an intricate fractal design that weaves around a central logo.

The back of a laser etched business card for Yamen O'Donnell. His title is Laser Fractal Space Wizard, his roles are listed as Poet, Artist, Designer, Storyteller, Puzzlemancer. There's a motto that reads "Chaos, constrained and iterated, suggests reality is complicated." At the bottom, his email (yamen@comolicatedreality.com) and his website (complicatedreality.com) are nestled against a QR code that leads to, you guessed it, complicated reality.com.

Getting business cards printed is crazy right now, so I'm lasering my own. At 4 min per card, I'm trading time to save money, but at least they look and feel super nice!

Used to be that I'd see the seams and think "crappy photoshop". Now I see the seams and think "Hooray, it's not AI generated".

This fractal design is both bright and subdued, like viewing a sunset from inside a tall forest. Three focal points make shimmering flower shapes in orange, red, with white loops dancing between them. It feels serene and quiet, but also vivid and undying.

Sunset Sakura
flam3 fractal

Chaos, constrained and iterated, suggests reality is complicated.

I sometimes get "Be Our Guest" stuck in my head, but my brain only remembers the first two lines of the chorus. It knows the melody after that, and transplants that rhythm from a totally unrelated property.

"Be our guest! Be our guest, put our magic to the test.
It's the Record of Lodoss War"

A major fear of mine is devoting a bunch of energy into a project just for no one to enjoy it. It's happened, and it hurts.

It would be better if I were more afraid of devoting so much energy to that fear. At least with the projects, I make things and learn stuff. The fear just wastes my time.

POV you find a wizard at a strange art market in Oregon

Today, you can find me in Tigard at Follow the White Rabbit. Look for the wizard hat!

Yep. That's about how annoying it is when people resort to name calling. Glad you're getting it now.

Yep, specifically to point out the hypocrisy of your bullying.

You're doing it again. It's ironic, because you and I probably agree on the broader point. But your insistence on putting other people down to make your points muddies the conversation with tedious shit like this.

Name-calling is bullying. Yes, there are far worse ways to bully, but that doesn't make the tame ones acceptable.

"You're being intentionally obtuse".

Nah, I just didn't like seeing someone bullying someone else for their own mistake.

The claim was most Americans own stock. If you have to redefine what ownership means to debate that point, you're moving the goalposts to make a different argument.

Yes, it is technically, statistically, and factually correct. I understand you wanted to make a different point, but that's moving the goalposts again.

You moved the goal post from "owning stock" to "having a bespoke personal stock portfolio". You're the one being intentionally obtuse.

This fractal design is focused on a glassy marble shape impacting the inside of a circular tunnel. The tunnel is made of tightly packed, parallel arcs in orange and blue. The orange reflects around the edges of the marble, and four small shockwaves fly out from the impact location. The design feels energetic and fast.

"Impact"
flam3 fractal

Feels like we're on the precipice of one of those days we'll look back on and call a tipping point, for better or for worse. Someday, you might remark "this was the last piece of art I made before, you know". Don't let today's shadows rob that piece of its shine.