“There was a time you could build a whole synth from a parts bin at Halted. Now I need a VPN just to find an ATmega chip that isn’t counterfeit.”
— Wing

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🧰 Building in 2023: Less Maker, More Forager

Remember when you could order a dev board from SparkFun, slap in a few passives from Digi-Key, and have your blinking prototype up by the weekend?

Now it’s:

• “Backordered until Q4.”
• “MOQ: 3,000 units.”
• “This product is discontinued due to global constraints.”

And half the eBay listings look like someone printed a screenshot of a datasheet and sold it as a module.

“Back in 1994, AX smelled like VHS tapes, stale carpet, and freedom. In 2023? It smells like LED panels, QR codes, and brand deals.”
— Wing

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🎆 July 4th at Anime Expo: Then vs Now

For a certain breed of fan, July 4th doesn’t mean fireworks.
It means AX. Anime Expo.
A pilgrimage to SoCal for sweat, panels, prints, and people who get it.

But AX 2023 is a far cry from AX 1994.
The soul’s still there… if you know where to look.