Silica Shop Sunday

I'm not restrained in publicising my affection for all things Atari! This weekend is no exception with the Universal Binary release of Mark Grebe's lauded 8-bit emulator Atari800MacX 3.2.

In the spirit of nostalgia. Silica Shop, based in Sidcup, Kent, was the UK's largest Atari dealer, before its Debenhams concession stores resulted in bankruptcy. How I would endlessly pore over the pages of 16-bit Atari ST hardware in the brochure...



Kevin Simpson, a childhood friend and fellow avid video gamer, and me drooled over this! And to think that I owned a Commodore 64 at the time! In the inimitable words of Lost in Space's Dr Zachary Smith, "Oh, the pain!"

Fortress of Solitude

I'm deeply saddened to learn of Christopher Reeve's passing, yesterday, which coincided with the anniversary of a tragedy in my personal life!

My Mother took me to see Superman: The Movie at Exeter's now-defunct ABC Cinema. A fitting follow-up to Star Wars (John Williams scored all of the first three movies I saw at the cinema). This was during a particularly difficult time in my life, but the adventures of Luke Skywalker and Clark Kent invested in me the will to challenge adversity and never abandon hope.

Mr Reeve's spirit soars unbound by Earthly devices. RIP.