Lem Lore

Oh sweet! You’re actually still here! Well, thanks for stopping by! I’m 16bitLemonade, but you can call me Lem for short! I’m a Christian creative that wants to glorify God through good art. While my art may not be outwardly religious I hope that it is creative, beautiful, and communicates deep truths as a reflection of God’s character.

I’m more of a dabbler of many things than a jack of all trades. I was orignally a high shcool business teacher, so I’ve engaged in a lot of left brain tasks professionally, but I’ve been able to do some left brain tasks along the way. In the past I’ve dabbled in:

  • Pixel Art (MS paint and Aseprite)
  • Photo Editing (Photoshop, Gimp, and Photopea)
  • Video Editing (Premiere and Davinci Resolve)
  • Animation (Moho)
  • Vector Graphics (Illustrator, Inkscape, and Krita)
  • Coding (Notepad, Atom, and VS code)
  • Perler Beads
  • Creative Writing (Google Docs and Obsidian)

Dislikes

  • Bureaucracy
  • Sports Ball
  • Standard time (Daylight savings all the way!)
  • Hangnails
  • Cringe Comedy
  • Nightcore
  • Anti Consumer Practices

Collects

  • Video Games
  • Amiibo
  • Plushies
  • CDs
  • Manga
  • Comics
  • Consumer Electronics

Favorites

  • Color: Yellow (shocking I know)
  • Game: Super Smash Bros Brawl (or P+ if that counts)
  • Song: Freeway - Scapegoat Wax
  • Album: After Laughter - Paramore
  • Band: Tally Hall
  • Film: Prince of Egypt
  • Show: Avatar the Last Airbender

The Why Behind My Website

I created this website as a way to organize my many passions, which are often as scattered as the synapses in my brain. The idea of making a website didn’t really cross my mind until late 2022, during the first semester of my senior year of college.

I took a beginner-level HTML class as an elective and discovered I had a knack for it. It takes me a while to get into the rhythm, but once I do, I reach a flow state that I hadn’t experienced before—except maybe when I first learned hiragana and katakana.

If I had to put my finger on why, I’d say it’s the instant feedback you get from coding. Your code either works or it doesn’t, which is rewarding for my ADHD brain.

In the same class, we also had to complete research projects about the history and current state of the web. There was a lot happening at that time. It also happens to be when I first encountered Neocities.

The web3 bubble was expanding, Elon Musk had just bought Twitter, and generative AI was on the rise. I, for one, was optimistic about this future. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was a Digital Maximalist.

According to Cal Newport's book Digital Minimalism, Digital Maximalists are people who embrace new technology and integrate it into as many aspects of their lives as possible.

I had always clung to new technology because I believed that one’s worth was based on their intelligence and that technology was the manifestation of man's intelligence. I’ll talk about this philosophy I once had at another time, as it is way beyond the scope of this page.

After I graduated from college with my bachelor’s degree, I decided that I wanted to try out a flip phone.

I had already heard of the dumbphone revolution with Gen Z and was sold when I saw a video by Reject Convenience on YouTube. To me, the flip phone was the ultimate symbol of simplicity, nostalgia, and resistance to the complexities of modern digital life.

Overnight, I had enaged in digital minimization—a less is better approach to technology. The closer I could get to being Amish the better. However, it didn’t end up working out.

I quickly realized that while the simplicity of a flip phone was appealing, it didn’t fully align with the demands of my daily life—both professionally and personally.

Not long after, I went through a health crisis that made me reevaluate my life choices and reflect deeply on the decisions that had led me to this point.

One of the reasons I initially bought into the web3 hype was the idea of decentralization, especially as a potential solution to issues like data ownership, privacy, and censorship.

But while taking this class, I realized we already have a version of this. We had just grown so accustomed to our algorithmic overlords that we took it for granted.

JUST MAKE A WEBSITE! When you build your own website, you essentially own your own pocket of the web, where you can say whatever you want without fear of being censored by some big tech company.

Even if Neocities were to take down my website because they didn’t like something I said, I could simply take my code and host it elsewhere.

It’s not the most glamorous solution, but it works—and it’s a viable one at that.

By this point, I had shifted my perspective and become a digital minimalist—A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.

In my case, I made a philosophy in which I select technology not just for its utility, but for the sense of personal expression and craftsmanship it offers.

Building my own website felt like an artistic act, a way to shape a space that’s entirely mine and free from corporate oversight. For me, it’s not just about functionality, but the beauty of having full control over my digital environment.

That said, looking back, I don’t think the main promoters of web3 were entirely honest about what they were selling.

The grand promises of decentralization more of a marketing push rather than real solutions.

In the end, I’ve found more freedom and control by learning to build my own space on the web, rather than relying on platforms that claimed to be the future but came with their own strings attached.

My Username Origin Story

The first time I had a username that felt significant was when I got Minecraft at 11. Sure, I had usernames before that—on games like AdventureQuest, Moshi Monsters, and Poptropica (even though they generated one for you)—but the idea of an account didn’t really stick with me back then. I’d make multiple accounts, thinking that was just how you played. It wasn’t until I had to actually pay for a Minecraft account that it clicked: "Oh, I only need one of these."

With that understanding, I went with "Shade" for my username... only to realize that using a common noun was a problem because it was already taken. Stumped, I did what any sensible kid would do: added a bunch of numbers. I chose "30000" because of a character from Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! named Widget, who added "3000" to the end of her inventions. I felt a bit embarrassed using that, since the show was for toddlers, so I threw in an extra zero to "make it better."

What’s funny is that "Shade" wasn’t supposed to be edgy—I was just really into ninjas. In hindsight, though, it probably had something to do with a character from Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood named Shade, an echidna in an all-black power suit. I think that was sitting in my subconscious.

So, there it was: my username for the next eight years. I didn’t change it for so long because I was nervous about switching it across all platforms. Eventually, though, I updated it to "The_16bit_Shade."

I added "16bit" because I got really into emulation during junior high when I built my first gaming PC. The SNES was my favorite console since it was the only one my dad kept from his childhood. My grandma on my mom’s side accidentally gave it away, though. When the SNES Classic came out, it felt like a way to fill that void, and it became a big part of my gaming identity. I kinda hate the phrase "I was born in the wrong generation," but I will say I would’ve loved growing up with the SNES. Its library has aged like fine wine, unlike the NES, which is a bit overhyped.

That username lasted a shorter time, taking me through college. Here’s why it didn’t stick:

  1. I wanted to wipe my digital footprint clean. After taking an HTML class, I started thinking differently about my online presence. I couldn’t completely erase my past footprint, but I could leave it behind so companies wouldn’t profit from it without my consent.
  2. I needed to rebrand after my connection with my old friend group fell apart. We drifted apart due to changing circumstances and unspoken resentments. Honestly, the group wasn’t healthy to begin with, but I stuck around because they were broken people who’d been dealt a rough hand in life.

After I graduated from community college, I focused more on school and saw them less often. Over time, some of them became politically radical, and others just went along with it. It reached a breaking point when one of my closest friends—someone I considered my best friend—liked tweets calling for the death of Trump voters. I was one of those voters, and he knew that because I’d made it clear.

Look, I believe in free speech, but I also believe in the natural consequences of what you say. In this case, I no longer wanted to be friends. I wish I could have reasoned with him but we have had political discussions in the past, and they got really ugly real quick. It was your typical twitter leftist talking points, and he had no interest in any common ground.

What made me nervous was the thought that they’d find out about my future projects. I feared for my safety—whether physically or by being labeled an "alt-right wack job." I wish them well and hope they learn from their mistakes, but I’m done cowering to people who want me dead.

Sorry for the downer in what started as a light-hearted post, but let me lift your spirits with the final part of my username: "Lemonade." After everything, I chose "Lemonade" because it carries much more positive energy than "Shade."

On top of it being my favorite drink, it represents the growth I’ve gone through and the positive change I want to bring into the world. I feel this new name accepts that my past happened while embracing this new chapter of my life.

So you're a Christian, does this mean you hate gay people?

No, I love all people. While I may believe that certain actions are sinful, this does not mean I am judging or condemning anyone. My faith teaches me to treat every person with dignity, respect, and compassion, regardless of our differences. Jesus himself spent time with people from all walks of life, loving them without endorsing everything they did. In the same way, my love for people isn’t about agreeing with every choice they make—it’s about caring for them as human beings.

As a Christian, I believe that the Bible is the ultimate authority on all aspects of life. Scripture is meant to guide us in living a righteous life. As 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV) says, All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. This guidance includes how we are called to love. One of the most famous Bible verses about love is 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV): “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” Even people who aren’t Christians often have this read at their weddings because it captures such a beautiful picture of love.

But there’s more to love than just being kind or patient. In 1 Corinthians 13:6 (NIV), it says, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” In Christianity, evil is understood to be anything that goes against God’s will—what we call sin. Sin not only separates us from God but also leads to destruction. As Romans 6:23 (NIV) states, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Now, this begs the question: is homosexuality a sin? Yes, and scripture is clear on this. For those who are interested, there’s a great video by christian blue that explains this topic in a way that's approachable for people from different belief systems.

Now look at this from my perspective: if I truly believe that sin leads to destruction, it wouldn’t be loving for me to affirm someone in a behavior that I now is harmful. True love isn't about agreeing with someone’s choices; it’s about wanting what’s best for them.