--- title: Memory Fractals description: User Illusion is SW Hammond’s long-running digital escape — essays, short stories, cultural criticism, memes, and memory fractals exploring the human hustle, the stories we tell ourselves, and the gap between appearance and what’s actually there. canonical_url: https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?start=18 language: en-GB date: 2025-10-21T02:09:58Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?start=18. markdown-tokens: 2779 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?start=18. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. ## Laugh, Cringe, Question Humanity For byte size bits and lots more photos and videos, follow me on X. [ Follow SWH ](https://www.x.com/swhammond) ![](https://articles.swhammond.com/images/yootheme/background-glow-02.svg) ![](https://articles.swhammond.com/images/yootheme/background-glow-01.svg) ![](https://articles.swhammond.com/images/yootheme/background-glow-03.svg) # Memory Fractals - [ All ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals) - [ Kid Stuff ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/46-childhood) - [ Teenage Angst ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/47-teenage) - [ Punk: Nothing But A Goddamn Poser ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music) - [ My Abusive Relationship With Baseball ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/49-baseball) - [ Moments With The Universe ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/50-author) - [ I Know What You Did Last Pandemic ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/51-covid-19) - [ 'Rism With The 'Tism ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/52-neurodivergent) - [ Re-Construction ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/54-re-construction) [ ![a vibrant rough color pencil sketch of Peas and Carrots in a loving relationship, with Peas having bright green skin and Carrots having warm orange skin, holding hands, skipping down a winding dirt path lined with lush greenery and colorful wildflowers, surrounded by a clear blue sky with fluffy white clouds, pencil marks and paper texture visible, with soft gentle lighting and a sense of joy and freedom, capturing the beauty of their love and connection as they embark on life's journey together.](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/6a/peas_carrots_1-6a15d760.jpg) 13 March 2010 ## Peas and Carrots: Part 1 I miss love. I miss the physical torture of longing for someone. I miss the piss and vinegar that comes with the reckless loss of inhibitions. Spitting the face of anyone who dare doubt your devotion. I miss the most honest tears I've ever cried and the piercing words that caused them. The amount of vim and vigor someone can stir inside of you just by a single glance. Trusting someone enough to become venerable and not even thinking twice about it. I miss saying the words and truly meaning it… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/40-peas-and-carrots-part-1) [ ![a masterpiece rough color pencil sketch of Sam Malone from Cheers serving up beers from behind an old New England bar with a polished wooden counter and brass fixtures, his iconic smile and raised eyebrow prominent on his face, with a light skin tone and dark hair, pencil marks and visible paper texture giving the image a tactile feel, the colors muted yet vibrant, with Sam's red shirt and the bar's warm lighting standing out amidst the earthy tones of the barroom, the overall atmosphere lively and inviting.](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/10/cheers_1-104cb16f.jpg) 12 February 2010 ## Sam Malone Someone once told me that a true judge of character is how someone reacts after they’ve made a mistake. I’ve made a lot of mistakes lately. More in the last two months than in the entire last two years. The realization I’ve come to is that I’m absolutely no good for anyone, but that I’m unquestionably great for someone. In a time such as this, I like to turn to my good friend Sam Malone for some advice. I mean, making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got. Taking a break from… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/100-sam-malone) [ ![a masterpiece rough color pencil sketch of Humor, featuring a rugged redneck with a distinctive mullet hairstyle, sporting a laid-back expression, with a single blade of straw casually sticking out of his mouth, as he leans against the worn, rusty body of an old red pickup truck, with visible pencil marks and paper texture giving the artwork a tactile, handmade feel, the redneck's facial features defined by a strong jawline, prominent nose, and weathered skin, with a few days' worth of stubble, wearing a plaid shirt and faded jeans, amidst a warm, sun-drenched background that accentuates the vibrant colors of the pencil sketch.](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/06/mullet_1-06c4d8e7.jpg) 11 January 2010 ## Honestly Hurt God… I used to write so much. I used to really enjoy it, thought maybe it’d be a good backup plan if I didn’t become a rock star. What happened? I’ll tell you what happened. The moment I stopped writing was the moment I stopped being honest. A long time ago one of these stupid rambles hurt someone I cared about a lot. I didn’t want to do that again so I stopped writing. Instead of just censoring or being more considerate with my words, I gave it up. I figured if I couldn’t pour my heart out and… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/39-honestly-hurt) [ ![Artistic portrait photography of the 1970s, inspired by Planet of the Apes, featuring Dr Zaius, a sophisticated ape dressed in a traditional professor's attire, complete with a suit, tie, and spectacles, posing confidently like a human, with a serious expression, against a muted, earthy-toned background, lit with soft, warm lighting, emphasizing the subject's wise and intelligent facial features, with a slight hint of curiosity in his eyes, and a subtle, enigmatic smile, showcasing the ape's unique, humanoid characteristics, with meticulous attention to texture and detail, in a warm, sepia-toned color palette, reminiscent of vintage photography.](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/5e/forbidden_zone_3-5e1aa45c.jpg) 10 November 2009 ## The Forbidden Zone I like to reside in my imagination most of the day. To the causal observer I must seem alert, coherent and productive because I haven't gotten into much trouble over it. However, as I'm going through the daily motions a fantastic screenplay is flickering in my mind. For example, I spill a carton of orange juice and think to myself "what would Peter Griffin do?" I chuckle as I search for paper towels. Peter would probably blame it on Captain Jean Luc Picard at which point the entire crew of the… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/99-the-forbidden-zone) [ ![Teddy Ruxpin](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/c5/blunder_enhanced-c5dfd131.jpg) 09 October 2009 ## The Blunder Years Whatever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, evening TV? Casual drives over the Golden Gate Bridge and neon windbreakers to protect us from that brisk Bay Area sea breeze? Back when times were simpler and the world had three fathers- and by no means am I referring to the holy trinity. I’m talking Danny, Jesse and Joey. All were miserable failures with personality dysfunctions but somehow were able to pull themselves together to raise America’s favorite girls. What this countr… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/98-the-blunder-years) [ ![A cinematic keyframe of a dimly lit, smoke-filled room with a shallow depth of field, vibrant cinematic color grading, and dramatic cinematic lighting, featuring a rock star in the foreground with a vague expression, surrounded by strippers, women, and empty bottles, with a vignette and bokeh effect, captured with a filmic aesthetic, reminiscent of kodak porta 400 and cinestill 800 film stocks, shot with a leica m10 camera, inspired by the styles of maciej kuciara, jama jurabaev, and wojtek fus, with a color palette that exudes a sense of excess and debauchery, cool tones and warm hues blending together in a chaotic yet captivating scene.](https://articles.swhammond.com/media/yootheme/cache/f5/rock_n_roll_2-f50ea23d.jpg) 06 July 2009 ## You Know How I Know I'm Gay? The last couple of months have been filled with rock stars, strippers, drugs, girls and way too much alcohol. Cool, right? Late nights and lots of confusing mornings… If being backstage has taught me anything it's that I am completely out of my element. It's 6:30 pm as I'm wiping the drool off my face and fumbling around the nightstand for my glasses. I laughed and shook my head, instantly followed by a long swallow and a groan- I could feel my brain still sloshing in last night's bourbon. I s… ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/38-you-know-how-i-know-i-m-gay) - [ ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=12) - [1](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html) - [2](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=6) - [3](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=12) - 4 - [5](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=24) - [6](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=30) - [ ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals?format=html&start=24) --- ### Additional Articles - [ New Years ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/27-new-years) - [ Neurotypical, Neurodivergent, Artificial Intelligence and Their Uneasiness Toward One Another ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/52-neurodivergent/296-neurotypical-neurodivergent-artificial-intelligence-and-their-uneasiness-toward-one-another) - [ Crushed by Chloe: A Media Masochist's Tale ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/34-crushed-by-chloe-a-media-masochists-tale) - [ Peas and Carrots: Part 2 ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/41-peas-and-carrots-part-2) - [ Ghost in the Machine: A Pop Culture Junkie's Confession ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/37-ghost-in-the-machine-a-pop-culture-junkies-confession) - [ Father, May I? ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/46-childhood/44-father-may-i) - [ You Know How I Know I'm Gay? ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/38-you-know-how-i-know-i-m-gay) - [ The Re-Construction Movement: Reclaiming Stories That Matter ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/54-re-construction/293-the-re-construction-movement-reclaiming-stories-that-matter) - [ Mojo And The American Female: Part 2 ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/48-mojo-and-the-american-female-part-2) - [ Navigating Life's Unanswered Questions: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Reflection ](https://articles.swhammond.com/content/memory-fractals/48-music/28-navigating-lifes-unanswered-questions-a-journey-of-self-discovery-and-reflection)