I have two siblings. My parents offered to buy each of us something, up to a maximum. I'm chronically single and a recovering addict (sober for at this point about three or four years iirc); both my siblings are successful and partnered up in dual income households. When I decided what I wanted - at about 2/3 the value they offered and deliberately BELOW the max, my very charming mother said "well you can pay the balance...". She wanted to only offer half as much to me, because of course my siblings are both coupled up. Never mind that they're both financially stable and I haven't been in years due to my health issues. Honestly despise that woman.
Real talk, even as someone uncomfortable with public nudity, onsen are very pleasant. You ain't lived until you've held a conversation in a hot bath big enough for a dozen people to stretch out in.
Very cool! Unfortunately while I am currently working with a microscope it's a dissecting mic (which I have far more experience with generally) so you already seem to know pretty much everything I do about the compound mic. I don't think I've ever even stained my own samples tbh;)
Neuromancer was about the FUTURE. you seem to be writing about the PRESENT.