Building a little tough screen prop that can run html for a Mother Box, designed to run as a phone “wallpaper” and part of a standalone esp32 “cheap yellow display” device in a case, that uses touch screen, and internal speakers.

https://svonberg.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/motherbox10.html

Core Functionality

* Kirby-Styled Interface (The Mother Box):

* The interface is a grid of 4×5 metal plates rendered on an HTML <canvas>.

* The entire design uses a bold, limited color palette (gold, red, black, white, magenta/cyan) with heavy outlines and deep shadows, mimicking the look of 1970s comic book printing. 

* The center four plates are replaced by a large, singular “Eye” component that tracks an imaginary, slow-moving target, simulating constant internal thought.

* Diverse Greebles and Tech (Visual Components):
* Each grid section randomly generates one of several distinct Kirby Tech patterns (or “greebles”) to maximize visual variety and complexity:
* Pipes: Horizontal gold tubes with simulated energy pulses flowing through them.
* Circuit: Black panels with angular, glowing lines of gold and cyan data flow.
* Vents: Blue vents with subtle energy (Krackle) escaping.
* Krackle Pit: A recessed area of raw, magenta energy densely packed with black “Kirby Krackle” dots.
* Machinery: Heavy, blocky clusters of gold and red industrial shapes.
* Logic Node: A central blue core with data lines radiating outwards to the corners.
* Energy Fins: Vertical gold fins with glowing energy pulsing between them.
* Omega Block: Large, complex black geometric glyphs, inspired by New Genesis architecture.

Audio System and Interaction:
   * Autonomous Hum: The box maintains a constant, low, throbbing sawtooth oscillator hum (using the Web Audio API) with a slight frequency modulation, suggesting deep, ongoing machine thought.
   * Manual Ping: The powerful “PING!” sound (a high-frequency sine bell tone) and the accompanying visual burst are only triggered by the user when they click or touch the screen.
* Autonomous Animation:
   * The machine operates on its own loop, periodically and randomly activating certain tech tiles (making them briefly pulse with light or energy) and making the central eye slowly scan across the screen, ensuring the box appears perpetually alive and thinking, even without user input.

https://svonberg.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/motherbox10.html

Out on the corner today, just past the hedges by the Firehouse Subs and the bank with the cold brick face, I had my first sighting of a Santa’s helper this season. Not the mall kind, not the glossy catalog kind, but the roadside variety, wind tousling the beard, boots planted on the curb like deep roots. A flash of red against the winter gray, waving at traffic as if every passing car needed a little nudge toward cheer.

His ride was propped beside him, a bright red bike decked out with its own tiny Santa hats, white beard beard and a flag fluttering like it had holiday opinions. I liked that. The whole scene felt like catching a glimpse of a migrating bird you only see once a year. Not quite Santa proper, but a field agent of joy, reporting in from across the median strip.

The Blue Ridge behind him was a smoky blur, trees bare, sky the color of unlit snow. Some folks in their cars probably thought they were just passing a bit of holiday whimsy. Me? I felt like I’d stumbled on the first sign that the season had officially woken up.

A small moment, waving arms and all, but enough to shift the day a little sideways into wonder.

#santaclaus #santashelper #randomjoy #roanokeva #tistheseason🎄