nonmonolithic


nonmonolithic is a project to showcase photos either taken by me or my father.

History and Inspiration

Almost all photos are a result of insurance-related work where documentating building damage is a crucial part of the work. This documentation of damage throughout buildings ends up leaving thousands and thousands of photos, many of them fit the classic "The Backrooms" and liminal spaces aesthetic.

My original idea to share these photos started in May 2020 under the Instagram account named @weird__hole__. I later discontinued the project in November 2020 for unknown reasons.

I picked the project back up in late July 2023 starting with a video relating to the game Half-Life 2, attempting to start an ARG (Alternate Reality Game). Not too long after, I switched back to the original idea of using photos of real places to gain interest as these videos took a lot of effort to make.

I often used photos that I have taken, these photos are often better as they were intended to be used for liminal spaces posts unlike ones used for the job.

On November 9, 2023, an event occured that resulted in me discontinuing the use of Instagram. This resulted in the project being put on hold, indefinitely. On December 8, 2023, I decided to keep the @nonmonolithic account on Instagram and the related Discord account for historical purposes.

On January 15, 2024, along with the creation of this page, I added a Story post on Instagram linking to this page as it describes the future of the project.

On March 27, 2024, I made the first post since November 6, 2023.

Name

The name "nonmonolithic" was chosen in relation to the layout of many modern AMD x86-64 processors. A non-monolithic layout of a processor means that there are multiple silicon dies within a single package, CPU. AMD uses this for the Ryzen (some) and EPYC series of processors. As part of the theme, almost all content was edited and posted from "Polybutylene Terephthalate".

The profile picture that I used for the longest time on Instagram, later Discord was of a screenshot of the Half-Life 2 map d2coast09 with the AMD logo drawn on a wall made in Garry's Mod.

Caption and Post Guide

The following is a guide to the meaning behind each post

There are two lines: first, the caption that may be a pun or something else related to the image. The second is the information about the picture.

The second line is added for authenticity; if every picture is taken by me or someone I know, I would know what camera was used and the date of the picture. Most services such as Reddit, Discord and Instagram strips the EXIF metadata from the picture during the posting process for security and privacy purposes. If I used content posted on such services, I would not know the camera model and date for every picture.

As an extra precaution, all identifying metadata is stripped from the image manually before it is posted online.

For authenticity, the device along with its motherboard, CPU implementer and CPU architecture are listed with each post.

Authored: <device codename, linked to motherboard> (<vendor and motherboard/system model>, <CPU implementer and architecture>)

Post 1 - August 4, 2023

"I actually took this picture today

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 4, 2023"

As stated, I took the picture then later posted it.

Post 2 - August 5, 2023

"Employee 427

iPhone 5s - May 2015"

The caption is a reference to the game The Stanley Parable, where the hallway shown reminded me of the original Half-Life 2 mod.

Post 3 - August 5, 2023

"Apartment's up here

iPhone 6 - 2018"

The idea is that "Apartment's up here" is said by a parent or friend.

Post 4 - August 6, 2023

"Just a couple nights

iPhone 6 - December 2017"

The idea is that "Just a couple nights" is said by a parent.

Post 5 - August 6, 2023

"No shipments

Kodak Z812IS - April 11, 2011 (interestingly seven days before Portal 2's release)"

The photo is of an empty warehouse. The photo appears to be taken on April 11, 2011, which is indeed a week before Portal 2's release on April 18, 2011.

Post 6 - August 7, 2023

"Short Circuit

Kodak Z812IS - May 23, 2011"

The photo is of an empty parking lot with what used to be a "Circuit City" store. The caption is a pun on the name.

Post 7 - August 8, 2023

"Grass Toilet

iPhone 5s - March 9, 2016"

The photo is of a toilet that is covered with green carpeting, that looks like artificial turf. It is called "Grass Toilet" because of that.

Post 8 - August 9, 2023

"That storage area in the hotel that your parents tell you not to go into

iPhone 6 - November 11, 2016"

The caption is in first-person, describing a utility room that a small child would be curious of and try to enter.

Post 9 - August 10, 2023

"Bath Time

Sony DSC-W55 - December 20, 2010"

The photo is of a bathroom, looking over a shower-bath. The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 10 - August 11, 2023

"Connecting flights

Kodak Z812IS - June 1, 2011"

The photo is of a side of what appears to be an office building. A large airplane is seen in the sky in the background. The caption refers to the airplane. The caption itself is partially inspired by the Left 4 Dead 2 achievement name "Connecting Fights".

Post 11 - August 12, 2023

"Bed time

Sony DSC-W55 - December 20, 2010"

The caption is related to Post 9 as it is a photo of the same house.

Post 12 - August 13, 2023

"Mattress Store

Apple iPhone 5s - February 18, 2016"

The caption simply describes the photo.

Post 13 - August 14, 2023

"gmgoldencityv3

Google Pixel 2 XL - July 10, 2019"

The top of the building overlooks other buildings that are lit up with golden light making the view look similar to the Garry's Mod Steam Workshop maps gmgoldencity and gmgoldencity_v2.

Post 14 - August 14, 2023

"I guess we'll table this for now

iPhone 5s - March 10, 2016"

The caption is a reference to the song "Re: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton, notably featured in Left 4 Dead 2. The picture itself reminded me of a part of a map featured in the Left 4 Dead campaign "Dead Air".

Post 15 - August 15, 2023

"Shopping Hall

iPhone XS - July 19, 2022"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily, refering to the shopping carts in the photo

Post 16 - August 15, 2023

"Department

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 15, 2023"

The caption was chosen as a play on the term "department".

Photo is of an now empty Sears.

Post 17 - August 16, 2023

"Party upstairs

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - July 1, 2015"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily

Post 18 - August 16, 2023

"Arrival

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 15, 2023"

The caption is related to Post 16

Post 19 - August 17, 2023

"Going to bed

iPhone 6 - January 15, 2018"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily

Post 20 - August 17, 2023

"Infinite Corridor

Apple iPhone XS - May 7, 2020"

The caption is a reference to the Castlevania anime. This is the first post using a photo from 2020.

Post 21 - August 18, 2023

"Cold as ice

Apple iPhone 5s - November 28, 2014"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily. This is the first post using a photo taken in 2014.

Post 22 - August 18, 2023

"Meanwhile, I'll report back to my colleagues who are chewing on the doors.

Apple iPhone 5s - March 10, 2016"

Another line from the song "Re: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton, notably featured in Left 4 Dead 2. The caption is used as photo was taken at the same place as the photo used for Post 14.

Post 23 - August 19, 2023

"Checking in

Apple iPhone 6 - October 8, 2018"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily since the photo is of a hotel hallway.

Post 24 - August 19, 2023

"Home away from home

Apple iPhone 5s - March 31, 2015"

The caption was chosen as the building may have been a cabin.

Post 25 - August 20, 2023

"gm_construct at the beach

Apple iPhone 6 - July 14, 2017"

The caption references Garry's Mod as the unpainted drywall resembles the inside of one of the buildings on the gm_construct map.

Post 26 - August 20, 2023

"Strip mall

Kodak Z812IS - May 23, 2011"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 27 - August 21, 2023

"Free Parking

Apple iPhone XS - September 15, 2021"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 28 - August 21, 2023

"Makeup Room

ASUS Zenfone 9 - June 12, 2023"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 29 - August 22, 2023

"Vacancy

Apple iPhone 6 - May 10, 2019"

The caption is related to the building being a motel.

Post 30 - August 23, 2023

"Transmission

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 15, 2023"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily. This is the third post not authored on a system with an AMD processor.

Post 31 - August 24, 2023

"Dining Room

ASUS Zenfone 9 - June 12, 2023"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 32 - August 25, 2023

"Kitchen Remodeling

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - September 15, 2014"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily. This is the first photo that has a date within 2014 superimposed.

Post 33 - August 26, 2023

"Play Time

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300HS - September 2, 2014"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily. This is the first post with multiple photos, celebrating 32 posts.

Post 34 - August 27, 2023

"Pit Stop

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - June 24, 2015"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily.

Post 35 - August 29, 2023

"Upstairs office

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 29, 2023"

The caption was chosen arbitarily. This is the fourth post not authored on an AMD-based system and instead was posted within five minutes after the photo was taken. Having another post like this was because of skipping a post on August 28 and I wanted something out quick.

The post just had one photo due to limitations posed by a recent UI update for the Instagram app.

Post 36 - August 30, 2023

"Doctor's visit

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - February 24, 2015"

The caption was chosen arbitarily.

Post 37 - August 31, 2023

"SCIMX31LVKM5

All Pictures: Apple iPhone 6 - November 28, 2018 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

Caption is a part number for a Freescale i.MX31L SoC, specifically the one used in the Microsoft Zune 30. This references the "Motorola" sign in IMG_5663; the first photo in the post.

This is the first post that discloses the editing software.

Post 38 - September 1, 2023

"Work it out.

Apple iPhone 6 - July 1, 2019 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the text shown in one of the photos.

Post 39 - September 2, 2023

Grab my keys and some money and circle around the lake

Apple iPhone XS - November 4, 2021 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references a line from the song "Urantia" by Deftones

Post 40 - September 3, 2023

"Tim and Son's Sardine Bait and Tackle

Apple iPhone 6 - October 5, 2017 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption is a reference to the 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' series

Post 41 - September 4, 2023

"Beach Resort

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - October 16, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitarily. The first image in the slide was chosen to be first to reference the former @weird__hole__ account.

Post 42 - September 5, 2023

"Spare Parts

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - October 20, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitarily though is likely named after the movie "Spare Parts".

Post 43 - September 6, 2023

"Area of Refuge

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 5, 2023 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references text shown in one of the photos.

Post 44 - September 7, 2023

"Dream Diner

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - March 2, 2015 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitarily.

Post 45 - September 8, 2023

"Linen Closet

Apple iPhone 6 - August 20, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitarily, describing the last image in the post.

Post 46 - September 10, 2023

"Basement Dweller

Apple iPhone 6 - September 30, 2019 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption plays on the term "Basement Dweller", inferring that some sort of creature is in the basement.

Post 47 - September 11, 2023

"Experiment 115

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - July 13, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the item "Experiment 115" from the Minecraft mod, The Twilight Forest.

Post 48 - September 12, 2023

"Apartment Tour

Apple iPhone 6 - September 27, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitarily

Post 49 - September 13, 2023

"Scan Alignment Error

Slide 1: Matterport Pro2 - November 5, 2022

Slide 2: Matterport Pro2 - January 18, 2023

Slide 3: Matterport Pro2 - January 18, 2023

Slide 4: Matterport Pro2 - August 4, 2023

Cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint

128 Follower Special"

The caption references a common error message from the Matterport app.

Post 50 - September 14, 2023

"Renovations

Slide 1 and 3: ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 13, 2023

Slide 2: ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 14, 2023

Rotated and cropped within Instagram app"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily

This is the first day that I am away from home and away from any AMD-based computer. This resulted in a challenge to use only pictures I have taken myself for the entire trip.

Post 51 - September 15, 2023

"Studio

ASUS Zenfone 9 - August 15, 2023 - Rotated and cropped within Instagram app"

The caption references the text shown in the last slide. Second day of the challenge.

Post 52 - September 16, 2023

"Reconstruct

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 15, 2023 - Rotated and cropped within Instagram app"

The caption is based off both the "gm_construct" Garry's Mod map and the term "rebuild". Third day of the challenge.

Post 53 - September 17, 2023

"Regression Simulator

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 17, 2023 - Rotated and cropped within Instagram app"

The caption is a reference to the Adventure Time episode 'The Vault'. The choice to use the caption is related to how I have not been to the location since June 2018; as it is a return, regression. Fourth day of the challenge.

Post 54 - September 18, 2023

"Regression Complete

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 17, 2023 - Rotated and cropped within Instagram app".

The caption is related to the last post. Fifth day of the challenge.

Post 55 - September 19, 2023

"If it starts pointing toward space you are having a bad problem and you will not go to space today.

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 18, 2023 - Rotated and cropped within Instagram app"

The caption is a direct quote from the XKCD comic 'Up Goer Five', relating to the post using photos from a trip to Kennedy Space Center. Sixth day of the challenge.

Post 56 - September 20, 2023

"Renovations complete

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 19, 2023 - Cropped within Instagram app"

The caption references the caption of Post 50 as it is the same location. Seventh and last day of the challenge.

Post 57 - September 21, 2023

"Winterized

Apple iPhone XS - December 16, 2020 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references posted signs in photos of the location, but not ones that were shared.

Post 58 - September 22, 2023

"PAGEFAULTINNONPAGEDAREA

Apple iPhone 6 - August 31, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the Windows BSOD shown in the first slide

Post 59 - September 23, 2023

"Groovy Baby

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 20, 2023 - Cropped with the Instagram app"

The caption references the Austin Powers poster shown in the first slide.

Post 60 - September 24, 2023

"American Dream

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - April 10, 2015 - Cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption is a play on the term "American Dream", being that the photos seem dream-like.

Post 61 - September 25, 2023

"Laundry Day

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - August 20, 2015 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the name of a scent offered by Bath and Body Works.

Post 62 - September 26, 2023

"Beam me up

Apple iPhone 6 - October 7, 2016 - Cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption is a quote from Star Trek as a Star Trek console prop is shown on the first slide.

Post 63 - September 27, 2023

"Wash Room

Apple iPhone XS - August 15, 2022 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily in relation to the second and third slides.

Post 64 - September 28, 2023

"Machine

Slide 1, 3, 4: Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - May 6, 2015 Slide 2: Apple iPhone 5s - May 6, 2015"

The caption references both ULTRAKILL and the 2001 Static-X album, Machine

Post 65 - September 29, 2023

"To the moon and back

Apple iPhone 6 - August 9, 2019 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption quotes the text in the fifth slide.

Post 66 - September 30, 2023

"Orange room

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - February 2, 2015 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily in relation to the first slide.

Post 67 - October 1, 2023

"Keep out

Apple iPhone 6 - February 21, 2017 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the text in the fourth slide.

Post 68 - October 2, 2023

"Princess

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - May 7, 2015 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the Disney Princess decal shown in slide 2.

Post 69 - October 4, 2023

"Dead Center

ASUS Zenfone 9 - September 29, 2023 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption is yet another reference to Left 4 Dead 2. Which viewers seemed to immediately recognize.

Post 70 - October 6, 2023

"Gnomed

Apple iPhone 6 - May 17, 2019 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the "You've been gnomed" meme, relating to the gnomes in the first slide.

Post 71 - October 7, 2023

"Pipes

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - August 12, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily

Post 72 - October 10, 2023

"At night

ASUS Zenfone 9 - October 9, 2023"

The caption references the SpongeBob SquarePants episode Graveyard Shift.

Post 73 - October 14, 2023

"Skylit

Apple iPhone XS - August 27, 2021 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily

Post 74 - October 18, 2023

"Habitat

Apple iPhone XS - October 23, 2020"

The caption references the location being a Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Post 75 - October 19, 2023

"Not Found

FujiFilm FinePix XP95 - June 26, 2017 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption is chosen as the rooms 402 and 403 are shown in slide 2 but room 404 is not shown. References the HTTP status code.

Post 76 - October 20, 2023

"Pain Therapy

Apple iPhone 5s - March 8, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP on Linux Mint"

The caption references the text shown on a sign on a door in a photo that was part of the collection but was not used for the post.

Post 77 - October 23, 2023

"Observation room

Apple iPhone 5s - March 8, 2016 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP"

The caption is a reference to the Portal game series. The ceiling tiles in the first photo has a resemblance to a texture from Portal 2.

Post 78 - October 26, 2023

"Squeeze the day

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - December 17, 2014"

The caption references the text that is barely readable in the fourth slide.

Post 79 - October 27, 2023

"Complementary Breakfast

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - December 17, 2014 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP"

The caption references the text shown on the first slide.

Post 80 - October 29, 2023

"Too Chicken

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS - September 15, 2014 - Cropped with GIMP"

The caption is a play on the term "chicken" and refers to the chicken theme shown in the photos.

Post 81 - October 30, 2023

"Elevated

Apple iPhone XS - October 7, 2019 - Rotated and cropped with GIMP"

The caption refers to the elevators shown in the first slide.

Post 82 - November 6, 2023

"Pool closed

First slide: Apple iPhone X - August 20, 2018
Slide 2-4: Apple iPhone XS - August 6, 2020
Rotated and cropped with GIMP"

The caption was chosen arbitrarily, in relation to the first slide.

This is the last post prior to the November 9 Incident.

Post 83 - March 27, 2024

"Paint the skies gray

iPhone XR - September 7, 2024 Rotated and cropped with GIMP for Windows"

The caption was chosen in relation to the gray skies in both photos. The caption is a reference to a line from the In Flames song 'Your Bedtime Story is Scaring Everyone'.

Post 84 - June 28, 2024

"Into darkness

June 24, 2024 - ASUS Zenfone 9"

The caption was chosen in relation to the photos being at night. These photos were from the time that I started MediaCow Touch 2's development in June 2024.