diff --git a/src/layouts/Layout.astro b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
index d84b74f..4b1cc3a 100644
--- a/src/layouts/Layout.astro
+++ b/src/layouts/Layout.astro
@@ -46,25 +46,32 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
 
   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com" />
   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin />
-  <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Fraunces:opsz,wght@9..144,400;9..144,500;9..144,600;9..144,700;9..144,800;9..144,900&family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@400;500&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
+  <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Fraunces:opsz,wght@9..144,400;9..144,500;9..144,600;9..144,700;9..144,800;9..144,900&family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&family=JetBrains+Mono:wght@400;500&family=VT323&family=Major+Mono+Display&display=swap" rel="stylesheet" />
 
   <style is:global>
     :root {
-      --bg: #0d0c0a;
-      --bg-elev: #16140f;
-      --bg-card: #1a1714;
-      --bg-soft: #221e1a;
-      --ink: #ebe2cd;
-      --ink-soft: #b6ad97;
-      --ink-muted: #7a7363;
-      --line: #2c2722;
-      --line-strong: #3a342d;
-      --accent: #b8e25a;
-      --accent-soft: rgba(184, 226, 90, 0.14);
-      --magenta: #f43f8c;
-      --magenta-soft: rgba(244, 63, 140, 0.18);
-      --link: #7cd1ff;
-      --link-hover: #a9e0ff;
+      --bg: #0a0c0a;
+      --bg-elev: #131611;
+      --bg-card: #161914;
+      --bg-soft: #1d211b;
+      --ink: #ebe6d1;
+      --ink-soft: #b6b39a;
+      --ink-muted: #7a7766;
+      --line: #2a2c25;
+      --line-strong: #3a3c33;
+      /* CRT phosphor multi-color palette — phosphor lime primary,
+         hot magenta secondary, amber tertiary, cyan link */
+      --accent: #76e74d;             /* phosphor lime */
+      --accent-soft: rgba(118, 231, 77, 0.14);
+      --accent-glow: rgba(118, 231, 77, 0.55);
+      --magenta: #ff4fa6;            /* hot magenta */
+      --magenta-soft: rgba(255, 79, 166, 0.18);
+      --magenta-glow: rgba(255, 79, 166, 0.55);
+      --amber: #f7c244;              /* warm amber */
+      --link: #5ed5ff;               /* CRT cyan */
+      --link-hover: #a9e8ff;
+      --term: 'VT323', 'Courier New', monospace;
+      --display-pixel: 'Major Mono Display', 'VT323', monospace;
     }
 
     * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }
@@ -82,11 +89,31 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       line-height: 1.65;
       color: var(--ink);
       background:
-        radial-gradient(circle at 12% -8%, rgba(184, 226, 90, 0.06) 0%, transparent 40%),
-        radial-gradient(circle at 92% 6%, rgba(244, 63, 140, 0.06) 0%, transparent 42%),
+        radial-gradient(circle at 12% -8%, rgba(118, 231, 77, 0.07) 0%, transparent 40%),
+        radial-gradient(circle at 92% 6%, rgba(255, 79, 166, 0.07) 0%, transparent 42%),
+        radial-gradient(circle at 50% 100%, rgba(247, 194, 68, 0.04) 0%, transparent 50%),
         var(--bg);
       min-height: 100vh;
+      position: relative;
     }
+    /* Very faint scanline overlay — ambient CRT texture, doesn't affect readability */
+    body::before {
+      content: "";
+      position: fixed;
+      inset: 0;
+      pointer-events: none;
+      z-index: 1;
+      background:
+        repeating-linear-gradient(
+          180deg,
+          rgba(118, 231, 77, 0) 0,
+          rgba(118, 231, 77, 0) 2px,
+          rgba(118, 231, 77, 0.018) 2px,
+          rgba(118, 231, 77, 0.018) 3px
+        );
+      mix-blend-mode: screen;
+    }
+    body > * { position: relative; z-index: 2; }
 
     .container {
       max-width: 1180px;
@@ -102,7 +129,7 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
     }
     .hero-row {
       display: flex;
-      align-items: center;
+      align-items: flex-end;       /* nav baseline aligns with tagline */
       justify-content: space-between;
       gap: 24px;
       flex-wrap: wrap;
@@ -111,15 +138,21 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
     .ascii-brand {
       font-family: 'Fraunces', 'Times New Roman', serif;
       font-weight: 800;
-      font-size: 40px;
-      letter-spacing: -0.02em;
+      font-size: 42px;
+      letter-spacing: -0.025em;
       color: var(--ink);
       line-height: 1;
       font-variation-settings: 'opsz' 144;
+      display: inline-block;
     }
+    /* Keep .cursor in the SAME font/weight/size as "hype" so the baseline
+       aligns perfectly. Identity comes from color + chromatic CRT shadow. */
     .ascii-brand .cursor {
       color: var(--accent);
-      font-weight: 800;
+      text-shadow:
+        0 0 18px var(--accent-glow),
+        2px 0 0 rgba(255, 79, 166, 0.55),
+        -2px 0 0 rgba(94, 213, 255, 0.55);
     }
     .tagline {
       color: var(--ink-soft);
@@ -132,12 +165,14 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
     }
     nav.nav {
       display: flex;
-      gap: 26px;
-      font-size: 13px;
-      font-weight: 500;
+      gap: 22px;
+      font-size: 14px;
+      font-family: var(--term);
+      letter-spacing: 0.06em;
       text-transform: uppercase;
-      letter-spacing: 0.08em;
     }
+    nav.nav a::before { content: "["; color: var(--magenta); margin-right: 2px; }
+    nav.nav a::after  { content: "]"; color: var(--magenta); margin-left: 2px; }
     nav.nav a {
       color: var(--ink-soft);
       text-decoration: none;
@@ -214,13 +249,16 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       justify-content: center;
     }
     .post-hero-flag {
+      font-family: var(--term);
       color: var(--magenta);
-      font-size: 11px;
-      font-weight: 700;
+      font-size: 16px;
+      font-weight: 400;
       text-transform: uppercase;
-      letter-spacing: 0.16em;
+      letter-spacing: 0.18em;
       margin-bottom: 12px;
+      text-shadow: 0 0 10px var(--magenta-glow);
     }
+    .post-hero-flag::before { content: "// "; color: var(--accent); }
     .post-hero-title {
       font-family: 'Fraunces', serif;
       font-weight: 700;
@@ -247,14 +285,23 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       font-size: 13px;
       letter-spacing: 0.02em;
     }
+    .post-hero-meta > span:first-child {
+      font-family: var(--term);
+      color: var(--amber);
+      font-size: 17px;
+      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+    }
     .post-hero-tag {
       display: inline-block;
-      padding: 2px 10px;
+      padding: 1px 8px;
       border: 1px solid var(--line-strong);
-      border-radius: 999px;
-      color: var(--ink-soft);
-      font-size: 12px;
+      border-radius: 4px;
+      color: var(--link);
+      font-family: var(--term);
+      font-size: 16px;
+      letter-spacing: 0.02em;
     }
+    .post-hero-tag::before { content: "#"; color: var(--magenta); }
     .post-hero-tag a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
 
     /* ========== Row cards (rest of feed) ========== */
@@ -273,19 +320,21 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
     }
     .post-row-link {
       display: grid;
-      grid-template-columns: 220px 1fr;
+      grid-template-columns: 240px 1fr;
+      align-items: stretch;
       text-decoration: none;
       color: inherit;
     }
     .post-row-img {
+      position: relative;
       overflow: hidden;
       background: var(--bg-soft);
-      min-height: 100%;
     }
     .post-row-img img {
+      position: absolute;
+      inset: 0;
       width: 100%;
       height: 100%;
-      min-height: 160px;
       object-fit: cover;
       display: block;
       transition: transform 0.5s ease;
@@ -296,6 +345,7 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       display: flex;
       flex-direction: column;
       justify-content: center;
+      gap: 6px;
     }
     /* When no cover, body spans the full row */
     .post-row-link:has(.post-row-body:only-child) {
@@ -332,16 +382,23 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
       font-size: 12px;
       letter-spacing: 0.02em;
     }
+    .post-row-meta time {
+      font-family: var(--term);
+      color: var(--amber);
+      font-size: 16px;
+      letter-spacing: 0.04em;
+    }
     .post-row-tag {
       display: inline-block;
-      padding: 1px 9px;
+      padding: 0 7px;
       background: var(--bg-soft);
       border: 1px solid var(--line);
-      border-radius: 999px;
-      color: var(--ink-soft);
-      font-size: 11px;
-      font-weight: 500;
+      border-radius: 3px;
+      color: var(--link);
+      font-family: var(--term);
+      font-size: 15px;
     }
+    .post-row-tag::before { content: "#"; color: var(--magenta); }
     .post-row-tag a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
 
     .post-empty {
@@ -444,12 +501,16 @@ const year = new Date().getFullYear();
     .post-content > p:first-of-type::first-letter {
       font-family: 'Fraunces', serif;
       font-weight: 800;
-      font-size: 64px;
+      font-size: 72px;
       float: left;
-      line-height: 0.92;
-      padding: 6px 12px 0 0;
-      color: var(--magenta);
+      line-height: 0.9;
+      padding: 6px 14px 0 0;
+      color: var(--accent);
       font-variation-settings: 'opsz' 144;
+      text-shadow:
+        0 0 22px var(--accent-glow),
+        3px 0 0 rgba(255, 79, 166, 0.55),
+        -3px 0 0 rgba(94, 213, 255, 0.55);
     }
     .post-content a {
       color: var(--link);