You know Heather and I just had to talk about Amazon's most expensive show of all time, The Rings of Power, didn't you? As huge lovers of Tolkien's works and Peter Jackson's film adaptation, we try and parse through the honest detractors (the Tolkien purists) from the anti-woke crowd and get into the polarizing decision... Continue Reading →
Yes, we're doing it again! Intrepidly, boldly, perhaps a bit foolishly . . . Heather and I step back into the midst of the culture war. The political atmosphere in this country is particularly toxic right now, but we feel it's important to take a stand, as any conscientious person should --- because what we... Continue Reading →
I recently met a fan of mine (he's read both Ages of Aenya and The Princess of Aenya and is eager to begin The Feral Girl) who was very much at odds with my political views. Let's just say his beliefs threw me into a depressive, anxiety-laden spiral. As we continue slipping toward a future... Continue Reading →
The last thing I want is for this post to come off as exploitative. Right now, my thoughts are for the people of Ukraine only. What's happening there is not just tragic, but the kind of thing that makes you question whether we're living in a storybook. It's like Trump and the January 6th insurrection.... Continue Reading →
Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard about MAUS, Art Spiegelman's moving holocaust graphic novel, now recently banned by the Tennessee School Board. Schools in Tennessee are run by ninnies, apparently, because all seven members voted to keep the book from the hands of middle schoolers owing to the book's depiction of... Continue Reading →
No discussion of Stephen King's It would be complete without tackling that scene---a scene not surprisingly omitted from every film adaptation---and if you don't know what I'm talking about, just read the book! Hint: sex + children. Historically, taboo subjects in fiction challenge readers to examine social norms, and forces us to consider whether anything... Continue Reading →
There is great unrest among the working class in this country, a pre-French Revolution upheaval that's been heating to a boil. In July alone, four million Americans quit their jobs, and fast-food chains have had to shut their doors for lack of staff. This Great Resignation is the result of growing inequality and the slow... Continue Reading →
In this episode of Story Matters, Heather and I delve into the conservative YouTube/social media debacle. We talk about being "woke" and an "SJW," modern-day feminism, and we examine what role politics has to play in film, TV, and literature. And of course, we also talk about our favorite thing growing up, the 80's cartoon... Continue Reading →
Basically porn. Is every heroine in a skimpy outfit inherently sexist? Is objectification directly proportional to the amount of skin on display? Or is it all about the pose? Do male heroes like He-Man exist solely as a projection fantasy? Or can women enjoy looking at scantily clad men in the same way, and do... Continue Reading →
I had no plans to write a post tonight. It's late, I've had a long day, and I am tired. Plus, this isn't a political blog. My power to influence anyone's opinion is null. But I can't sleep, and these are the words rattling around in my skull. Ever since Trump got elected four years... Continue Reading →
The Art of Storytelling 
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