For us guys trying to survive, I’m going to start cooking class with a cherry pie. And why not? We could start with how to boil water, but then what do you have? Hot water. My way you end up with: 1. A Cherry Pie 2. Survival Confidence My wife Dona use to make a pie […]
Recently on Netflix I caught a Canadian TV series called MythQuest. Its first and only season was shown in 2001. As a science fantasy, MythQuest falls within the purview of our consideration as fantasy and science fiction fans. Let’s look at the concept, the writing, and the acting. Concept Any fantasy or science fiction dispenses […]
Another three short lessons learned from Dona on dating. In the last story, we had left my past self wondering if a girl friend-zoning one guy meant the same for all guys. I found that not to be the case. Now forward a bit in time. Common Dislikes Bring People Together Each college spring break, the […]
Invincibility is a story killer. The magic in fantasy or the technology in science fiction can be so awesome that nothing is able to stand against it. For storytelling, this is bad. Story needs conflict, a way to endure or overcome, a real chance of failure. If the hero is so endowed with greatness that […]
You’ve seen We Bought a Zoo? Remember when Matt Damon gets the lasagna? He goes home, crams it in his refrigerator, and shows the horror of the beast. Too much lasagna. Too much miscellany. Out of control. The refrigerator was overstocked and under-utilized. And the women were after him with the lasagna. This never happened […]
I’d like to give you a short thinker blog. Have you ever wondered if the epic tale of Frodo and the Ring of Power is actually the frame for a much more intimate tale of the value of friendship and loyalty? What if when stripped down, the real crux of the three books is perfectly […]
Dona was the consummate Christmas traditionalist. That is, of a sort. Her traditions weren’t the norm. She celebrated Christmas in unexpected ways, with customs refreshingly inspired. Learning was sure to follow. Act Like You Like It Even Though You Hate It I told my kids I was writing this blog, and two of them […]
Christmastime has its own set of fantasy movies. It seems that we enjoy hearing of the magic of strange species such as elves and flying reindeer and Whos, of adventure into alien landscapes such as polar factories and the insides of chimneys and Whoville. People like these things in December whether or not they hold […]
Time travel, ghosts, entities from another dimension. Now that’s great fantasy. But you mostly don’t think of Charles Dickens. More’s the pity. Fantasy A Christmas Carol is classic literature… and classic fantasy. The novel has what fantasy needs: Memorable characters going through extraordinary circumstances while facing daunting odds but eventually coming out victorious. In this […]
Single Then The last time I was single I had no responsibilities other than attaching my future goals into the present. I was in school and in love. Once married, my responsibilities increased at a manageable rate through graduation, getting a job, building a career, having a child, and another, and another, and another. I […]
