Alexa D. Wayne's Blog: Lexie Wayne Blog, page 2
March 27, 2022
Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
In 1991, the movie Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, saw the big screen and created quite a wave with young ladies of the time, such as me.
I became captivated by the folktale of Robin Hood and wanted to know more about medieval times, its beauty and its terror.
So here is my review of the first movie that had me fall for early medieval times and gothic history.
Original 1991 SummaryNobleman crusader, Robin of Locksley, played by the fantastic , breaks out of a Jerusalem prison with the help of Moorish fellow prisoner Azeem, interpreted by the exceptional talent of and travels back home to England.
Then, upon arrival, he discovers his dead father in the ruins of his family estate, killed by the vicious Sheriff of Nottingham, acted by the late and beloved .
Robin and Azeem join forces with outlaws Little John, played by and Will Scarlett represented by , to save the kingdom from the Sheriff’s villainy.
StorylineAfter being captured by Turks during the Crusades, Robin of Locksley and a Moor, Azeem, escape back to England, where Azeem vows to remain until he repays Robin for saving his life.
Meanwhile, Robin’s father, a nobleman loyal to King Richard the Lionhearted, has been murdered by the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham, who helped install Richard’s treacherous brother, Prince John, asking while Richard is overseas fighting the Crusades.
When Robin returns home, he vows to avenge his father’s death and restore Richard to the throne.
Even though Maid Marian, his childhood friend, cannot help him, he escapes to the Forest of Sherwood, where he joins a band of exiled villagers and becomes their leader. With their help, he attempts to cleanse the land of the evil that the Sheriff has spread.
A Tale for AdultsWhen I first saw the movie, I was so young that my mother cut the first few scenes and started the movie when Robin was back home in England. So, let’s skip to the first time I saw the entire movie as a teen.
Robin, volunteering himself to have his hand cut off by a dungeon master instead of another war captive, had me almost barfed in my mouth at the time.
However, Robin found a way to create so much chaos in the dungeon that he found himself capable of freeing all men from the Turks and cutting off the hand of the executioner.
The Dark Ages Were BrutalOther troubling scenes had me understand why my mother was hesitant to have me watch the movie at nine years old—thought it picked my curiosity about human history.
I couldn’t understand all that was going on; however, I developed a nerdy side for ancient times at a very young age.
The enjoyment of the sceneries and the clothing, the furniture and the simplicity of the time—that gave them the name, Dark Ages is exquisite.
So much so, I wanted to know if Robin Hood was real and if there was, in fact, such a hero that existed to save the people from famine, illnesses, and never-ending pain and sadness. I admired the hero that Robin Hood represented, and to this day, debates exist among historians to figure out the truth.
Thirty-One Years LaterI watched the movie not too long ago. My husband never liked it not because of the casting, of course, but because he maintains that Robin Hood’s tale was overdone, and he couldn’t stand the story on the screen again.
However, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves is the only proper representation of the hero that became a legend once back in the early Middle Ages.
The very thought of a man capable of standing against a greater evil, inspiring others strong enough to stand by his side, is necessary for humans to survive. Robin Hood represents justice, fairness and equality. Three words that to this day, we fight to keep honest.
The movie filmed in various places such as England and two towns in France was true to its time as an overall visual effect.
The scenery, always majestic and splendid, represented the feel of the time well. It almost felt as if you could smell the fresh air, the aroma of farm country with horses walking around and livestock.
I won’t lie, the visual of the movie is stunning, and this I say, even after thirty-one years.
The Attention To DetailThe clothing and artisanship behind all the details, from robes to jewelry and weaponry, were right on point. They portrayed the twelfth century quite well.
I believe the director and crew put much time and meticulous work in creating the perfect setting of the time was worth it.
The music composed by is impeccable and unforgettable. It fits the period like a glove, soothes every scene of the movie with grace, and adds to every action posed by the actors.
The movie is two and a half hours of a pure gothic classic folktale, and I can say that it doesn’t seem that long when watching it.
Showing A Backstory And DepthThe story well-presented and exceptionally well thought of from the beginning is a delight. Every detail is meticulously present, and every scene is necessary to tell Robin Hood’s story.
Also, what is impressive, is that Prince of Thieves showcases the backstory of Robin of Locksley, overlooks Prince John and instead focuses on the rivalry between Locksley and the Sheriff. Perfect choice.
The story’s pacing is perfect; there’s time to adjust to every change and action taking place.
I still enjoy the subplots with , her right-hand woman who is brave and, of course, other supporting characters that reveal quite charming while others are playing their roles well to be despised by the viewer.
Everything I Do I Do It For YouOf course, the classic and timeless song sung by Bryan Adams, Everything I Do, I Do It For You, is still to this day my favorite song of all time. It is my wedding song after all and that happened in 2017—just to say it still hold to this day.
Sadly, the official 1991 music video is not on YouTube anymore.Ever since I watched the movie for the first time, I promised myself it would be my wedding song, and two years ago, when the big day took place, it was.
The song was perfect and became an instant classic because of the movie.
The love between Robin Hood and Marian is quite palpable despite not entirely being the center of attention throughout the movie.
It represents the folklore so well that to this day, I believe it is a perfect tribute to the hero Robin Hood was and so Marian as she was a great help to her people too, defending orphans and protecting young girls to their adulthood.
OverallTo me, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves is a solid 9.5 out of 10. It used to be one of my favorite movies of all time and, to this day, still stands. The performance of the cast was perfect.
I didn’t speak of Marian much either, but she is a heroine worthy of mention throughout the movie. She is a victim of forced marriage, close to facing rape in front of a corrupted priest ready to marry her to a man she hates, the Sheriff.
We also see the brave side of her, the fighter, when helping a woman give birth, protecting girls and women the best she can and working her land to help her people rely on her to survive.
The presence of Marian is more than one of a simple love interest. One can understand why a hero like Robin of Locksley would fall for a warrior like her.
Also, despite Kevin Costner failing the English accent after taking courses, he is still a great Robin Hood. The movie was a box office success, and for a great reason. It was an epic gothic early Middle Ages movie.
February 14, 2022
When Blood Is Thinner Than Water
I do not enjoy talking about myself or my life. I like to keep my privacy within my house walls and a relatively tight circle of people. It is hard for me to accept what my life became and where I am heading. When blood is thinner than water it hurts my very life.
With that said, and this is where it gets trickier for me. I do not believe in a “higher purpose” or that “everything happens for a reason.” I do not think we are born with a predestined path to follow.
I have more of a scientific mind when it comes to life, and my approach to it is “it happened because it happened.” You have the choice of left or right, but that is your choice, not fate or destiny.
It doesn’t mean that once you are born because you have no purpose, there is no point in living. You choose to do with your life what you will and come what may you decide in the end if you matter or not. That is the beauty and cruelty of life…to me.
Dante’s Inferno says there are nine circles in Hell. Sometimes I believe that I might fall right to the bottom of it all. Nobody’s sinless, and my hands are no “whiter” than another. But what happened to me recently showed me that Hell is not as deep as one might think.
Six Feet DeepTo explain my pain and guilt, I must first say that I am an only child, and so is my mother. When she was pregnant with me at a young age, surprise-surprise, the father abandoned her. She lived with her parents, who ended up raising me so her life could continue, as it should have had without me.
Now that it’s out of the way, after both my grandparents passed, it hit me, “I’m kind of sort of an orphan.” The pain is real even though my mother is alive and well. The hole is present and is not going away. One would think my mother would reach out to me, and she did for a short while, but then it turned to radio silent.
Her husband takes much space in her life. It is all right. I am not a child, nor am I a young adult. I am married and share a pretty house with the love of my life in the sticks, accompanied by our dog, Carey. But, I felt shun as if dead while alive. I am a convenience when wanted and cast in the shadow once my part is played.
Maybe I’m just digging my own grave without the knowledge of it. When blood is thinner than water who’s to say it’s not what you’re supposed to do anyway?
Dig Deeper CreepMy mother’s husband, let’s call him Mr. X, was not a fan of me right off the bat. I’m in my mid-thirties. He met me I was maybe twenty-eight. I wear The Last Kingdom, Walt Disney, The Lion Guard, True Blood, Star Trek , Assassin’s Creed clothing. I love talking about the latest news at Nasa, the latest BBC documentary about history, Nat Geo Wild‘s research about sharks.
I don’t like mentioning things because it sounds condescending or as if I’m showing off. I usually keep my mouth shut. I’m not someone who likes having the spotlight off their heads. I went to acting schools for thirteen years of my life and learned ballet as well. My friends often refer to me as Ariel, Alice, Data or Ms. Sheldon/Cooper.
Yes, my knowledge of science, ancient history, and speculative science. When I was a kid, my grandmother did—for real—had me tested to know if I was crazy. I was not, but the results proved that my IQ was above average close to the qualifications of “Smart.”
It’s true I’m different than any other person in my family. Maybe when blood is thinner than water you don’t belong anywhere at all.
Many factors came in to play, I am a lefty, and the brain must adapt at a young age in a world that seems to be acting in reverse. I grew up in art, so the brain develops skills younger than most.
I used to have fascinations surrounding nature, oceans, phobias, fairy tales, and the unexplained. I watched shows going from “Battle Castle” to “Blue Planet” and everything in between to learn about myths and legends.
One of my greatest passions is vampires due to their presence in ancient civilizations from around the world. I’m talking from Africa to Australia, Denmark to Brazil going back millennia.
He qualified me as a creep.
When blood is thinner than water who gives a shit.
To pile on with subjects that rubbed me the wrong way with Mr. X was his disdain of the French people. Although living in Quebec, an Eastern French province in Canada, despises French married my mother, a Frenchwoman.
[image error]Pirate Ship Wreck by Arielle Belle LyonMy grandfather was raised in French-born Mohawk. My grandmother was raised in English but learned French as an Acadian woman from the Maritime province of New Brunswick. My mother learned both languages, but as she grew older, she used less of her English and turned more French. When blood is thinner than water DNA is all you have to call home.
I learned English at a young age, mostly on my own, and I’m married to an Englishman born in Quebec—he also knows how to speak, read and write French. I was raised not to judge anyone by where they are from but to be curious about the world. I did not travel much, but I met people from everywhere.
Travel The WorldMr. X traveled a lot all of his life and ended up working for Air Canada that permits him to travel even more. He never let an opportunity go to waste for reminding me that I am close-minded for not traveling. Sorry, I do not have the money to do so. Not everyone can decide one morning to go have dinner in England.
His misogynist tendencies showed when I noticed how much he would respect my husband’s opinion or another man but not the woman. My mother is submissive; I am not. My grandmother was an active feminist, and my grandfather taught me how a man should treat a woman: equally in every way. That was not what I witnessed.
Years In The MakingEvery time seeing my mother meant to see Mr. X, which triggered my PTSD, chronic anxiety, and the desire to enroll in the MMA to beat the shit out of someone. I have acute IBS, gluten, and lactose intolerances. I cannot digest meat and made fun of me and not miss one opportunity to point it out to everyone when gathering would occur.
Mr. X took quite a malicious pleasure in poking the bear in me for years now. Every chance he got at reminding me I’m not traveling, “This one is special she can’t eat anything,” my clothing style, my interests, or that my family’s white trash. If you are not of his family or circle or English Canadian with a penis, he might not like you. That should be his warning label.
He hurt me for the last time a few days ago. My closest friends heard me for years speaking of him driving me insane. He hated my grandpa—my Mufasa, not only because he was French but also because he was Native but had no proof.
My husband and I gave him a wake-up call when telling him he had the DNA test done, and so did many of his sisters and brothers.
Side note: I do not need to prove shit to anyone when it comes to my bloodline. He wanted me to take the test to prove my grandpa was Native. Guess what, I need no proof; my grandpa’s word is enough for me.
When blood is thinner than water no proof is a request. Being Native is not what would stop me from defending the rights of humans and try to remain on the right side of history.
Every Choice Has A PriceIt wasn’t enough to shit all over my grandfather’s bloodline or marry my mother as a trophy: you know, an Englishman marrying a French Native to prove he’s smarter than anyone else. He had to massacre the house that builds me and call it, “It’s just a pile of money for me. We do renovations for the value. I do not care about the house.”
He hates my French, bloodline, clothes, mental/digestive problems, sex, music. He hates that I don’t drink, don’t smoke, and basically my entire life. So, why in the nine circles of Hell did I let this man in my life? I did it for my mother. But it was enough. When blood is thinner than water sometimes the best is to remain an outsider.
Mr. X says he likes to debate, but what’s a discussion if all one does is poking the bear? Also, what is a debate if the person cannot let you try to make your point for the life of themselves? But instead, raise their voices over yours to make their point?
He said because I did mention my IQ, my many certificates, and advanced studies, that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to French people and Native Americans, “You can’t accept that you can’t win.”
Whatever, I’m not going to fight for that. However, he dared to mention Native Americans, and my husband gave him a warning not to go there because I know the behind the scenes.
Two words in, and I walked away.
Run To The HillsI packed up my stuff and left the house. I wished my mother walked away from the confrontation almost immediately to say I had to go and never come back. I took the decision for my sanity. Every time I stood in front of Mr. X was like I was skinned alive.
I could overlook many things, but my grandpa is my Mufasa, my King Triton. I will defend him until my last breath. Mr. X didn’t stop at the heating conversation or me being a “sore loser,” even though that wasn’t a debate. It was a lost cause from the beginning.
He walked outside and ordered me off the land that raised me. He insulted my intelligence, choice of clothing, and more as I was walking toward the car. My husband stopped him right after he gave me the finger. My mother stood there. I knew I was alone.
This Is MeI wish my mother love, happiness, and joy for the rest of her days. I hope she realizes that her husband suffers from much insecurity and needs professional help in the anger department. Wanting to continually have “debates,” the incapability to recognize someone else’s argument to be valid even though that so-said person has a vagina, is a problem.
As of today, they are both blocked from my life. It is not a question of time because it is not reversible. One can only give a hand so many times before the person decides to drown. I can’t let my mother drag me down with her. Mr. X was slowly killing me. Now, I must live with my choice: no more of them in my life.
I will be okay.
When blood is thinner than water all that is left is to find a bloodline to call your own.
January 23, 2022
Bravery To Stop My Shame
When I realized my body changed in the last year at an alarming rate, I panicked. The vicious circle I live in is panicking ticks my cardiophobia, my anxiety level, my destructive voice in my head, and my IBS. I need bravery to stop my shame.
For more than a week, I had to remain calm and mostly in bed. It is hard for someone like my who’s brain constantly runs a hundred miles an hour. The more I stay in bed, the less activity I do, and round and round we go.
[image error]Cardiophobia is the fear of hearing one’s heartbeat in any way, shape, or form. This means I must do low-impact activities. Lucky for me, I absolutely adore walking with my dog! The bad news is, as of recent, my dog—and writing assistant—as a fourteen-year-old dog is now officially too old for physical activity.
[image error]Carey is an adorable and very affectionate, and loving dog. Ever since an adult, Carey remained around the same weight and level of energy. To this day, she runs in the house, jumps, and turns in circles. We used to walk twice a day for forty-five minutes each time, and on Saturdays, there would be an extra two-hour walk at least.
Changing The RoutineAs a clinical OCD person, changes in my daily activities make me nauseous. It means that going for walks without my dog is inconceivable. For the last year, I have stopped going for walks. You can imagine the shock my body took.
[image error]Running shoesLiving with IBS creates this constant need for movement to make digestion tolerable. However, my dog—my soulmate, my baby, my best friend, and everything—not capable of walks anymore, put me on a dreadful road to pain.
The only consolation I got was to buy a stepping machine, a Frozen health watch, and relearn to eat right. Well, it turns out that it is way easier said than done. Every time I would walk toward the stepping machine, either something came up, or it’d be a staring contest.
[image error]You say I’m lazy? No, the staring contest was the visualization of every single thing that could go wrong. That’s not laziness. That’s OCD. I would imagine myself twisting my ankle due to my double-jointed congenital problem. I would see myself slipping and fracturing my skull, opening it and losing blood until my impending death.
Your Fate Is Inside YouBut, this new dream of moving to either Norway or a Quebec island turned into a goal. To live in either of those places, being in good shape, is of great help. I convinced myself that I could do it. My fate is inside me. I just have to be brave enough to see it, right?
[image error]Yet, again something changed in my life. I realized I was way more productive at night than during the day. I realized I had to train my body to sleep during the day and work at night. But most people laugh at the idea. It makes me reconsider how awkward and inconvenient my body is.
For that reason, my sleep and waking hours are all over the place. This situation causes a domino effect because I am hungry at strange hours and have a greater or lower appetite. I am inconsistent in everything. I have cibophobia, the fear of eating, and it grows everyday. I am losing control over my body and my mind. The body shaming surfaces and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
[image error]My fate is in the hands of the daylight people and not part of my land, soul, and head. I want one chance to change my fate. I want to return to “the” me I know I can be because I was once, and it wasn’t long ago.
Chase The Wind Touch The SkyWhen I decided to change my fate, I ordered three Disney Princess / Disney Villain cookbooks. Yes, you read right. Those cookbooks are for adults and are pretty tasty. But why did I go with Disney Princesses Cookbooks instead of the typical diet ones? Because it never worked with me. That is as simple as that.
[image error]Cook Up Some Magic with the Disney Princess Healthy Treats Cookbook!I decided to take care of myself and spoil myself a little. I did it before the end result because I thought it stupid to wait to reward ourselves when who’s to say how long I have left? Morbid? No, because I want to make the most of the time I am given.
Disney Princesses, especially Merida, is a passion of mine. She inspires me, and I relate to her to a quite profound degree. I am not as vibrant a redhead as she is—she literally has the head of hair I’ve always dreamed of possessing but never had. I am a brownish redhead with green eyes and a scary white skin complexion. I had people ask me if I was a low degree of albino!
[image error]Disney Pixar – Brave – Princess Merida DunBrochI might not be Scottish—according to 23andMe, I’m 89% French, but her personality and mine are identical. We also both have a crazy addiction to apples! I cannot say how much I love the Brave movie because there are no words to express it. I collect everything Brave, and due to my OCD, it’s out of control.
She Reminds Me Of My GoalI don’t want to be anyone else than me. But I do want to be healthy and happy. I want to do my podcast and write my novel and feel light and free. I don’t want this desire to feed my anxiety. I can’t crawl next to the toilet due to my IBS anymore.
[image error]I can be extreme in some of my ways to take care of myself, but it’s not to hurt me, but because it works. I learned how my body responds to specific triggers. IBS is vicious and treacherous. One day one nutrient is good, and the other, you’re on your knees, hoping your stomach won’t stretch and tear.
I am someone who eats very little, next to nothing at all. I must drink a lot of high-protein beverages. I can’t drink caffeine or decaf, for that matter, as it’s not suitable for my digestive system. There are so many restrictions that I gave up once or twice before, but I can’t keep ignoring the pain anymore.
[image error]Arielle Lyon — Autumn 2021If I want to be the live “French Canadian Merida,” I must keep my mind focused. I surround myself with what I love the most, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll find the bravery to walk the first steps on my machine.
All Those Drawings Of MeI record my hair color, style, and looks over the months with drawings I make. I inspire myself after Disney princesses and give them my looks. They also help remind me what I am, what I could be.
I am not walking out of the house anymore because I am afraid. The fear people look at me and judge me is so strong it’s paralyzing. Thinking of stepping outside has made me nauseous. I can’t look at myself in the mirror without wanting to cut myself everywhere. It hurts.
[image error]Arielle Lyon by Arielle LyonI don’t see myself anymore. I am not myself. I shut down over a year ago, and nothing seems strong enough to have me move. But I am starting today because it’s agony to wait. I want to tell the world I am brave. I found my fate.
Will you go on the journey with me?
July 28, 2019
Man of Steel Six Years Later Is Krypton That Backwards?
Man of Steel Summary
With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, and his wife seek to preserve their race by sending their infant son to Earth. The child’s spacecraft lands at the farm of and , who name him and raise him as their son. Though his extraordinary abilities have led to the adult Clark living on the fringe of society, he finds he must become a hero to save those he loves from a dire threat. — Google
Kryptonian Civilization Is Backwards?
One thing that is interesting with Superman is that unlike Batman, Krypton is a subject that doesn’t have much information. What we know is little, therefore, can be whatever someone decides it become. All we know is that Krypton faced destruction, and that is the reason why Kal-El arrived on Earth. Not much of a backstory aside from his parents trying to save their firstborn.
The movie Man of Steel presents Krypton as an ancient civilization dating back 20’000 years. They expanded their reach by sending out ships to colonize other planets. The species itself being quite advanced has an architectural distinctively resembling—in my opinion, a fit to a dystopian book.
The planet is on its last mile, running on fumes. Jor-El, part of this “high planetary council” tried to convince everyone about leaving Krypton, but alas, no one hears him.
The reproductive system of the Kryptonian is artificial, using the DNA of its people to procreate and each baby is therefore born in artificial amniotic liquid on vines kept in a sort of laboratory vault below the surface.
[image error]Man of Steel Movie – 2013
Lucky for Jor-El and —who we never know if she is simply Lara, La-Ra, or Lara-El. No, wait! She does have a full name never mentioned, Lor-Van, seems to make sense, right?
So, those two love birds were capable of procreating, organically, a male Kryptonian they named, Kal-El. Horrible timing, in any case. His home planet is just about to blow, and weirdly enough, the only pod available can only contain a baby.
Bad Parenting 101
We’re talking about a civilization that survived 20’000 years, that spread throughout the milky way in every direction, even Earth! Seriously, at that point, for all we know, they could be our ancestors or the missing link!
For such an advanced civilization, why wouldn’t they be capable of evacuating their planet? Suddenly no more starship worked of all those they used to colonize other planets? There is no other rock where Kryptonians survived?
Man of Steel Movie – 2013So advanced that they are not listening to their lead scientist who says the planet is about to go kaboom? No meteorologist, geologist, astrophysicist, or any job finishing with a ‘gist’ on that planet can support Jor-El’s theory?
Rolling Eyes
So, let’s accept the fact that everyone on that super advance planet—clearly working through a form of aristocratic system. This analysis comes from the fact that the planetary council works with prestigious Houses such as El and Zod, that they’re all ignorant.
Why didn’t Jor-El build a ship capable of sustaining his wife, baby and himself? Can someone explain that to me? It just happened that a pod could support Kryptonian life and an auto-drive to Earth?
[image error]Man of Steel Movie – 2013
Again, the planet is about to go kaboom, and the first organically born child’s life relies on an automated pod leading to Earth. That pod is so sophisticated that we assume it can deviate from comets, asteroids, space debris, alien attacks, among many other possibilities, and end up on a planet the parents “think” is suitable for their only child.
I’m not a parent, but please, do not launch your newborn baby in space! It’s a bad idea.
Of course, following the launch of Kal-El in space, Jor-El dies at the hands of the El enemy, . However, that is when we learn a bit more about Krypton and the history of his house. Zods are bred to protect Krypton and its DNA at all costs.
Man of Steel Movie – 2013You would think that biological birth would be something he welcomes, but instead, he considers it a form of treason to the Kryptonian tradition. It makes total sense I mean, it’s not like mammals are to reproduce by giving birth to a stranger through a vagina!
After the murder of Jor-El, here comes the Phantom Zone.
Something About Black Holes?
So, this mysterious Phantom Zone that Zod must pay as a punishment of his treason, quite a story if you ask me. Following a tribute to the original Superman II, Zod has two goons with him, a giant male one and a female who is quite skilled. They stand, all three of them, before the council and are ready for punishment.
General Zod explains the functionality of this Phantom Zone. So, the prisoners are facing a plane of existence of which location is in subspace. The only way in or out is through the Phantom Zone projector which, poetically, came from the scientific mind of Jor-El.
[image error]Man of Steel Movie – 2013
Sadly, after Krypton went “boom” General Zod and his loyalist followers worked together to morph the Phantom Zone into an engine, creating the Phantom Drive alongside a scientist.
How effective, this house of Zod. Also, he can hold a grudge for a long time. It took him thirty-three years before finally locating a Kryptonian signal leading to Earth itself! Thanks to Kal-El who decided to activate a 20’000 years old spacecraft frozen in the arctic.
Ah, Dear Krypton
This backstory of Krypton is full of potential if you take aside the plot holes. I mean, with what we are aware of now, an ancient civilization may move from planet to planet. However, with such advanced technology, do not make them doubt the word of their lead scientists.
Suggestions? Krypton is a planet, if as massive as Jupiter, imagine the population itself? They could first lose contact with their other planet. They are in a panic to try and save all the data they can. Evacuation of an entire civilization is undergoing.
Why could it be so quick and out of the blue? Instead of years in the making, why not an experiment that went wrong like creating an unstable singularity? Oops, we just gave birth to a freaking black hole! No time to explain, let’s evacuate.
Good Parenting
Why would Kal-El be alone, again, a newborn? Why not have him in a safe module, the ship has his parents in stasis not to arrive at Earth at 300 years old or something.
But then it went wrong, their life support cut off and they died before reaching Earth while Kal-El, because he was on his life-support module due to needs being different because he was a newborn, survived.
[image error]Man of Steel Movie – 2013
Wouldn’t that make more sense?
Like I said, the idea, its foundation, and choices for actors, absolutely impeccable. The execution and frosting, a little too sweet and a little too naive.
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July 24, 2019
Frankenstein Book Cover Reveal from the Supra Project
The SUPRA PROJECT Series
The Slicer was built to map the multidimensional wormholes and black holes in the universe. The crew would and went where no one else dared, as there was no guarantee of ever returning home.
Commanded by a rather strange captain, its crew faced the darkest demons that the universe had to offer. The Slicer crew was continually on high alert.
[image error]The Dome Corporation – Supra Series logo by Alexa Wayne
The Dome, associated with the Rakes, and the Alliance, forced Captain Caldwell to try and bring an end to their reign of terror. Meanwhile, they enslaved each solar system one by one throughout the multidimensional map to reach the Grey Codex.
In her head, images of emptied eye orbits appeared, mouths without tongues, and her shooting…it just didn’t go away.
Frankenstein, Supra Project series book #1
Frank N. Stein, was caught in what appeared to be a temporal war. Unknown to her, she carried within her the DNA, and knowledge of the Greys. Frankie was just a 21st-century ufologist, forced to become much more than she ever expected when abducted by Caldwell.
Now, like the Slicer crew, Frankie lived outside the multidimensional timeline to protect its integrity.
Welcome to the 26th century.
FRANKENSTEIN Summary
Frankie is a 21st-century computer programmer, turned ufologist when she is approached by the members of the LSS Slicer crew. The starship being commanded by Captain Caldwell. She becomes their most significant asset in the temporal war.
[image error]Frankenstein – Supra Project series by A.D. Wayne
Their enemies were ready to die for a spectre of her DNA. The Dome and Rakes in the Scorpius Quadrant forged a betrothal with the Orion Quadrant’s defence, the Alliance. Nowhere is safe anymore.
Within Frankie’s DNA, is the infinite knowledge of the Greys. It hides within it how to revive their technology and share their knowledge. Frankie had to remain safe. Like her life, if compromised, could easily mean the end of the Milky Way. Life as she knew, completely shredded.
“You carry something that we thought never survived human DNA.” — Dr. Gillman.
Frankenstein, Supra Project series book #1
Caldwell promised to keep Earth’s history safe by using Frankie’s knowledge of her home, untainted by the Dome’s time traveling. Caldwell would use Frankie to re-establish her timeline and all others until the Dome’s complete alienation. Not everyone believed Caldwell deserved trust.
The mission: save time and space from the 26th century at all costs.
Time Travelling
Time traveling is a subject that fascinates people. Humankind, often think about the past, which brings up nostalgia in some cases and regrets to others. People
wonder about the future and if our dreams might come true or the entire opposite. We rarely think about the present moment despite its uniqueness. After all, it is part of the past and future all at once.
As a result, scientists researched the possibility of traveling through time. To understand it, you must step outside the box of human’s brain condition. We learn time on a clock, but this isn’t what we’re talking about here.
[image error]Star Trek – The Next Generation – Fan Art by Kurumi-Morishita
We’re talking about sequences that imprinted itself in “time.” Time isn’t linear, nor is it a thing. Time isn’t tangible, and it isn’t transparent. Time is alive in its own right.
The complexity of time traveling is best explain with Star Trek as a reference. The franchise developed a taste for having at least one episode in each title where a time loop occurred.
The difficulty resulting in time loop episodes is the scientific explanation often resolved as a space anomaly, and the detailing it requires. It almost demonstrates that time could be a bubble.
So Many Possibilities
A time loop is like a glitch in the space-time continuum, causing a moment to repeat itself over and over. Some speculative scientists say that it occurs more than we think, resulting in us creating the expression, “Deja vu.”
Furthermore, time is a subject physicists are still learning about today. They understand it on a level we don’t. Some strictly believe in the Newtonian Schema, while others prefer to work with the Lagrangian Schema.
[image error]The Alliance – Supra Series logo by Alexa Wayne
However, what is sure, is that now physicists are considering the one sci-fi theory that needs exploration. They are looking into the theory that past, present, and future coexist all at once.
Time-traveling and multidimensional space is becoming more of a probability each day. Each, of course, sharing time as its focus. In every dimension possible, or infinite timeline, there is a possibility where time is already a vacation location.
Why? Because in that dimension, humankind accepted that in the end, there is no bigger picture.
Sad But True
We are not as important as we believe we are. No one or anything governs time. Time as we know it is, in fact, irrelevant. What counts is what we do with moments and sequences we have.
The past can’t be changed, and the future is uncertainty? That remains a mystery for the moment, but not for long. However, you can comfort yourself in the thought that somewhere, in one of those infinite timelines, you made a choice “not to do” or “to do.”
[image error]Frankenstein – Supra Project series by A.D. Wayne
In the meantime, remember to grab a copy of Frankenstein on Tuesday, August 6th, 2019! Alternatively, to pre-order a signed and numbered copy by A.D. Wayne from the Special
Limited Collectible Edition with tons of extras! It has sketches done by A.D. Wayne, first unedited draft, private notes and preview of the next sci-fi series tied to Frankie!
Don’t miss out!
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July 2, 2019
Team Basement Holds Captain Lorca
GALAXY: Milky Way, PLANET: Earth, SPECIES: Humanoid. OCCUPATION: Fan Base, GENRE: Jason Isaacs…
IDENTIFICATION OF HUMANOID Organization: Team Basement
Team Basement is an unofficial fan club at 100%. It formed accidentally on Twitter in February 2018. We have grown in numbers and now have members in ten countries and spread over three continents.
I like to think people come in for the pictures and stayed for the love, support, and good laughs. Many of us have met in real life, attended conventions together, or just met for drinks and friendship.
Though we don’t have a hierarchy, I often get touted as a leader and truthfully, I’m a bit loud and probably at my happiest when I’m organizing things.
[image error]
SEARCH: ENQUIRY: TEAM BASEMENT INTERROGATION
Alexa Wayne (A.W.): When have you first thought about creating the fan club Team Basement?
VINTAGE1983: I didn’t! Being honest, I didn’t have any plans or intentions of creating anything. Perhaps one of the most extraordinary things about it is that it happened rather organically. It went from a small group of friends I had made to a ‘thing’ with a hashtag and people who regard themselves as members of a group.
I think I get this ‘leader’ tag under being the loudest. I am indebted to Deb, Amy, Heather, Lindsay, and Rachel. We made, and remain good friends, and they were very much the original ‘Basement.’
A.W.: Would you please give us an explanation as to why the fan club is called Team Basement?
VINTAGE1983: Around the end of Star Trek Discovery Season 1, tweeted a lovely shot of the cast holding a ‘Find Prime Lorca’ sign. I responded that he was fine and well, currently living in my basement and would be back for Season 2—I’ll get to that disappointment later.
It gathered a bit of traction, and I got chatting with people as you do and was encouraged to write a comedy fan-fiction about poor old Prime Lorca learning to cope with his new life away from Starfleet, in the home of a school teacher in 21st Century, North-East England.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
Captain’s Basement Log ended up on Archive of Our Own, and I expected it to have a niche audience of about three friends. I’m told it’s funny but needs to come with a guide to some of its uniquely British references. I feel like the reality is somewhat less salacious than people sometimes assume.
The first time one of our group met Jason, a lovely lady called Kat, he knew all about us—Team Basement, but had assumed it was a reference to the O.A. and Hap’s basement.
A.W.: Clearly, you are all fans of the British actor, Jason Isaacs, what is about this particular actor that you enjoy or admire the most?
VINTAGE1983: I’m not sure I’m allowed to say in polite conversation! I feel obliged to mention his blue eyes on behalf of the actor, . Ken has appeared in Star Trek Discovery as three Klingons, Kol, Kol-Sha, and Tenavik, but also appeared in the slightly more obscure Tennis Anyone alongside Jason.
The lovely blue eyes comments are something of a running joke. Ken entertained some of us so much at Destination Star Trek in Birmingham last year. We felt compelled to add an attic extension to the Basement!
Of course, there is admiration on a superficial level, but it’s nice that as an actor he unites the might franchises of Star Trek, Harry Potter and Star Wars.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
I think as largely likeminded souls, rather a lot of us admire and relate to Jason’s political beliefs, his sense of humor, commitment to good causes. His talent as an actor. I can hear a communal sigh from deep within the basement at all of that.
A.W.: I was told by a quite useful source that you had a specific shirt made for Jason Isaacs. Why did you make him a shirt?
VINTAGE1983: We didn’t get it made, but it was too good not to take as a gift. Jason has been a very vocal critic of Brexit. We are not a political group with a homogenous set of views, but as an international group with members from across Europe and beyond.
A lot of us share a belief that we are better together. When I presented him with a ‘Bollocks to Brexit’ t-shirt on behalf of the group, he did promise to wear it and be photographed in it.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
Even so, it was lovely to see it appear at the FACTS convention in Belgium and on Instagram on the day of the European elections.
A.W.: Most Star Trek Discovery fans were disappointed to see Captain Lorca die near the end of the first season. What are your theories about either Terran Captain Lorca or Prime Captain Lorca?
VINTAGE1983: My theories about Prime Lorca’s whereabouts are well documented. In all seriousness, if anyone picks up Dayton Ward’s Discovery novel Drastic Measures without giving away any spoilers, there is a glimmer of hope in there for Lorca fans.
We are clinging on to it. Part of me hopes he’s raising merry hell in the Terran universe, preferably with Mirror Cornwell in tow!
A.W.: We are a science-fiction based webzine. So, I must ask if you did watch, Event Horizon, and if so, what were your thoughts on Jason Isaacs’ character of Doctor D.J.?
VINTAGE1983: Event Horizon should shoulder the blame for all of this. I watched it on VHS, preferably late at night as a teenager and remember vividly that French footballer David Ginola instantly ceased to be the world’s sexiest man.
Poor DJ meets a grisly end, and I’m confident I had read it was intended that he would still be alive and begging for mercy when Miller arrived. I can also say there has been extensive interest in the Basement about what became of the full body cast taken for the death scene, in the interest of science and research of course!
[image error]Event Horizon – 1997
At the very least it was a proper preparation for twenty years as a Jason Isaacs fan, his characters have an awful habit of dying.
A.W.: I had a conversation with some friends about whom either should’ve been James Bond or should now be once Daniel Craig leaves after James Bond 25. I mentioned that theoretically, Jason Isaacs could’ve been chosen instead of Daniel Craig being about 2 years apart in age. What are your thoughts?
VINTAGE1983: I think he would have made a fantastic Bond. Sadly, I think Clark Devlin the Tuxedo is as close as we might ever get, but we live in hope. I honestly think he could play Bond starting tomorrow, but the realist in me says that ship may have sailed.
A.W.: What is the goal of Team Basement when it comes to the fandom?
VINTAGE1983: I am very sure I am not without my detractors, but in a climate of sometimes toxic fandom, Jason’s fans are primarily a charming group of people and either directly, or by association all seem to know each other!
The things I am most proud of are the relationships between people and the charity fundraising we have been able to do. A group of predominantly, though not exclusively, women of all ages and thanks to the wonder of time zones and being spread across the world provide a twenty-four-hour support network for each other.
I have seen people grow in confidence and move forward in their real lives because of the love and support they get from each other. One of the girls once described the group as a lifeline. I was very moved and overwhelmed to have been part of that journey.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
In the 18 months, we have been a group we have raised close to £3000, split between The Red Cross, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and Lumos. It’s been fantastic to have a platform to do something meaningful for good causes. I think fandom is about bringing people together as much as the famous faces and franchises they follow.
A.W.: I know you’ve met Jason Isaacs. How was it the first time you met him, and what type of person would you say he is?
VINTAGE1983: He’s a charming bloke, gracious and appreciative of his fans. I am incredibly biased, of course. I met him again a few months later, and he remembered me, even down to where I worked, as well as my friend and Basement partner in crime, Deb.
He must meet hundreds of fans, and it meant a lot. It’s both strange and lovely that people meet him at events all over the world and introduce themselves to him as a member of Team Basement. His messages are always positive and encouraging.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
Despite my often-filthy sense of humor and love of a cheeky comment. I feel like he understands above all we are just having much fun, indulging in some harmless escapism and taking care of each other.
I would also add I was fortunate enough to meet his Dad at an Education conference Jason spoke at. He is also an adorable chap, and I encourage Jason to bring him to more events!
A.W.: What is your favorite movie with Jason Isaacs, and why?
VINTAGE1983: My friend told Jason she loved everything he had been in. He responded that he didn’t! I loved the Harry Potter films, most people did, but Peter Pan has a special place in my heart.
It isn’t perfect, but he is the definitive Captain Hook and having heard him speak about it at panels, he very much understands why it speaks to women.
Besides that, a mutual admiration for his Hook led me to one of the most distinctive and precious people in my life, and for that, I will always be eternally grateful.
A.W.: If we go back to speculations, what would be a science-fiction role you would like him to either take back (as reclaiming and acting) or pick in the future?
VINTAGE1983: I am a vocal advocate for Lorca to return to our screens. As a massive fan of Doctor Who, I would also love to see him appear there somewhere. I am confident the role of the Doctor was mentioned before the 2005 reboot.
[image error]Property of Vintage1983 – Team Basement
I suppose I understand why he might have turned it down. It would be nice to see him play the good guy, but a massive part of me thinks he would make a fabulous Master opposite Jodie Whittaker’s Doctor.
A.W.: As the last question, do you believe in a multiverse and if so, do you believe Team Basement lives there too, and Captain Lorca still exist?
VINTAGE1983: Though I claim to be at least half Terran, if there are other universes, I hope any iteration of Team Basement is as warm, friendly, and supportive.
The multiverse of the O.A. can also give us hope that at least one of us, in some version of the universe or other at the very least managed to get a snog behind the bike sheds!
A.W.: So, Vintage1983, where can people reach you if they would like to know more about your fan club and Team Basement in general?
VINTAGE1983: I’m easily tracked down on Twitter @Vintage1983V and via the hashtag #teambasement. I’m active on Instagram as Vin_of_the_Basement though I share a lot of my Star Trek artwork there, rather than group related shenanigans.
[image error]Star Trek Discovery – CBS All Access
I feel like we need a Facebook presence, and it’s my next task. I’m also @lorcastightpants on Tumblr, and my blog is pretty J.I. content heavy. Feel free to drop in and say hello and meet the gang!
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June 30, 2019
One Green Rubber Band One Red
Official Summary
After getting in a car accident with his wife and teenage son, Detective Michael Britten finds himself alternating between two different realities. One minute he is navigating a world where his son survived but his wife perished and the next he is in another reality in which his wife is the one that survived.
In order to keep both loved ones alive, Britten begins living in dueling realities. To try to regain some normalcy in his life, the detective returns to solving crimes in both worlds, with a different partner in each. — Google
Awake NBC Series – Season 1
93% Liked the show from Google, 7.9 on IMDb, 80% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.3/10 on TV.com
At First Glance
Ask any author, one of the hardest subjects of a show or novel to write is when crossing dimensions or time loops. The success of the entire story revolves around meticulous attention to detail. One must keep track of every single breadcrumb left behind. As if this dimension crossing wasn’t enough to give birth to Awake, the creators added the detective factor to it.
I am not a cop/detective fan, I used to be all over Law & Order SVU, but it got to that one too many dark and depressing episode, and I decided it was enough. Then, I got to my cop show limit, and that was it.
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
So, for years, I gave up the genre, and so Awake passed me by in 2012. Recently, while doing some research, I stumbled upon Jason Isaacs’ filmography and noticed the low sci-fi show. Intrigued, I tried overlooking the fact that it was a detective series and focused on the science fiction factor.
The show had impressive acting, good mysteries, and no dull moments. Every single episode was crucial to the next. The mystery remained a secret to the very end.
To some, it might sound like a complicated series, trust me, it isn’t, and the director had the right way of keeping it simple for the viewer.
Keeping It Straight
Imagine you wake up one morning and beside you is your spouse, yet, someone is missing because that person died. You go to the funeral and try to mourn yourself to sleep.
Then, the next morning you wake up alone in your bed and the person who died, is alive waking you up, and you go to your spouse’s funeral and again, mourn yourself to sleep. The next day, that person is alive and so on.
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
What would you think? That you have schizophrenia or having psychotic episodes or maybe night terrors? What if you believe it to be true because both worlds are too real and you are aware of being awake?
How do you keep yourself straight in each reality? How do you process the notion of juggling back and forth between two dimensions and explain the science behind it?
Rubber Bands
Well, found a way. He wears rubber bands around his left wrist. The red one represents life with his wife, while the green one is for his son. Victim of a car accident where on his file’s notes it says he drank that night, Britten doesn’t remember anything from the accident and suffers from short-term memory loss or suppression of memory.
He has to go, in each reality, to a psychiatrist who is different in each dimension. Each episode shows Britten in a session but don’t this those to be boring. They reveal something about his perspective and one of a rational outside psychiatrist.
[image error]
Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
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When with his wife, the male doctor is more strict and insist on pushing him out of his fantasy where his son is still alive. Meanwhile, in his son’s reality, the woman doctor is impressed by the way Britten’s brain managed to keep him above water by creating a sub-reality for his wife to be alive.
Two entirely different worlds. In both, Britten is an active detective resolving different cases. Each was bringing him closer to resolve the mystery of why he is between two separate worlds.
The Beauty of Color
When Britten wakes up in his son’s reality, the color spectrum of the world is in colder colors of blues and greens and always a little darker. Cold colors are often associated with noble characteristics, as well as loyal, and related to hope.
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
In that reality, Britten is with his partner, “” that he’s been for years. They work cases together and ever since Michael Britten came back to work despite Captain Harper’s resistance to it, he has hunches about the cases. Well, they’re not as many hunches as they are clues from the other cases from the other dimension he visits.
Following a day in his son’s world, Michael Britten wakes up to his wife in his arms. The colors are warmer in a palette of yellows and reds — colors that represent warmth, passion, anger, intellect, and sometimes disturbance.
[image error]
Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
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While in that dimension, Britten is with a new Latino partner. “Michael’s babysitter.” refused to keep Britten alone in a time he should be mourning. To avoid a mental collapse, Detective Vega is there to assist Britten.
His hunches are not as well received by the newbie; after all, he doesn’t know Britten. Despite always ending up right, Britten often has to stay vague about his clues coming from his other reality.
What’s Different Than Another Cop Show?
If it was only a cop show, despite ‘ acting, I wouldn’t watch it. However, the fact that Detective Britten has to jump back and forth between realities every single night. Moreover, he once found himself stuck in his wife’s reality believing the psychiatrist was right sand; it was all a dream.
There was a scene where you see a father’s heart shattering to pieces had me on the verge of tears. The eyes slowly turning red, cheeks flushing, and the tears dripping faster and faster. I thought I witnessed an accurate mental breakdown.
[image error]
Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
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The science fiction is the beautiful factor of the series. As a result, I watched the entire show in four evenings. Also, Britten must solve a total of two cases per episode or is working two at the same time in two different realities. One of them being the Super Bowl!
So, the difference between Awake and another cop show? The will of a father wanting to fight to keep both his son and wife alive i.e., refusing to get better.
A Background Resolution
While the show lasted only for a season, I am giving the benefit of the doubt on how it ended. I suspect Awake had something in store for a second season. Otherwise, the ending is an epic fail for me. However, don’t stop yourself from watching the season because it does come to a resolution.
Also, my taste might quite differ than yours! It depends on how “dramatic” you can be. Because I am an author, science fiction, and horror fan and artist, I was expecting something grandiose.
[image error]
Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
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*** WARNING: As of this point, there are spoilers!
Consider yourself warned! ***
From the second episode, I concluded that neither Britten’s wife or son was alive. I expected him to come to his senses eventually and realized he was alone. Either mourning in his house or capable of functioning, but his nights spent working his stress through jumping back and forth between “realities.”
While the two realities vastly diverged from one another to the point where in Britten’s wife reality, he ends up arrested and charged with the murder of his ex-partner, it concluded.
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
The big reveal? Britten was in a dream within a dream. He wakes up alone in his house, goes down the stairs, his left wrist missing either rubber bands. Once Britten walks in the kitchen, his son comes in and asks if he could bring him to school. Then, his wife mentions something to him. All’s well that ends well. They lived happily ever after.
I couldn’t accept it.
So, I theorized that it was one possibility out of two. The first hypothesis being that in the second season, Britten’s mind is slowly coming together and in one reality, his wife and son are alive and the other, he is alone. After all, there was a serial killer going after him still unsolved. The second hypothesis, Britten, was in a coma and died, hence him joining his family because of the episode before he had a mortal wound and lost much blood.
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
Either way, something was missing to conclude the series. Whether Awake got cancel before the end of the season and the writers had to rush the writing, or they expected other seasons to come forth. There was a possibility of a better ending.
*** NO MORE SPOILERS! ***
All In All
Awake is worth watching. It is only thirteen episodes, and they are worth it. As said before, the acting and quality of filming are excellent and entertaining. The mysteries and cases are intriguing and well explained.
The show is easy to understand and appreciate. It has enough intrigue to have the viewer coming back. The ratings are there to prove it, people who enjoy sci-fi give this a try!
[image error]Awake – NBC Original Series – 2012
The last episode disappointed me, but I still enjoyed it and still highly recommend it. Hopefully, maybe one day, the idea can be picked up again!
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June 27, 2019
The Path of Empathy in Dark Phoenix
A
Difference of Opinion
I
work at 20th Century Fox, now part of Disney, which is the studio
behind Dark
Phoenix,
the latest and possibly last in the current X-Men series. Having disclosed
this, I’d like to share some personal thoughts on the film’s message.
Critics
have already chimed in with broadly negative
reviews, and ticket
sales significantly dropped after the
film’s release. But I strongly disagree with the prevailing harsh criticisms. In
fact, I’m not sure I saw the same film they did.
[image error]Marvel Comics – Dark Phoenix
Although
I wish it had a longer runtime to enrich layers to the characters, the film is well-crafted,
features brilliant Hans
Zimmer music, and has an important message about
empathy.
Context
is the Key
In
an interview
with KCRW, the writer-director Simon
Kinberg reflected his thoughts on the
perceived failure of the film.
“…it didn’t connect enough with audiences that did see it. So that’s on me.” He further elaborated, “People will come to see the movie differently, and out of the context of this particular moment, see things in it they will appreciate.” – Simon Kinberg
Simon Kingberg
Kinberg’s
point about context is important. I watched the film twice as a father who
understands difference and isolation, and in turn nurtures a daughter with
similar experiences and anxieties.
[image error]Marvel Comics – Dark Phoenix
The
compassionate arc that Professor Xavier
takes in this film as a father figure, along with his failings of protection
amidst good intentions, has relatable symmetry within the framework of my own story.
Primarily for that reason, the film deeply resonates within.
Fear
is the Problem
As
uniquely gifted individuals boldly reveal themselves, it can elicit fear of
otherness, like that affecting the X-Men. In collective experience, this then shapes
itself into a gripping vice of societal judgment and exclusion, hindering
authentic expression.
If
constant and forceful, alienation can sneak deep within our souls. Once that
happens, we become anchored to hardened moorings of self-doubt, indecision, and
depression. We question our worth and our place in the larger scheme.
[image error]Marvel Comics – Dark Phoenix
With
these negative forces left unchecked, any gifts we have to offer the world instead
become weaponized and destructive, to ourselves and others. An ongoing cycle of
fear and isolation then gets reinforced, and we scream to be set free.
Empathy
is the Solution
As
Jean
Grey found when rising like a phoenix
from her pain-filled ashes, it is forgiveness, emotional connection, and the bond
of family that can help liberate one’s soul. Often it also takes a loving, patient
mentor to support one down that path, as exemplified by Professor X.
Empathy
is the willingness of one to understand the fears, desires, and sufferings of
another. It’s a heart of compassion that willingly acts to strengthen another
after first understanding their needs. Although empathy is sometimes as selfish
as it is altruistic, when done with gracious intent, it can transform a world
of polarizing fear and division.
[image error]Marvel Comics – Dark Phoenix
In this regard, I
hope Dark Phoenix finds renewed engagement with fans on an emotional
level. The film celebrates diversity and its power to evolve us into a sum that
is greater than its parts. It also inspires us to be conduits of compassion for
broken souls and for those struggling with being different.
Through
honesty and empathy, we can help others embrace their authentic selves to
discover they are not truly broken, but only temporarily astray from awakening their
wondrous potential.
Christopher Pufall
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June 26, 2019
Did You Know About Hot Ice?
Fiction is capable of imagining many strange things, from C-beams glittering in
the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate, to the Great Barrier at our galaxy’s center.
But occasionally, reality passes its beer to a friend and rolls up its sleeves
to show us new wonders.
Exotic Ice In sci-fi
As far back as 1932, Nobel-Prize winner Irving Langmuir entertained author H.G. Wells with the idea of a form of solid water that was stable at room temperature.
Neither of them went on to publish anything involving this radical idea, but author Kurt Vonnegut’s Ice-IX and Stephen Baxter’s Anti-Ice have since provided entertainment in the form of global catastrophe and an exotic steampunk power source respectively
Since the
1960’s, new polymorphs of our favorite refreshing drink have been postulated,
with physicists predicting that crushing pressures should squeeze water into
superionic forms. But now, real-life Ice-VIII is intriguing scientists and
astronomers alike.
[image error]
Following observations of a new exoplanet orbiting the star GJ436—30 light years from Earth, astronomers were astonished to conclude that the massive world was composed largely of ice, covered by a thin hydrogen shell.
Similar
in size to Neptune, but orbiting 13 times closer to its sun than Mercury, GJ436b
whirled around the star in only four days.
Until Recently
Sara
Seager, an extrasolar planet expert at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, called the discovery “a huge step in the direction of finding
and characterization of a habitable planet.”
“It’s over two times smaller than all the other planets” detected using the transit technique. “It’s a completely different kind of planet.”
Sara Seager, Planet Expert, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Until recently, only Jupiter-sized worlds could be detected crossing in front of their parent star.
[image error]Solar System
Based on
its size and mass, scientists think the GJ436b is composed mostly of water,
because if the planet were a gas giant like Jupiter or Saturn and contained
mostly hydrogen and helium, it would be much larger, but if it was composed of
rock and iron like Earth and Mars, it would be much smaller, the scientists
say.
Of
course, at only 2.5 million miles from the star, it would be natural to
conclude the water would exist as steam, but despite a surface temperature of
over 300 degrees, the water appears solid, in the form of ‘hot ice.’ Extreme
temperatures and pressures, it seems, can crush the frozen substance into
increasingly odd varieties.
Earth Sciences
According
to Frederic Pont of Geneva University, the inferred composition of the planet
is very much like that of Neptune, which is also made mostly of ice. “If you
bring Neptune nearer to the Sun and it’s heated outside to 300° C, that’s
exactly what you get.”
Earth-bound
scientists at California’s Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have recently
managed to reproduce the conditions thought to exist on GJ436b in the
laboratory, and succeeded in creating ‘Ice VIII,’ one of the seventeen known exotic
forms of water.
[image error]Neptune
“Yes, it’s
ice,” study leader and physicist Marius Millot confirmed, “But at several
thousand degrees.” The team reports that this electrically conductive ice
exists at pressures between one and four million times sea level pressure and
temperatures half as hot as the surface of the sun.
“It’s
quite an exotic state of matter,” co-author Federica Coppari of the Livermore
lab points out. The team’s measurements showed that the water ice briefly
became hundreds of times more electrically conductive than it had previously
been, a strong hint that it had gone superionic.
Closer In Time
In their latest tests, the researchers used six powerful lasers to generate a sequence of shockwaves which crunched a thin layer of liquid water into solidified ice at millions of times Earth’s surface pressure, and at temperatures approaching 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
[image error]
Precisely timed x-ray flashes probed the configuration, confirming that the oxygen atoms had adopted a crystalline form, where individual water molecules break apart.
The
oxygen atoms form a cubic lattice, but the hydrogen atoms spill free, flowing
like a liquid through the rigid cage of oxygens. Coppari says this is the first
time water ice has been observed taking on such an arrangement, in a manner
reminiscent of carbon being compressed into diamond.
“The fact that matter can arrange itself in such a large variety of forms is quite astonishing,”
Dr. Roberto Car, Princeton University
Uncovering Mysteries
The team’s results are already causing a rethink of our understanding of Uranus and Neptune, the distant ice giants at the outer reaches of the Solar System. Comprised of around 65 percent water, plus some ammonia and methane, these enormous worlds are believed to contain a rocky-metallic core the size of Earth.
[image error]Neptune
What surrounded the core was largely a mystery, but the new experiments suggest that Uranus and Neptune should have a superionic ice layer, which could explain why they have unusual magnetic fields.
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” – Hamlet
William Shakespeare
The
magnetic fields of Earth, Jupiter, and Saturn are all thought to be created by
internal dynamos near their cores, similar to planet-sized bar magnets aligned
with the planets’ centers.
Edge of Uranus
However, Neptune’s magnetic field appears to come from a bar magnet that has drifted down to one side, with its ends emerging from spots halfway to the equator.
Uranus’ is even stranger, with its magnetic south at the planet’s northern hemisphere. Both ice giants’ magnetic fields are suspected of being unstable.
[image error]
Millot
has suggested that there could be an electrically conductive layer of water-ice
at the top edge of Uranus and Neptune’s superionic ice layer, another exotic phase
of water.
The planets’ magnetic fields might originate here, far closer to the surface than the magnetic fields of other worlds, potentially explaining their unusual and unstable characteristics.
And since astronomers are now discovering many new exoplanets, the findings could be applicable to many of Uranus and Neptune’s distant cousins.
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June 25, 2019
Animorphs Review The Visitor
Rachel’s The Narrator
One of the things that I love about this series is that you never have a book come from the same point of view in a row. K.A. takes all of her characters into play and while the first book was from Jake’s point of view, this one is from Rachel’s.
She begins out with the same intro we will continue to see about how no last names, no personal information will be given. They are in enough danger from the Yeerks as it is. Rachel proceeds in the first chapter to give us an update and recap on what happened last issue and just what Earth is facing.
“The Yeerks were parasites. In their natural state they were just big slugs who lived in a sludgy pond called a Yeerk pool. But the Yeerks have the power to take over other bodies. They have enslaved many races throughout the galaxy — the Taxxons, the Hork-Bajir, and others. And now they had come to Earth, looking for more bodies to control.”
Animorphs by K.A. Applegate
There are other races of aliens fighting the Yeerks but for those on Earth it is a waiting game, one in which they really cannot afford to wait as our heroes are watching friends and family being basically assimilated to the Yeerk agenda.
I really love the different voices you get as you read the series, it creates not only a depth of character but also you really get to learn what makes up each character and what drives them.
[image error]Animophs by K.A. Applegate
Starting Out
The gang is getting the hang of their morphing abilities, although Cassie has got a much better control than the others. I think this is due to her love and understanding of animals in general, both parents work either rescue or vet fields. This is an empathic trait they have helped their daughter harness.
With all the failure of their mission in the first book, the anamorph team is divided on wanting to try again. Cassie of course is the peacemaker, with Rachel and Jake being gung ho to go again with a new plan, Marco is of course straining to be the voice of reason when his logic is snuffed out.
The kids know their Assistant Principal Chapman has a Yeerk in his head, but they also suspect his daughter Melissa has the same affliction. Rachel talks about how they used to be friends and how Melissa has had a behavior change, going from competing and training in gymnastics to literally no care at all.
Rachel hesitates to use a friend this way but in the end she sees that this is also a way to help her.
[image error]Animorph by Applegate
Things get worse when a guy hassles Rachel and being spiteful she half morphs into her animal form to scare him off. Just moments after she normalizes, Chapman and Melissa show up to offer a ride, having seen the guy hassling her. Worse yet, her shoes were destroyed from the morph. When hoe we get a peek into the home life of Rachel, and as I stated before this is one of the parts of the book I love.
It shows us that these characters have something to fight for and each reason is different from the others, but holds the same strength. We get to see Rachel’s mom and siblings, how their life is normally.
After dinner Rachel calls the gang to have them come over and explain what happened. They talk about infiltrating the Chapman residence to hopefully find out if he suspects Rachel. It begins with cockroaches and thankfully ends with Rachel showing the others that Melissa has a cat they can use to infiltrate by acquiring her morph. Easy Peasy, right?
Things don’t go in any way according to plan, although as a fun side venture we get to see Tobias’s feelings for Rachel. In the end Rachel acquires two new morphs but no new Yeerk information that night.
It’s Like I’m Clint Eastwood
Again one of the biggest parts of this series that I adore is the depth to these characters that K.A. Applegate puts into them. We get a glimpse into each characters lives and a good bit of relatability to each of them.
We get great scenes with Rachel’s family, her mother and siblings. We also get to see the vulnerability that makes up Rachel as she is woken from a nightmare by her sister.
This scene gives us some vital information that is further explained in the next set of instances between Jake and Rachel. The morphs each have different influences and actions on the kids as they take on different animals.
[image error]Clint Eastwood
It really helps to deepen the information that we have already from the gifts the kids each have and we as readers get to learn along with them as they make this journey trying to save the world one day at a time.
I love the ease of relatability with references to Star Trek and Fantastic Four, how easy it is to envision just what and where the kids are referring to by the things that they say. When Rachel finally infiltrates the Chapman residence she is given not only information but learns something, to me at least far more important.
As Melissa’s cat Fluffer, she learns that the reason why she and Melissa have stopped being so close and first hand gets to see the pain that the Yeerks are causing. She is given her reason concretely to fight.
While we have learned and broken the alien bar with the first book, we learn that while the Yeerks can infiltrate the mind of any creature, there are those that they truly fear. Vissar Three through a hologram shows Chapman’s Yeerk his newest acquisition the Vanarx also known as the Yeerkbane.
It is a like a tube full of Octopus suckers that literally suck a Yeerk from their hosts. Terrifying.
Everybody Wants To Be A Cat
The gang is getting a pretty good idea of just what they are up against, they also get to see firsthand that not all Yeerks are happy with Vissar Three but must obey. There is a system of protocol and they rank their leaders by number, Vissars being the higher of the ranks.
One of the things that intrigued me was that we also get to see that while yes there are those who were forced and coerced into being used by the Yeerks and those who willingly let it happen, there are those who tried to make agreements. Assistant Principal Chapman is one of them; he made the agreement after his wife had already been taken to let the Yeerks take over his mind and body as long as Melissa was spared.
In this book we see just how fragile the agreement is and on top of that get to see that just because a Yeerk has taken over someone does not mean that person is gone completely or cannot fight back.
[image error]Animophs by K.A. Applegate
In the end Rachel and the gang get into chaos and literally end up fighting not only the Yeerks, but Hork-Bajir and Taxxons, see the images to see these terrifying creatures and we get to learn much more about their histories later in the series.
What ends up being more terrifying though is Rachel and Jake fighting the two hour time limit in their morphed states. To see whether they make it or not you will just have to read the book!
I really thank you guys who take the time to read these reviews, the Animorphs series was one of my favorites when I was growing up and getting to dissect the series is such a joy and pleasure as I get to not only go back through the Animorphs story again but to get to share the series with some who may not have read it and hopefully will as it definitely is worth it. Stay tuned as I will be back soon with book three The Encounter!
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