Caramel Mia didn’t enter the kitchen immediately when she got to the end of the hallway. She hovered near the door in silence and watched her mother, who was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea. More accurately, a cup of tea sat on the table beside her mother, but it was […]
It’s an unmitigated movie-fest this week as Dara goes deep into his love of Christmas movies and of watching movies at this time of year. He revisits his childhood exposure to Hollywood classics and reflects on how the unlimited access to content and devices nowadays means that the home movie watching experience has lost its allure for modern children.
The High Stakes of Great Christmas Movies, or Why I Love George Bailey – Episode 30 Read More »
In this episode, Dara goes all in on the expression of the female voice and the assertion and reclamation of female identity. He explores his own views of and attitudes to women and speaks honestly about his upbringing and his marriage and how they have informed and enriched those attitudes and views.
Three Female Texts, or Art as a Response to Erasure – Episode 29 Read More »
In this episode Dara has a good look at his own feelings about Christmas and goes on to explore a brief history of Christmas, and why it is something not everybody feels thrilled to celebrate. He wonders if the forced observance of anything is ever a good thing. But ultimately, he can’t shake the feeling that a little Christmas magic stirs something very deep in our collective psyche.
The Hard Sell of Christmas and the Triumph of Diogenes – Episode 28 Read More »
In this episode Dara is prompted by the recent violent attack in Waukesha, as well as other car and truck attacks and shooting atrocities, to reflect on how we view the individuals who perpetrate such acts. His train of thought takes in cultural stereotyping, systemic social failure, and the expression of pain in both positive and negative ways. Newton’s Cradle – the metal ball office toy – is offered as a metaphor for profound pain and alienation finding its equal and opposite expression in extreme acts.
Acting Out in the Extreme, or When Private Pain becomes Public Tragedy – Episode 27 Read More »
In this episode, before getting to the main topic, Dara observes how disconcertingly warm it is for November, and argues that things being not quite right can be extremely disruptive. He commends teachers for persevering amidst the unending Covid disruptions. The first part of the episode concludes with why his daughter felt the need to say “I hate you” to him.
Love, Wellness, and Creativity, or Getting Violent with your Process – Episode 26 Read More »
In this episode Dara waxes lyrical about bridges of many kinds. He starts off with Lloyd, Jeff and Beau Bridges before turning his attention to the usefulness and aesthetic pleasure of actual bridges.
The Bridges of Wellness and Bounty – Episode 25 Read More »
In this episode, Dara discovers the word ‘haecceity’, which stems from the Latin word for ‘thisness’, and is used to describe the quality that makes a thing or a person uniquely themselves. He argues that this is something we cannot hide, no matter what we do.
The Fallible Smotherboard and the Fear of Being Seen – Episode 24 Read More »
Stemware, or Advice to Clumsy Parents It doesn’t take much. Just a failure of your fingers to remember to hold on a little tighter, to grip the glass with just a little more care. Are you tipsy, or lacking strength? It wasn’t what you meant but still it falls from your hand, its contents trailing
Stemware, or Advice to Clumsy Parents Read More »
In this episode, Dara is inspired by Denis Villeneuve’s Bladerunner 2049 to go on a wide-ranging exploration of identity, consciousness and origin. He wonders if the leaders of Big Tech inspired Jared Leto’s portrayal of the designer in the Villeneuve movie before asking what level of thought and feeling is possible for AI entities.
The Unloved Child, or Wielding the Blade of Creation – Episode 23 Read More »
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