Welcome to Folklore and Mythology Part 4: Life After Death

Happy New Year everyone - let's talk about death!

Or at least the stories associated with death because there are a lot.

Confused about why I chose this topic as my kick off to 2018? That's alright, I'm often confused by where my mind goes when it's left to wander around without a focal point to focus on. But I've been traveling around the Internet (and received a request to look into the myth of Sisyphus - basically the story of a guy trying to get out of dying) and stumbled upon a ton of mythology and folklore about that unknowable experience that is death and the afterlife.

I'm not really surprised by the number of stories associated with death, the afterlife, and dealing with the dead. It's one of the greatest mysteries about life. What happens after we die?

There are a lot of theories. The atheists I've talked to all say that there's nothing after death. Basically we just go poof. Reincarnation is another popular possibility and one I favor (one life time is just too short to experience everything this world has to offer). However, places such as underworlds seem to pop up a lot in the different mythologies and religions I'm most familiar with.

Growing up as a Protestant Christian, I was taught that good people go to Heaven and bad people go to Hell. My Catholic relatives might have talked about Purgatory on occasion (and were a little confused as to what happened to the Souls there when the Papacy no longer recognized it), but it wasn't really part of my belief system.

Of course, Christianity isn't the only religion in the world and doesn't have a monopoly on afterlife doctrine and it has gone through a number of changes over the years. There are a number of influences from Greek and Roman mythology (*cough Hades *cough), not to mention Norse mythology (*cough Hel *cough).

In fact, one of the most famous depictions of Christian afterlife, Dante's Divine Comedy, could easily be described as gratuitous self-insert fanfiction. Sadly, these aren't my words, I stole them from Overly Sarcastic Productions (I might reference this YouTube channel a lot in this post).

I could go on about the many depictions of Heaven and Hell (like I've written in all my posts about Folklore and Mythology), but that would create a sub-series into this series and I would prefer to avoid doing that. I also don't want to just list off the many different afterlife places that ancient people said they were going to. That would take forever and require more research than I'm willing to put into this post.

With that written, I want all of you reading to take a quick detour to YouTube to watch this video on underworld mythology and this one about a guy kidnapping death by Overly Sarcastic Productions (see, I told you guys they'd be referenced again) you can get a quick overview of a few myths I've been looking into. I'll wait for you to come back...

My general feelings on underworld and death mythology is that it's trippy as all get out. They have two basic flavors such as when one member of a loving breeding couple dies tragically or someone doesn't want to die, captures death, and causes tons of problems because of the situation (insert facepalm here).

Then there's the mythology and folklore about Death itself (not the act of dying, the physical embodiment of death). Usually, I think of Death as the skeleton like figure cloaked all in black, carrying a scythe known as the Grim Reaper. It's the image that has been ingrained in America's popular culture. Lindsay Ellis did a really interesting YouTube video on the depiction of Death in popular culture (mainly movies) and how this image has barely changed over the years.

The idea of Death as a person has actively been a part of my culture since I was a kid. I remember watching the shows "The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy" and "Dead Like Me". J. K. Rowling and Sir Terry Pratchett created their own versions of Death for their respective fantasy worlds. The common denominator between all of these versions is that Death just kind of wants to do their job and doesn't like it when the natural order is messed with.

The dementors from Harry Potter look a lot like the modern interpretation of the Grim Reaper

Or at least that's my interpretation of all the folklore and mythology about this subject that I've been exposed to.

Also if you do try to rescue your dead loved one from death/the underworld, don't turn around until you've gotten back to the land of the living.

I'm off go back to working on my coming-of-age-horror novel (which is partially why I did this research in the first place - no spoilers). Hopefully I'll be able to finish it before it's 2019. Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Folklore and Mythology Part 3: A Very Merry Christmas Eve

Happy Holidays everyone! It's Christmas Eve and I thought I'd take a quick peak at some of the mythology and folklore of the Christmas season. Believe it or not...there's a lot.

Now, since I'm from the United States, I've been immersed in the American version of Christmas. I have a Christmas Tree with either an angel or star on top. I learned about Santa Claus and watched the strange stop motion animated features every year. Occasionally I set up an advent wreath and light the candles in the correct order.

But this wasn't how Christmas was always celebrated in the United States.

Most people are familiar with the fact that it was the German immigrants that brought the Christmas Tree to the United States, but before the tree came into popular culture the Colonial Americans had very different traditions. They celebrated Christmas for 12 days and often featured a Yule Log as part of the celebration. The College of William and Mary has a Yule Log ceremony every year, though it's not accurate to what colonial America would have had.

Santa Claus wasn't even part of Colonial American culture.

Speaking of Santa Claus, I've heard a lot of different origins for Santa Claus. Now, there was a real life Saint Nicholas who was known for giving gifts to people in need and was a Bishop of Myra of modern day Turkey. I find it more interesting that he's the Patron Saint of sailors, merchants, archers, repentant thieves, children, brewers, pawnbrokers and students (depending on where you are). His feast day is also in December (the 6th if you’re curious).

He certainly doesn't sound like a jolly old elf who lives in the North Pole...

I've heard some people suggest that the origin of our modern Santa Claus comes from a combination of European cultures and Norse mythology. They suggested that Odin had somehow merged with Saint Nicholas to become our version of Santa Claus or Father Christmas. I'm not sure how much I buy that explanation, but it was very interesting.

Lego even put out Santa's workshop as a set!

I could go on and on about the different versions of Santa Claus or his nastier counter parts like Krampus, but there are so many and I'm unfamiliar with most of them. I would like to mention that many Christmas celebrating nations have had changes to their mythos. In Iceland for instance, they have the Yule Lads (each with their very own ridiculous names). They were originally mischievous spirits or trolls, but eventually began to take on the qualities similar to Santa Claus.

If you've never heard of the Yule Lads or their child eating mother Grýla, I suggest looking into them.

Some countries don't even have a Santa Claus in their Christmas tradition. In Spain, it was tradition to give children presents on Epiphany rather than Christmas (though Wikipedia says that this is changing) and it wasn't Santa who gave these presents, but the Three Kings or Magi.

If you’re a person of faith, you guys might have noticed that I've left out the most important person when it comes to Christmas: Jesus.

Every Christian has heard the story of Jesus's birth. The Angel Gabriel announced the birth to the Virgin Mary, had to convince Joseph that his wife didn't cheat on him, and summoned the shepherds and wise men to witness the birth. As far as I know, there isn't that much variation between stories that are told.

The only real controversy is when Jesus was actually born.

Yeah, believe it or not no one can seem to decide when Jesus was actually born. Some modern scholars put the date at some point in March based on the astrological charts we have on record. There are all sorts of theories as to why we celebrate Christmas on December 25th and keep the traditions we do.

The most likely explanation (and the one I typically go with) is that the early Christian Church was trying to prevent major culture shock with their new converts. It was easier to absorb and appropriate many pagan traditions (like decorating a dead tree with lights) than completely wipe away the local customs.

No matter how you celebrate the holiday season, I hope it's fun and peaceful. Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Merry Festivious (the holiday for the rest of us), Happy Hanukkah, a Good Winter Solstices, and a Happy New Year!

Until next week!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off), please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Onward to 2018!

Welcome to Folklore and Mythology Part 2: The American Tall Tales

As I said in the introduction to this series, folklore and mythology are often a reflection of a society's values and fears. America is a rich melting pot of cultures. We're a big country with a ton of different people of all sorts of backgrounds.

Legend has it if you walk across the Crim Dell Bridge alone you're doomed to stay single forever, but if you kiss your significant other at the top of the bridge, you'll love each other forever.

I've heard around the Internet (and possibly a few classes back in College) that America's modern mythology lies within the comic industry. I think I agree with that idea. Our superheroes and villains can easily be equated to the demigods of Greek and Roman mythology. We don't worship them as deities, but we do portray them as upholding or reflecting our society, much like how Hercules and Achilles.

But before our popular culture was flooded with super geniuses, super strong aliens, multi billionaires with too much time on their hands, and mutants, the United State had tons of local legends that spread like wildfire.

Many of them are still taught to our children today as stories and songs. Most kids who grow up in the US know a little bit about Johnny Appleseed, John Henry, and Paul Bunyan. A few might have read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow or seen the Disney movie (or even the Johnny Depp movie). And nearly everyone has heard the story about George Washington chopping down a Cherry Tree (regardless of how true it is).

The heroes of these stories aren't royalty. There's very little magic in them and if there is, it's more of a hyperbole or magical realism than actual magic. One of the overarching themes of these stories are that the heroes are strong, hard workers who are dedicated to serving their communities. Johnny Appleseed is helping to plant apple trees. John Henry helped build the American rail system and raced a steam powered machine that was trying to replace his job. Paul Bunyan along with Babe and Blue Ox were well known for their super human strength as a lumberjack.

Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox!

Then there are the creepier tales that have snuck into the American mythos. Everyone has heard a story about Big Foot and UFO encounters around Area 51. The Jersey Devil is a famous legend that most people have heard about, even outside of New Jersey. These stories fuel our curious nature and give us a glimpse into the darker side of our society.

Big Foot sightings continue because there are some parts of the US that are still largely unexplored. Anything regarding government secrets is going to draw curious onlookers. While the story of the Jersey Devil features a creepy curse and the dark superstitions of a deeply religious society (most accounts of the story set it somewhere during the colonial period).

Don't forget that the United States is a huge country and there are a lot of regional legends and folklore (especially of the ghost variety). I could tell dozens of stories about my home state of Virginia. The town of Williamsburg has many ghost stories as well as a few urban legends that don't seem to want to fade with time.

But if you were to ask someone from outside of Northern Virginia about The Bunny Man Bridge, they might give you a funny look. I know I would have been very confused as a young kid if I'd been asked if I had ever seen a Melon Head (no I'm not making this up - here's the wiki page to prove it) or what the Mothman was.

If there was one aspect of American folklore and mythology I wish I knew more about it would be the Native American stories. I've been able to read a few stories and go to the National Museum of the American Indian, but I'd love to learn more.

I'd like to end this post with one of my favorite stories from my home city of Washington D.C. There's a huge mural in the National Air and Space museum (not the one in Virginia) in the World War 2 Air Force exhibit. The story goes that the gentleman who painted this mural insisted on having a beer everyday with his lunch, but the museum wouldn't allow the consumption of alcohol on the grounds. Much to his annoyance, this gentleman would leave to have his lunch outside of the museum everyday. It annoyed him so much in fact that he painted a can of beer into the mural as part of his signature.

I don't know how true the above story is. I do know that my dad once overheard a tour guide tell the story and there's definitely a can (though it's hard to tell if it's beer or not) in one of the guy's hands in the mural. It's a fun tale to tell when taking people to that museum and it usually gets a laugh out of anyone who overhears us tell the story, especially when they find the can.

What this does tell us is that Washington DC loves it's rules, but some people are really good at circumventing undermining them. It's also just a funny story.

I know I didn't cover nearly everything that I could have in this post. There are tons of tall tales I could have written about. Heck, I didn't even touch on the stories that have popped up like rabbits in heat that have come about because of the Internet (*cough slender-man *cough creepypastas *cough).

Let me know what some of your favorite American myths, legends, and folklore are in the comments.

Until next week!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Folklore and Mythology Part 1: A Modern Appropriation

So based on the number of clicks on last week's blog, I'm going to assume that people are interested in me going looking into Folklore and Mythology. I just wanted to thank you guys for reading and giving me my second blog post with over 1
00 hits (the first being the one where I declared my love of all things pumpkin...go figure).

So let's start by taking a quick peek at how the modern world has been telling some of our favorite myths.

How DC and Marvel Confused My Inner Nerd...

Thor and his hammer!

It might be fair to say that my first introduction to European mythologies was by reading comic books and watching Disney's Hercules. Now the main comic book series I was reading as a kid was Asterix and the only time mythology really turned up was when they were taking their respective gods' names in vain. It took me a little longer to dive into the more popular (at least in the US) DC and Marvel comic books, but when I did I was very confused by some of the characters they were representing.

Now, it would be a missed opportunity for me if I didn't start this series off with a lot of American's introductions to mythology: DC and Marvel. It also helps that Wonder Woman came out this summer and I recently saw Thor: Ragnarok in theaters.

[WARNING: There will be spoilers for Wonder Woman and Thor: Ragnarok in the upcoming post. If you haven't seen the movie yet, read at your own risk.]

DC and Marvel have managed to appropriate two entirely different mythologies and bring them to the forefront of American Culture. DC's Wonder Woman is clearly depicted as being part of Greek Mythology and Marvel has explicitly stated (at least in the movies) that Thor's people influenced Norse Mythology on Earth (insert complicated explanation here).

And yes, I am going to say that these two comic book giants appropriated these mythologies.

There are very few similarities between what the comics, TV shows, and movies present and the actual mythologies. Some examples include Thor being a red head (extremely minor) and Ares being a battle crazed super-villain since even the slightest injury would send him running to his father Zeus to whine (see The Iliad for details). It's even harder to imagine Ares actually being able to kill all of the other gods on Olympus.

And don't even get me started on the crazy changes between the comics and movies that just came out totally throw the original mythologies out the window. I think the one I am most confused at is Hela being Odin's daughter and not Loki's (that and Fenrir is kind of her brother...not a pet she brings back to life). In both the comic books and the original mythology Hela is Loki's daughter, though her personality is very different between the two mediums (same is true for Loki).

Then there's Wonder Woman's parentage. Apparently, in the New 52 universe and the movie that came out this summer, Zeus is her father, but in Justice League Hades says he's her father. I've already mentioned above that Ares was the "father" of the Amazons in Greek mythology, but Diana isn't a Greek Amazon. She's the Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and nature (the equivalent of Artemis in Greek mythology).

Basically, DC and Marvel took preexisting stories and remade them for a modern audience. The fundamental characteristics are still sort of present, but there are a lot of changes. The story lines are a little more "family friendly". Roughly 75% of the original stories I've read with Zeus as the protagonist are who he's sleeping with, which kid is now his, and how Hera is going to torment everyone because Zeus can't keep it in his pants. Then there's the story about how Loki transformed into a mare and became pregnant with a six legged horse. It was bizarre to say the least.

DC and Marvel taking these stories and making them their own is nothing new. Greek and Roman mythologies have a ton of similarities. A few of their gods even share names. Disney's version of Hercules is another take on Greek mythology, even though they use the Roman version of his name and for some weird reason make Hades the bad guy (yeah, Hera's the one who's pissy in that story).

Which brings me to another confusing point. Why is Hades constantly being updated as the "bad guy" in a lot of the modern stories? He's probably one of the few Greek gods who isn't a total dick (minus the whole thing with Persephone...depending on how you interpret the myth).

Maybe it has something to do with the influence of Christianity on these myths. I'm sure I'll get around to ranting about that at some other point.

Until next week:

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. If you have a folklore or mythology you'd like me to look into (or even just read) let me know.

Welcome to Folklore and Mythology: The Intro

As I've been pursuing the Internet over the past few weeks, I keep coming back to mythology and folklore. If there's one culturally universal "thing" that all humans seem to enjoy, it's a good story. From fairy tales to ghost stories, religious text and mythology to tall tales, everyone seems to have a story to tell.

Stories that are remembered and retold can say a lot about a culture. They often contain elements that are important to the culture that story was written in. Most of these stories have a lesson that the protagonist and reader learn together. Then again, these stories might not have any point at all and simply show how a culture tells a story.

I especially love the folklore and fairy tales that are about mysterious magical creatures that challenge the protagonist. I loved hearing about Baba Yaga, the Kappa, and the Jersey Devil and how the hero would escape encountering these creatures. They were fantastical and mesmerizing, but also frightening. These stories taught young me how to be brave and that there are different ways to fight an opponent that I'm no match for.

This is a type of Tengu (according to Google)

Ghost stories often encompass a culture's history. I first got into hearing ghost stories by watching Haunted History on the (used-to-be) History Channel. The show would pick a city or state and tell spooky stories about select locations. They'd include an explanation of the culture of the time and why someone would take the actions that they took in the context of the story. Young me enjoyed learning history with a slightly spooky edge. It made things interesting.

Mythology is everywhere in our modern culture. The third Thor movie just came out and there were a lot of (incorrect) references to Norse mythology. One of the top movies of this past summer, Wonder Woman, was (if you squinted) all about Greek and Roman mythology. Several TV shows incorporate mythology into their story lines such as Jackie Chan Adventures (Chinese), Xena Warrior Princess (Greek), Lucifer (Christian), and Supernatural (pretty much everything under the sun).

I couldn't conclude this post without mentioning the books that often introduce kids to these stories. Percy Jackson is probably the best known series right now, but I was introduced to these mythologies and folklore through Fruits Basket, Asterix, The Immortal Diaries of Nickolas Flamel, and Harry Potter.

So over the next few weeks, I'm going to be looking at different folklore and mythologies and how they have influenced, reflected back, and changed with modern culture (particularly American and western culture). I want to see if some stories are truly universal, such as Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast are often claimed to be.

Disney has created a whole franchise dedicated to fairy tales.

I am doing this because we are a people who love stories and how better to learn people than by listening to their stories.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Please let me know in the comments if there is a specific folklore or mythology you'd like me to look at.

Welcome to Movie Magic

It's been a movie marathon weekend for me. I started with treating myself by seeing "Thor" in theaters Friday night. I spent Saturday watching calming children's movies like "Song of the Sea" and "Muppet Treasure Island". Today, my friend, Krystle, and I have been enjoying our Halloween movie marathon part 2 (several weeks after Halloween, but hey I love watching Halloween movies any time of the year).

Picture from "Metropolis"

The movies have a magic all their own. They tell us stories about romance, fantasy, superheroes, historical events, and tragedy. There's action that gets our hearts racing. There's epic music that helps us empathize with the characters' emotions.

If books nourish our imagination, then movies allow us to see the imaginary as reality.

The first movie I remember seeing in theaters was "The Lion King". It was big and epic.  I remember how awesome it felt to see that movie on the big screen. My young mind was blown.  (I also might have fallen asleep right before the end.)

Movies, much like books, can teach us important lessons and influence how we see the world.

I finally understood what death was while watching "Little Women" with my mother when I was three or four years old. My mother loved "Little Women" and would take every opportunity to watch the movie whenever she could. She enjoyed having me watch it with her...until Beth died.  I experienced an epiphany.  I realized how permanent death was and that one day mommy and daddy would die. My poor mother spent the next few hours trying to console me and get me to stop hysterically crying. I remember my dad coming home completely confused.

I've never been able to watch "Little Women" ever since.

There's a great tradition of passing stories down from one generation to the next. Whether the story is told orally, is written down, or is up on the big screen doesn't matter. Parents and guardians love sharing their favorites with their children.

My parents love watching movies with me. 

My dad would watch "Star Wars", "The Goonies", and every Disney movie available with me while he worked on his trains in our basement. I don't know if I would have ever seen half the movies I have without him. Whenever I go to visit him, we watch movies. Our favorites are usually old war movies like "The Dirty Dozen" and "Kelly's Heroes".

My dad was also responsible for me becoming afraid of spiders after talking me into watching "Arachnophobia" when I was five. I had really liked spiders up until that point in my life. The movie pretty much killed my interest in them.

My mom introduced me to a lot of black and white movies like "Some Like it Hot", "The Thin Man", and pretty much every Carry Grant and Betty Davis movie ever made. She got me into fast-talking comedies with strong women characters like in "His Girl Friday" and "A Philadelphia Story". It did take me a lot longer to warm up to these movies (young me thought that only movies in color were worth watching for a long time), but once I did, I fell in love with film noir.

I'm not saying that movies are a better medium than books or audio or stage plays. Just that movies have a special place in my heart and tell entertaining stories. They aren't always good, but then some books aren't good.

While typing up this blog post, Krystle and I have been watching "Psycho". Krystle has never seen "Psycho" and might be one of the few people who had no idea what the twist ending was. I enjoyed listening to her theorize and speculate on what would happen next and who the psycho was. Her reactions to the dramatic moments were priceless and I got a real kick out of her gasping at the sudden changes in music when a murder was occurring.

We're moving on to the 1939 version of "Dracula". This should be fun (insert evil cackle).

The magic movies possess is wondrous and unique. We feel so many emotions while watching the story play out. We root for our favorite characters and sometimes hope the ones we hate die horribly (especially the annoying teenagers in slasher movies). We bond over our favorite movies and laugh at the bad ones.

One of my favorite quotes about movies comes from the Disney Channel Original Movie "Phantom of the Megaplex". Mickey Rooney's character tells the two main children that movies are a magical experience, even after children grow up and learn that there's very little that's truly magical in our world. It's a quote that has always stuck with me and thinking back on it makes me smile.

"When we arrive in this world, magic is all around us. You simply have to see a baby discover a butterfly or a toddler splash in the bath for the first time. Yet, as the years pass, simple pleasures aren't quite so simple to find. Myths and legends fall away. Santa's secrets are revealed. Card tricks lose their fascination. True wonder is hard to come by. But there's always... magic at the movies. Pirate ships, bicycles that fly, angels earn their wings, beautiful women marry handsome men and we all learn there's no place like home. To destroy that magic, to shatter those moments to me is a sin so grave it would almost be incomprehensible! If there truly is a phantom, my friends, I assure you it most definitely is not me"

Until next week!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Many Different Cultures of the United States

So I wasn’t able to post anything last week. I was kind of in the middle of nowhere Oregon without an Internet connection to be found. It was kind of nice being so disconnected from the rest of the world while I was exploring the Pacific Northwest US. I’d never been there before and it was very different from anywhere else I’d ever been, especially in the United States.

I feel a bit silly admitting this, but I tend to forget that the United States isn’t one uniform cultural identity. When it comes down to it, each state is really it’s own country with its own culture and identity. The federal government is just a glue that holds all 50 states (plus several territories) in place on an international scale.

When I see the US portrayed on TV or in movies, it sometimes feels like the US has one umbrella culture with smaller cultures that branch out. As I’ve traveled in the US more and more, I’m finding this isn’t the case at all.

Sunset on the beach

I was born and raised in Northern Virginia. I will always love my home state and be extremely biased towards it. I love every inch of the state, from the hustle and bustle of DC, to the quiet tranquility of the Shenandoah, from the tidewater basin in Norfolk to the western mountains. Virginia is awesome!

And it’s definitely not New Jersey.

I might have experienced a little culture shock when moving from Maryland to New Jersey. Yeah, Maryland is it’s own state, but it’s not too different from Virginia and they share a lot of similarities (though Baltimore is still one of the most fun cities I have ever been to while DC is decidedly not). New Jersey is its own entity.

There are very few places that feel like the middle of nowhere in New Jersey. Everything feels like it’s on top of everything else. It’s a lot more aggressive than Virginia and there’s hardly any military presence to speak of.

Despite being an American, I have been to woefully few states in the US. I’ve been to almost every state on the eastern seaboard, but hardly any in the middle of the country (unless you count brief layovers in airports). All in all I’ve been to roughly 20 different states that I remember and actually explored. Oregon being the latest.

Oregon was laid back, big, full of nature, and adventure. For the record I wasn’t anywhere near Portland, so I can comment on the city life, but the rural areas felt remote and disconnected from the rest of the country. A lack of Internet access was both challenging and relieving (and it wasn’t because the CIA had set up a dead zone).

In the redwood forest!

I think the oddest thing I saw in Oregon was a sign demanding the return of a stolen cannon. Why the heck would someone steal a cannon? You can own a cannon? How does someone steal a cannon?

I think the only time I’ve seen a cannon is at the Colonial and Civil War re-enactment areas along the east coast.

Hawaii in particular is very different from the lower 48. I felt like I was going to a foreign country, I just didn’t need a passport to get there. I’d like to go back and experience more of Hawaiian culture and see the other islands.

The US is vast and is a mesh of many different cultures. There isn’t just one America. There are many. Parts have a high population density, while in some parts you might not see another human for hundreds of miles.

There are some areas where you need to talk fast and loud to be heard and other areas where people speak slowly, with a lot of thought behind their words. There are states where guns are a way of life and others where people might look at you funny for owning one. The military might be a big part of the economy and in others people might never see a tank going down the highway (yep I’ve seen that on 95).

The US is big and I haven’t seen or experienced nearly enough of it. Each state is unique and so are the people living there. We might present ourselves as one identity, but in reality we are many countries united despite our differences.

It's an amazing place to explore.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Coming of Age

Before I begin this week's post, I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I will be taking next week off from all of my writing projects (both blogs, webcomic, and other personal projects) as I will be going on a crazy adventure with my cousin. So I'll be dropping off the face of the Earth for a long weekend.

This past weekend I was invited to the Bat Mitzvah of a family friend's daughter. It was my first time going to a Bat Mitzvah and I thought it was a beautiful ceremony as well as a fun party. Our friends were extremely proud of their daughter and were thrilled to celebrate with family and friends.

A Bat Mitzvah is an important religious coming of age. Our friends' daughter had to attend Hebrew School and devote a lot of her free time to get ready for it. The closest I have ever experienced (and I don't feel it compares as much) was my confirmation. It was my religious coming of age in the church.

I think all kids both crave and fear adulthood. Adulthood is the freedom to do whatever you please (at least to a child it seems that way), but there are a lot of complicated feelings that come with growing up. There are many different religious and cultural events that indicate when a child has reached adulthood, but just because society deems someone an adult doesn't mean that that someone feels like one.

I know I sometimes still don't feel like an adult and I'm in my mid-twenties.

Someone please right a story based on this image...

Society has set the bar high when it comes to these events too. Shows like My Super Sweet 16 or the insane prom stories that pop up on Facebook in April and May have caused many teenagers to want big over-the-top parties and try to out do their friends. It can make a person envious.

Then there are the coming of age novels or movies that adults love to show teenagers. I remember having to watch Now and Then as well as Stand By Me when I was going through my confirmation classes and reading To Kill a Mockingbird  and House on Mango Street in school. These books and movies were meant to help us understand that there would be a point were you just couldn't be a child anymore. The loss of childhood innocence was inevitable.

What all of these stories, movies, and shows didn't mention was that coming of age wasn't necessarily one event in your life time.

Some days I look back and don't feel I ever went through a coming of age event. There wasn't one moment that I instantly knew I wasn't a kid anymore.

Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of moments where I lost that "childhood innocence" adults try to protect. But I didn't have that big adventure that spanned one amazing summer that was a popular narrative in these stories.

I think that's true for a lot of people, especially people my age.

We're stuck in a weird limbo where we still feel like kids and wish we didn't have to face the cold world of adulthood. Childhood was fun and carefree, even if our parents and teachers had final say on everything. Adulthood is a mess of never ending responsibilities, so many uncertainties, and mixed emotions.

Childhood was full of possibility. Adulthood just feels overwhelming.

However, I couple of weeks ago, I was at a guest lecture event for one of my writing groups. While the author was describing the book he had written (The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigl), he said that it was sort of a coming of age story for adults and that anyone can go through a coming of age story no matter how old they are.

It was a message that I think I needed to hear.

There are a lot of different adventures that I can go on throughout my life and I can learn and grow during each of them. Coming of age stories aren't just for children becoming adults, they're for everyone.

I hope everyone has a fun Halloween. Get dressed up, eat a ton of candy, and act like a little kid. I have several costumes picked out for the next couple of days.

Until next time!

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Standing Before a Crowd

This past week, I challenged myself to do something that I find terrifying. I read in front of a crowd of strangers two of my original poems at open mic night. To some people this might not be a huge deal. The coffee shop is small, the people very nice, and it can be fun to preform before a crowd.

To someone like me, especially with my anxiety, it can be a nightmare made real.

I don't know if I could ever address a crowd this size.
(March on Washington)

Thankfully, everyone there was really nice and encouraging. (Big shout out to everyone who liked my Facebook post - you guys are awesome). The man who hosts the event told me that I would eventually get used to preforming. A few people took the time to tell me afterwards how much they liked my poems.

I'm looking forward to going back and preforming again...even if I'm still a little anxious about it.

It can be really hard standing up in front of a crowd. When everyone is focused on me, I feel like I'm suddenly under a microscope. I start breathing too fast, my muscles tighten up, and my mind blanks out. I start to worry too much about what people will think and doubt myself.

Are my poems good enough?

Do I look silly up here?

Is anyone taking me seriously?

But I hope they aren't taking me too seriously?

Oh, no, do I look alright? Should I have worn a different outfit? Does my hair look okay?

I feel a bit like this poor guy melting.
(Street art in Iceland)

Stage fright isn't an uncommon fear. I think most people feel this at some point or another. I know I have every single time I've had to address a large crowd of people. Even back in high school, I hated taking center stage. 

However, that fear doesn't stop me from craving the spotlight on occasion. 

I have a lot to say and I want to get my message out there (through poetry or by blogging - it's very similar). Just because I'm afraid or uncomfortable, doesn't mean I shouldn't try to speak up. It means I need to practice and again experience. 

There will always be people who don't like what I have to say. Less than a year after I started blogging, I had someone send me nasty messages about how what I was doing was stupid and no one even cared. They weren't critiquing or disagreeing with me. They were trying to bully me into silence. 

And that wasn't okay.

Instead of taking what they wrote to me to heart, I didn't engage and simply blocked them. It's one way to deal with a bully you can't reason with. 

These types of people will always exist. They'll tell you to "sit down and shut up" or tell you that what you have to say is stupid or insignificant ("there are things you should talk about").

Don't listen. 

Then there's the worst critic of them all: yourself.

It's true. I am my own worst critic. I'm always thinking that what I've written isn't good enough and needs to be improved. 

The problem is, if I never show anyone my work, I'll never hear an opinion that isn't my own. I'll never get my work out there. 

I might always have to battle the voice of doubt at the back of my mind, but I won't let it hold me back. I'll never get used to speaking in front of a crowd without practicing.

But it's still okay if I'm afraid.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week. 

Welcome to Pumpkin Overload

It's the dead center of October! The leaves are changing colors, everything smells wonderful, and no one can escape the excess number of products with the words "pumpkin spice" in sparkly orange font on the packaging.

I love it all!

Yes I am one of those pumpkin crazy nuts who loves all things pumpkin (well, within reason) and may or may not be sipping a fresh made pumpkin juice drink while writing this post (please see foodblog at the end of the month for details). Okay, I might have a slight problem.

And even I can see that things are getting way out of hand. Every company and their brother seems to come out with a new pumpkin flavored [insert product here] to their fall line up. All of the coffee places offer a pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice chocolates are in the candy aisle, and pumpkin spice candles are proudly displayed. Heck, I can even smell like my favorite combination of spices with different lotions, lip chaps, and even deodorant.

It's like the marketing industry has decided we must ooze the aroma of fresh baked pumpkin pie.

This over-hype doesn't stop me from loving it. I know it makes me "basic" (see Buzzfeed for details) and I don't care. Fall is my favorite time of year and I will celebrate it.

Some people might look down on me for my love of pumpkin. A few people tease me for buying that pumpkin spice bagel. I might even be seen as stereotyping myself for loving this pumpkin obsessed season.

I will own my love of pumpkin spice. I will shout it from the top of every Starbucks in New York City...all 361 (according to Quora 2017)! I will drink my pumpkin spice latte, while eating a pumpkin spice muffin, slathering on some pumpkin spice lotion, and walking down the street with a pumpkin hat on my head.

Because it's okay for me to love pumpkins.

Everyone has their one thing that they love to the point of die hard obsession and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some people have their sports team, others won't hear anything against their favorite fandom, and a few are always first in line to buy the latest Apple tech. There's nothing wrong with loving something, even if people look down on you because you like it.

 So if you're someone who loves trying every microbrewery they come across, or has a passion for raising alpacas, or are a Dallas Stars fan (I've heard you guys exist) don't listen to the naysayers. Enjoy your passion and don't let anyone take it away from you.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Inktober

There are a lot of great things about October. The leaves begin to change, Halloween is right around the corner, and pumpkin mania is at its highest peak (I regret nothing). I recently learned about another great reason to celebrate the month of October - Inktober!

Inktober is a month long celebration of ink drawings. This can include sketches, comics, webcomics, etc. People post them on [insert social media platform here] with the hashtag #inktober or #inktober2017.

#inktober #prompt8 #crooked

I love this idea. 

See I'm a big comic book, manga, and graphic novel reader. My first comic books were Asterix comics from the 1960s that belonged to my dad. And no, these books aren't just for kids. There are a lot of amazing stories to be read that include war, horror, romance, and mystery (to name a few genres). I am always surprised when someone writes off these stories as just being for kids (same thing can be said for animation).

There are a lot of great webcomics that I can recommend. Since it's October, the season of all things scary, check out Helsirvente. It's perfect for this time of year since it's all about ghost hunting. I even draw my own webcomic (not that I'm trying to plug it or anything - it updates on Thursdays at 6:00pm) and would love to one day have a published graphic novel.

That isn't to say that comics, manga, and graphic novels are the only things to celebrate during Inktober. There's a lot of art that is created using nothing but pen and paper. Some of it is super realistic that it's almost like looking at a photograph. Others are beautifully abstract and really stimulate the imagination. 

And don't forget about animation. A fair number of early animation shorts (when film was still in it's infancy) was created by cartoonists hand drawing each cel of animation. Out of the Inkwell was a series of shorts in the 1920s that shows a cartoon character coming to life from pen ink. Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck also references the ink animation technique in the classic Duck Amuck.

So what do you need to participate in Inktober if you haven't started already?

Nothing fancy. A piece of paper and a pen are all that you really need to get started. Maybe draw a sketch everyday day, or start a comic book/webcomic, or create your next/first tattoo.

Inktober also has a list of prompts for each day of the month. You can click here to learn more!

And don't get discouraged if you're not happy with the first drawings that you do. When I compare the latest pages of my webcomic to the very first that I posted (or even my high school sketchbook to the one I'm currently working in), I can visibly see how much I've improved. What matters is having fun and enjoying the art that's being created!

Happy Inktober everyone. I hope to see more sketches as the month goes on.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. And if you guys have any webcomic/manga/graphic novel suggestions, please send them my way!

Welcome to Being Heard

"This is a revolution, dammit! We're going to have to offend SOMEbody!" (John Adams, 1776: The Musical).

Before I begin this post, I wanted to let everyone know that some readers will not like what I have to say. I'm okay with that. I realize that when I choose to express an opinion, especially a controversial one, that there will be consequences that I will have to face. However, I feel strongly that I need to express my view point.

I have a blog. It's a place where I can express myself and people can choose to read or ignore my inner thoughts on random things as they please (though I am happy that people read the blog). No one can stop me from posting if I want to write something...at least not in the United States.

The modern world has created many different avenues for getting messages heard, but it used to not be so instantaneous. During the Revolutionary War, messages traveled a lot slower. Most people would gather in the town square to hear someone read out loud the latest news and proclamations. It was how Thomas Paine promoted his work "Common Sense" (you can see reenactments of this in Colonial Williamsburg).

Though we have many ways of sending a message with our modern technology, it can sometimes feel like we are shouting in a room that is already so full of noise, that our voice is drowned out and lost in the void.

Can you hear me now?

Everyone has a message. Everyone has something to say. From the mundane to the radical. From the asinine to the truly profound. Arguing with some faceless troll online is pointless, yet people continue to do so because they feel strongly about the subject (just look at the comment section under any political article posted by George Takei).

Social media is like a tossed salad. There are a lot of different toppings that you can choose to toss out. If you don't like what someone has to say, you can block them. If someone is harassing you, you can report them and they might lose their account (admittedly to varying degrees of success).

I had one nasty troll sending me messages on Facebook about my blog. You bet I reported and blocked them. There wasn't a point trying to engage with someone who obviously wanted to make me feel bad about something I enjoyed doing.

There are other, more powerful ways to send a message that can be promoted by social media. Holding marches in cities, protesting in the street, creating art for everyone to see, kneeling at a football game, and many other public demonstrations get people's attention. Yes, eventually they will end up on social media, but this isn't just a passive click to show I like and support something. This is taking action in a way that is harder to ignore, harder to block out.

When I was still in college, there was a man who liked to stand outside of one of the big science buildings. He would hold up a sign and shout at all of us all the different reasons why we were going to hell and that we needed to renounce our wicked ways (there were about 10 or 12 reasons why I was going to hell according to this guy). He was annoying and I completely disagreed with his message, but occasionally one of the smart-mouthed biology or psychology students would start shouting back at this guy. They would argue and the students would get a good laugh at the expense of Mr. Ultra-Religious.

[Insert credit where credit is due here]

We never told this guy to leave. We never had him removed from campus by police or chased him away. He was annoying sure and I highly doubt anyone on campus liked him. He was peacefully protesting our "heathen ways" in a space that wasn't really his to begin with, but we didn't have a right to silence his voice.

This past week, there was a lot of attention being given to the fact that many players in the NFL chose to take a knee during the national anthem. Most people I saw online supported the NFL players right to protest, but some people didn't. Some people thought that the football players should just play football and not express their opinion on a subject that they feel so incredibly passionate about that they want everyone who watches their games to know.

I disagree. Kneeling during the national anthem is a respectful and peaceful protest and the NFL players have a right to express their thoughts. Their message is that there are problems in our country that need to be addressed and fixed.

No one has the right to silence anyone in this country. That's not saying that people have to listen to the message or agree with it. I have a right to express my thoughts and feelings, no matter how mundane, but no one has to listen to me. It also isn't true that I will be free from consistences by voicing my opinion or taking an action on something, especially something that is very controversial.

So don't tell me to shut up and sit down. Don't be patronizing. These tactics won't work. They'll just make me angry and louder. Instead, maybe listen to what I have to say, try to engage me in conversation, and show some empathy.

Oh, and about that controversial statement that I mentioned I would be making at the beginning of this post:

"Mean Girls is overrated."

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Poetry Around Me

Since I'm on a poetry kick, I've decided to talk about how I find poetry (much like math) in unexpected places. I'm someone who sees math everywhere. It's just second nature to me. Unlike math, however, poetry turns up in unexpected places.

I also think that there's a lot of math in poetry, but that could just be me.

I'm not sure if poetry was a popular unit in my school or not. I remember in elementary school that most of my friends liked the poetry units, especially the funny poems like the ones by Jack Prelutsky. However, in high school, the poems we were reading weren't as entertaining and required a lot of effort to understand. Sylvia Plath might be a great poet, but I was never all that fond of trying to analyse her work.

Since leaving school, I haven't gone out of my way to read a lot of poetry (until very recently that is). That doesn't mean that poetry hasn't managed to worm it's way into my life without me noticing.

There's a lot of variety and versatility in poetry. If I'm not looking for it, I can easily miss when poetry is happening. Usually there's a rhythm or rhyme scheme to poems (especially the ones that are read to us as children), but sometimes there isn't. I think that free verse is becoming more and more popular with modern poets.

A few years ago, I came to the realization that song lyrics were essentially poetry combined with music. Think about it for a second. What are some of the components of poetry that song lyrics often have in common?

1. There's a rhyme scheme. 
2. There's distinct rhythm.
3. They occasionally tell stories.

I'm not saying that all poetry and all songs have these three things in common. There are just as many nonsensical poems out there are nonsensical songs. But the similarities in structure are hard to miss once I started looking for them.

Of all the music genres today, rap is probably the best example of spoken poetry.  I've watched a few freestyle rappers and they have a ton of talent. They create their own rhythms, while telling a story, and making sure everything rhymes. Rappers are amazing poets.

Songs are one example of finding poetry in an unexpected place (unless I'm just dense and this is something everyone else has noticed). What about others? After all, poetry is comprised of words, written and/or spoken. Where else can I find poetry that I might have overlooked?

How about memes?

Specifically inspirational memes. There are a lot of examples I could pull (just ask Google) and I could easily fill this blog post with nothing but inspirational memes (same thing can be said about cat memes). Instead I'll direct everyone to Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for wall to wall examples of memes.

They don't have the same structure as song lyrics, heck most of them don't even rhyme. However, there are tons of poems out there that don't look at all like the traditional poetry we studied in school. Forget the sonnets and epic poems of yesteryear and embrace the free-verse of style of memes.

One of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes and part of a poem in a kids book. It's also become a meme...

That's right memes are free-verse poetry in action.

So here are two examples of how poetry has surrounded my life without me noticing. I didn't even mention all the children's books that could also count as poems (such as Dr. Seuss).

Maybe I'll save that for another post...

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I like hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. Until next week!

Welcome to Returning to My Inner Poet

I used to write a lot of poetry. I had a journal in high school that I would write in nearly every night. It was filled with the start of short stories, silly poems, and nonsensical doodles. I still have this journal and occasionally have a good laugh going through it.

I wonder if he ever regretted any of his early poetry?

Poetry was a fun hobby in high school. It was part of my whole: "I'm going to be a famous writer/artist someday" shtick that I try to pretend didn't exist (yeah, high school me was an interesting person). They were short, easy to write, and my creative writing teacher always wanted poems for the literary magazine. I think I had four or five poems and a couple of drawings published before I graduated.

Then I just stopped writing poems.

I don't really remember why I stopped. I think I took a few years of writing off all together in college, until I was blackmailed talked into writing fan-fiction.

I seem to recall having a poetry writing assignment my freshmen year of college. I was pretty sick when I was told to write a sonnet and don't remember many details. However, I do remember my professor saying that the poem I wrote was prefect mathematically, but otherwise sucked.

Meh, I was never a huge fan of sonnets anyway. I liked haiku and limericks a lot more. They're playful and funny.

So nearly a decade has gone by and I haven't written a single poem. And then I have a really bad month. Not bad like bad things keep happening to me, but bad as in my mental health wasn't in the best shape. I keep trying to find the right way to describe what I'm feeling and I lost a lot of interest in writing.

Finally I managed to put some thoughts on paper. Just a couple of rhyming lines that wouldn't make much sense to someone casually glancing at them. A few more weeks go by and I go back to those lines and add a few more. Suddenly I had a poem that helped me describe what I was feeling.

I didn't do anything with the poem. It's been sitting in a notebook for the better part of a year now. I've been focusing on short stories and novel writing.

Then I make a new friend at one of my writers groups who loves to write poetry. We actually have similar stories when it comes to writing poetry. We wrote a lot in high school and then stopped writing for one reason or another only to start writing years later. They've asked me to help out proofreading some of their work that they have on Wattpad (a website where you can post original works for people to read).

When they started sharing their poetry with me, it was like a switch had been flipped. I started writing more poetry. It's still slow and they probably aren't the best poems (not by a long shot), but I'm finding that I really enjoy it.

I might do a few more posts on poetry and see about posting some of my poems here. April is National Poetry Month, so I'm either really late or seriously early to celebrate. But why should I only celebrate poetry once a month?

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to the Storm's Eye

This morning, Hurricane Irma made landfall and began it's destruction of Florida. Earlier in the week, it devastated the Caribbean islands in it's path, virtually leveling Barbuda. Yesterday, Hurricane Katia struck Mexico, hours after they suffered a large earthquake. Houston is still recovering from Hurricane Harvey and it looks like Jose is about to strike Barbuda and several other islands for a second time.

It's not a good time to be a resident in the Gulf Coast.

Thunderstorm at the Jersey Shore

This list isn't including the many other natural disasters that are happening around the globe at the same time, let alone in the United States and Canada. As the southeast is being flooded, the northwest is being consumed by fire.

I've lived through massive storm surges, but nothing like what is happening with Irma. In 2011, an earthquake unexpectedly shook Virginia. I had been outside at the time and hadn't felt anything, but anyone inside a building did. About a week later, we had to be evacuated off of campus because of a large hurricane headed right for us. We called it the "hurrication" since it was right after summer break had ended.

My experience certainly doesn't compare to what happened in Texas, let alone what Floridians are facing with the most severe storm system ever recorded currently hovering over their state. Since the Earth is currently in a warming period, these super-storms are liable to become the norm.

What kind of damage will these storms do?

I'm not just talking about the financial damage. Though these storms will cause major financial damage, especially if the rumors are true that FEMA will run out of money before the end of the year because of Harvey and Irma.

But we shouldn't forget about the emotional and mental damage these storms will do. Losing an entire livelihood is scarring. Everything you've ever had is gone overnight.

People die during these storms.

I remember going to New Orleans a few years after Hurricane Katrina hit. My church youth group was down for a big conference with all the other ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America) churches in the United States to help the city and celebrate Jesus. It was hard to see that some areas that were still suffering because of the damage the storm had caused, even after a few years. Three years later, the ELCA youth were again in New Orleans to help with the clean up.

I hope everyone is able to stay safe during Hurricanes Irma, Jose, and Katia. If you would like to help out by sending donations, I'd recommend going to Charity Navigator to check different charities that are working on relief efforts. They already have pages for Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey.

I can't even imagine what the people most affected by these storms are going through. I hope you are able to stay safe, especially those of you also in the path of Hurricane Jose.

Welcome to Expression Without Words

Sometimes words fail me.

Maybe that's weird since I write so much (and occasionally can't stop talking), but it's true. Sometimes it's hard to verbalize what I'm thinking and feeling. It's as though there's a disconnect between my mouth and mind. 

Sometimes it's not words that fail me, just one word. I'll do my best to describe it, but my meaning is nearly always lost in translation. I'm sure it's a problem everyone has experienced. That doesn't stop me from getting frustrated when I can't express what I need or want to. 

Communication is an important part of being human. But when I can't use words, how can I express myself?

When I get hurt, it's easy to tell someone I'm in pain. It's when I'm asked to explain the pain that things get tricky. Is it a burning pain? An ache? Does it feel like I'm being stabbed? Is it emotional pain, but still manifests itself with a sickening physical feeling? 

Maybe I can draw a picture instead of trying to describe something that can't be described? Art is a wonderful means of expression. Things can still get lost in translation and meanings can change over time, but often art is the greatest means of expressing what words fail at. 

The visual medium can express so many different things. I especially love the abstract and expressionism. Paintings like the scream are incredibly stimulating and thought provoking. I can't always verbalize what attracts me to these paintings, but sometimes I think they do a better job expressing my emotions when I put pen to paper. 

Music is another medium I often turn to when I'm having trouble with words. Yes, a lot of music has words in it, but there's a lot more that is just sound. Music is a collection of sound that can exist simply to exist, to tell a story, or to make the listener feel an emotion. 

When was the last time you watched a movie without a soundtrack? Alfred Hitchcock's movie, The Birds,  is incredibly off putting because there's no soundtrack. Music helps convey emotions in movies, especially if the characters on screen aren't speaking. 

There are many days that I wish I were a better artist and musician, but I don't think I was born with the talent and I lack the patience to constantly practice. However there is no denying that art and music are incredibly important mediums for conveying information that I might otherwise struggle to communicate. 

Words aren't always enough. Sometimes I need something else to help me describe what is going on in my head.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me.

Welcome to Character Inspirations

After 4 years of producing one blog post a week (give or take a few skips here and there), I've finally hit my 200th post. I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about this week. I've been working on the icon series for a few weeks now, but I wasn't sold on the idea of limiting myself to my personal icons.

Instead I wanted to write about the many characters in books and graphic novels that have inspired me. They aren't in any order and there aren't any ranks.

1) Nancy Drew - she was my first strong female role model in books. For a long time all I would read were Nancy Drew books. I hope she keeps inspiring generations of young girls.

2) Cassie Logan - she was my second biggest female role model in books. I would recommend to anyone to read Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry at least once in their life. 

3) The Golden Trio from the Harry Potter Books (because I just can't pick one)- I was at the perfect age to grow up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. These books shaped my childhood and continue to shape my imagination.

4) Asterix - Asterix was my first comic book hero. He and his good friend Obelix protected their village from the Roman invaders and went on tons of adventures. 

5) Jim Hawkins - I read Treasure Island in my early 20s and I wish I had read it sooner. It was a fun read and a great adventure novel. 

6) Tohru Honda - Fruits Basket was really popular in my middle and high school, which is how I got interested in the series. I loved all the characters, but Tohru really stands out as someone special. She's the most accepting character I've ever come across in literature and she really wants her friends and family to be happy.

7) Sherlock Holmes - I love the mysteries Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote. I also like the many new interpretations that have come out. I don't know how much I'd want to be like Sherlock, but he doesn't seem to care what anyone else thinks of him. He's fascinating person and isn't boring in the slightest.

8) Alice of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass - I love these books and the Disney animated movie. Alice is a true dreamer in every sense of the word.

9) Yusuke Urameshi - He might not be very smart and be a bit of a delinquent, but deep down he has a good heart and is super loyal to those he cares about. Yu Yu Hakusho was one of the first manga I read and I would recommend it to anyone who likes great characters with interesting stories to tell.

Each of these characters have their strengths and their faults. They're all very different characters and have very different stories to tell. Some people might not like the characters at all. 

What makes a character interesting or inspiring is left up to the reader. Yes, the author has the important job of shaping the character, but the reader is the one interpreting and judging them. I have found that the characters I love and am inspired by most are often very flawed, but are still able to do amazing things while flawed.

If you haven't read any of the books or graphic novels I have listed above, I totally recommend each of them.

What I have learned from each of these characters is to

Be as inquisitive as Nancy

Be as strong as Cassie

Have friends like Harry, Ron, and Hermione

Be as confident as Asterix

Be as adventurous as Jim

Be as accepting as Tohru

Be as fascinating as Sherlock

Be a dreamer like Alice

Be as loyal as Yusuke

And follow my own path to build my own story.

Thanks for sticking with me for 200 blog posts. Until next week...

Welcome to Icons Part 6: Iconic Moments in History

Have you ever wondered what you would have been doing during some of histories biggest events? Would you have marched with the Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights movement? Or picketed the White House with the Women's Suffragettes? Which side of the French Revolution would you have fought on?

History has always fascinated me. From a young age, I'd watch documentaries on anything and everything that was on the History Channel (you know, before it became nothing but pawn shop reality TV and aliens). I especially loved the specials on Halloween and warriors of the ancient world.

I spent many days in history class imaging what it would have been like to be apart of some of the biggest events taught in class. I wished I could have gone to Woodstock and jammed with the rest of hippie culture. I imagined what it would have been like to journey along the Oregon Trail (and hopefully not die of dysentery).

As I've gotten older, I've come to realize that I've lived through some pretty big historical events (at least from an American perspective). At the time, I might not have realized they how big or significant they were going to become or the ways these events would change the course of history. Some events will leave a positive impact on my life and the lives of many other people. I got to witness the election of the United State's first black president and the legalization of gay marriage. Other events have left scars that will likely never fade, like living through 9/11.

Every generation seems to have a few events that they will always think back to and remember with exact detail. I remember asking my family about different events that they lived through. My mom has a couple of memories from the Detroit riots. My dad likes to joke about surviving the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island. I've heard that my grandfather never forgot the day Pearl Harbor was attached. And there were a lot of stories about how my grandparent's families lived through the Great Depression.

Decades seemed to be defined by certain events that happened. When I think of the 1930s, I image the Dust Bowl and extreme poverty. The United States of the 1960s, I imagine a country divided by politics. The Civil Rights Movement was at it's height as were the protests against the Vietnam War. JFK was assassinated and astronauts walked on the moon. The 2000s were a time of rapid progress and prosperity before it all came crashing down in 2008. The start of the decade launched us into an era of fear and ended with a slogan for "Hope".

Everything that has already happened is history. Some things have been forgotten and lost to time, such as the origins of the Nazca Lines. There are events that are only remembered through folklore and legend. Remember when archaeologists found the city of Troy? Most historians had thought the story was just a myth before physical evidence suggested otherwise.

History is written by the people who survive events and make an effort to pass down knowledge. The event that happened can't change, but how it is recorded and remembered can. History can be used to inspire nationalism and extreme pride in a country's people, almost to the point of blind devotion in extreme cases. It can be written in a way that hides or brushes over "uncomfortable" truths that modern societies would rather forget than acknowledge. It's never rewritten, but occasionally needs to be revised.

There are major events going on all the time. I can't just dream about what I would have done, but what I can do in the present. Protests and counter protests have been all over my news feed and social media. The threat of a nuclear attack is at the highest that I can remember (I wasn't exactly around for the Cold War).

What will the 2010s be remembered for?

What impact will I have on these events? Only time will tell.

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Until next week!