Stopping to Smell the Flowers

 

Rebus stops to smell some flowers. Art by me.

There is so much happening right now! I mean, in general, sure. But just in my individual life I have so much going on. Sometimes I can get a bit overwhelmed with how much there is to do that I forgot to take a moment to breathe.

I am currently writing another book. I have 5 in the tank, all of which want to get written at once. Ideas for each one flood through my brain nearly every second of my day. I'm trying to focus in on one at a time, but sheesh! Working on one spurs new insight into the others and creates this constant reexamination of story, characters, locations, etc.

All part of the process, I suppose. And perhaps even a good problem to have. But I do tend to wander off into my writing zone and completely forget to keep up with other things. Like this blog!

I hope you enjoyed this short rant as confirmation that I still live!

No Man's Sky Is My Happy Place

 

I always have a hard time choosing a game to play. Some take a lot of investment. Not only time-wise, but also in terms of focus. Sitting down to play Street Fighter 6, for example, throws me into a fast-paced mode of quick execution and reaction time. Loading up God of War or Ghost of Tsushima, on the other hand, frees me of intense button combo memorization, but thrusts me into deep storylines and engaging dialogue that that often make demands on me emotionally (I get into it!). Thankfully, when I just want to blissfully unwind at the end of a long day, there are games like No Man's Sky.

No Man's Sky is an incredibly vast open world (universe) game of endless possibilities. The generative model of the game produces galaxies upon galaxies full of stars, planets, and space stations for players to explore. Every planet never visited by another player you can discover, meaning you can name it (as well as its plants, minerals, and animals) and upload that information into the games core server. And this can go on and on. In terms of size, I could honestly play this game in single-player mode for years and never stumble upon another players discoveries. I could spend weeks on a single planet, just exploring its landscapes, mining minerals, trading with merchants and scavenging abandoned outposts. Of course, you are equipped with tools and a space ship to cut that time down exponentially if you so choose. There are countless missions available that will have you hopping across multiple planets and galaxies in a single play session.

It is the best casual game I have ever played, personally. The sheer size of it, as well as the ability of choice in play style and pace makes it an endlessly satisfying escape for those of us who love to just kick back and let the digital wind blow us in whatever direction we so feel in the moment. Who could say no to such freedom?

ATLA Live-Action: Not All Fans are the Same

 I'm a huge fan of adaptations. Honestly, I am. Unlike remakes, adaptations bring with them the excitement of change. They're not meant to be frame-for-frame, word-for-word translations of their source material. I often look forward to what kind of changes will come, with the hope that they will expand on what already exists and forge new insight into the original's world. But dammit, adaptations sure are hit and miss.

When the live-action Avatar: the Last Airbender series was announced, there was an incredible wave of excitement. Many of us were understandably wary, but things looked good at the start. The original creators were on board and Netflix's general reputation of quality content (however long they last) gave us some assurance. Things fell apart toward the end, however, when the original creators once again stepped away due to "creative differences" and the list of odd changes to the story and its characters signaled a lot of red flags. But many of us held out and gave the show a shot.

Now, there has been a great amount of discourse surrounding this show. New and old fans have been clashing online over just about every aspect of the new series. Whether in support of or against it, there are interesting points to be made on both sides. But there is one fundamental issue that sits at the source of all this. Not every ATLA fan is the same, and an opinion greatly depends on what it is about the original that they connect with the most.

For me, spirituality sat as the essence of the original series. It is what both drew me in and kept me watching season after season. The world of Avatar was so vast and everything within it held significance, but an underlying spiritual presence was at the core of it all. The majority of screen time followed our main cast of human characters, but the encounters with animals and spirits of the world felt just as important. In some cases, more so. They were given equal weight and treatment in terms of presentation and storytelling.

The new ATLA live-action failed to deliver on that depth of spirituality, which led to my personal disconnect from it. The show made many changes that I can forgive and adapt to, but this departure was too much. Two key moments in particular stood out amongst them all.

Toph learning how to earthbend from the badgermoles.

In the Avatar world, badgermoles are noble creatures. Their history places them as the inspiration of modern earthbending. They are blind, music loving beasts that would never hurt anyone unless provoked. Their movements are powerful, yet restrained. You can see how many earthbending techniques are derived from the way they carefully navigate their environments, shifting their weight around in order to manipulate the earth around them. It is one of the things I enjoyed most about the animated series.

In the live-action, however, it seems all of that was thrown away. What was a peaceful, noble beast is instead introduced to us as a savage attacker. The badgermole shown in the live-action angrily engages Katara and Sokka, unprovoked and snarling viciously until it is calmed. Then, when it turns to depart the scene, it throws its body against a nearby wall and claws away at it like a rabid dog.

The second most notable instance was the treatment of the ocean spirit in the season's finale (yes I stuck with it to the end). In the original series, this is one of the most iconic moments. After witnessing the murder of its partner, the ocean spirit takes control of the Avatar in order to enact its revenge. Using the Avatar as a catalyst, it takes on a massive form and lays waste to the fire nation forces. The most beautiful thing about this moment, is that it is done in relevant silence. After the initial line of "No, it's not over," the ocean spirit takes action with nothing but a powerful score backing its actions. As a spirit as old as time, there is a great level of reservation in its attacks. It moves gracefully through the northern water tribe's village, calmly and effortlessly laying waste to the fire nation soldiers in its path. I find it difficult to explain, but the power of this spirit is quite clearly displayed through its peaceful rage.

In the live action, the ocean spirit is presented as (once again) a shell of its origin. Aang is given the introductory line as if he has control of the situation and is choosing the bond with the spirit. Then, after bonding with the Avatar and taking its massive form, the ocean spirit is reduced (as with the badgermole) to a roaring beast, flailing violently in its rage. And as if the spirit were not present in the preceding scene, Princess Yue comments that, in its rage, it is doomed to walk the earth, forever searching for its love.

This is a spirit as old as time, with powers far beyond that of any of the characters we know. Its display of power was a testament to the underlying story of how separated the physical and spiritual worlds had become. There was a strong message within the way in which it took control of the mindless human war that had interfered with its peaceful existence. The ocean spirit having full autonomy and power over the situation was a key moment in laying the roots of future storytelling within the Avatar-verse. It, again, felt like a cheap dilution of what I believed to be an important aspect of the original show.

Now, I could honestly write a thesis paper on all the changes the live action made that took away from the original rather than add to it. However, as I stated earlier, the key factor in connecting with the new adaptation (or not) is figuring out what it is that drew you to the original series in the first place. For a lot of folks, so long as the bending looked cool, they were in. For others, all it took was the presence of a certain character. The pool of fans is incredibly large, but no two fans are the same. We all connect to the series in a myriad of ways and, therefore, our opinions would divert no matter what direction a new series or adaptation went in. The most important thing is to just let things be. If there are people who enjoy the new show, let them. And if some of us need to part ways with it due to lack of connection, let us be. There really isn't any reason for the combative discourse.

And who knows? Maybe another season or two will give this show the ability to grow into something we can all love and appreciate.

You Said What You Said!

Times, they are a-changing.

In the wake of the recent protests in response to an overwhelming public display of racism and police brutality, the world is in a state of transformation. Criminal officers are being charged. New laws are being written. Investigations are being launched into cases once swept under the rug. And one of the greatest elements of the climate today: people are showing their true colors.

There hasn't been a single day in the past two weeks wherein I haven't discovered at least one person in my network who clearly has never been a "friend" to me, no matter what social media analytics say. From the racists who counter the movement with #AllLivesMatter, to the racists who minimize the true essence of the protests in favor of the more widely publicized looting and destruction narrative, it seems that far too much of the world would rather spread more hate and confusion than acknowledge their role in society's aggression toward blacks.

But today, there are CONSEQUENCES.

My new favorite thing is watching racists lose their careers, scholarships, and overall livelihoods over the vile rhetoric they spread out into the world. From the racist TikTokkers, to the audacious radio hosts, it seems everywhere you look people are getting fired for their public comments and attitudes. And the post-exposure apologies are always the same. "Please stop hating on me." "My future is ruined. I don't deserve this." And yet, each time I wonder the same thing. What exactly did you expect?

The internet is one long receipt. It is a catalog of all that is, has been, and potentially will be. So when you get on here and call for the deaths of innocent black people under your freedom of speech, what is so shocking about discovering that people no longer want to provide you a platform in which you profit off of them? When you mock an entire culture with racial slurs and offensive imagery, why is it so offensive to you that your company decides to exercise its freedom by not employing racists? It is the greatest form of entitlement to believe freedom of speech equates to freedom from consequence. As if you're given the freedom to say whatever you want, and your victim is to just sit there and listen. Well, not in this world. If queer people can get denied a wedding cake for simply being who they are, you can most certainly lose your job for disrespecting an entire race or inciting violence against them. You will find no sympathy with me.

The answer is NO.

Save the apologies. It only proves to us even more that our lives mean less to you than material goods. You said what you said. Your racist comments are the most authentic part of you, and we do not owe you forgiveness. In the world we live in today, it is impossible for you to not understand the weight those words and images carry.

People are out there fighting for a better world. A world that actually includes benefits for your racist asses too. Because equality means we all get a fair shot. We all get treated the same, and we all support one another. A united force that works to take humanity, as a whole, to its greatest heights. If you're not down with that then you can, and will, be left behind.

#BlackLivesMatter

Hidden Figures and the Importance of Representation

By now, most people have at least heard about Hidden Figures. This movie tells the true story of three black women employed at NASA during the early years of US's race to space against Russia. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), and Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) served as mathematicians in the program, with the movie covering their time during the Friendship Seven launch and John Glenn's orbit around the Earth.

From the moment this film started, I teared up. Something inside me reacted right away to the shear fact that I was watching a black woman on screen in a role outside of what media usually provides. Watching a young Katherine display her intelligence, with great support from her family and community to nourish those talents, struck me clear to the heart. I knew everything I was about to witness was important, and this immediate shame set in for this story, this true story, being unfolded before my eyes for the very first time.

The struggle of minorities is not news to anyone. For far too long, we've been up against obstacles placed in front of us by those who don't want us to progress. Even today, the very society we live in is structured in a way to keep us from achieving more than what our oppressors originally intended. Sitting in the theatre watching this beautiful film, I could not help but to think of how wonderful this world would be today if stories like this weren't excluded from history. I tried to imagine myself at 15 years old, vulnerable and in need of role models I could easily relate to. Walking into class every day to learn about another white man and his accomplishments and forced to commit his name to memory. How I wished for the script to change, and this could have provided just that. Stepping into a classroom and learning, for a change, about three brilliant black women who contributed such profound work to the field of science would have been a great eye-opener for me. And not just me, but the rest of the world as well. There are so many untold stories of powerful and intelligent individuals of all colors who have contributed to much of what we take for granted today. However, their glory is attributed to the same default white persona each time. No credit is given and their names are erased from the topic. Our education system overlooks these important figures and only teaches us from a Euro-centric perspective.

So many minorities are viewed in a negative light, treated as if they do nothing to benefit society. As if we're all supposed to be happy and grateful at the simple fact that we are no longer slaves. And yet, slavery is the only label they allow us to wear in the teachings of history. We have been here every step of the way, in all aspects of this country's existence. We are just as capable, and in some cases more so, than our white counterparts and yet they still try to keep us down. They utilize our talents and reap the benefits of our achievements, then claim responsibility and write us off as secondary citizens. At what point will it stop? At what point will equal rights and acknowledgement be seen as just that? It continues to baffle my mind how equality and progress is viewed as oppression in the eyes of the oppressor. They fear being overthrown and treated as we have been treated, yet our real goal is to dismantle the unjust system currently set in place and build a new one that benefits all.

Hidden Figures is one of the most important films of all time, especially in today's political climate. It has never been more important for us to be represented in accurate and positive portrayals. The world needs to know who we are, what we are capable of, and how far we've come. The strength needed to survive and persevere throughout the years is not one that can be measured. I hope more and more see this film and walk away with the knowledge of how important diversity is to a successful society, and how large a role people of color have played in ours.

This is just one story of many. Here's to all that are to come.

Some friends and I decided to sit around and record a random conversation. For lack of memory refreshment and no planning, I think things went well.

Have a listen!

Sailor Moon vs Wonder Woman

I didn't know I needed to see this video until I saw it:

I mean, if you've ever wanted to see Sailor Moon do a death drop (and I know I have), this is pretty much heaven.

Thanks Youtube!