A few months a discussion in a University of Iowa writing MOOC caught my attention. I didn’t contribute, because I was late to the exchange, and anyway, I felt a bit like an anthropologist, observing people around the world express their ideas about what they were learning. This particular discussion was about how cultures might … Continue reading What the hell am I doing here
Doctor Who: Familiar Universes
I drew three conclusions about the Doctor Who episode It Takes You Away. To me the themes were obvious, but satisfying amid the classic Who scares, Doctory-mythos talk, a fairy tale turned reality, and a Scandi-noir story that turned into something else. But to the conclusions, first:) Mother Rite The very first thing I thought … Continue reading Doctor Who: Familiar Universes
Review: Bohemian like Freddie
Radio waves are being saturated. Everywhere I go, Queen anthems are thumping out. This is not a negative. The first CDs I bought were by Queen. I think. It was awhile ago. But there is commerce at play. Bohemian Rhapsody is in the cinemas and the music is the tie in. I wasn't going to … Continue reading Review: Bohemian like Freddie
Doctor Who: Suffer Not Ignorance to Live
The Doctor regenerating into a woman was set up by Chris Chibnall so it wouldn't be a barrier to who The Doctor always was. New Doctor, similar traits, same memories, continuing adventures. The intention was and remains that The Doctor won't be thwarted or defeated by just the fact of her latest embodiment, just as … Continue reading Doctor Who: Suffer Not Ignorance to Live
Doctor Who: going organic
Doctor Who's Kerblam, or it's title for writers: how to do contemporary issues in an SF setting, while throwing off your audience before they reach obvious conclusions. Others have written fairly comprehensively on how the plot reflects contemporary labour and employment practices and noted the call backs to earlier iterations of The Doctor, of course … Continue reading Doctor Who: going organic
Spring in my spam
Tis spring in Melbourne. We have hail, flash flooding, humidity, sunshine, cloudy days and much politics. Also, we have spam, lots of spam referencing flowers. It's the season: She cherished the flowers. I love flowers of every kind. The flowers. Sounds creepy with 'the'. But think of this as a season for crafts and markets. … Continue reading Spring in my spam
Doctor Who: Borderlines
Familiarity breeds If you learn nothing else from 55 years of Doctor Who it is that people are people, no matter if they are blue, or encased in metal, or are sentient mollusc planets escaping their own universe, or humans living in India in 1947. Thus, I don't understand the outcry about the focus on … Continue reading Doctor Who: Borderlines
Doctor Who: R&R
With any ongoing narrative, it's easy to think about each episode or series, or producer era in terms of like or dislike. I hate Moffat, some declare, others loved Amy and Rory. OK. These declarations are personal judgements, informed by individual preferences, biases and understandings, hence debating them is endless and circular. People don't change … Continue reading Doctor Who: R&R
October: it’s a wrap
Often I feel like I'm not achieving enough. Days contain all sorts of things that need to be done, but there's not enough structure. Meanwhile, sleeping has been extremely absent, which means some fuzzy thinking and fatigue. Is there such a thing as Seasonal Affective Disorder for spring? Whatever it is, my head hurts. Yet, … Continue reading October: it’s a wrap
Doctor Who: Sympathy for the Devil
Motivations We knew this would happen. New companions of The Doctor would return to Sheffield and from there, make a decision to keep going. In terms of Joseph Campbell Hero's Journey schema, heroes are called, get help (The Doctor), and then may resist the call (go home) but then decides to cross the threshold. The … Continue reading Doctor Who: Sympathy for the Devil
