Tuesdays with Muerte

Do You Recognize the Melody? When I first listened to Aurora's 2023 hit single, " Your Blood ," I was immediately reminded of " Lovefool ," a 1996 classic from fellow Scandinavians, The Cardigans. I assumed they were both singing about unrequited love, but I realized they told different stories as I spent more time with Aurora's work. Background Interview with the Artist In this article, A Matter of the Heart , Aurora gives listeners a glimpse into the meaning behind her hit single, " Your Blood" .  In summary, "Your Blood" reflects on the loss of heart and empathy in a world driven by rationality and profit, exploring themes of pain, empathy, and interconnectedness.  Inspired by a letter written by  Indigenous activists from Brazil , Aurora's album,  What Happened to the Heart?,  questions humanity's reliance on mind over heart, highlighting how decisions driven by logic rather than compassion lead to suffering, both for the Eart...

Introduction I listened to the lyrics to the AJR song,  BANG!  for the first time today and immediately noticed its connection to suicide. Curious why this wasn't obvious to more people, I googled it and discovered that I may be  one of the few people who think this way. I'm not crazy, right? Pexels.com Song Analysis Listen to the chorus: "Everybody come hang (come hang). Let's go out with a bang. Bang! Bang! Bang!" These repeated words brought to my mind a couple of terrifying statistics:  Suicide is the SECOND leading cause of death for college-age youth and youth ages 12-18 ( CDC WISQARS ) The two leading methods of suicide (in high-income countries) are hanging and firearms ( The Parent Resource Program ). As I continued to examine the song lyrics, I realized EVERYTHING about the song supported my interpretation. This radio hit doesn't necessarily glorify suicide. It's more of a social commentary on the frustrating plight of American youngsters. It ...

Introduction After reading  The Happiness Project  (2009) by New York Times bestselling author, Gretchen Rubins, I decided to read two of her more recent books: Better Than Before  (2015) The Four Tendencies  (2017) These books talk about habits and how our personalities orient us toward certain motivational techniques. Both showcased Rubin's revolutionary personality profile called, The Four Tendencies . She explains that "The Four Tendencies explain  why we act  and  why we don’t act ." And boy, did I learn a lot about how I personally derive motivation. Now, I'm dying to discuss them with my friends and family.  Take the ONLINE QUIZ now, or read on to discover your Tendency.  A Summary of The Four Tendencies The Four Tendencies framework describes how we respond to expectations. We all face two kinds of expectations: outer expectations , such as meeting work deadlines or observing traffic regulations, and inner expectations , such as q...

TL;DR It's the Botox. For the past 3 months, my wife, Stacia, and I have been watching  Good Witch  (via Netflix and Amazon Prime). Stacia adores winding down to "Hallmark-y shows." We can rely on Good Witch episodes to always resolve happily. The episodes are never too intense. The height of conflict revolves around things like someone's inability to locate the perfect spot to snap a romantic photo for a new tourism brochure. I consider my time watching these shows spouse bonding time , and emotional training. My favorite thing about watching feel-good shows with Stacia is getting to observe her facial reactions to the on-screen drama. When two people lean in for a long-anticipated kiss, Stacia tucks her knees into her chest and frowns with her forehead while lifting her chin and bottom lip. While I'm typically unable to suspend my disbelief, Stacia seems completely entranced by the various characters' emotions. Wishing I could join her in being swept aw...

The Martian by Andy Weir My rating: 4 of 5 stars Basically, The Martian = Apollo 13 + Cast Away. What a page turner!  I enjoyed reading it even after watching the movie.  (Now I want them to write a play so I can go see that!)  I didn't give it 5 stars was because—despite the realistic scenarios and elaborate math validating every action taken throughout the story—my disbelief was never fully suspended.  When I give 5 stars, it's because I was able to lose myself in the story; when I have become one with the narration.  Perhaps Weir's style of writing was too fast paced for me.  Perhaps my mind didn't have time to struggle with the problem before the solution presented itself.  I think due to this and other factors I never fully became Mark Watney, the protagonist. Re: Language — Weir's use of swearing didn't bother me because I recognized that Watney was from Chicago, not Provo. Personal lessons learned: I had hoped that by r...

Reaction Two years after its theatrical release, I finally got around to watching Jonny Depp in  Transcendence . Waiting for the new-release excitement to die down was a good decision.  Transcendence  is one of those films that causes you to leave the theater disappointed. But as time goes by, the ideas from the film burrow deeper and deeper under your skin (in a good way). Immediately after my viewing of the film, I jumped online, eager to see what conversations were going on relating to the themes and questions addressed by the film. I opened the first three discussion groups I could find, read the first few review titles, and felt instantly dejected. Overwhelmingly, critics ranted about how the film failed to meet their entertainment expectations. With the all-star cast and killer trailer building up anticipation since 2012, these film buffs wanted a blockbuster—a Hollywood  sci-fi—not what they got—a true sci-fi (which happened to have expen...

Synopsis The six-person crew of a derelict spaceship awakens from stasis in the farthest reaches of space. Their memories wiped clean, they have no recollection of who they are or how they got on board. The only clue to their identities is a cargo bay full of weaponry and a destination: a remote mining colony that is about to become a war zone. With no idea whose side they are on, they face a deadly decision. Will these amnesiacs turn their backs on history, or will their pasts catch up with them? ( IMDB ) Backstory Produced in Canada,  DARK MATTER was  syndicated by the U.S. Syfy channel, June 15th, 2015, and was made available on Netflix just 2 days ago. September 28. The show has quickly accrued more than a cult following. Wikipedia reports 1.28 million views of the pilot, just in the U.S. Its popularity is no surprise since the script was written by the same folks who did Stargate. Personal Review While lacking the blockbuster budget, effects, and drama of Ba...

 VERSE 1  There are loved ones in the glory Whose dear forms you often miss. When you close your earthly story, Will you join them in their bliss?  CHORUS:  Will the circle be unbroken By and by, by and by? Is a better home awaiting In the sky, in the sky?  VERSE 2  In the joyous days of childhood Oft they told of wondrous love Pointed to the dying Saviour; Now they dwell with Him above.  (Chorus)   VERSE 3  You remember songs of heaven Which you sang with childish voice. Do you love the hymns they taught you, Or are songs of earth your choice?  (Chorus)   VERSE 4  You can picture happy gath'rings Round the fireside long ago, And you think of tearful partings When they left you here below.  (Chorus)   VERSE 5  One by one their seats were emptied. One by one they went away. Now the family is parted. Will it be complete one day?  (Chorus)  Three Arrangements of the Hymn A beauti...

Soundtrack Cover Art Book Summary [Spoilers] Paul A treides  embarks on his hero's journey as a   royal manling . He's then stranded on a harsh planet, surrounded by treachery, with nothing but his mother, his training, and fate to aid him. He ultimately faces off against the universe—and wins! There's no wrong age to visit the pages of Dune, but I'd say the ideal reading age for young men is 12-20 years. Why? It consoles young men who perceive themselves as  misunderstood; it serves as a guide. By co-experiencing Maud'dib's adventure, adolescents can believe that  their coming of age can be survived. Additionally, it teaches parents how to communicate with their omniscient sons. These actors were so cool in 1984 Book Review Dune  by  Frank Herbert My rating:  5 of 5 stars Desiring to appear literate, like my college friends, I lied about having read Frank Herbert's Dune. Sure, I had read the Cliff's Notes in high school....