The Introverted Detective

The characters in the movie Brave  are well written and change throughout the movie. While it is easy to say Merida was all in the wrong or Queen Elinor was all in the wrong that is not what the actual movie was about, to begin with. Here is a character study that will give you a deeper understanding of Merida and Queen Elinor. Our starting point is explaining the plot. If you've watched this movie you know the plot, but I'm banking on the fact some of you haven't. Put simply and in a few words, Merida and Queen Elinor have a disagreement over Merida getting married to the winner of the archery contest (which Merida secretly entered herself and won her own hand). There are some hurtful words on both ends, Merida runs into a witch, and it all leads to Queen Elinor turning into a bear unless they "mend the bond torn by pride", which takes both mother and daughter to do. There is more detail, but I'm not here to analyze the whole plot, just two characters. Merida...

 Pull out your book of Hans Christian Anderson tales and Brothers Grimm and let's dive in. Let's see what Disney made more pleasant for the sake of children.  Disney, that great monopoly we know and love, has toned down so much that when we read the original tales themselves we find ourselves horrified with the violence and darkness of it. Children of the time of Grimm and Andersen were told tales that we wouldn't read to our own children, let alone ourselves. Usually, each tale had a moral to it. Frankly, after volume I was out of Brothers Grimm, even the Grimm brothers toned down tales. Some of these dark stories were told verbally and then edited by the brothers Grimm, who collected these tales to put in a written volume. Disney got a lot of material from here. Without any further ado, we go on. They are not all Grimm, but they are close enough. Elsa Yes, you Frozen fans, Elsa is not a hero in the Hans Christian Andersen story of  The Snow Queen . She was a villain. ...

So you have an introverted roommate and just don't understand them. You're in luck because today I am going to explain how to comfortably live with your introverted roommate while making them comfortable as well.  As an introvert, I have felt stress from living with an extrovert (though I know they didn't actually mean to cause me stress), so if your roommate seems distant they may just need more space. They may not even be paying attention to the outside world at all - we turn inward for stimulation, not outward -  so don't assume we hate you. Unless they actually say they dislike you, assume nothing. This is for the extroverts getting confused as to why we do what we do. Think of us as somewhat cat-like, if that helps. We only want attention for a short time or a certain amount of time before we get overwhelmed or stressed. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when you are an extrovert living with an introvert, from the mouth of an introvert herself. Personal Spac...

 We all know Marvel Comics for Iron Man, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Fantastic Four, and so on, but let's talk about the Marvel that was not mainstream but was - make no mistake - just as good.  Comics Worth Reading I have recently read about Squirrel Girl and was curious enough to invest my amazon gift cards from Christmas and Birthday into getting a full set of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl . Halfway through book 1 of 4 of the set I have no regrets, not one. I now want to collect them all.  We know that comics get a little weird, depending on what you are reading, and X-Men can get confusing (past to present to past, and what's going on now?!), but here are some heroes you should look into in Marvel Comics. (I may do a DC Comics edition of this blog topic later, but it depends on what I find.) Squirrel Girl Comicbook.com I opened talking about her, so let's start here. She is part squirrel and part human. She has a squirrel named Tippy Toe as h...

 A new year and new resolutions, but do we know why everyone makes and breaks resolutions? Let's dive into the history of New Year's traditions. Modern resolutions reflect our excess and cushy lives. Way back in BC times agriculture (from the Egyptians to the Chinese) was what made the world go 'round. No crops meant no food or money. They resolved to be good so crops would be bountiful. Our society has different needs, and some aren't needs at all if you truly look at it from the perspective of poverty-stricken people. Resolving to go use a gym membership is not a need unless you need to lose weight. Trying to consume less social media implies that you have the means to look at social media often. While losing your smoking habit is definitely a need for your health, other resolutions are far from needs. 4000 years ago Babylonians started the tradition. During the Akito festival, they would pledge and make promises. If they kept them, they were on the good side of the g...

It is days after Christmas and we are going to be talking about conspiracy, that, and the true origin of Santa Claus.  St. Nicholas Let me introduce you to St. Nicholas, a monk who used his whole inheritance to help the needy. In 16th century Europe he was known as Father Christmas. Sailors know him as the patron saint of voyagers because he prayed and saved a ship. He is also the patron and protector of children. He died in 343 AD and his tomb was found in Turkey. This man was the starting point of Santa Claus. St. Nicholas Day is celebrated December 6th.  If you want more on St. Nicholas, see my last three sources. He was an amazing man and he was real. He is declared a Saint. He has many descriptions throughout time, but the red suit is here to stay. While the holiday has lost some of the original sincerity and love, his popularity as a Saint has not gone away. He took seriously Christ's command to give money to and care for the poor. It would be a good idea to remember tha...

Zoom or in-person holiday party? Zoom or in-person office meeting? Zoom or in-person prayer meeting? Zoom or in-person date? All these questions and more are the questions of the day. Let me help! Take a quick look at your pros and cons before canceling anything or going online.    Zoom or any other video calls you make have a different psychological impact than in-person social contact. If it just wasn't the same to talk to your friend on Skype or Zoom or Facetime you have proven this theory to be true. Classes, parties, dates, office meetings, and prayer meetings will not have the same flow. While it may be more convenient to only dress your top half and wear pajamas or sweats on the bottom, it doesn't truly connect us in the same way. This doesn't mean it is not a good way to conduct a meeting. Without any further adieu, let's dive into the pros and cons of Zoom. The Negatives This may be a pro and con, depending on your function, but it limits social activity. If...