Though initially something of a mystery, the title of the Sherman Brothers’ 1976 musical adaptation of "Cinderella" is the primary clue to its value. "The Slipper and the Rose" proposes a symmetry, a duality of attention, in how it treats the main leads and their situations. And it is in these complementary and crossing paths …
Continue reading “The Slipper and The Rose”—Symmetry in Storytelling
After the Thin Man, 1936 Set immediately after the Christmastime events of “The Thin Man,” “After the Thin Man” finds Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy) speeding to San Francisco to spend the New Year’s holiday with her family. Between Aunt Katherine’s teetotaling reprimands to Nick, and Cousin Selma’s missing husband, “After the Thin …
It may well be that certain personality types gravitate toward particular genres of fiction; at the very least, it can be said that some genres embody many of the unique attributes of personality articulated in the functions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). In this system, each personality type has a dominant preference for either …
1. "Bat Masterson" | Enjoy being who you are. Masterson, while trapped in a mine: “Well, William Barclay, looks like you’re going to die in the company you love best.” Whether it’s the ever-present half-smile or the satisfied twirling of his infamous cane, Bat Masterson, played by the ever-charming Gene Barry, clearly enjoys who he …
Continue reading Life Lessons from Three Classic TV Westerns
Gigi, Vincente Minellie's 1958 frolic, uses the color of 1890's Paris and the music of Lerner and Loewe to build to a profound illustration of the equality of love in marriage. High society of that time, and the concept of mistresses for the elite, or courtesans, is treated with veiled humor, particularly in the character …
There are books where the gradual sequence of seasons is almost a character in itself, a cog of the story turning it forward to new plots and eventual resolutions. The following recommendations all share this facet, but each from a different area and era, making them as unique as they are beautiful. Whether it’s Alaska …
Fitzwilliam Darcy, one of Jane Austen’s most recognizable characters, draws a curious mix of certainty and doubt when it comes to assigning him one of the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) personalities. It’s easy enough to recognize the marked introversion, blunt logic, and preference for order, resulting in introversion, thinking, and judging letters. But, as is …
Something about the newness of the calendar year begs for a similar freshness in our surroundings, so while it may be too early for a good old-fashioned spring cleaning, a little dedicated decluttering will make that task easier when it comes. There are just about as many ways to declutter as there are ways to …
To live at the speed of being human means to engage the senses. How many times does a day, a week, a year fly by, seemingly remembered as only a continuous blur of digital files, boring snacks, and binged shows. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with any one of those things—in fact, they …
Stargate SG-1, the successful television sequel to the 1994 Stargate movie, created compelling stories while forging new ground in science-fiction. Throughout its 10 year run, the personalities of the four main characters were as engaging an element as unexplored planets and new alien species. In honor of its 25th anniversary and continuing influence, we’ve analyzed …
The Intentional Ordinary 