Tag Archives: family

Positive Cynicism

POSITIVE CYNICISM EP. 55: QUESTION EVERYTHING; TRAVIS YATES

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POSITIVE CYNICISM EP. 55: QUESTION EVERYTHING; TRAVIS YATES [ 75.22 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (625)

The latest Question Everything has gone to the dogs. Travis Yates returns to the show as a hyphenated guest. In addition to being a professor of mass communication, Travis we add the title of Author to his introduction. Travis (@popcultIQ) joins @chadsmart to discuss his new book, “Nobody Told Me My Legs Don’t Work: Journey of a Down Dog.

The book details the steps Travis and his wife, Renea took after one of their dogs suffered a stroke and lost mobility in its back legs. From scouring message boards to six hour round trips to get some of the best treatments, Travis recounts all the emotion and stress of caring for an immobile dog along with caring for four other pets at the same time.

You can order Travis’ book here.

Be sure to check out the Positive Cynicism website for almost new daily content.

The Jittery Monkey Podcast website has links to all the podcasts. Most are updated weekly.

 

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 31: Fish Fry Goodness

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I love a good fish fry. Last night was the first one I’ve been to this year, as my work schedule my wife’s work schedule had not cooperate fully with the notion of going to a Friday fish fry. For as long as I can remember I’ve enjoyed a good fish fry. End it doesn’t have to be at at a church or school fundraiser or in organizations building. Some of my best memories are fish fries at home or at my grandparents house.

There’s one simple lesson that needs to be understood about family fish fries. You don’t eat as a family. When my dad would have a fish fry for us, he’s pretty well cooking the entire time. And then he’ll have a piece of fish here there a french fry here there. But he’ll cook up a plate put it on the table, and we will eat while he continues to cook. I’m sure it’s not exclusively or Mehochko or deal. But dad always made sure that everybody got theirs before he sat down to have his.

Grandpa after a successful day on the lake.

It was the same at my grandparents house. My grandpa usually caught all of the fish we were eating. Sometimes I helped, as I was his little fishing buddy. But they just knew how to fry fish up perfectly.

I think that’s why I like the idea of going to a fish fry a little bit more. It’s at those times where we get to sit down as a family and talk about the day talk about the week talk about sports, or whatever. But we were able to do so as a family, without one person continuing to do all the work while everyone sat and enjoyed the food. I will save it as it almost always is the home cooking the home fried fish was better. But sacrificing taste here and there is a small price to pay for being able to sit down and enjoy something together with everyone.

Last night fish fry saw a pound of fried cod for $10.50, side dishes of hush puppies, french fries, and mac & cheese all for $1.50, soda for a dollar, a can of beer for two dollars, and two desserts for the price of one ($1). But they also offered salmon, soups, cheese pizza, and even spaghetti.

Now I know that the love of a good fish fry and being Catholic are not mutually exclusive, as anyone can love fish. But there’s something about a fish fry this time of year as a readily available place to eat on a Friday that makes life as a Catholic a little more enjoyable.

Passing on the Fish Fry Fever to the next generation…as long as it’s covered in ketchup.

Since my laptop died last night, you get this post this morning. I’ll have another post for you later today but April fools. Be looking out for it. Feel free to comment on or share the posts that you have enjoyed.

Nerds United

Fresh Content Day 21: Life is a Musical

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I admit it’s not the most catchy title.

I was actually inspired to write this topic while listening to What Happened When…Monday, a podcast that talks about WCW, Jim Crockett Promotions, and more old, defeated wrestling companies. It is hosted by Conrad Thompson and legendary Voice of Professional Wrestling South of the Mason-Dixon Line, Tony Schiavone. This week’s episode is about WCW’s October 1990 pay-per-view Halloween Havoc. In it, announcers Paul Heyman and Jim Ross were dressed as Count Dracula and a Prohibition-era mobster, respectively. Schiavone went “under a hood” (a mask, for you non-wrestlers) as the Phantom of the Opera. When asked by Thompson why he made that decision, Schiavone responded that he loved musicals.

He and I have that in common.

I grew up around musicals. And though I stated yesterday that I don’t listen to much music anymore, it’s still a big part of my life. I think I stated in an earlier post that of the couple movies we did have as a kid, they were usually ripped from another cassette (1980’s pirating, everybody). But we also had The Sound of Music that had been taped from the television. You know it was the 80’s with this vintage McDonald’s commercial:

Yes – even the damn Für Elise commercial was stuck in my brain.

But it wasn’t just The Sound of Music. I was and still am a big fan of The Music Man. That was a fun movie…Robert Preston, a young Ron Howard, the mom from the Partridge Family, and Buddy Hackett. SHIPOOPI!

My mom was in a singing group when I was younger, so a couple times a year I’d have to put on a tie and go to a nice theater and sit still while she and 20 or so other adults sang songs that I mostly didn’t recognize. But from time to time, mom would bring home a movie to study and better understand the source material.

Then there were the childhood staples that would appear on television…The Wizard of Oz, Mary Poppins, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

Then at one point, mom had the two-disc stage version of Phantom of the Opera. And I enjoyed listening to that well enough, but there’s one point in the production where Christine lets out a high-pitched note that is almost a scream. I swear, to this day it still makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I think times have changed and musicals are more widely accepted. With box office successes like Les Misérables and Into the Woods, there’s a likelihood that we’ll continue to see musicals make a strong resurgence. Just look at La La Land.

I could see Hamilton getting a big screen makeover, unless Lin-Manuel Miranda has it exclusively for stage. I haven’t seen it, so I don’t know how it would translate to film. I’m also curious about Wicked on the big screen. I doubt I’d get to see that in person, so a movie version would be appreciated. Am I missing any? I don’t know. I don’t get out much.

But here’s one you can watch on Netflix – a fan-favorite animated feature film that spawned a four-film franchise – Shrek: the Musical.

So what are some good musicals I left off the list?

Nerds United

Nerds United Episode 64: Four Color Triumph

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Nerds United Episode 64: Four Color Triumph [ 1:05:19 | 0.01 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (936)

After eighteen months, I can officially say that I have seen Four Color Eulogy, and it is good!

four color poster
Actual movie poster advertising Four Color Eulogy.

Here’s the same poster next to another comic book movie with which you may be familiar:

movie posters

This touching independent film features a cast and crew from St. Louis, MO and was shot in the Gateway City. So in Episode 64, I welcome Jason Contini back to the Nerd Dome.

movie still
Contini shown with co-star Amy Loui, who plays Chris’ mother.

Jason co-wrote Four Color Eulogy and served as a co-producer. Sit back and enjoy the show as Greg tries not to cry while talking about Four Color Eulogy. The movie had a red carpet premier at Ronnie’s 20 Cine in St. Louis Friday night and was sold out! In fact, they sold out the smaller auditorium and then sold out the larger auditorium.

Four Color Eulogy is playing at least through Thursday (Apr. 14) at Ronnie’s on S. Lindbergh in St. Louis. Two shows a day (2pm and 7:30) with at least one cast/crew member on hand to visit with fans and viewers and answer any questions.

I cannot stress enough how much I encourage anyone to go out and watch this movie. As I stated to Jason, this is a movie that hits you in the feels and one you can (and will want to) watch over and over.

To everyone who worked on this film, from cast and crew to art contributors to local publishers like Stache Publishing who provided comic books for the comic book store scenes, to everyone who had a hand in this project no matter how finite, you have my utmost gratitude.

Now…GO SUPPORT INDEPENDENT FILMS!

Nerds United

#ToughCallTuesday 6 – Title Unknown

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I admit as I write this that I don’t know which direction this post will take. But it’s Tuesday, and I’ll be dipped if I don’t bring you a new Tough Call post.

The problem is that even now, I don’t think this one is a tough call at all.

I did something this past weekend that I can’t remember doing in recent memory. I intentionally skipped a televised game of my favorite college football team. Now, I’ve missed games in the past. And I’ve recorded them and watched them later. And I did that as well this past Saturday.

The difference between this game and all of those previously is that it was completely my choice how I spent my Saturday afternoon. At other times, I had commitments that I had agreed to before I knew of the starting time. This time, I was asked to go golfing – with my dad. And I readily and enthusiastically agreed.

Here’s the thing. My dad isn’t old. I anticipate (as well as hope and pray) that I get another thirty or so years with him. I hope he gets to see his grandchildren for many years, and if fate is kind, his grandchildren’s children.

So why does nine holes of golf seem so important?

Long story short? I didn’t spend as much time with him as I could or should have growing up. Am I playing catch-up, or trying to make up for lost time? Probably.

I’m not going to say I was a perfect kid. I wasn’t. I was a smart ass. Some days, I was a dumb ass. And I was lazy. I would rather sit on the couch and watch movies or play video games than pretty much anything. I could have learned so much, but I was too busy doing nothing at all.

So when my dad asked if I wanted to go golfing, there was only one answer for me. Nothing beat nine holes with him, drinking a few beers, smoking a cigar, talking about the current events in sports, family, etc. It was something I never knew I was missing until I took advantage of the opportunity to be a participant. It’s not that we didn’t have anything in common, it’s that I didn’t really know how to talk to him when I was younger, a teen. He was always the authoritative figure. Having grown, I am now able to see him on more equal terms (not completely, the man is still my hero and everything I aspire to be in a father).

As the day draws closer to my being a father, well, I don’t think I have a better role model than my own dad. He let me make my own choices as far as hobbies and interests. He was my coach as well as my dad. And I got to play catch with him, shoot hoops, etc.

I don’t write any of this to brag. I know not everyone had similar experiences. Rather, I write this as a reminder to myself to be that same kind of father to my children.

I will let my child(ren) choose between Marvel and DC, between Star Wars and Star Trek. Even let them choose their own favorite Doctor. But I hope they learn from the mistakes I made as a youngster.

I hope they choose to spend some time with their old man.

So this week’s #ToughCallTuesday isn’t tough at all.

I’ll always choose family. I’ll always put my kids first. They won’t always get everything they want. But they will never be in need. And “like my father before me,” they’ll get a dad who comes home from work and says “let’s play catch” or “let’s read a book.”