The Chaotic Neutral

There’s an island, probably somewhere in the south Pacific. The guide that takes us there is the lone survivor of the last hurricane in the are. The island is overly lush and green. The weather is rough and appears there’s nowhere to land. There’s a club for the rich. Lots of sex, using the locals. There’s an orgy on a bed, all beautiful people with one man covered in scars and bruises. They…

Things have been getting a bit overwhelming in certain parts of life, so this site is going on a short hiatus. I am expecting it to be a summer vacation, though things will pop back up here I find something particularly pressing or noteworthy.

Enjoy your summer, take care of yourselves, and I’ll see you back with more musing, write-ups, and possibly even a new fiction series.

It's that time of year again! Since you're probably not watching it, get the snarkiest of snarky summaries from us! Eurovision 2019 - Semi-Finals 1

It’s that time of the year again; that magical time of pageantry, drama, excess, and singing. Yes, it’s time for Eurovision. This year we jet off to Israel because of last year’s winner, the banger Toy by Netta. But if you were hoping for a bop as purely appealing, tightly written, and cleanly performed as that this time around, I’m afraid it will have to wait for the second round of semi-finals.…

A Comic Reader’s Diary: On a Sunbeam

Have you ever picked up a random read and simply clicked with it. Like, it’s not only a great book, but it’s also the exact thing you needed to read at this exact time? Recently I’ve been reading a lot of books that I’ve liked, but as soon as I finished On a Sunbeam by Tillie WaldenI knew I was in love. It’s one of those rare reading experiences where every single part of the book comes together…

Yom Hashoah at This Moment

Today is Yom Hashoah, the Jewish day of remembrance for the Holocaust. We remember that the Holocaust was a loss for the Jewish community at large, and not just those with European ancestry. I read an editorial published for today with the following quote:

“In the States, commemorating Yom HaShoah feels much more remote. Yellow candles are distributed to congregants by mail, but few remember…

There's a show about magic, foreign lands, and politics, that has repeatedly killed main characters, and it isn't Game of Thrones.

spoilers ahead

There’s a show about magic, foreign lands, and politics, that has repeatedly killed main characters, and it isn’t Game of Thrones. It’s The Magicians, a show that was billed as an edgy Harry Potter, but really has been more of a meta-commentary on “chosen one” fantasy writ larger. But the season 4 finale has left the fandom divided. And even if you aren’t a regular viewer of the…

Happy Passover. Now let's talk about The Problem with Christian Seders.

This may be a bit of an awkward read for some of you as I am pointing a finger at a number of kind-hearted and well-intentioned Christians taking part in Jewish appropriation and erasure. So I’ll just flat out say it:

Seders are not a part of Easter. Christians, please stop having Christian Seders.

A lot of people think that Easter and Passover, and therefore seders, are all one holiday…

Farewells and Finales: Crazy Ex-Girlfriend & You’re The Worst

Since I know these aren’t the most popular shows (though they should be), I’m going to keep this relatively spoiler-free.

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend & You’re The Worst. I often these two shows crop up in lists of TV with complicated women in them but ,oddly enough, I rarely see them discussed on their own. Which is a shame because, despite their questionable titles, they are amazing TV shows. Funny…

Kind Cordelia? Out and proud high school Willow? Xander muttering angrily to himself behind a keyboard? Is this the work of a vengeance demon? Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Comic Reboot Review And how to read them all for free. Legally!

There are so many recent comic series I could have talked about: The Avant-Guards, Naomi, Goddess Mode, Nancy Drew, the new lines of Sandman, Die, and Blackbird all come to mind. But I’ll save a few of those for later. Some I want to let cook a bit longer with a few more issues, and other I have fallen a little behind on. But Buffy, an ever present presence in my life, feels ripe for…

Us: A Spoiler-Lite Review

Wow, this is turning out to be sort of difficult to write about. Going in to watch Us, it’s inevitable to try compare it to the layering and metaphors found in Get Out, either immediately upon completing the film or even while watching. I am guilty of trying to break it down in real-time, to various degrees of success. But the twist is this: Us is a completely different movie and is worth going…

So, I used to like this book. Upon re-reading it, I absolutely love it. Banned Books Book Club: Fun Home

My Year of Banned Books book club met this month and we discussed Fun Home. I had read it before, seen Alison Bechdel speak, and attended a local college production of the musical. I love the book and I love the things that Bechdel has to say, both in person and through her work.

But what I had forgotten since the last time I had read her graphic memoir is how wonderful the work is as a piece…

Buffy, Angel, and the Big Picture

Buffy, Angel, and the Big Picture

Buffy the Vampire Slayer premiered as a TV show 22 years ago this week, on March 10th, 1997. In the years between then and now, Buffy has become a huge cultural touchstone. On a personal level, a subset of the Buffy fandom community has somewhat recently become a hugely important part of my life.

As one can imagine, across the span of 7 seasons for the…

And the Oscar Goes to… Gatekeeping?

Steven Spielberg, as the Academy Governor representing directors, has taken the stance that streaming companies like Netflix should only be able to compete for Emmy’s (as television features) and not Academy Awards. A little strange considering his most recent feature was Ready Player One, a messy amalgam of pop-culture references glorifying the power of online spaces. But sure.

This statement…

The Subtle Brilliance of Bon Appétit’s “Gourmet Makes”

I don’t really watch cooking shows but there is one show that There’s a cooking show on YouTube called Gourmet Makes, presented by Bon Appétit pastry chef Claire Saffitz. And while it may appear to just be a fun little series, I think it’s unlike any other cooking show out there.

The premise of the show is pretty simple and kind of goofy; Claire Saffitz takes a different snack food each…

Much better than the live action category, check out the next installment of Oscar coverage! Oscars: 2019 Animated Short Nominees

The animated short offerings are a much stronger category, overall, than the live action shorts turned out to be. That’s not to say that everything is a fun and easy watch. There are a few here that may hit different people in different ways. From the loss of family because of them growing up and moving out, to the loss of self due to aging, there’s a lot of heavy topics. But more than the live…

Oscars: 2019 Live Action Nominees. The shorts are usually a highlight but this year, well, you've got to be "kid"ding me.

Normally the shorts are what I really get excited for when it comes to the Oscars. I’ve traveled into New York to see them and, as they’ve become more accessible, I’ve purchased them and had viewing parties, or even just shown personal top picks during Oscar night with friends. But this years crop of live action shorts were, by and large, astoundingly brutal. Like, most of them are about horrible…

Superbowl 53 Party Review!

Hello Chaotic Neutral!

When we last checked in for the Superbowl, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots, I made chili, and a fun time party was had by all.

Well the Patriots are back in the big game this year[foot]Shocking, I know[/foot], and I’m back to tell you all about it.

The year in football was pretty good! In the fantasy football league I play in with my friends, My team,…