Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #4: Glamour Geek Revue

June 20, 2025June 3, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #4: Glamour Geek Revue
June 20, 2025

One of the ways that I like to prep for Dragon Con is by listening to the Dragon Con Report podcast. Brought to you by the ESO Network, the podcast is a monthly discussion on all things Dragon Con that counts down to the big event over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia.

The show is hosted by Michael Gordon, Jennifer Schleusner, and Channing Sherman, and it delivers news, notes, tips, and tricks for newbies and veterans alike. The Dragon Con Newbies community has a great relationship with the show and the network.

In the fourth episode for 2025, the team gets sparkly, sultry, and spectacular with the sensational May Hemmer. The Glamour Geek Revue is Dragon Con’s premier burlesque extravaganza, and in this edition of the Dragon Con Report, May reviews past performances and teases the cosplay creativity and breathtaking routines you might see in this year’s show.

The show can be found in video form on YouTube and in audio on the official website and wherever fine podcasts are fed. The Dragon Con Report channels can be found on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You can catch their shows live on those platforms or on demand on their website.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Peter David

June 16, 2025June 10, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Peter David
June 16, 2025

Writer Peter David died on May 24, 2025.

I never met him personally, but his work was some of the best in the franchises I love. I have told the story many times about my introduction to science fiction through Lost in Space and Star Trek reruns. I fell away from Star Trek television in the late ’80s and early ’90s, but came around once again when my friend Ryan introduced me to Star Trek Generations at a small fan gathering in the mid-90s. Around the franchise’s 30th anniversary, after both of us received the Star Trek 30 Years collector’s edition book with my first map of the Trek galaxy, I started a deep dive catch-up through re-runs and the local library.

Among the first books I checked out was the hardcover of Imzadi. It was a wacky adventure full of time travel shenanigans, graced by a Keith Birdsong cover that showcased silver fox Admiral Riker. I soon pivoted to Q-Squared, which blew my young mind with the way Peter David wrote parallel universes. This is a novel I think about quite often. Vendetta followed soon after, and eventually I made it to I, Q, a tale amplified by the voice and experience of John de Lancie.

The first Star Trek book I bought was The Captain’s Daughter. It was an impulse purchase at my local Smith’s supermarket, driven by its role as a sequel to Star Trek Generations. With Captain Sulu on the cover and the promise of further tales of Demora Sulu and Captain Harriman, it was an easy spend for my hard-earned lawn mowing money. It maintains a special place in my heart because of that.

He developed a new series for the Star Trek novels as a spin-off from The Next Generation. Star Trek: New Frontier focused on the crew of the USS Excalibur, commanded by maverick Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. It was the first time that I saw an action figure from the novels – the captain was created from a Playmates DS9/Voyager male body, a generic-looking sword, and a custom-sculpted head – and the series ran for an impressive 21 novels, a handful of crossovers, several comics, and a few short stories in various anthologies. I have only read the first four books, but I liked what I saw and the entire series is on my To Read list.

Peter David even graced the Star Wars universe with an amazing one-off Infinities tale. In an eight-page comic published in Star Wars Tales 1, he crafted a “what if” scenario for R5-D4, the other droid on the Jawa sandcrawler in A New Hope. Long story short, R5-D4 was Force-sensitive in this story, and once he met Luke Skywalker at the Lars Homestead, he saw the future and how important R2-D2 was to the galaxy. In the end, he blows his own motivator and embraces his destiny.

Peter David’s bibliography is immense, and he is one of examples of a working writer. He doesn’t appear on best-selling fiction author lists, but he succeeded and he was loved because of his hustle and passion. His work stood out because he embraced his work, capturing the very essence of those universes with his own special enthusiastic flair. He published novels and comics, and spend decades in pop culture. I know him best from his Star Trek work, but I’m intrigued by his Marvel and DC Comics work as well, especially his time on Supergirl given my recent interest in that character. My friends speak highly of his tenure with Spider-Man.

Peter David is one of my favorites in Star Trek fiction. I’ll remember his working writer wisdom (laced with rapier wit) from his article “Why Writers are Scum“:

If the artist is doing his job, then he’s seen. If the writer is doing his job, he’s not. The writer should be the invisible man. The writer hides behind the characters, melting into the background. The writer’s job is to make the characters take on lives of their own, to be real.

Peter David made my favorite characters real. He will be missed.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – We Don’t Do Kings Here

June 14, 2025June 13, 2025 Michael Falkner1 Comment

Culture on My Mind
We Don’t Do Kings Here
June 14, 2025

Today marks a series of demonstrations and protests across the United States. Known as the “No Kings” movement, it includes more than 1,500 cities and towns to oppose the current administration.

The concept of monarchy in the United States is not popular. In the Revolutionary era, an estimated fifteen to twenty percent of colonists were Loyalists in support of the British crown. As the country entered the Confederation period, Alexander Hamilton (among others) recommended crowning an American monarch. Hamilton even stated in a lengthy speech before the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that the United States should be led by an elective monarch who ruled for life unless impeached. His proposal was rejected in favor of the four-year term system that has survived to the modern day (though term limits came about in 1951).

In a poll conducted by YouGov in 2021, a mere five percent of Americans thought a monarchy in the United States would be a good thing, while 69 percent said it would be a bad thing. Two years later, YouGov found twelve percent favored the idea while 63 percent opposed it.

The concept of “no kings” in America goes all the way back to the Declaration of Independence. Fed up with the tyranny of King George III, the Second Continental Congress unanimously voted to adopt and issue the document on July 4, 1776. Contrary to the current President’s interpretation, the document isn’t “a declaration of unity and love and respect”. On the contrary, the Declaration of Independence is a list of grievances. Quite literally, it is well-crafted breakup letter including a list of things the colonists hated about the monarchy.

Among those grievances – the very reasons why the Continental Congress decided to “dissolve the political bands” that connected them to Great Britain – we can see many parallels to the 45th and 47th presidential administrations:

The colonial assemblies passed various laws for self-governance and the common good, which the King refused to acknowledge;
The King used his arbitrary will (read: executive orders) in place of legislative process to establish policy over the consent of the people;
The King opposed immigration because it would give the colonies too much power;
The King interfered with and improperly influenced the judiciary;
The King established a variety of new offices that harassed citizens, spent the treasury for their own good, and lined their own pockets;
The King used the military for domestic enforcement and oppression;
The King held mock trials in lieu of legitimate justice, including removing the benefit of jury trials;
The King used trade to punish people and imposed additional taxes without consent (tariffs, which are taxes on consumers);
The King transported citizens “beyond the Seas to be tried for pretended offenses;”
The King “excited domestic insurrections among us;”

…and the list goes on.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration states “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” The United States government under the Constitution was meant as a democratic republic. The power resides with the people, who elect representatives to govern on their behalf through free and fair elections. The government’s power is derived from the people, and elected officials are responsible to the people.

There is neither bloodline nor divine right to dictate who serves in government. The three separate and co-equal branches of government must operate together with checks and balances. One branch cannot ignore the another simply because it’s inconvenient to uphold the Constitution.

After all, those elected to represent and serve the people swear an oath:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

There is no absolute power.

There are no kings.

That is why the people march today.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – There’s a Reason…

June 11, 2025June 10, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
There’s a Reason…
June 11, 2025

The reimagined Battlestar Galactica was written as a post-9/11 allegory. Over four seasons, it told the story of a group of refugees seeking asylum from violence, oppression, and genocide. Their beacon of freedom, democracy, and opportunity – the shining city on the hill – was Earth.

These words are still relevant twenty years after they were spoken on our television screens.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Talking Raiders on The Best Stuff in the World

June 9, 2025June 5, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Talking Raiders on The Best Stuff in the World
June 9, 2025

I was a guest recently on The Best Stuff in the World. It’s a podcast for people who like things!

This show is hosted by Kevin Cafferty, and like the tagline says, it’s all about celebrating all that is wonderful in the world, from music and movies to immersive theater and games.

On Episode 35, Kevin invited some top men – Kevin Eldridge of The Flopcast and me – to discuss Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is one of the most iconic adventure films of the last 45 years, brought to life by the team of Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and John Williams. Swashbuckling archeologist Indiana Jones was played to perfection by Harrison Ford as he and Karen Allen’s Marion Ravenwood race to defeat the Nazis and find the mythic Ark of the Covenant.

The movie even has a monkey. Just watch out for bad dates.

Along the way, we also touched on the legacy of the Indiana Jones films, novels, video games, and more. You can listen to the episode on the show’s website.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #3: DC 4 Kids

June 6, 2025June 3, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #3: DC 4 Kids
June 6, 2025

In the third episode for 2025, the team talks about options for kids and family programming at Con. Dragon Con has a bit of a reputation from the last few decades of being geared for adults, but in reality it has a vibrant family atmosphere that has been amplified over the last few years. In this episode, the team talks with Jonathan McFarland from the Kids Track and author James Palmer. They share tips on how to navigate Dragon Con with kids and families, including what to see, where to go, and how to make the most of the weekend.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #2: Gaming

March 3, 2025February 28, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #2: Gaming
March 3, 2025

In the second episode for 2025, the DCR team talks gaming! Video games, table top, RPGs, Werewolf, and so many other options are available at Dragon Con, and Casey Sears was on board to help move the discussion around the board.

One of my first trips to Dragon Con involved playing Werewolf in the bowels of the Hyatt with the former Wheel of Time track. It was a great time with some great people. Gaming at Dragon Con is an easy way to make new friends and spend quite a few hours having fun.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Superman and Lois: It Went By So Fast

February 5, 2025January 25, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Superman and Lois: It Went By So Fast
February 5, 2025

In October 2012, a DC Comics superhero show called Arrow debuted on The CW. It was a down-to-earth vision of the Green Arrow, better known by his secret identity as Oliver Queen. This started a twelve-year run of shows called the Arrowverse, all of which were either connected or tangentially related.

It was a wonderful (if uneven) age of superhero television, and succeeded where Marvel television had failed. We had Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, Supergirl, Black Lightning, and Batwoman in live action, as well as Vixen and Freedom Fighters: The Ray in webseries form. Tangentially, Stargirl, NBC’s Constantine, and Naomi were connected to the Arrowverse, and the entirety of the DC Comics television and movie library over the years was written in during the Crisis on Infinite Earths adaptation.

In Supergirl, a new Superman and Lois Lane were introduced, and they eventually spun off to their own show that was not part of the same continuity/universe. That show was Superman & Lois, and it quickly became my favorite television incarnation of the franchise. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth (Bitsie) Tulloch sold this version, bringing it back from the darkness and cynicism of the Zach Snyder film universe that was running at the same time. Superman & Lois was pure of heart and contained brilliant messaging, being better than it deserved as a CW show.

It ended in 2024 after four seasons, drawing the Arrowverse (and superhero shows on The CW overall) to an end. The finale brought me to tears as it closed the book on these characters and their lives.

On January 20, 2025, the Dragon Con American SF & Fantasy Media track hosted a panel about the show. Track director Kelley Harkins was joined by Kristin Jackson, Marisa Wolf, Michael Bailey, Thomas Parham, and Joe Crowe to discuss the show, its effects on the superhero genre, and the legacy of the Arrowverse.

If you like what you see, the American SF & Fantasy Media Track can be found on Facebook and at Dragon Con over Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia. The track discusses American-based science fiction and fantasy television and movies from within the last ten years.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Resolutions

February 3, 2025January 25, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Resolutions
February 3, 2025

The new year is a time for resolutions. It’s a season of birth, life, and rededication across most of humanity’s faiths and traditions. Every year, millions of people make New Year’s resolutions, promising to continue good practices, changes behaviors, and set goals for improvement.

Sadly, about 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail before the end of January. In fact, most of those failures will happen about two weeks into January, resulting in a “holiday” called Quitter’s Day on the second Friday of the month. Failed resolutions come from many places, including being too large, too abstract, and too demanding.

If you’ve failed your New Year’s resolution, you can start it over today with a few modifications. The beauty of self-improvement is that it doesn’t require a special day to start it. I encourage you to do so.

Putting on my manager’s hat, one of the best ways to make a goal is to make it a smart one. That’s right, it’s acronym time!

S – Specific: Clearly outline exactly what you want to achieve, and leave no room for ambiguity. If you want to walk 500 miles in a year, don’t settle for about or around that number. Pick a bullseye and aim for it.
M – Measurable: Figure out how to track your progress using a defined metric. If you want to lose 50 pounds, download an app or build a chart to track your weekly weigh-ins. Even better, find a way to put that measurement where you can see it as a reminder.
A – Achievable: Ensure that your goal is attainable with your available resources and skills. Back to weight loss, a healthy and realistic target is 50-100 pounds in a year. Setting a goal of 200 pounds would be unhealthy and unrealistic.
R – Relevant: Pick a goal that aligns with your priorities. If you set a goal to become certified in a field that you don’t work in, that may not be meaningful or impactful on your life.
T – Time-Bound: Your goal should have a time limit. You can’t measure success if you don’t have a defined finish line.

Setting goals for self-improvement is difficult by nature, and achieving them can be more challenging because you’re making changes to your life despite your own inertia. You’re comfortable doing what you’ve been doing, and change upsets that status quo.

Find a support structure to help you get there, whether it be a group on social media or a circle in meat space. Do everything you can to find success because you deserve it. If you stumble, take a few minutes to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get recombobulated before getting back to it. Failure is not the end. It’s merely a new beginning.

I believe in you. You can do this. Go conquer the world.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

Culture on My Mind – Dragon Con Report 2025 #1: 2025 Wishlist

January 31, 2025January 25, 2025 Michael FalknerLeave a comment

Culture on My Mind
Dragon Con Report 2025 #1: 2025 Wishlist
January 31, 2025

In the first episode for 2025, the team invites Sven from Drunken Dragon Hotel and author/podcaster/indie TTRPG designer Bob McGough to discuss what they would love to see at Dragon Con.

My wishlist is relatively simple: I’d love to see more Doctor Who stars. A few of us have a tradition of getting professional photos done with the actors who played the Doctor, and we’re missing Christopher Eccleston, Matt Smith, and Ncuti Gatwa from the modern era. I’d also love to get photos with Jo Martin, Paul McGann, and the remaining classic Doctors.

Culture on My Mind is inspired by the weekly Can’t Let It Go segment on the NPR Politics Podcast where each host brings one thing to the table that they just can’t stop thinking about.

For more creativity with a critical eye, visit Creative Criticality.

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