Culture on My Mind xkcd’s Ten Thousand July 17, 2024
This time, I have learning on my mind.
I love learning. I love sharing what I learn with others. I love seeing that moment on someone’s face when they learn something new. When a concept just clicks in their mind.
This is why some of the content on Creative Criticality starts with me saying “I wonder why…” and ends with me sharing what I found.
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.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2024 #5: Adventures in AmericasMart May 31, 2024
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.
The fifth show of the 2024 season gets a taste of the AmericasMart experience from the perspective of the creatives in the Comics and Pop Artist Alley on the 4th Floor. Mike Gordon has been setting up shop there for years, and he joins forces with artist & writer Greg Burnham to discuss their experiences as a vendor at the convention.
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.
This week, thanks to the Gaming Historian, I’m thinking about my early days with computer games.
In the mid-1980s, my school had a room full of Apple II computers. They had chunky keyboards, electric green monitors, and 5-1/4″ floppy disk drives. They’re prehistoric by modern standards, but the Apple II was an important milestone in home computing as one of the first successful mass-produced microcomputers.
Once or twice a week, for about 30 minutes or so, we were taken to the computer lab and allowed to play with whatever programs suited the teacher’s whims. My first experience was with the Logo programming language which drove a sprite called Turtle around the screen using simple commands. I also learned to play games like Number Munchers, Word Munchers, and Odell Lake.
But the big one – and the most obvious for members of my generation – was Oregon Trail. I remember trying to figure out the best way to win the game and trying different iterations over several visits to the computer lab. The easiest path was to start as a banker who could buy nearly unlimited supplies and pay for services, but the challenge was to start with fewer resources and learn how to manage everything on the trek across the country.
I remember the sense of victory after finally rafting down the Columbia River and arriving in the Willamette Valley. Looking back, Oregon Trail was a simple game, but that moment was huge for a young kid.
About a month ago, the Gaming Historian published a deep-dive story about the origins and popularity of the game. Over 90 minutes, so many memories came flooding back as I learned all about this simple yet amazing game.
Check it out here or on YouTube, and don’t die of dysentery.
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.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2024 #4: Volunteers April 26, 2024
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.
The fourth show of the 2024 season explores what it’s like to be a volunteer at Dragon Con. The convention is run by volunteers, from registration to technology operations and more. Mike, Jen, and Channing talk with guests Julia McCure (a volunteer with Information Services) and Andrés Thomas (of the Animation Track) to discuss the lifeblood of the convention.
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.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2024 #3: Photo Shoots April 12, 2024
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.
The third show of the 2024 season talks about the vibrant community of photo shoots at the convention. Mike, Jen, and Channing talk with guests Bill Watters and Danique Cosplay to discuss everything you wanted to know (and some things you didn’t) about the intersection of cosplay and professional photography.
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.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2024 #2: Host Hotel Hunger Games March 29, 2024
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.
The second show of the 2024 season talks about the wild world of getting a place to sleep at the con. Mike, Jen, and Channing talk with guest Russ Eff about policy changes, unexpected charges, and the rush (literal and figurative) in fighting for a hotel room.
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.
Culture on My Mind Dragon Con Report 2024 #1: Top 12 Things We Would Never Change March 22, 2024
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.
The first show of the 2024 season breaks the ice as Mike, Jen, and Channing discuss the latest news and list the things about the convention that should never change.
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.
Culture on My Mind The 2023 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar March 15, 2024
It’s time to talk about the 2023 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar!
My family has been doing these LEGO advent calendars since 2015 and I chronicle the daily builds on Instagram. Each of the annual box sets has been spotlighted on this site. These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on Star Wars staples.
This box was inspired by The Bad Batch, the prequel films/The Clone Wars, and Return of the Jedi (celebrating its 40th anniversary). It also tied in some holiday cheer with the typical festive spin on fun builds. We got Omega on a sled, a Christmas pit droid, a reindeer Gonk droid, a festive Ewok, and even Emperor Palpatine in an ugly holiday sweater.
Overall, I really enjoyed the builds in this set. Of course, the Star Wars sets hardly ever disappoint, and the creativity is a joy. I adored the Endor sets, including the Ewok village and the shield generator complex.
Even the basic fillers like a B1 battle droid and a weapons rack didn’t distract. It doesn’t beat the 2022 calendar, but it was still fun. In the end, that’s what counts.
Our countdown this year was a little different since we had a lot of competing plans in early December. We got it done by doubling up each day leading to the new year instead of Christmas Eve.
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.
Culture on My Mind The 2023 LEGO Avengers Advent Calendar March 8, 2024
It’s time to talk about the 2022 LEGO Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar!
My family has been doing these LEGO advent calendars since 2015 and I chronicle the daily builds on Instagram. Each of the annual box sets has been spotlighted on this site. These boxes contain twenty-four unique small builds, many of which are abstract, along with exclusive mini-figures and whimsical winter-themed spins on franchise staples. This box is themed after the Marvel Cinematic Universe, specifically on the Infinity Saga which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2023.
Goodness… did Iron Man really come out that long ago?
This set continues the trend of building a scene or a world for the minifigures within, but it also dives a bit more into the building of abstract versions of ships and elements from the property like the Star Wars calendars.
This calendar was a rollercoaster ride. One day would be an up, but the next would be a down. For example, we got Doctor Strange one day, but the day before was just his cape. While I get what the design team was trying for, I struggle to see how this would be fun for a seven-year-old kid. All that excitement for a new LEGO build gets dashed by opening an accessory for a minifigure.
The other accessory choices were packed after the minifigs, but they were difficult to connect thematically. Spider-Man’s webs make sense, but a jet pack for Captain America? Or winter accessories for Okoye? It felt like the designers had some ideas they wanted to throw in, but they didn’t know exactly how to sell customers on a jet pack or an ice hockey set.
Loki’s throne and the bunny from Iron Man 3, though? Those worked, though I would have loved a Loki to sit on his throne, especially considering how Season Two of his show ended.
The minifigs were cool, but the box overall would get a C grade for execution. The design team needs more thought and inspiration to meet the levels set by the Star Wars calendars and the previous Marvel sets.
Our countdown this year was a little different since we had a lot of competing plans in early December. We got it done by doubling up each day leading to the new year instead of Christmas Eve.
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.
I am honored to be part of a collection of essays, stories, memories, and more about Dragon Con. I will be sure to let you know when this book goes on sale, and all proceeds go to some great causes in memory of some great people.
Dragon Tales is a benefit book celebrating Atlanta’s largest multi-media pop culture convention for fans by fans. It contains stories, essays, memories, pro-tips, and more by folks who honor Dragon Con in their heart and try to keep it all the year.
Featuring contributions by Jerry Chandler, Joe Crowe, Kevin Eldridge, Michael Falkner, Esther Friesner, Bernadette Johnson, Rob Levy, Bobby Nash, Mary Ogle, James Palmer, Ashley Pauls, Alan Siler, Beth VanDusen, and DJ Spider. Edited by Michael A. Gordon. Cover art by Mary Ogle.
All proceeds of sales will be distributed to two charities in honor of two gentlemen, each of whom loved Dragon Con with all his soul.
Dragon Tales will be available soon on Amazon.com and NewLegendProductions.com. Sadly, there will be no copies on hand for Dragon Con 2023, but please feel free to stop by Comic and Pop Artist Alley Table 624 for more details and promo bookmarks and stickers!
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.
It’s time to talk about the 2023 LEGO Star Wars Advent Calendar!
It’s time to talk about the 2022 LEGO Guardians of the Galaxy Advent Calendar!
