Autisticana

a gallery of autistic special/intense interests

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Category: Fantasy

  • Futurama is Back for the Revival on Hulu

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    It reveals that they’ll return to Futurama on Hulu during the summer of 2023. The producers announced that on February 9, 2022 that it will start with Season 11 and consist of two parts, with an initial run of 10 episodes by 2024.

    Futurama aired in 1999 on Fox, ending in 2003 after 4 seasons. Then the show brought a season 5 special, released on Comedy Central, and lasted until 2013 for season 10. However, the show was successful in comic books and advertising. Fox canceled Futurama but began airing reruns on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim programming block from 2003 to 2007. It was later revived in 2007 as four direct-to-video films, with the last one released in early 2009. Comedy Central then signed an agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to syndicate existing episodes and air the films as 16 new, half-hour episodes, which made up the show’s fifth season.

    Bender, Fry, and Lella are ready to deliver a package for something very important at Planet Express.

    The news was announced that Futurama would be back in 2022 and released in 2023.

    Futurama is a science-fiction animated TV series set in New New York in the 31st century and built in present-day New York City. The show features various technological advancements, including the Head Museum that keeps heads alive in jars, a slow internet with pornographic content, and robots with alcohol-powered engines contributing to global warming. The show also portrays a blend of current and historical figures and celebrities preserved as heads. Religion is prominent in society and has evolved into new religions such as Oprahism and Robotology. Futurama often parodies current issues of today and the science-fiction genre.

    In 2003, Cartoon Network acquired syndication rights to Futurama for its Adult Swim block, leading to renewed interest in the show. When Family Guy succeeded in direct-to-DVD productions, Futurama’s producers decided to try the same. In 2006, it was announced that four straight-to-DVD films would be produced, later split into 16 episodes comprising a fifth show season. The final movie release, Into the Wild Green Yonder, was designed to stand as the Futurama series finale. Still, Groening expressed a desire to continue the franchise in some form, including a theatrical film. Futurama left Adult Swim’s lineup on December 31, 2007, and began airing on Comedy Central the next day, with season 5 making its broadcast debut on March 23, 2008.

    Futurama is an American animated science-fiction sitcom Matt Groening created from 1999 to 2013. The show was revived in 2022 with a 20-episode order set to premiere in the Summer 2023 and the other 10 more episodes by sometime in 2024. It follows the intergalactic adventures of a company’s delivery ship workforce living in 31st-century New York. The show has received critical acclaim, with 17 Annie Awards and 12 Emmy Awards nominations, winning six and four Writers Guild of America Award nominations and two wins. It also received Environmental Media Awards for the episodes “The Problem with Popplers” and “The Futurama Holiday Spectacular.” Merchandise includes a tie-in comic book series, video games, calendars, clothes, and figurines.

    The series uses a range of humor, including self-deprecation, black comedy, off-color humor, slapstick, and surreal humor, to satirically portray everyday life in the future and parodically compare to the present. The show seeks to combine “low culture” and “high culture” comedy, playing on both the comedic value of Bender’s catchphrase, “Bite my shiny metal ass,” and his fear of the number 2, which is a joke about the binary numeral system.

    Futurama is a comedic animated series that uses a range of styles of humor, including self-deprecation, black comedy, off-color humor, slapstick, and surreal humor, to satirically portray everyday life in the future and make parodical comparisons to the present. It is produced by The Curiosity Company and 20th Century Fox Television (credited as 30th Century Fox Television) with animation done by Rough Draft Studios. It transitioned to high-definition in season 6, with the opening sequence being re-rendered and scaled to fit a 16:9 widescreen format. For the final episode of season 6, Futurama was completely reanimated in three different styles.

    Comedy Central announced in April 2013 that they would air the final episode of “Meanwhile” on September 4, 2013. The producers said they are exploring options for the series’ future as “[they] have many more stories to tell” but would gauge fan reaction to the news. Groening and Cohen have previously expressed a desire to produce a theatrical film or another direct-to-video film upon the conclusion of the series.

    In an August 2013 interview with Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Katey Sagal said regarding the series finale, “So I don’t believe it… I just hold out hope for it because it has such a huge fan base, it’s such a smart show, and why wouldn’t somebody want to keep making that show; so that’s my thought; I’m just in denial that it’s over”. Sagal also mentioned during the same interview that Groening told her at Comic-Con that “we’ll find a place” and “don’t worry, it’s not going to end.”

    The producers of Futurama have said that they have many more stories to tell, and Matt Groening and David Cohen have expressed a desire to produce a theatrical film or another direct-to-video film upon the conclusion of the series. Katey Sagal also mentioned at Comic-Con that the producer told her they will find a place to continue telling stories in the Futurama universe, so the series is not definitively over.

    The Trailer of the Revival Series of Futurama, an 18 seconds clip, was released. The show will be released on the 24th of July.

    While the new viewers will be able to pick up the series from the start of a new era. In the meantime, long-time fans will recognize payoffs to decades of interesting long mysteries and treasures includes developments in the epic romantic love story of Fry and Leela, the mysterious contents of Nibbler’s litter box, the secret history of evil Robot Santa, and the whereabouts of Kif and Amy’s tadpoles. Epscially, there’s a new questionable pandemic in town as the crew explores the future of vaccines, bitcoin, cancel culture, and streaming TV. It also shows that a new revolution of the future and society changes to see the future than it they predicted when the show started. 25 Years later, the evolution of the future shows some significant progress in the future which it would be fictional of the reality or while some the predictions can be made in real life but in a different time zone.

    The Official Trailer has been released on the 27th of June which fans have waited for a long time to see Planet Express Crew go on new adventures and new futuristic events.

  • Our Trip to Spencer’s

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    By Christine Grimaldi

    This past week, the crew at Autisticana visited Spencer’s at the Smithtown Mall. The store is very interesting because it has shirts and clothing based on popular movies, anime, and musicians. It also has paraphernalia relating to weed, occultism, and magic, sex toys, and candy. They even sell manga and cookbooks. We all took pictures relating to our interests there.

    In 1947, Spencer’s started off in Easton, PA, as a mail-order catalog with tons of novelty merch by Max Adler and his brother Harry, the namesake being the former’s middle name Spencer. In 1963, three years after Harry left, Spencer evolved into a brick-and-mortar retail store with its first location in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at the city’s mall. Since then, Spencer has grown to 650 locations in the US, and Canada within malls, especially on Long Island, such as Hicksville Broadway.

    In 2001, Spencer’s Gifts launched its e-commerce website, allowing customers to shop for its products online. The website has become important to the company’s sales and marketing strategy.

    Today, Spencer’s operates over 600 stores in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, offering a wide range of products, including clothing, accessories, home decor, and novelty items. The company is known for its edgy and irreverent products and is known for catering to a younger, more alternative demographic.

    Despite competing with other retailers in the same space, Spencer’s has continued to grow and expand its business. With a focus on innovation, creativity, and customer engagement, the company has stayed relevant and popular with its target audience.

    Spencer’s has been a must for the newest trends, tees, body jewelry, home décor and more that celebrate our slogan “life is a party”and we are making it fun. Known for being a pioneer in sexual wellness, call us what you want, but we are here for all communities to celebrate. We are committed to our guests’ uniqueness and their desire for rebellious, buzzworthy products that represent a unique lifestyle while offering an escape from the ordinary.

    Spencer’s had opened in 2003 under new management, raising the bar and continuing its untraditional retail journey. The stores have changed, but when they set out on the path of becoming an industry leader in a subtle shift from Spencer Gifts to Spencer’s, this will always be true to the roots of their love for the pride of the effort they put.

    They have done a new and better look, but never forgot the history because some of the trends are as old as time. Spencer’s, which continues to lead the market with one of the oldest continually operating stores in North America and nearly 670 locations throughout the United States and Canada, proudly enshrines the brand as cultural staples. Giving back is a key obligation of Spencer’s, and we have been increasing the commitment over the last few years.

    Since 2020, the whole partnership with the ACLU has generated nearly a million dollars to help protect civil rights for individuals. Additionally, since 2008 our associates have been fierce advocates, joining in on the battle against cancer by fundraising on behalf of three organizations focused on fighting youth cancer through the non-profit Boobies Make Me Smile. They’ve raised more than 10,5 million dollars to support the Young Survival Consortium, Stupid Cancer and Fxck Cancer that are working on prevention, education and help for young people with cancer and showing the reality of helping young women that could possibly have breast cancer and knowing the facts of the support they need when their going through tough times.

    Everyone takes on Spencer’s:

    Scott likes that Spencer’s has cool stuff, especially sex products.

    Danielle didn’t care for Spencer’s Costumes

    Jackson loved Spencer’s having been at that location and Hicksville’s multiple times. He loved taking the Stepbrothers photo with Scott:

  • Why I Think Animation Filmmaking is Another Form Piece Of Art

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    -Cara Difiore

    Today I’ll be talking about why I think animation actually counts as another fantastic form of art

    First of all, animation has become such a big part of not just in the art community and industry but also in the film industry because animators and filmmakers (for example Disney, Pixar, etc) work put so many details in them and work so hard on them since nothing blows up overnight and everything takes time and they deserve to get paid as much as everyone else.

    As someone who grew up watching lots of animated movies/shows/specials in my childhood and teens till currently now in my adulthood, has an artistic eye, and is now kinda an artist since I had and still have an appreciation for that stuff gave me so much inspiration over the years. However, I do have mixed opinions about the whole current live-action and remake thing which I will probably talk about at another time if you want my intake on them or even talk about/rank them let me know in the comments or my socials.

    Another thing I love about it is not just the details and creativity but that it takes you to a different place/scenery to explore a world you want to see outside of your world for a while. and gets your mind off of (your reality) for a long time however how long it is. After watching I wondered how they made it and the process so I looked up. I found out that they stretch out their ideas on regular/illustration paper, then draw them out, color, blend, then test them out on the computer, work it on there, show it to other artists/others, and put it together which is pretty amazing if you ask me. I think anyone can do it or be artistic without being born naturally.

    After doing all of the illustrations I did for David’s book not sure if you remember my posts/blogs about it which will also be out soon along with my own and everyone else’s who did a book I had to do so many steps and took so much time than I expected to be but I’m glad I took my time since it worked out well in the end. If you want to be a good artist/instructor/animator/filmmaker or whatever you need to practice as many times as you need to, take your time, find your style, and take other’s feedback/criticism. If you don’t you’ll never get the hang of it.

    I hope this video helps explain animation and how it works if you are curious and interested

    If you enjoyed this and learned something great and important let me know in the comments or in my socials have a great day.

  • Miami Hurricanes for their run of March Madness

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    The Miami Hurricanes had made it to almost every Tournament until they’re eliminated in the Round of 4 which they had an amazing round for the first time in School History for the Hurricanes. Coach Jim Larrañaga and his teammates had an incredible season for their hard work on the court and couldn’t believe that the team was lucky enough to make it this far.

    The team finished the 2022-2023 season with a record of 29-8 and 15-5 in ACC play, earning a share of their second ACC regular season title. In the ACC tournament, they reached the semifinals before losing to Duke. They then made it to their program’s first Final Four in the NCAA tournament by defeating Drake, Indiana, and Houston. However, they were eliminated by UConn, who eventually won the championship.

    The Miami Hurricanes, known primarily for their success in football, are set to make a new mark in basketball as they compete in Houston this weekend. Eager to avenge their Elite Eight loss from last season, the Hurricanes have advanced through the NCAA Tournament and secured the Midwest Region title, putting them in position to compete for the national championship.

    In the NCAA Tournament first round, the Miami Hurricanes rallied from behind to defeat No. 12 Drake by a score of 69-62, with Nijel Pack scoring 21 points and making key shots and free throws down the stretch. In the second round, they dominated No. 4 Indiana 85-69, with Isaiah Wong, Jordan Miller, and Pack combining for 58 points in the victory while outrebounding the Hoosiers 48-to-31.

    In the Sweet Sixteen, the Miami Hurricanes took down No. 1 seed Houston by a score of 89-75. All five Hurricanes starters scored in double figures while Houston struggled to convert shots from beyond the arc, shooting just 29 percent. Miami’s strong offensive showing helped send the Cougars packing from the tournament.

    In the Elite Eight, the Miami Hurricanes overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half to defeat No. 2 seed Texas 88-81 and advance to their first Final Four in program history. Jordan Miller led the way with a perfect shooting performance, scoring 27 points on 7-for-7 shooting and 13-for-13 from the free-throw line. Despite not making a single three-pointer during their comeback, the Hurricanes were able to pull off the win. The Miami Hurricanes were the Midwest Regionals Champions which it was the first time in History that they won the Regionals Championship. There was dancing and laughter while the whole team had fun and get to lift the trophy.

    The Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball team made history by reaching their first Final Four, but their run came to an end with a 72-59 loss to the UConn Huskies. Miami struggled throughout the game, shooting under 33 percent from the field and committing nine turnovers while forcing 14 turnovers by UConn, who shot 49 percent. Isaiah Wong led the Hurricanes with 15 points, while Jordan Miller added 11 points, but they were the only two Miami players to reach double figures.

    Nijel Pack, a third-year sophomore guard who was named the Midwest Regional’s Most Outstanding Player during Miami’s run, expressed that the sky’s the limit for the program and expects it to get better each year. He also mentioned that there is a certain expectation for the group now and he is proud to be a part of Miami history, despite not being able to finish the recent achievement. He hopes that the program will continue to achieve great things and improve with each passing year. Coach Larrañaga believes that March Madness is about having fun and dancing, as everyone loves to dance. Here’s a glimpse at Coach Larrañaga’s notable dance moves during March Madness.

    On the other hand of their next door neighbor, Florida Atlantic Owls did the same that it was the first time in School History that they completed every tournament until the Final Four. The FAU Owls we’re about to go to the Finals but got eliminated by San Diego The Two South Florida basketball programs’ impressive runs came to an end, as the University of Miami Men’s Basketball Team lost to UConn, receiving a standing ovation and hugs inside the Watsco Center in Coral Gables. The University of Miami Men’s Basketball Team made school history by making it to the Final Four for the first time. Fans in attendance were proud of the Hurricanes’ achievement.

  • Lego Throughout The Years

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    Author by: Jackson Beach & Scott Weisbrot

    Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative on Pexels.com

    Lego is a Danish company that is known for its interlocking plastic bricks, which can be assembled to create a wide variety of models and structures. The company was founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Christiansen, a master carpenter, and it initially made wooden toys, stepladders, and ironing boards. In the 1940s, the company began experimenting with plastic toys, and in 1949 they began using an injection-molding machine to mass-produce plastic toys, including the automatic binding bricks that would later become known as Lego bricks.

    In 1953, the automatic binding bricks were renamed Lego bricks, and in 1957, the interlocking principle of Lego bricks was born. In 1958, the stud-and-coupling system was patented, which added significant stability to built pieces, and this transformed them into the Lego bricks children use today. In 1964, for the first time, consumers could buy Lego sets, which included all the parts and instructions to build a particular model.

    Over the years, Lego has introduced a wide variety of themes, including town, castle, space, pirates, Western, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. Figures with movable arms and legs were introduced in 1978, and in 1969, the Duplo series – bigger blocks for smaller hands – was introduced for the 5-and-under set. Lego has sold 75 billion of its bricks in more than 140 countries as of 2018. The company has also spawned two movies and Legoland theme parks, making it an icon in the toy world.

    We took a trip to the Lego Store at the Smithhaven Mall on Wednesday because all of their employees had their way of giving to the community through lots of building sets, large and small, and of various themes and franchises. One of the many favorites we saw was the Marvel sets, especially the gigantic Sanctum Sanctorum and the Daily Bugle building. And it’s not just the movie or video game-based sets that interested us. The other set that got the attention of others was the set of the famous painting Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh as well as the set of the famous Roman Coliseum.

    We also interviewed one of the employees, Andrew. Andrew has been interested in Lego for practically his entire life of 35 years and more to come. His favorite Lego set ever is 1994’s Pizza to Go; despite its small size of 142 pieces, he likes it because it provides old memories of his youth, and presumably’ pizza is his favorite food.

    Andrew’s favorite set Pizza to Go from 1994
    Ninjago City set from the Ninjago Ctiy Movie

    Andrew’s favorite theme is Ninjago, one of Lego’s most successful franchises of all time as it has spawned multiple sets, a TV show, and even a movie. The largest set Andrew ever built is Ninjago City from the movie, which boasts 4,867 pieces and even has two companion sets Ninjago City Gardens and Ninjago City Docks.

    Another highlight of the event was the Lego Friends Edition, which featured detailed apartment sets with different segments of stores, including apartment complexes, providing a fun and interactive way to play with the characters from the cartoon series. Andrew, as a dedicated worker, took his time to explain the history of Lego and provided great insights about different sets.

    Even though some of us may not have made a purchase, the event sparked ideas for future purchases at Lego stores or other retailers such as Target, Barnes and Noble, and more. Overall, the event was a great opportunity for attendees to learn more about Lego and explore different sets, and also to learn from Andrew’s insights and experience from the Lake Grove store in New York.

  • Why People With Autism Wish They Can Change Gender Identity

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    By Anonymous

    I always find myself confusing because I always wanted to act like myself but had trouble figuring out how to identify myself as a male or a female. I also find it interesting to learn how many changes I went through even though I never changed my sexuality. It did help me become a better version of myself though. I also discovered that there are different categories of LGBTQ+ people which caused me to become very curious. I had always wanted to discover different types of people and see if I myself was in the LGBTQ+ Category.

    I always love girls but I had trouble being or acting like them because not every woman is like that or they keep stuff to themselves that they don’t tell men about. Most of the time I like women because I like their sense of fun and bonding. They’re good talkers, caring people, and really helpful with others. I like the fact that everyone gets to be a woman but it could be hard to admit because most might think they are gay. People might have a different side of themselves which is OK because you can be whoever and whatever you want.

    I had trouble keeping up with them because I always ended up in the friend zone or I got dumped, rejected or ended up as an acquaintance because I wasn’t good enough or said the words wrong.

    At some point I will have to decide ” What do I want to act like: a beautiful woman or a handsome guy?” I like roleplaying while playing dress up because it helps me give the idea of that reality and see my own self reflection for what is my true identity.

    (Let the reader think for themselves with these questions)

    Why do I like women with different gender identity?

    Why do I like guys acting like a woman?

    Why do I sometimes imagine myself acting like a pretty woman?

    Do I have to understand about genitals?

    Why do I like women with different body types?

    Why is it so hard to keep my manhood?

    Why do I change interest with sex genders?

    How should I know the understandings of a man and a woman in general?

    What is the point about my sexuality?

    Here’s the links if you’re curious about gender identity on the Autism Spectrum

    Dr. Grimaldi’s Takeaway

    This is not a new subject at all. People once realized this has been happening for decades but they covered it up due to fear (False Expectations Appearing Real). There is not enough evidence based research on gender identity and autism spectrum disorder. This is why I find this subject so interesting and I am becoming very involved in research of this matter. Why?

    Because from my clinical eye and working with tons of kids on the spectrum this has become a big issue for them. I love and respect these kids so much they are so brilliant and talented. That is why this has become a big issue to me.

    I find that a lot of the kids I work with are not concerned with gender at all. In my mind, as my own unique individuality and as a professional in the field, I actually think this is a beautiful thing. Why?

    Most typical kids I’ve worked with my whole life are so caught up in gender identity and if they have the traits to portray the gender they were not born with and develop a lot of unnecessary stress because of this.

    I find it extremely freeing that a lot of kids that I work with on the spectrum do not look at gender and age nor do they look at disability.

    What a lesson to be learned for the typical population to release themselves of this burden that causes stress. Most people I work with on the autism spectrum don’t judge others, rather they are judged for being the person they want to be. Call it neuro-divergent wiring, call it cultivating isolation into positive thinking. There is so much we can talk about on this situation

    What upsets me the most is that people judge and banter the LGBTQ+ community when more than half of the population consists of neuro-divergent people. For those who don’t know what neuro-divergent means, it means people with minds that function differently from the so called “norm” of the human brain. This makes me think that the “norm” of the human brain should be reconsidered like the food pyramid after 50 years.

    It actually infuriates me that ignorance and lack of education on the subject throws our system into fear, aka the public library system shutting down LGBTQ+ education. For if only the public knew that a lot of this is simply neuro-physiology and need to think before they judge. I spend a big portion of my day teaching my Newsmakers how to become critical thinkers. It would be so nice if the rest of the world had that 101 education; if so, we would have less bullying and violence in a society where sexuality and ageism are so prominent. There needs to be more education on the reality of this situation instead of ostracizing kids that are as special as one can be for all of the eye to see.

    Results suggest that autism spectrum disorder presents a unique experience to the formation and consolidation of gender identity, and for some autistic individuals, their sexual orientation relates to their gender experience, which could mean a past experience of bullying, violation, or ostracization, which resulted in isolation. As I mention my Newsmakers, your struggle is your story to help others.

    It is important that clinicians working with autism spectrum disorder are aware of the gender-diversity in this population so that the necessary support for healthy socio-sexual functioning and mental well-being is provided.

    It is more important that parents, teachers, and all other facilitators as well as politicians are educated on this matter. Individuals are getting hurt for being who they want to be. Is this a physiological issue or a psychological issue? Let the reader decide.

    Note to self: One thing for sure, and I stand tall on this subject (#StandTallFoundation), is that excluding, covering up, or getting rid of information is making it so much worse for these kids as well as the typical population. The decline in mental health has exponentially manifested after the pandemic. You would think one would want more education to help resolve this ever-growing angry culture that we are now living in. Once again, let the reader decide.

    Blessings,

    Dr. Christine Grimaldi

  • Mothman Festival

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      By Erich Zuelch

    The Mothman Festival is a festival held in mid to late September in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, based around the myth of the Mothman. Mothman is a cryptid, animal not yet proven to be real, that terrorized the town and surrounding areas from 1966 to 1967. Some speculate that Mothman was responsible for the collapse of the Silver Bridge on December 15th, 1967. In recent years, Mothman is believed to have been sighted in Chicago. Some believe it may also be the Black Bird of Chernobyl, a creature seen before the meltdown of the fourth reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear power plant in Soviet Ukraine in 1986. Sightings have continued on rare occasions into the modern day.

    West Virginia Mothman Festival Postponed Due To Virus Outbreak | WVPB
    A photo of a statue of a silver Mothman. In the background, you can see a street festival

    The festival was started in September 2002, the same year that the film The Mothman Prophecies premiered. The festival draws in crowds that doubles Point Pleasant’s population. Activities include speakers on topics such as cryptozoology, ufology, and ghosts. Food stands and band stands are also present. I went to the festival in 2018, it was great. I got a commemorative t-shirt from the Mothman Museum, I walked around the town, I attended lectures on the Flatwoods Monster, a mysterious being sighted in Central West Virginia; the Skunk Ape, a Bigfoot like creature sighted in Florida; and extraterrestrial life. I asked questions during two of the lectures. During the Skunk Ape lecture, I asked if Bigfoot was capable of speaking or just mimicking human speech. The presenter speculated they just mimic. During the extraterrestrial lecture, I asked if they were harvesting human DNA for cloning purposes, and the presenter thought they were. I even saw two cryptozoologists, Ken Gerhard and Lyle Blackburn, present the pilot of a show they were trying to pitch, American Monster Tour, that has unfortunately not been picked up. I really enjoyed the experience.

    The Mothman Festival is both a street fair and a gathering of the believers in the paranormal. It offers both a fun family activity as well as a chance to learn of what may be out there. I enjoyed attending the lectures and exploring the town. I learned a lot about cryptozoology during that trip. The Mothman Festival is an enjoyable and educational experience.

    Edited by avanicole23

  • Disabilities in Storm Runner Trilogy

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    By Eric Zuelch

    The Storm Runner Trilogy is a trilogy of books by J.C. Cervantes under the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, a subdivision of Disney Hyperion. The trilogy focuses on Mayan, Mexican, and Aztec mythology in the modern day. In the series, the Mayan gods have children with humans, however as gods and humans are not meant to mix. When these unions do occur, the child has some kind of physical, emotional, or mental disability. The main character of the series Zane Obispo has a leg length discrepancy with his right leg being a foot shorter than his left leg; as well as his right foot being two sizes smaller. Because of this, he has to walk with a cane. Another character Ren Santiago suffers from absence seizures. Another character Alana has light sensitivity issues.

    However, these disabilities are a result of their power inherited from their godly parents. Zane gains powers of fire manipulation from his short leg. Ren’s seizures are a result of her time manipulation abilities catching up with her body. Alana’s light sensitivity allows her to see lights that allow her to create portals. While some may see giving those with disabilities as a bad thing, others may see it as a metaphor for those with disabilities to not let their disabilities get in their way. While one’s disability can get in the way of accomplishing certain tasks, it can help them in other areas. For example, being deaf can stop one from becoming an air traffic controller, but it can allow them to focus more on the road if they are driving. The characters represent the potential of those with disabilities, their limitations, and an alternative way to succeed.

    The Storm Runner Trilogy shows how one should not let their disability limit them. They can succeed no matter what their disabilities are. While some disabilities can get in the way, there is most likely an alternate way to achieve one’s goals, or to discover something else. Zane, Ren, and Alana represent the potential of those with disabilities. The Storm Runner Trilogy shows how one’s disabilities does not have to hold them back

    Purple background with different pain textures. Advertisement/graphic for the Storm Runner Series by J.C. Cervantes. It reads: Rick Riordan Presents, The Storm Runner: A Maya Mythology Series by J.C. Cervantes, Read Riordan. On the right, you see several colorful covers of books in the series, including: The Storm Runner; The Fire Keeper, and the Shadow Crosser.
    Ad for The Storm Runner series by J.C. Cervantes. It shows several books in the series; from left to right, The Storm Runner, The Fire Keeper, and the Shadow Crosser.

    Edited by avanicole23

  • My Love for Dinosaurs

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    By Kevin Dwyer

    My love for dinosaurs started when I was about 4 years old. I always wore dinosaur pajamas to bed. I loved learning all the names of all the different dinosaurs. The prehistoric learning was endless. I enjoyed learning the long names and about the history behind the different time periods. There was always more to learn and it kept me very busy. I like to be busy because this when I am at my happiest – these prehistoric animals did the trick for me.

    I am 19 years old now and continue to keep my mind busy with dinosaur activities. My favorite dinosaur is the Tyrannosaurus rex or T-Rex. I love this dinosaur because it is the king of dinosaurs. It is the largest strictly meat-eating land animal. These prehistoric animals are known as theropods (flesh eating animals with feet representing those of birds.)

    Godzilla was my first memory of watching these predators in the movies. Even though it was old fashioned, the gigantic impression of this animal amazed me.

    The following clip is Godzilla (from the 1954 film):

    Video of Godzilla from the 1954 film

    As I started getting older, my passion for dinosaurs grew. I was always excited to visit the dinosaur exhibits at museums such as The Museum of Natural History. It was amazing to see all the original bones and the huge imitation models of these prehistoric species.

    I started collecting and creating “everything dinosaur.” I think I have a collection of over a 1000 dinosaurs, of all shapes and sizes. I continue to collect and love to paint and sketch these animals of fascination.

    I was so excited when Universal pictures put out the Jurassic Park films. I must have watched it over 100 times.

    Trailer for the film Jurassic Park (1993)

    I realized that I was not the only one with a love for these creature productions. Nowadays, I enjoy meeting new friends,with this same special interest. A great platform to make friends with similar interests is Instagram. I have connected with so many people that have a similar passion for dinosaurs.

    One of my favorite Instagram handles is dinosaur.fan.club

    It may seem strange to some people, but this platform keeps me out of isolation, and promotes creative interaction between like minded friends.

    Edited by avanicole23

  • The Dresden File Series

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    By Marissa Parody

    Jim Butcher is an American author who writes contemporary fantasy novels. Some of his most notable works include The Dresden Files, Codex Alera and the Cinder Spires book series.

    In particular, I love The Dresden Files By Jim Butcher. My favorite book in the series is Fool Moon. The book centers around the idea of wearwolves, humans that can transform into animals. The novel follows a wizard named Harry Dresden who lives in Chicago and uses their supernatural powers to protect their community from evil. The idea of transformation from human to animal keeps me very engaged as I am curious as to whether this could really happen? And I’m very intrigued by Harry Dresden as I’m left wondering what’s the difference between good and evil? Are they both riding on the same line?

    Photo of the cover of Jim Butcher's Fool Moon, a novel in the Dresden File Seriies. The cover features a man standing on the side of a building wearing all black clothes and a long black cape. Behind him, you can see the city skyline at night and the full moon. In white and green text, it reads: #1 New York Times Bestselling author Jim Butcher. Foot Moon - A novel of the Dresden Files. "Butcher keeps the thrills coming" - SF Site
    Photo of Jim Butcher’s Fool Moon, a novel in the Dresden Files series

    Fantasy novels, like The Dresden Files have the power to take me out of my day-to-day reality and allow me to relax and feel inspired. The three reasons that really keep my interest and engagement are:

    1. The creativity
    2. The plot
    3. The inner struggle of the characters in the book and how they resolve conflict

    These thoughts keep me engaged in these series and keep me curious to keep following Jim Butcher and his books.

    Check out the following interview with Jim Butcher on his bestselling Dresden Files Series below:

    Video of Jim Butcher talking about his bestselling series the Dresden Files

    Edited by avanicole23