Character Progression

Inspiration can come from the unlikeliest of characters.  And, in my case, it came from a character who co-starred on a show that ended two years before I was born.  BJ Hunnicutt was a fourth season addition to the cast of M*A*S*H and, through his humor, loyalty, and sincerity, showed me the kind of person I wanted to become.  Even if I didn't know it yet.   Being a "meatball surgeon" in a mobile army surgical hospital, BJ saw the kind of horror that war brings, day in and day out, and he didn't just feel close. He clung to those around those around him.  His family, his friends, even his enemies.  Because he knew that, no matter what happened, they would always be a driving force in his life.  Just as those I care about are a driving force in mine.

One of the biggest influences on an entire generation of people is anime.  And, while some series made the journey to the west beforehand, none had the cultural impact of Dragon Ball!  Even just saying that causes millions of people to remember youthful days filled with pretending to shoot beams from their hands and wishing they could become a Super Saiyan.  And no character is more synonymous with the franchise than Goku!  A young boy with a tail who lived in the woods and grew up to become the greatest hero the world has ever known.  Along with his friends, Goku has beaten world ending threats, time and again.  So it's with my friend, Dustin Spain, that we appreciate those accomplishments along with the life, love, and sacrifices that helped guide him along the way!

Sometimes it's not a single character who inspires us, but an entire world.  And few fictional worlds have set minds racing like Middle Earth from  J. R. R. Tolkien.  But, when asked to narrow the entirety of these epic fantasies down to a key character, Cam Jones didn't even hesitate to say Gandalf!  This wizard has traveled the world for countless eons.  But not in the effort of money or power...but altruism.  Gandalf's kind heart has impacted the lives of creatures great and small.  Including one man who's read of his adventures and was forever changed for the better!

This week, my guest and I talk about vampires, our moms, and the importance of representation.  Buffy the Vampire Slayer may have ended 16 years ago, but the impact it's characters made can still be felt by many people every day.  So to all the witches, Scoobies, and Big Bads out there, I hope you enjoy this episode and thank you so much for listening!

This week, my guest the co-author of two books all about Superheroes and their impact on society, Bill Svitavksy.  He and I sit down to talk about Batman, a character that I'm surprised took this long for someone to cover.  Over the course of our conversation, we get into our favorite comic creators, what Batman represents, and what his story is really all about.  Which, if you're expecting us to say is "Punching bad guys in the face," prepare to be surprised.

In this episode, I skate the rules a little bit as my guest and I talk about the fictionalized version of a real person.  But throughout our conversation, we get to something real with it.  Mame is a woman who went through so much in her life yet always managed to come out with a smile.  And, if she can do that during the depression, maybe there's hope for the rest of us.

Depression is a incredibly difficult for the many people who suffer with it daily.  Sometimes you get the will to keep fighting from unlikely places.  Like Allie MacDonald, my guest today who learned how to cope by watching Sailor Moon as a child.  Hear her describe the lessons and strategies that helped her as a child and still influence her today!

Zora Neale Hurston is a Central Florida icon.  Just in time for the annual ZORA! Festival, my guest and I discuss one of her most iconic characters.  Check out Veronica Smith and I discuss how she relates to the story of Janie Crawford, from Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God!

The Joker is a violent criminal.  But to Andy Boell, co-host of Love Hate Relationship, he represents the ability to laugh in the face of life's hardest moments.  Enjoy this unique take on the ideology of Gotham City's clown prince of crime!

Love Hate Relationship

In the first full episode of Character Progression, we talk to my friend Mike Logsdon about the two characters who've had the greatest impact on his life.  One who inspires him to be better and one who makes him feel better about who he is now.  Check it out to hear him describe how these two, drastically difference characters have impacted his life.