Politics and propaganda
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Politics and propaganda

I've gone through a couple of extreme phases of caring and not caring about politics and the state of the world. I was raised by idealistic hippies, one of whom fled the United States during the Vietnam war to protest the draft and as a result I was born in Canada but raised partially in the United States.

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The Mind and the Brain
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

The Mind and the Brain

I'm absolutely fascinated by how the human brain works, and many of the books I own are some variation on this theme, from Malcolm Gladwell to V.S. Ramachandran, Oliver Sacks, Jill Bolte Taylor and a myriad of other doctors, historians, scientists and popular science writers.

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An ode to certain '80s excesses
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

An ode to certain '80s excesses

Continuing my book shelf tour, this week brings us to the first shelf containing graphic novels. There are several such books on my shelves, mostly X-Men or related titles, like the excellent Elektra Assassin, about which I still harbor dark fantasies that one day some brave filmmaker will take up the challenge of bringing this cult classic to the big screen (or streaming, I’m fine either way).

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I heart New York
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

I heart New York

Continuing the tour of my bookshelves, we’ve reached the grey shelf, and one of the standouts for me here is a huge, gorgeous coffee table book called New York: Portrait of a City by Reuel Golden, which chronicles the history of NYC from its very beginnings to just after September 11, 2001. The photos are nothing short of incredible, and when Rodger brought it home for me over a decade ago, it made me fall even more deeply in love with the city that at that point, I had never seen in person.

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Books, part 2: the Power of Personality
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Books, part 2: the Power of Personality

Although most of the books I read these days are audiobooks, certain types of information are just better consumed visually; obviously graphic novels and art books, but also astrology. My collection of astrology books dates back to the first one I ever bought at the age of 12, which was Linda Goodman's Love Signs.

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Book tour, part 1: Nostalgia
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Book tour, part 1: Nostalgia

Anyone who knows me, or listens to the Starzology podcast, knows I read a lot of books. These days, it's mostly audiobooks from the library (shout out the Libby app!) so I can listen to them while I'm doing other things... skating, biking, shopping, working out or trying to fall asleep.

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How I became a roller girl
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

How I became a roller girl

Like many kids who grew up in the '80s, I learned to roller skate around the age of 10. My first pair of skates were several sizes too big for me, purchased at a yard sale in Sedona, Arizona. They were stiff white leather like figure skates, with no stoppers, and hard wheels that made a sound like gravel being pulverized, but I loved them.

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Iara, Brazil's mythical enchantresses
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Iara, Brazil's mythical enchantresses

In Brazilian folklore, Iara, also known as Uiara or Yara, is a captivating and enchanting figure associated with water, particularly rivers and streams. She is often depicted as a beautiful, seductive mermaid or water nymph with long, flowing hair and enchanting eyes.

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Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt

Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt, twin sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus and Leto. She rules the moon and childbirth, motherhood and virginity, wild animals and hunters. She is best known for her association with the wilderness.

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History's hotties: an irreverent list
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

History's hotties: an irreverent list

Beauty has a powerful effect on the human nervous system. Although beauty neither shelters nor nourishes us in any literal sense, the primitive human desire to seek it out, possess it and create it is undeniable, among the most deeply ingrained of psychological drives.

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Blodeuwedd, Welsh goddess of Spring
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Blodeuwedd, Welsh goddess of Spring

Blodeuwedd is the Welsh goddess of Spring, created by the sorcerer Gwydion and his brother Math. Her name means "flower face," reflecting her origin and nature. She was crafted from the blossoms of wild flowers oak, broom, and meadowsweet and brought to life to serve as the wife of Lleu, Gwydion's nephew, circumventing his mother's curse that he would never marry a mortal woman.

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So you think you're special...
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

So you think you're special...

I just started reading Jean M. Twenge's book Generations and it's bringing back a flood of associations and memories from my Generation X childhood. This might be one of my most disjointed and naval-gazing (yet lighthearted) posts to date, but as we'll see, that's pretty appropriate, given the topic at hand...

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Long live the '90s
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Long live the '90s

Oh, the '90s... Is it even possible to feel nostalgic about a decade that has never really gone away? People of every generation are still watching Friends and wearing Nirvana t-shirts. On April 5, it will be 30 years since Kurt Cobain died, and yet somehow the '90s feel more present now than the '60s or even the '70s ever did in the '90s.

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Kali, the total eclipse of Badass Goddesses
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Kali, the total eclipse of Badass Goddesses

Kali, in Hindu mythology, is the powerful and fearsome goddess associated with time, change, and the destructive forces that precede creation and regeneration. Revered as a manifestation of the Divine Mother, she is depicted with a necklace of severed heads. Kali's name itself is derived from the Sanskrit word "kāla," meaning time, reflecting her cosmic role in the cycles of existence.

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Marzanna, Goddess of Spring and Sorcery
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Marzanna, Goddess of Spring and Sorcery

Marzanna is a Baltic/Slavic nature goddess associated with sorcery, dreams, agriculture and the seasonal cycle of death and rebirth. Her worship is closely linked to the cycles of the agricultural year and the rites performed to ensure fertility and protection.

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Charlene
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Charlene

My best friend committed suicide nine years ago today. A few weeks later, I dreamed I was sitting with her in a crowded restaurant, talking and laughing like we had so many times before. She stood up to go and I realized she was never coming back. I reached out to grab her hands, crying and begging her not to leave. When I told a mutual friend about my dream, he said, "We will always be in that restaurant, crying and begging her not to leave us."

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Blind dining at Dark Table
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Blind dining at Dark Table

Rose appears in the doorway, a tiny girl with a big stage presence. Her straight brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail and she's wearing black pants and a black short-sleeved shirt. She speaks with animated gestures, like an improv artist, but this is the first and last chance I'll get to observe them. She shakes our hands and repeats our names. Then she says, "My name is Rose. If you need anything at all, I don't want you to be polite. I want you to call my name like you're Jack and the Titanic is sinking! Rose!! Is this your first time here? Cool! Are you nervous?! Are you excited? I'm excited! Put your hands on my shoulders and follow me!"

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Badass Goddesses: the book
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Badass Goddesses: the book

I recently embarked on a journey of self-publishing, much of which I owe to my friend and fellow podcaster Alison Price at Starzology, who encouraged me and recommended a platform (Kindle Direct self-publishing).

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The art and science of emotions, part one
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

The art and science of emotions, part one

I've been reading about the newest controversy in "emotion science," the branch of psychology devoted to the study and analysis of how human emotions are revealed through facial expressions.

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Amaterasu, Shinto Sun goddess
Arwynne O'Neill Arwynne O'Neill

Amaterasu, Shinto Sun goddess

Amaterasu is the Shinto Sun goddess of Japan, whose name means "Shining in Heaven" or "Heaven's Illuminating Force." She is one of the most important and revered kami (deities) in the Shinto pantheon. She was born from a tear in the creator Izanagi's left eye, while her brother, Tsukiyomi, the Moon God, was born from his right. Her youngest sibling, Susanoo, was born from his nose, and was sent to rule the sea plain as the storm god.

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