Feminist Flicker - Decoding Sexism In Movies

Have you ever watched a movie and wondered why it left you with a feeling of dissatisfaction so subtle that you couldn't quite put your finger on it? Have you ever wondered how to tell if you're watching a movie through the male gaze? Then look no further. Feminist Flicker is here to shine a light on those shadiest of cinematic corners.

It is an unfortunate, but inescapable truth that sexism in society is supported and promoted by sexism in the media - especially movies. Indeed, even the most beloved of films can sometimes be unmasked as a hive of insidious white patriarchal messages. 

But fret not, dear reader. Just as Morpheus revealed the nature of the Matrix to Neo, so Feminist Flicker is on hand to expose the truth to you - by decoding sexism in movies, one film at a time.

Extreme Esteem

Dive into a weekly awakening that rivals your morning coffee but lasts much longer. With Murray by your side, navigate transformative insights and hands-on advice each week, specifically designed to ignite your self-esteem and reveal the untapped powerhouse within you. Ready to uncover your best self?

Plunge into the hidden challenges of thriving in our hyper-processed world, armed with game-changing strategies, profound insights, and little-known secrets. Don't just survive—elevate your life to unparalleled heights with Extreme Esteem. Are you ready to unlock the extraordinary?

Life With Poetry

The Life With Poetry series follows themes of everyday living and converts them into poetry delights. 

Myth and Environment: The Ecology of Nature Spirits

A portal to the enchanting world of Nature Spirits, this book allows you a tantalizing glimpse into the fascinating lives of elusive mythological beings who may have been living side by side with us since the beginning of time. You may have heard about some of them, but many others will surprise you! Unlike any other book written about these mythical beings, it shows how closely they are connected to the natural world and its ecology and how they interact with or even represent the environment. In addition, it brings to light a world that had never been explored before – the world of Urban Nature Spirits, who are said to have migrated with us into cities since Biblical times. You will explore mythology, history, literature, and psychology as you are shown how to study, observe, and understand these beings – the core of the natural world in all its myriad manifestations.

Black Mondays: Worst Decisions of the Supreme Court

Black Mondays: Worst Decisions of the Supreme Court presents the history of the United States through the lens of the Supreme Court. Each decision is told as a story with the principal characters, background and decision described in non-legal terms.

Jokes on You

Welcome to "Jokes on You," where laughter knows no bounds! Join me, Adeola Gabriel Ademuwagun, known by my stage name Gatsby, as I take you on a hilarious journey through the world of comedy, personal anecdotes, and cultural exploration.

As an immigrant who embarked on a life-changing adventure from Nigeria to the United States, I'll share the captivating story of my journey, shedding light on the triumphs and challenges that come with embracing a new culture. From my experiences as a newcomer, navigating the streets of America, to finding humor in the everyday occurrences that make up my life, I'm here to offer a unique and entertaining perspective.

Through the lens of a seasoned stand-up comedian, I'll delve into sidesplitting tales that traverse cultures, experiences, and the comedy circuit itself. Brace yourselves for uproarious accounts of my escapades as I showcase the art of storytelling that bridges the gap between continents.

But that's not all – "Jokes on You" is more than just laughter; it's a comprehensive guide to discovering the hidden gems of my adopted city, Chicago. From pocket-friendly date spots for couples seeking romance to wallet-friendly outings that promise unforgettable memories, I'll uncover the best-kept secrets and events that make the city come alive.

Expect to feast your eyes on captivating visuals, as I provide an inside look into my explorations, the events I attend, and the latest additions to Chicago's vibrant landscape. Pictures, videos, and anecdotes will come together to create a vivid tapestry of entertainment and insight.

Join me as I blend the art of comedy and writing, crafting stories that will tickle your funny bone and warm your heart. With my extensive repertoire of short stories and hilarious narratives, each episode promises to be a delightful dose of entertainment.

Get ready to embark on a rollercoaster of laughter, culture, and discovery. Welcome to "Jokes on You" – the ultimate destination for a good laugh and an enriching experience that transcends borders!

No Vacancy

No Vacancy is a collection of humorous personal essays. Each essay is independent of each other, but together the collection weaves an autobiographical tapestry, at times sad, bizarre, and deeply personal. No skeleton in her closet is safe.

Lisa tackles subjects including grand conspiracies, generation gaps, memory loss, aging, nostalgia, modern technology, Corporate America, airline industry, affairs, addiction, unorthodox relationships, male species, and female anatomy, to name just a few.

Nifty's Free Album Picks

The world is full of music; from pop to rock; from country to folk; from classical to alternative. Music is everywhere, and there is no doubt about that! In fact, if you look a little bit on the Internet, you will find genres that don't exist at all in the mainstream music scene! We at Mini Nifty have decided to comb the Internet for full-length albums that people can listen to without paying a cent, highlighting the best of online music, with a focus on little-known but high-quality albums. All the music we will mention in this publication is legally streamable from sites such as Bandcamp, various netlabel and music library websites, and other free music havens. Not all good music comes from the mainstream labels. Find out about albums on a daily basis!

There's a monster in my bed. Oh wait. It's a baby.

No self-respecting modern woman wants a baby, until you do and then you’re stuffed.

There’s a monster in my bed. Oh wait. It’s a baby is a series of satirical columns about surviving life with a baby and a boyfriend in a modern world that forgot it’s not 1950 something.

Briana takes on all things babies and boyfriend as she discovers motherhood is like riding a wild horse that’s out of control. Only the horse is not a horse, it’s a donkey. And it’s going backwards.

Written with a lot of sarcasm, a little humor and not enough coffee by a woman who wishes she was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

The Domesticated Poet

A behind the curtain look at life for this poet/Stay at home mom. Join me as I discover what it takes to balance the two as well as break the sterotypes that go along with both. 

Lines in the Gravel

Lines in the Gravel is an engaging, often humorous, series of snapshots about Al Ainsworth's experiences growing up in rural Star, Mississippi. It is one story—told by a collection of stories—of family and faith that transcends his own experience to connect with others who seek to perpetuate their own values through the stories they tell…and re-tell.

Let's Cook This! Simple Recipes For Anytime

Welcome to my cookbook!  Some of these recipes are old-when I had to make my bucks stretch as a single, working mom, dishes that were not a lot of money, but also quick that I could make after coming home exhausted.  Some of these are new-dishes I've made up as I stared at leftovers in the fridge or thought about as I tried to go to sleep at night, in between thinking about my characters in my short stories, and research.  Some of these are even dishes I grew up with. 

I love to cook, but I have a lot of food allergies, so I have to watch my ingredients.  I have to constantly read labels at the grocery store or risk going to the hospital with a migraine.  Many days I need to fix a dish fast so I can lay down and get rid of a sinus headache, or work, or research.

These recipes are quick, and are versatile that they can go with almost every vegetable, or salad, or maybe just a slice of your favorite heated bread.

The recipes are in no particular order, or category, it's just how I put them in here.  Now, let's cook this! 

Lessons I've Learned the Hard Way

You know when someone says, “learn from my experience,” or “don’t make the same mistakes I did,” and you’re like “oh I probably shouldn’t do that thing”? I’m one of those people who doesn’t have that capability. I don’t learn from anyone else’s mistakes; I’ve had to learn most of my lessons the hard way - by making my own mistakes, living through the consequences, and coming out the other side. I’m also one of those people who the universe likes to throw stuff at faster than I can possibly handle it. So, my life isn’t always fun, but it’s always interesting and there are always lessons to be learned. 

In this series, I’ll share the stories of the lessons I’ve had to learn the hard way, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to learn from my mistakes and not make the same ones. 

Angel’s Guide to Heavenly Recipes

Heavenly recipes from all over the globe, and some from my own kitchen!

All recipes have been thoroughly tested by the author, her husband, and occasionally, her cats.

The Un-Writerly Guide to Narrative Design

This Guide is intended for all those who wish to enter the world of writing. In it, we will explore the many ways and tools and means to craft the stories which reside at the bottom of our lungs, simply waiting for the deepest breath. I include prompts aimed at working our creative minds and always strive to give positive feedback and discussion. My Guide gives no definitive answers, no equations, or Truth; it merely provides a look into the words of one writer's pursuing of the elements of writing life. 

Poems from a Loquacious Heart

Here is a micropoetry series for busy readers and writers.

There is poetry in life everywhere!

Life's Words

A loquacious heart

Fills a head with letters—

Pen forms words for the voiceless

Gives one silent soul a voice—

It writes stories for us all

Dear Matt...Letters To My Son

These are letters, from my heart to his, to my prodigal son.  If you have an estranged family member, these letters are probably your heart, too. 

Stories from the Roller Coaster

Al Ainsworth graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a degree in Coaching and Sports Administration. His career plan was to coach baseball at one high school for 40 years, win multiple state championships, and impact generations of young men. His family plan was to marry at age 22, begin a family at age 25, and complete that family by age 30.

Over 25 years into his life plan, he can look back on a coaching career that lasted just 13 years at three different schools. A subsequent career in pastoral ministry lasted eight years before giving way to his current endeavors as a teacher of learning disabled students and as a writer, speaker, and legacy builder. In between he has done everything from lawn care and landscaping to paper routes, membership sales, tool sales (for a week), glass installation, and even a couple of years as actuarial analyst.

And that family plan? Age 22 came and went without so much as a date. In his own words, he was an "idiot" when it came to his courtship of his future wife. Three children later--with a couple of twists and turns--they continue a counter-intuitive faith ride in Hernando, Mississippi.

This is their story.

Musings of a Champagne Addict

Join me on Fridays for the unfiltered ramblings of a flawed, single woman trying to make it as a romance author.

Winner 2017 Best Nonfiction Series

Winner 2016 Best Nonfiction Series

Runner-up 2016 Best Humor/Comedy Series

Broken

Poetry about love, life, death, loss, and the frailty of humanity, expressed in and through the beauty of words.

Travel on a Different Plane

Let yourself go. Captivating, humorous, and delectable travel tales that will transport you to the next town or the far side of the world . . .

Kickstarts! Writing Workshop

A writing workshop for reluctant and blocked writers, and for those just looking to put the fun back into the creative writing process.

We all have those times when the words don't flow. Whether you are are a student who can think of about a million other things that you would rather be doing than writing that English assignment, or a veteran author who has spent the last chunk of time staring at a blank page where words should be, this workshop is for you!

While it explores ideas from the stance of writing fiction, with a few easy adjustments it can be very helpful for non-fiction as well! 

Dear Aliyah...Letters to my Grandbaby

Letters to my first grandchild, Aliyah Ann.  I am writing this series as thoughts strike me of things I want to tell her.  I won't post all the time, unless something happens and I need to write it out for several days.  So, I may go a little while without posting.

Making News

For more than 15 years I’ve been exploring the Berkshires as a writer and a journalist. While the world of news has changed rapidly, I’ve tramped the hills with a reporter’s notebook and talked with people. Community journalism is at risk, and some say it’s endangered. Let me tell you what it’s like, while it still exists. 

I’ve talked with many kinds of people, from Chinese artists to mill workers, a rabbi immersed in Passover and women celebrating Easter hundreds of miles from their native towns in Central America. This part of Western Massachusetts has a rare combination of real country and intellectual richness — in these open ridges, so far west that most of Massachusetts forgets we’re here, we have the most diverse set of people in the state outside Boston.

Here I will share some of the stories I’ve heard and the experience of finding them. Come with me inside the newsroom and into artist studios, theater rehearsal rooms, museums, farmyards and woods.  

I’ve learned that good conversation is a craft; it improves with practice, and at its best it’s a natural high. And I have gotten to know this place, from wood-fired kilns to Quebeçois reels to new-laid eggs. Let me tell you about it. 

How To Wear Odd Socks

You just put them on, right? Oh, if only it were that simple.

This is the story of how I learned how to wear odd socks, via secluded gothic towers, the NHS, World War II air raids, gang violence, terrorist bombs and plane crashes.

No wonder I'm exhausted.