Inappropriate Conversations

After speaking boldly about questions of sexual identity and unacceptable answers presented by the "religious right," it's important to turn the other cheek.  I do not speak as someone who has always stood up for the rights of non-heterosexuals.  No, I understand homophobia because I have experienced it.  I have felt that irrational fear; and, even though I was much younger then, it's still important to put it to rest.  I've recently seen a hashtag on Twitter -- #LeaveItIn2012.  Let's leave homophobia in 2012.  Ashes to ashes. Different Drummer: Freddie Mercury

As a genre, "thriller" is different from horror or other suspense films, but that distinction is in grave danger of being lost forever.  Before the most common forms of scary cinema became slashers or demonic possession, when serial killer movies were crime-dramas rather than gorefests, the thriller was the TV equivalent of the midnight movie.  Now, with Halloween approaching, you are more likely to see Friday The Umpteenth than any of the classics starring Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, or Vincent Price.  Film fans have lost more than we realize. Different Drummer: Jakob Rehlinger Arachnidisc's videos including Moonwood and Babel

Alcohol is a controlled substance -- a "drug" -- and it's the only one that I use. As a rule, I won't drink when I am angry or depressed. I also tend to invest more in the flavor than the feeling. More likely than not, this is another way that I don't quite fit in with most of society. My approach also doesn't work for fundamentalists. C.S. Lewis has rightly said that Christianity is not a teetotaler religion, but too many Christian legalists have found a way of compartmentalizing this fact without bothering to present a counter-argument. It's a dishonesty that I find infuriating ... but I diligently avoid getting angry or depressed.

Different Drummer: John Osbourne

"Pour Me A Vacation" by The Great Divide

The notion of "authorial intent" has been used to challenge literary and film criticism for as long as humanity has discussed art.  Is the writer's vision the only point of view that matters?  What if a critic or a number of readers find valid alternative subtexts?  The dividing line may be revealed by separating the role of the author.  From an artistic perspective, he or she is another reader with an equally valid view.  I know that this marginalizes the influence of the creators on interpretations of their work.  On the other hand, the external intent of those same creators must not be ignored or diminished.  So, if you make an incendiary hate film in an attempt to start a global war, everything about your motivations and intentions are subject to scrutiny; meaning, you cannot hide behind any freedom of speech as freedom from scrutiny. Different Drummer: Maxim Vengerov

Jesus once asked this question: "What can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" He was telling a crowd, not just 12 disciples, about what it meant to follow him. His answer had nothing to do with a "chosen people" or a "Christian nation." Jesus was speaking to a large group of individuals, and he asked each if he or she was willing to pick up their own cross and follow him. By "anyone" he meant "any one." This does not bode well for believers who think that electing the right leader or reviving some ancient laws will ensure salvation. In fact, hiding within such group-think is probably a sign that you are ashamed to follow Jesus his way. Different Drummer: Toby McKeehan DC Talk - "Jesus Freak"

The terms "orgasm" and "ejaculation" are not synonyms.  They mean something distinct, and the differences are important.  The fact that many men believe they are one and the same reveals something, perhaps unsurprising, about masculinity and foreplay.  It probably reveals something about auto-eroticism as well. Different Drummer: John Coltrane Sex Nerd Sandra #41: Orgasms For Everybody

As a storyteller, I did something I prefer to avoid in Inappropriate Conversations #79 by not finishing a story.  That was partly about running short of time.  Mainly, though, it was because the story took an abrupt turn as I realized something that stopped me in my tracks.  I've heard this called "epiphany" in literary criticism, where the short stories of James Joyce provide excellent examples.  It also happens in real life.  I'm often amazed at how even a small and simple piece of information can change not only perspectives but the very direction of our life-stories. Different Drummer: Paul McCrane