A Good Story is Hard to Find

Good Story 059: Jesus of Nazareth

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:01:00 PDT

The great question that will be with us throughout this entire book: What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has he brought?

The answer is very simple: God.... He has brought God, and now we know his face, now we can call upon him. Now we know the path that we human beings have to take in this world. Jesus has brought God and with God the truth about our origin and destiny: faith, hope and love. It is only because of our hardness of heart that we think this is too little. Yes indeed, God's power works quietly in this world, but it is the true and the lasting power. Again and again, God's cause seems to be in its death throes. Yet over and over again it proves to be the thing that truly endures and saves.
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth

In this episode, Julie and Scott take a quick swim to the deep end of the pool (where all the cool kids hang out) to talk theology. The subject is Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration, written by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI).

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #059|

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More stuff:

Jesus of Nazareth on Goodreads

Good Story 058: Of Gods and Men

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 22:01:00 PDT

Julie and Scott talk about Of Gods and Men, directed by Xavier Beauvois. What a film it is!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #058|

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Good Story 057: The Night Watch

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:01:00 PDT

Good and evil, collective good vs. individual good - these are some of the themes in Sergei Lukyanenko's The Night Watch. And vortex's. And some body switching. And vampires, werewolves, magic... urban fantasy, straight from Russia!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #057|

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More stuff:

Many years ago someone told me something that I flatly refused to accept. And I still don't accept it now, despite all the times I've seen it proved right. "The common good and the individual good rarely coincide..." Sure, I know, it's true. But some truths are probably worse than lies. -- Sergei Lukyanenko, The Night Watch

Good Story 056: Be Kind, Rewind

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 21:57:34 PDT

In Episode 56, Julie and Scott talk Be Kind, Rewind - a movie directed by Michel Gondry that stars Jack Black and Mos Def. Don't worry - they rewound it for you. Let them know if the tape is blank, and they'll see what they can do.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #056|

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More stuff:

Michel Gondry on IMDB
The SFFaudio Podcast #44: The First One with Professor Rabkin

Good Story 055: Parable of the Sower

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:01:01 PDT

Julie and Scott wander around in another failed civilization, this time with Lauren Olamina, who luckily has come up with her very own religion. We also talk a bit about the Pope and Tostitos. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #055|

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More stuff:

Tostitos
Scott talked about this excellent DVD: Understanding Sunday Mass: A Kid's Point of View
Some stuff about Octavia E. Butler
Wikipedia says that SolSeed is a social movement inspired by Earthseed, the fictional religion presented by the main character in this book.
Hey, look! A Pope!

O God, who in your providential design willed that your Church be built upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other Apostles, look with favor, we pray, on Francis our Pope and grant that he, whom you have made Peter's successor, may be for your people a visible source and foundation of unity in faith and of communion. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Good Story 054: The Godfather

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:45:42 PST

Julie and Scott watch The Godfather. There's no way that they would ever write an intro to this podcast in which they mention "an offer you can't refuse". Nope. Won't do that. (WARNING: This podcast contains almost no Marlon Brando impersonations, and only one Tamahome mention.)

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #054|

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More stuff:

The Godfather on IMDB

Good Story 053: Jurassic Park

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 04:21:41 PST

Julie and Scott talk about Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton without once saying "hold onto your butts". They note that the Hammond in the book is not a very nice guy. After discussing the book, they bounce off the path and talk about education and our beloved Pope. Then the raptors chase them off.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #053|

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More stuff:

Sandra Tayler at onecobble.com: Structuring Life to Make Room for Creativity
TED Talk: Aaron O'Connell: Making Sense of a Visible Quantum Object.
TED Talk: Ken Robinson: Schools Kill Creativity

Good Story Podcast is Finalist in 2013 About.Com Awards

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:20:56 PST

Now this is fun! And exciting!

A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast is a finalist in the 2013 About.com Catholicism Awards.

And I like their description:

Rather than create a podcast about Catholic books and movies, Julie Davis and Scott D. Danielson discuss classic books and movies "as Catholics."

They get us! They really get us! (Ok, no more channeling Sally Fields...)

I saw we are in there with Fr. Barron, Pray-As-You-Go (a regular listen of min) and other big podcasts I admire. What honorable company Scott and I have risen to!

We haven't a chance, but we're the only one of our sort. Mostly. iPadre being a different sort of conversation. (That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!)

Perhaps we'll get some folks dropping by to try us out though, which would be the best! We can always do with new book-and-movie lovin' pals.

Check it out, and be sure to look at the other categories too. The blogs, books, and suchlike that I recognize are top-notch. Which means I'm definitely going to be checking out the ones I don't know.

And vote ... of course ... definitely vote.

I don't want to have to bring the Hypno-Toad out for this one. But you know. I'll do what I have to.

Good Story 052: Mostly Martha

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:01:00 PST

Julie and Scott made this podcast using a recipe that has been in their families for centuries. They made it especially for all of you. To not listen is... impossible. Mostly Martha is the subject, a German film from 2001 written and directed by Sandra Nettelbeck. Scott is pretty sure that the last movie he saw in German was Das Boot. This one is not much like that one.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #052|

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More stuff:

Mostly Martha on IMDB

Good Story 051: Introduction to the Devout Life

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 22:01:00 PST

Julie and Scott post a podcast discussion of Introduction to the Devout Life on the feast day of St. Francis de Sales. We swear we didn't plan it that way... what are the odds? Episode 51.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #051|

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Good Story 050: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 06:38:56 PST

Julie and Scott travel the universe, telling civilizations to stop shooting at them. Scott's robot suit is starting to chafe. The Day the Earth Stood Still - the awesome 1951 version, not the why-did-they-make-this 2008 version.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #050|

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Our first duty, therefore, precisely in order to heal this world, is to be holy, configured to God; in this way we emanate a healing and transforming power that also acts on others, on history. ... In this regard, it is useful to reflect that the Twelve Apostles were not perfect men, chosen for their moral and religious irreproachability. They were indeed believers, full of enthusiasm and zeal but at the same time marked by their human limitations, which were sometimes even serious. Therefore Jesus did not call them because they were already holy, complete, perfect, but so that they might become so, so that they might thereby also transform history, as it is for us, as it is for all Christians.
-- Pope Benedict XVI, Homily at Port of Brindisi, Italy (June 15, 2008)

Patricia Neal's Catholic story
And her obit, which highlights her stand against abortion.

Good Story 049: The Hobbit

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 22:01:00 PST

Julie and Scott lose track of time as they close out the second year of Good Story with The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Julie finds remarkable meaning in it, while Scott forgets the name of every actor he's ever seen. In glorious 48fps 3D! Good Story, Episode 49.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #049|

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More stuff:

Free lectures from Corey Olsen, The Tolkien Professor!
Stuff for your pocketses at ThinkGeek.

Good Story 048: The Paper

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:01:00 PST

It's never going to be that one big moment; it's going to be a bunch of small ones. Julie and Scott experience the mayhem of a day at a tabloid newspaper in New York City, and learn a lot on the way. The Paper, directed by Ron Howard, starring Michael Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Robert Duvall, and Glenn Close.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #048|

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Good Story 047: Bleak House

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:01:00 PST

Fog everywhere. Fog up the river, where it flows among green aits and meadows; fog down the river, where it rolls defiled among the tiers of shipping and the waterside pollutions of a great (and dirty) city. Fog at Julie's house, fog at Scott's place. Fog. The fog doesn't stop Julie and Scott from discussing Bleak House by Charles Dickens. The risk of overwhelming deportment doesn't stop them either. Episode 47.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #047|

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More stuff:

FANTASTIC audio version from Naxos Audiobooks, read by Sean Barrett and Teresa Gallagher

Good Story 046: Heroines, Past and Present

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 04:25:37 PST

Episode 46. A subject much too big for just two people. Joining Julie and Scott for the first "topic" episode of Good Story are Rose Davis, Joseph Susanka, and Heather Ordover. The topic? Heroines, Past and Present - heroines in YA fiction and films.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #046|

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Good Story 045: The Sixth Sense

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:01:00 PDT

This is Episode 45, during which Julie and Scott see dead people. They both enjoyed M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #045|

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Good Story 044: H.P. Lovecraft

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 06:44:47 PDT

During today's podcast, Julie takes a few moments to explore a hole Scott found next to an ancient stone marker in a graveyard. Despite all that microphone cable, Scott lost contact with her near the end of the podcast... but he's sure she's fine. Episode 44 is about H.P. Lovecraft. Happy October!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #044|

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More stuff:

Letter to Clark Ashton Smith, 27 November 1927 by H.P. Lovecraft
On Forgotten Classics: Lagniappe 57: The Statement of Randolph Carter by H.P. Lovecraft, read by Will Duquette
SFFaudio #126 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: The Statement Of Randolph Carter by H.P. Lovecraft
SFFaudio #138 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: The Crawling Chaos by Winifred V. Jackson and H.P. Lovecraft
SFFaudio #147 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: Pickman's Model by H.P. Lovecraft
SFFaudio #168 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK: Cool Air by H.P. Lovecraft
SFFaudio #174 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: The Temple by H.P. Lovecraft
SFFaudio #175 - |MP3|-|POST|- AUDIOBOOK/READALONG: The Outsider by H.P. Lovecraft
Supernatural Horror in Literature: the essay by H.P. Lovecraft
Supernatural Horror in Literature: the podcast reading the stories mentioned in the essay
Candlemass
Dirk Maggs

Good Story 043: Mary and Max

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:01:00 PDT

Somewhere during this podcast, Julie decided she didn't need her imaginary friend Mr. Ravioli any more. Now he just sits in the corner and reads. Scott experiences confuzzlement. Episode 43: Mary and Max, directed by Adam Elliot.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #043|

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More stuff:

Confuzzlement Abounds, Julie's review of Mary and Max on Happy Catholic
The Power of Vulnerability, a TED talk by Brené Brown

Good Story 042: The Uncommon Reader

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 06:53:53 PDT

In Episode #42, Julie and Scott discover reading. Turns out it's kind of meaningful and fun. Who knew? The Queen didn't, but does now according to The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett. At the end of the podcast, Julie talks a bit about the 2012 Catholic New Media Conference!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #042|

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More stuff:

Goodreads!
Alan Bennett and The Uncommon Reader on Goodreads
The Catholic New Media Conference
Roger Ebert's review of The Curators of Dixon School, a documentary edited by Rose (Julie's youngest daughter)
A letter a week telling a story of the zombie apocalypse and a romance: Ora et Labora et Zombies
Heather Ordover, a generous friend and all-round stand up gal.

Good Story 041: O Brother Where Art Thou?

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:01:00 PDT

Julie and Scott learn much from Ulysses Everett McGill in the Coen brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou?. You can't display a toad in some fine restaurants. What it means to be "bona-fide". And what the devil looks like when you meat him at the crossroads. And what does this movie have to do with The Odyssey?

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #041|

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More stuff:

Good Story 040: The Stand

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 22:01:00 PDT

Episode #40 - It's the end of the world again, this time due to a plague. Julie and Scott discuss The Stand by Stephen King. Bumpity bump!

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #040|

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More stuff:

The C.S. Lewis quote from On Stories:
Another very large class of stories turns on fulfilled prophecies--the story of Oedipus, or The Man Who Would Be King, or The Hobbit. In most of them the ver steps taken to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy actually bring it about. It is foretold that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother. In order to prevent this from happening he is exposed on mountain: and that exposure, by leading to his rescue and thus to his life among strangers in ignorance of his real parentage, renders possible both the disasters. Such stories produce (at least in me) a feeling of awe, coupled with a certain sort of bewilderment such as one often feels in looking at a complex pattern of lines that pass over and under one another. One sees, yet does not quite see, the regularity. And is there not good occasion for both awe and bewilderment? We have just had set before our imagination something that has always baffled the intellect: we have seen how destiny and free will can be combined, even how free will is the modus operandi of destiny. The story does what no theorem can quite do. It may not be "like real life" in the superficial sense: but it sets before us an image of what reality may well be like at some more central region.
Brandywine Books
Inspiration for The Stand

Good Story 039: The Quiet Man

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:39:50 PDT

Julie and Scott join John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara in Ireland. "If there is such a thing as a chick flick for guys, this would be it." -- Scott Nehring, Good News Film Reviews

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #039|

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More stuff:

The Quiet Man on IMDB
Scott Nehring's review on Good News Film Reviews
Shall We Gather at the River? (Roger Ebert's interview of John Wayne)
John Ford, John Wayne - Cardiac-Catholic

Good Story 038: Fahrenheit 451

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 22:01:00 PDT

Episode #38 - It was a pleasure for Julie and Scott not to burn any books during the recording of this podcast. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #038|

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More stuff:

Lagniappe 52: Fahrenheit 451 from Julie's Forgotten Classics podcast.
A news story about Fahrenheit 451's publication as an eBook by Simon and Schuster.
Jamie Vollmer's List of things that have been added to our public school To Do lists since 1900.
Five Popular Forms of Charity (that aren't helping) from Cracked.com
8 Unexpected Downsides of the Switch to E-Books from Cracked.com

Good Story 037: The Incredibles

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 07:16:07 PDT

Julie and Scott discuss The Incredibles, the sixth movie from Pixar. Sparks fly when Julie explains to Scott that napping in front of the TV is NOT a superpower. Scott thinks it should count.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #037|

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More stuff:

Pixar!
Brad Bird on Directing
The 22 Rules of Storytelling According to Pixar - Thanks Tam!
The Pixar Touch: The Making of a Company by David A. Price
Brave New World?: Wrongful birth suit. After-birth abortion and follow-up article. On the Dutch carrying a card to opt out of organ donation, Julie sez: "I may have been misinformed on that since I can't find a link to the article I read. However, here is a piece about countries which have default opt-in organ donation programs, which does include Holland."
"A Universe from Nothing" author and Stephen Colbert

Good Story 036: The Killer Angels

julie@glyphnet.com (Julie Davis, Scott Danielson) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 09:28:42 PDT

Episode #36 - Julie and Scott discuss The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara. Scott learns that Texas is it's own direction, and Julie changes her opinion about Robert E. Lee. Neither is certain where in the timeline to find Lincoln's vampire slaying.

Download or listen via this link: |Episode #036|

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More stuff:

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara on Wikipedia
Michael Shaara on ISFDB - bibliography of science fiction short stories