Chasing the Mind

Did you know that for a time after World War II, only three Superheros remained in the comic universe, Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman? Brad Sultan, lawyer, comic book nerd, collector of silent film movie posters, and expert 70's game show historian does. He can rattle off the details about comic book history better than most people. Today, Brad joins Dr. Angela and Dr. Stephanie for an expansive conversation about Wonder Woman, from her beginnings as a Nazi-fighting, defender of America, to her most recent incarnation as a god-like Warrior, In between she has been portrayed as a secretary, a baby, a Wonder Girl, a mystery solver, and Ms. Steve Trevor.  Drawing on the book by Jill Lepore, The Secret History of Wonder Woman, we also discuss the rather intriguing background of the man behind this powerful feminist icon, William Moulton Marsten, and his unique inspiration for creating a female superhero more powerful than any man. This interesting discussion covers comic book history, bondage, kink, feminism, the lack of representation of female superheros in comics and film, and of course, Wonder Woman. 

Thank you for listening to Chasing the Mind. You can subscribe on Itunes and Stitcher. Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate and review this episode wherever you listen. And if you have an idea for a show, let us know at info@chasingthemind.com.

Join Dr. Angela and Dr. Stephanie for this fascinating conversation with Dr. Stephanie Wellen Levine as they discuss her upcoming book which details her "lifelong quest for insight into what might happen to our amazing selves and consciousnesses after we die." Dr. Levine chronicles her early exposure to the reality of death, and the ways in which her obsession with this fact has shaped much of her life. She has spent much of her waking (and dreaming) hours contemplating the possibility of life after death. Her fear has driven her to explore various spiritual paths in search of evidence that her individual self might continue to exist in some way after the end of her corporeal existence. Dr. Levine's journey leads to some unique places; studying with a Christian Evangelical college group, visiting a town populated with mediums and psychics, and giving a convent a test-run. Dr. Levine has sought to communicate with the deceased; she has tried astral projection; she has left no spiritual fringe stone unturned--all in her attempts to gather sufficient evidence to quell her terror. While Dr. Levine's existential fear is palpable at times, she also presents her quest with a dry wit, and self-deprecating humor. She evaluates her experiences with a keen, critical mind.  Thank you Dr. Levine for sharing your personal journey with us today.

You can read more of Dr. Levine's work at The Wisdom Daily and Hevria. She has also written a popular book Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey among Hasidic Girls, which won Moment Magazine’s Emerging Writer Award for Nonfiction and was chosen for the national Hadassah Book Club.  

If you are interested in being notified of the release of Dr. Levine's new book, which was discussed today, please subscribe to the Chasing the Mind blog. We will update listeners when her book is available. 

Thank you for listening to Chasing the Mind. You can subscribe on Itunes and Stitcher. Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate and review this episode wherever you listen. And if you have an idea for a show, let us know at info@chasingthemind.com.

By Stephanie Wellen Levine - Mystics, Mavericks, and Merrymakers: An Intimate Journey Among Hasidic Girls (New edition) (7.7.2004) By Stephanie Wellen Levine

Our first guest on www.chasingthemind.com is Trey Reilly, veteran LARPer (Live Action Role-Play). Trey has been involved in the LARPing community for decades. She has written, co-written, run and staffed a number of LARPs over the years, and her games have been played on five continents. 

It would be difficult to find a person who is more passionate or more eloquent in describing the intricate world of Live Action Role-Playing (LARP), than Trey Reilly. For those of us with little understanding or experience with these theatrical games, Trey brings these campaigns to life. She describes the logistics of everything that goes into writing and designing the game, and she details the care that is given to creating a world in which every person can find a way to be powerful, and ultimately, triumphant. Trey explains the ways in which this medium helps sharpen the interpersonal skills of each player, and creates a community in which players learn to rely on themselves and each other to solve complex problems. She also expounds on how LARPing became a place where women and minorities could tell their unique stories in a creative and safe space. Finally, Trey offers resources to those who are interested in exploring what the LARPing community has to offer. 

Thank you Trey Reilly for being our guest and sharing your knowledge and experiences with us.

Thank you for listening to Chasing the Mind. You can subscribe on Itunes and Stitcher. Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate and review this episode wherever you listen. And if you have an idea for a show, let us know at info@chasingthemind.com.

For more information, contact the organizations below:

http://www.larping.org/

http://www.interactiveliterature.org/NEIL/interconConventions.html

https://learnlarp.com/

Meet the people behind Chasing the Mind, Dr. Angela Johnson and Dr. Stephanie Schwartz. Also meet Kevin Johnson, Producer, Sound Engineer, and Production Manager. 

In today's discussion, Dr. Angela and Dr. Stephanie will share a little about themselves, both professionally and personally. They will talk about how they met, their first impressions of each other, and what motivated them to launch Chasing the Mind. You will also hear a little bit about their upcoming guests and plans for future podcasts.

Thank you for listening to Chasing the Mind. You can subscribe on Itunes and Stitcher. Please take a moment to leave a comment or rate and review this episode wherever you listen. And if you have an idea for a show, let us know at info@chasingthemind.com.