Author: Overcoming Adversity | Buteau’s Odyssey

When you think of the holiday season, images of sugar plums, Santa Claus, and Jack Frost may dance in your head, but what about the Yule Cat, Meat-Hook, or Window-Peeper? These are just a few of the overlooked creatures from festive folklore that have been buried in the snow over the centuries in favor of their more cheerful Christmastime counterparts, but thankfully writer George Northy, artist Rachele Aragno, and colorist Michelle Madsen are shining a long-overdue spotlight on these holiday horrors in the new three-issue comic book series Yuletide. Set in the deceptively merry town of Christmas, Pennsylvania, Yuletide follows…

It is a testament to the culture the Islanders have built, both before and during Anders Lee’s captaincy, that they could go into training camp with Lee, in a contract year, unsigned for next season without it being any kind of distraction.  Just as was the case with Brock Nelson and Noah Dobson a year ago, the Islanders know how to keep a lid on this publicly. Those storylines did not dominate the discourse until the rubber hit the road in the days before Nelson and Dobson were dealt to Colorado and Montreal, respectively. Lee’s contractual situation won’t either.  Still,…

In Something’s Gotta Give, Harry Sanborn, played by Jack Nicholson, defends his position by saying, “I’ve always told you some version of the truth.” The other side of this complicated relationship is Erica Barry, played by Diane Keaton, who has no intention of letting him get away that easily: “I didn’t know the truth had versions,” she says. Although it may be hard to wrap your mind around it, some people really do have trouble seeing, and coming to terms with, the truth. We see this in the microcosm of relationships, but also in the macrocosm of business and politics.…

The narrow definition of success for adolescents has persisted and pressured teenagers for decades. Good test results, high grades, and admission to reputable colleges have been considered the ultimate signs of success in youth. Since children enroll in school, their achievements are quantified in terms of figures on report cards and scores on standardized tests. Although these measures provide a perspective of academic aptitude, they do not always reflect the multivariate and multidimensional nature of success. Achievements go beyond academic success in today’s world. They also consist of emotional health, self-development, pursuing passions, and developing good relationships. A teenager can…

There’s a classic organizational psychology metaphor called “rocks in the jar.” The idea is simple: You have limited time (the jar), and only so many rocks (tasks) can fit inside. If you start with the big rocks—your most important priorities—you’ll have room for smaller pebbles later. That advice worked fine a decade ago. But these days, most of us are cheating the system. We’re cramming sand and gravel into every open space—squeezing in more than we can actually carry. Instead of living inside our lives, we end up feeling detached from them. This is what I call Unwise Effort. We…

“Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There’s a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” —Leonard Cohen Grief is the shadow cast by love. It arrives uninvited, often when the flame of life dims or disappears altogether. In those moments, the world can feel unbearably dark. But even in the deepest night, a candle can be lit bringing a flicker of hope, a treasured memory, and a reminder of how to live fully, because of them. This post is for those mourning loved ones who have died or are dying. For those feeling…

Making horror under any circumstance is hard. The genre has a dedicated fanbase and can be overly harsh when discussing films. However, when critics all over the web are tearing your film apart, it’s not a good sign. Jordan Peele’s newest sports based horror film, HIM, is running into that problem right now. Peele’s films […]

A new book about AI has a provocative title: If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Would Kill Us All. Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares argue that the development of artificial intelligence that exceeds human intelligence will almost certainly lead to the extinction of our species. How plausible is the scenario that they think will lead to the death of all people? What an AI “Extinction Scenario” Might Look Like The extinction scenario can be summarized by the following steps. AI research leads to the development of superintelligence—i.e., computers with intelligence that surpasses all humans. Superintelligent computers develop…

Watch the Trailer for Tina Romero’s Queer Zombie Comedy QUEENS OF THE DEAD: “A zombie apocalypse breaks out in Brooklyn on the night of a giant warehouse party, where an eclectic group of drag queens, club kids, and frenemies must put aside their drama and use their unique skills to fight against the brain-thirsty, scrolling undead.” Director: Tina Romero Written by: Tina Romero and Erin Judge Cast: Katy O’Brian, Jaquel Spivey, Tomas Matos, Nina West, Quincy Dunn-Baker, Jack Haven, Cheyenne Jackson, Dominique Jackson, Margaret Cho, Riki Lindhome, Eve Lindley, Becca Blackwell, Shaunette Renée Wilson, Julie J Genre: Horror, Comedy Language:…