Why Are You?

Amethysta

Each of us must develop an identity, but often we develop that identity in a way we may never see. In this interview series, I ask people to describe themselves, then mirror back my observations. My hope is to uncover why we become the people we are - how our biology, psychology, and their expression in society converge.

  1. 09/29/2023

    Morgaine - Lover of Words and Stories

    In this episode, we meet Morgaine (no, a different one!) whose education in Ancient Mediterranean History turns out to be some of the most fascinating conversation I've had in a while!  Morgaine and I discuss goddesses of carnal pleasure, the misogyny of translators, and better last lines than "That's All, Folks!" REFERENCES: Dreamers & Doers:  https://www.dreamersdoers.com/Sir Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur:"  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Morte_d'ArthurPat Barker's "The Silence of the Girls:"  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silence_of_the_GirlsEmily Wilson's "The Iliad":  https://www.emilyrcwilson.com/the-iliad-sept-2023Emily Wilson's "The Oddessy:"  https://www.emilyrcwilson.com/the-odysseyGender Identity Today:  https://genderidentitytoday.com (00:00) - Show Opening (00:34) - Introduction (01:32) - Morgaine, Why Are You? (02:37) - Hippie-Dippy College Education (05:48) - Ishtar, Astarte, and Aphrodite Walk into a War (11:31) - Does Knowledge of the Iron Age Change Our Perspective Today? (13:37) - There Were Civilizations Before the USA (15:59) - Etymology as the Basis of History (19:59) - Morgaine's Favorite Word (22:33) - Let's Play Fairies! (24:28) - If You Could Be in History, Who Would You Be? (28:29) - The Rage of Morgaine (34:42) - Go Be a Hero or Stay as a Farmer (39:25) - Ancient Greece Was an Oral Tradition (44:17) - Fave Historical Fiction Authors (45:34) - How Should Achilles Go Out? (49:30) - Emily Wilson's Translations (55:38) - Show Closing ★ Support this podcast ★

    57 min
  2. 09/08/2023

    Sabene - Philosopher and Artist

    In this show, I speak with Sabene - an artist in the true sense whose love for the craft shows in everything she does.  Sabene and I discuss cadmium, the art from role-playing games, water lilies that will stop you in your tracks. REFERENCES:David Martin:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_L._MartinFrank Frazetta:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_FrazettaWilliam Whittaker:  http://williamwhitaker.com/William-Adolphe Bouguereau:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William-Adolphe_BouguereauHans Holbein - Sir Thomas More:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrait_of_Sir_Thomas_MoreJohn Singer Sargent:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Singer_SargentJoshua Reynolds:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joshua_ReynoldsTitian:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titian (00:00) - Intro (00:33) - Show Opening (01:39) - Sabene, Why Are You? (04:45) - Early Art Influences (08:52) - Painting with Oils (10:44) - The Struggles of Life Imitates Art (15:52) - Finding Something to Say in Art (18:26) - Art That Stops You Dead in Your Tracks (22:24) - Water Lilies That Leap off the Canvas (24:31) - Sabene's Primary Influences (26:31) - Even If It Were to Fall Apart within a Year... (28:07) - It's Hard to Make a Living as an Artist (35:10) - There's Something Wrong with the Mouth (37:24) - The Most Controversial Piece of Visual Art (40:32) - Charcoal Drawings with the Outback (43:30) - Don't Forget to Drink Your Cadmium (44:50) - The Artwork "Sabene" (48:15) - Not Quite Ready to Speak Sabene's Legacy (52:05) - Goodbye #1 (57:05) - Goodbye #3? (55:20) - Show Closing ★ Support this podcast ★

    59 min
  3. 08/18/2023

    Ari - Healer through Literature

    In this show, we meet Ari - a writer and editor whose healing energy inflames her fiction.  Ari and I talk about hate on the internet, Wicca's gender binary, and no actual jokes about squirrels. REFERENCES:Clan of the Cave Bear:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clan_of_the_Cave_BearKaikeyi:  https://www.amazon.com/Kaikeyi-Novel-Vaishnavi-Patel/dp/0759557330Ari's Medium:  https://medium.com/@arijensineinkAri's Substack "Fighting for Writing": https://fightingforwriting.substack.comAriel Jensine Web Site:  https://www.arieljensine.ink/Gender Identity Today:  https://genderidentitytoday.comAmethysta's Website:  https://amethysta.io (00:00) - Intro (00:33) - Show Opening (01:30) - Ari, Why Are You? (03:42) - Finding Ari's Authentic Voice (06:04) - Connecting to Warm Bodies and Herself (09:40) - Journaling in the Technology Age (14:55) - Let's Play Fantasy (for healing, right?) (18:22) - Working in the Metaphysical Realm (22:25) - Reading Tarot Isn't Always Helpful (24:32) - The Zone of Calm (27:12) - The Internet Is a Good Outlet for Pain (30:32) - Finding a Perfect Story (31:52) - Being a Healer without Religion (34:30) - Wicca Could Be More Inclusive (37:36) - Ari's Bittersweet Ending (43:49) - Separate the Art from the Artist (44:24) - Fiction Makes Us All More Empathic (46:44) - The Power of Story to Make Us Human (53:06) - Where to Find Ari (54:34) - That Funny Joke about Squirrels (55:20) - Show Closing   ★ Support this podcast ★

    56 min

About

Each of us must develop an identity, but often we develop that identity in a way we may never see. In this interview series, I ask people to describe themselves, then mirror back my observations. My hope is to uncover why we become the people we are - how our biology, psychology, and their expression in society converge.