Michael Davis' site dedicated to writing, travel, and commentary.
I rewatched Interview with the Vampire last night and it just doesn't seem dark enough. Maybe that's a reflection of how my emotional self has darkened after Covid, rapacious politics, and so much social turmoil. But it seems to me that the story, the myth, of the vampire is dangerous because it is Dionysian and... Continue Reading →
Today, I think I overcame my hitherto impassable mental block, the one I always get between pages 50 and 70, that indicates I've hit the "swampy middle." The term "great swampy middle" wasn't invented by me. In fact, I have no desire to discover who first coined the term because I have no desire to... Continue Reading →
Today, after all the Covidy Trump ups and downs, the questions about Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation, and the hard questions about whether there should even be a VP presidential debate, I'm thinking again about Chris Beck's excellent piece in Splice Today, "The Media Reports Narratives, Not Facts." We all live online now. We look at... Continue Reading →
Supernatural has come to an end after 15 long seasons. That’s probably for the best. No TV show should run that long. And it had multiple corny, goofy, b-movie impossible-to-believe arcs that sometimes made us groan. But when it was good—and it usually was at some point in every season—especially when it got back to... Continue Reading →
There are many different paths to greatness, not just the ones most commonly identified by conformist culture. As long as your basic needs are met, where you put your energy—how you pursue excellence—is completely your business. Realizing this can be difficult and gradual. It seems true, even if we admit that discourses (value systems) will... Continue Reading →
A recent short short of mine, "You Are Somewhere Else," is forthcoming in Visitant and should be available online. As usual, I will post the links when the story comes out. - M
Read it here: https://www.splicetoday.com/moving-pictures/more-than-just-a-familiar-formula
Today, I wonder whether I should re-think some of my ultra-liberal biases and attendant leftist news consumption. This is good. But, man, I'm beat. The alt-right (and the radical religious right) to me seems like a uniquely American expression of deep stupidity but, of course, I would say that. Look at my demographic: college educated,... Continue Reading →
Long ago, I was an English teacher at a private high school in central California. It was a good, if demanding, job and unlike many of my colleagues, I seemed to manage occasional moments of non-misery in the workplace. In fact, the two years I spent working there taught me more about human nature than... Continue Reading →
More developments are emerging regarding Trump's Russian connections - a new post on Splice Today. Read it here: http://www.splicetoday.com/politics-and-media/sater-cohen-and-the-collapsing-house-of-cards
The Writing Expedition 