Travels with Father or Why Indiana Jones Has So Many Daddy Issues

In today's episode Indy travels to Greece and Russia, while illuminating the difficult relationship he has with his father. I definitely found these two episodes more enjoyable than the last set, and they both tackled interesting questions of philosophy and politics in a very easy to understand manner. By far the most interesting part of these episodes, however, is the family dynamic, namely between Indy and his dad.

Greece, 1909
In the first part of the episode Indy and his dad are encouraged/forced to explore Athens and the surrounding Greek countryside together on a trip to a monastery for Henry, Sr.'s research. Henry and Indy connect over learning about philosophy and then having to navigate a tricky situation at the hanging monasteries, which brought out a lot of the father-son dynamic that made The Last Crusade so entertaining. Despite the clear distance between father and son, their time spent together in this episode hinted that the two of them have a lot more in common than even they thought. It was quite impressive how well this episode was able to capture the gradual warming of Indy toward his dad as they adventure together.

Russia, 1909
Continuing the family dynamic theme, Indy once again finds the sour end of his dad's personality in the second part of the episode when he keeps making clutzy mistakes at a fancy party. Indy is so fed up with his father that he runs away to the Russian countryside and encounters the great Leo Tolstoy, which is really what you should expect at this point in a series littered with icons of history and the arts. As it happens, Tolstoy is also running from some family drama, and the two quickly bond. I really enjoyed some of their off the cuff conversation about capitalism and communism without beating the audience over the head with it. The relationship between Indy and Tolstoy was sweet and made what otherwise could have been a pretty boring episode entertaining.

Next up: Indy heads east in Journey of Radiance!

In the next set of adventures for Young Indy, we travel to Austria and Italy while Indy discovers the ups and downs of love.

Austria, 1908
In the first episode of this duology, Young Indy and family travel to Hapsburg-era Austria where Indy develops his first crush on the young Hapsburg princess, Sophie (also the daughter of Franz Ferdinand, naturally). In the process he also has dinner with Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to hear about the psychology of love. While the episode was not notable for any big reason, I do remember feeling the same crush feelings as Indy on the young princess. Recalling that memory led me down a path to wondering if my own 9-year-old son has felt any of the same feelings yet. Yikes...

Florence, 1908
In the second half, Indy and family travel to Florence where they are swept up by the romantic opera scene and the operas of Puccini. The biggest plot point in this episode revolves around Indy's mom getting involved in an emotional affair with Puccini, who almost convinces her to run away with him. My biggest takeaway from the episode was the tumultuous family relationships Indy grew up with. His father was mostly absent and emotionally distant, which led to his mother's short fling with one of the world's best opera writers.

Overall, these two episodes have not been my favorite so far, and other than living vicariously through Indy's crush, I remembered very little on rewatch. Next up is Travels with Father, and perhaps a chance for Indy to grow his distant relationship with his father?

The next episode in Volume I of the DVD set is called Passion for Life. The combination of episodes are aptly title because Young Indy discovers the importance of preserving wildlife and enjoying life through the passion of art. Some thoughts about each part:

British North Africa
This is another episode that stands out strong in my memory. Indy heads on a safari with Teddy Roosevelt to discover a rare antelope called an Oryx. While exploring the savannah and befriending a boy from a local tribe, Indy is also learning about the big game hunting world through the eyes of Teddy Roosevelt. Indy eventually stops Roosevelt from killing more animals and saves the herd of oryx from the big game hunters. I remember the impact this episode had on me because I did my third grade animal research paper on the Oryx, further cementing the fact that I was perhaps modeling my life too much on a fictional character. Watching it now, I am impressed by the conservationist tone taken in the episode, especially for a product of the early 90s. Fun fact: The actor who plays Belloq in Raiders of the Lost Ark plays one of Roosevelt's hunting guides!

Paris
The second half of this episode is much less memorable from its original airing, perhaps because I did not appreciate it as much at 9-years-old. Indy discovers the Paris art scene in this episode and meets Degas and Picasso, all while having an adventure with a young Norman Rockwell. Watching it with my current lens, I appreciated the way the episode depicted the transition of art styles, from the Impressionism of Degas to the Cubism of Picasso. In addition, the episode touched on the complicated nature of artistic ownership and how easy it is to copy someone's style and try to sell it as an original work. All of that was probably a little over a kid's head, but I can really appreciate the episode now.

Next up: The Perils of Cupid!

Indiana Jones: The name might conjure fond memories of the 80s, dreamy posters of Harrison Ford, or the name of adventure itself. For me, however, Indiana Jones could almost be considered a lifestyle. When I was first introduced to the Indiana Jones movies back in the early 90s (except for Temple of Doom, of course. No hearts being ripped out before the age of 13), the Indiana Jones movies introduced the idea of archaeology and history as a career path, and this career path was one which greatly intrigued me. Years later, I veered only slightly from that path by becoming a high school Latin teacher, but I credit Indiana Jones with leading me down this career path.

In honor of the final movie coming to theaters at the end of June, I decided to start a massive chronological rewatch project including both the movies and the entire Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV show. Of course, it would not be a true rewatch project if I did not also blog about it, so follow along for the next 2 months as I explore the world of Indiana Jones and the occasional connections with my own life.

Initial note on the Young Indiana Jones TV show: I am using the DVD sets which combine episodes in an order different from the original air dates. I do not love this choice, but it is basically the only way to watch the show now, so I work with what I have.

Episode 1: My First Adventure
The original pilot for the show included both 9-year-old Indy and college-aged Indy in a multi-year spanning adventure, which was an excellent pilot and kick off to the show. Both versions of young Indy were well-introduced with a single MacGuffin crossing over both time periods. I wish this version of the episode still existed with easier access because it is far superior to the DVD version. With that said, the DVD version begins with 9-year-old Indy traveling to Egypt with his parents to begin a huge world tour. In the episode he meets Lawrence of Arabia and Howard Carter and experiences the opening of a mummy's tomb. It would not be an understatement to say that this episode profoundly affected my life. I was 9 years old when watching the show (the same age as young Indy), and his desire to become an archaeologist became mine also. I also credit this episode with my choice to research both mummification and King Tut's tomb for my capstone Junior and Senior English research projects.

The second half of the episode is where things get a little weird from an editing perspective. The Jones family travels to Morocco from Egypt in an episode that never actually aired on TV. What makes the episode weird is that the young actor (Corey Carrier) who plays Indy is clearly older than the first half, despite the conceit that this adventure takes place immediately after Egypt. Although that editing choice leaves something to be desired, I am glad the episode is included because it covers the difficult topic of slavery and Indy's feelings when confronted by it. This episode reminded me why this show was so great. The creators managed to craft an interesting adventure while mixing in real historical figures and issues.

Next up: Young Indy heads to the African plains and underground art world of Paris in Passion for Life!

Most people like to do all kinds of year-end reflections at the end of the calendar year, which works, I guess, but why not change it up a little and take some time to reflect every year around your birthday. You have just finished another whole year of life, and it seems like a great time to sit down and reflect on the previous year. Also, I did not want to overload my site with another year in review post like my reading list post. Thus, a new tradition is born. In the days right around my birthday each year, I want to share the compilation of 1-second videos from the previous year (see above) and share a few highlights and things I have been learning over the year.

Highlights
-My first return trip to Italy since COVID knocked out the last few years. We had a smaller group of students, but the trip was still incredible and life-changing for many of the kids.
-Our long-awaited family trip to California to do Disneyland and Legoland with an extended time of exploration around Galaxy's Edge and building a lightsaber.
-Our youngest growing out of the difficult first year of life and into the much more fun toddler phase.
-Lots of board gaming and miniature painting.
-Closing out the past decade with a great weekend of friends and fun activities.

​Lessons
-Having a third child is more difficult than I expected in a different way than I expected. The third child is not as difficult from a straight parenting perspective as much as a general managing of life perspective.
-I have great friends who care about me and who value my voice in their lives. I will not ever take that for granted again.
-The American church will continue down a path of decline if we privilege the voices of white men only. Some of the reading I have been doing this year has further opened my eyes to the importance of elevating voices of Christians from the rest of the world.
-Hobbies are a lifeline for me in the midst of a busy family and work schedule, but I have so many that I sometimes get stuck on which to do when I have time. I need a system to better use my free time when I have it.

I am looking forward to year 40 and the excitement of a new decade of life!

2022 has come and gone, and so it is time to finish recapping my reading list for this year! My goal for the year was 24 books, which I missed by two, unfortunately. The second half of the year saw a massive slowdown in my reading rate thanks to the school schedule and a full load of three children around my house. So, starting with July and working through the end of the year, here is what I read and a few thoughts for each.

Lore by Alexandra Bracken
I am always down for an interesting retelling of Greek myth, and this one did not disappoint. Set in modern New York City, this is Percy Jackson for a more mature audience. Definitely enjoyed this one.

The Electric Kingdom by David Arnold
I kind of forgot I read this book until I made this list, if that says anything, but this was a unique take on the dystopian genre through the lens of childlike hope and wonder at the world.

The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right by Lisa Sharon Harper
Lisa Sharon Harper has a beautiful and much needed voice for the Christian community. This book was a fresh reminder of the importance of the gosepl for ALL and how the gospel can influence and make change in every aspect of our private and public lives.

Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher
The first Star Wars novel on the list, and also one of my biggest disappointments for the year. When I heard there would be a novel about Luke and Lando having an adventure together, which would tie in some elements from the sequel trilogy, I was intrigued. Unfortunately, the book was less than intriguing.

Love Matters More: How Fighting to be Right Keeps us from Loving Like Jesus by Jared Byas
I have long been listening to Jared on the Bible for Normal People Podcast, but this was the first book of his I have read. This book was a great reminder about the HOW of our theology far outweighing the WHAT of our theology.

Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland
As the first book in the new phase of the Star Wars High Republic publishing initiative, it did a great job of piquing my interest for the direction of the story. Interesting characters and a new way to think about the Force.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
I loved The Martian, but this book was very different in a great way. While The Martian dives deep into science and math for survival, this story reminds us of the importance of relationship and cooperation, making it far more human (with lots of math and science stuff too, which I kind of glossed over).

The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian Season 2 by Phil Szostak
The Star Wars art books are always amazing, and I love to see the evolution of the design process in visual creative efforts.

Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church by Eric Costanzo, Daniel Yang, and Matthew Soerens
A great book to finish the year on, this fairly short but densely packed book summed up what I have been learning about and thinking about for the last couple of years. The American church will not survive without the voice of global Christians and marginalized communities in prominent leadership and discipleship roles.

What have you been reading that has been fun, challenging, or educational?

As summer comes to a close, I could not wrap it up without sharing some of the highlights from one of my bucket list destinations, Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, also known as Galaxy's Edge at the Disney Parks. The first week of June my whole family took a much delayed and much anticipated trip to California, including two days at the Disney Parks. Now that I have had some time to process the trip and reminisce fondly, I want to share some of the highlights, thoughts, and experiences from that trip.

It is one of my favorite days of the year because I take a few minutes to sit down and share thoughts about all the books I have read so far. My reading goal for this year is 24 books, and I am on decent track right now to finish, sitting at about halfway to my goal. Starting back in January and up until today, here are the books I have read and a few thoughts about each.

1. Babylon's Ashes by James S.A. Corey
The Expanse is my favorite sci-fi book series right now, but this was probably my least favorite in the series so far. The ending was tense and fantastic, but the rest felt a little like it was stalling to fill the book.

2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
I did not watch the miniseries adaptation of this book, but I thought the book was excellent. If you are up for a novel about a pandemic that wipes out most of human population, this is an excellent read. I found it incredibly hopeful in a sea of hopeless sci-fi/dystopia.

3. The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray
The last novel in the current phase of Star Wars High Republic books, I found this novel thrilling, suspenseful, and sad. I continue to say that some of the most exciting storytelling in Star Wars right now is happening in the publishing world.

4. How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
This was a required read for work this year, but one I willingly chose out of several options. I learned a lot and found a lot to ponder about how race intersects with so many different parts of society. Definitely not a book to breeze through without processing.

5. Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Within the Young Adult sci-fi genre there are a lot of tropes that are somewhat tiring at this point, but I am happy to say that this book weaves an interesting and compelling story without relying heavily on the standard tropes.

6. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Thanks to our school library's Lit Loot box initiative, I got my first taste of Faerie fantasy this year. I will say that I generally am not a fan, although I appreciated reading stories from the perspective of female characters, as it gave me a different flavor of fantasy than I am used to.

7. Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans, Jeff Chu
I have been a fan of Rachel Held Evans' books for a while, and her tragic death was a blow to Christianity. This book was published posthumously, and while there was not a lot of new material or ideas here, it was nice to have a refresh of some of Evans' thoughts.

8. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
I will echo my thoughts from #6 above. I did like this one slightly more than The Cruel Prince, however.

9. Midnight Horizon by Daniel Jose Older
This Young Adult Star Wars novel had a few great moments, but I overall found the book just average, without adding much to the ongoing storyline of the High Republic.

10. Queen's Hope by E.K. Johnston
I really enjoyed the first two Padme Amidala novels by Johnston and had high expectations for this novel set in the middle of the Clone Wars, but the main storyline was mostly uninteresting. The side plot about Anakin and Padme's marriage was far more interesting and could have made for a more unique entry into Star Wars canon.

11. How to Fight Racism: Courageous Christianity and the Journey Toward Racial Justice by Jemar Tisby
Really the main thing I need to say about this book is that Jemar Tisby is a treasure and should be required reading for everyone who considers themselves part of the Christian faith. For that matter, it doesn't matter what faith you are, this book is so practical and helpful that it is a must read.

12. Brotherhood by Mike Chen
I read a lot of Star Wars novels, and most of them are good with flashes of greatness, but I loved this brand new novel set during the Clone Wars and exploring Obi-Wan and Anakin's friendship after Anakin's promotion to Jedi Knight. The novel explores the ethics of war and the nature of human relationships all while telling a really great story.

13. Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness by Cindy Wang Brandt
This book is a great intro to some ways to approach parenting in our current complex world. I thought the book was a great, basic overview of a lot of ideas, but I would have loved a deeper dive into some of them.

What have you been reading so far this year? I would love to hear your recommendations!

It's time again to recap everything I read for the last six months! I honestly look forward to these posts because I love to share reading recommendations and spread the word about good (or less than good) books. This year I made a goal on Goodreads (my reading list app of choice) to read 24 books. This was one more than I read in 2019, and I try to up my goal by one book every year. 2020 was an anomaly because of the pandemic, so I read an unusually high amount of books. I came about 100 pages short of finishing my 24th book, but I am not too disappointed because I spent last night playing Zelda on our new Nintendo Switch instead of reading...

So, here are the books from I read in order from July-December 2021 with a few thoughts about each.

Golden Son by Pierce Brown
The second book in the Red Rising series, Golden Son was excellent. I enjoyed the first book quite a bit but found a lot of similarities with other popular dystopian literature. This second book in the series was even better and took the series to new, exciting places. I can't wait to find out what happens next.

The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott
The next two books are the obligatory Star Wars reads, which will be present on every reading list I make. I did not enjoy this book as much as some of the previous High Republic novels, but it did set up some really interesting storylines for the future.

Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland
When I was looking back through my reading list, I actually forgot I read this, so I am not sure what that says about its quality. I believe I listened to this as an audiobook, and I enjoyed it, but nothing super memorable about it.

Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
I could probably write an entire blog post about this book, and maybe I will, but I would argue that this book is essential reading for anyone who considers themselves part of the evangelical church. What I will say is, at the end of this book I cried, because of the ways it touched on a definition of masculinity that I have found damaging over the course of my life.
​
Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
Thanks to a very cool program started by the library at the school where I work, the next two books on the list were given to me by our librarians. This title was a graphic novel about a self-proclaimed nerd (computer science teacher) who gets wrapped up in something he never expected, the school's basketball program. As a fellow self-proclaimed nerd teacher and casual sports fan, I very much related to the author's story.

Educated by Tara Westover
Another book I would never have picked out if not for the school librarians' recommendation, this book tells the unbelievable story of a woman raised in a crazy family in the middle of nowhere Idaho. The stories of her family are insane, but the throughline of her desire to better herself humanizes her experience.

Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott
By far the most unusual entry on this list, this book is not a book in the traditional sense. Tempest Runner will be published as a book, but for now it is a Star Wars audio drama. Highly produced with excellent voice acting, I enjoyed learning more about one of the more intriguing villains of the High Republic era.

The Star Wars Book by Cole Horton, Pablo Hidalgo, and Dan Zehr
Not a lot to say about this book other than that is a fun compilation of Star Wars trivia and info that will make a great reference book.

What did you read this year? Leave a comment with some of your favorites.

Earlier this year when I started a series of travel posts, I had one last post in mind. Then, our new baby was born in June and time has slipped away, just like travel over the past year-and-a-half...

This one last travel post (for now, at least) just kept creeping back up into my mind, however, so I could not let it die. In fact, this post is probably the one I have been most looking forward to writing about since I started a series of travel posts.

So, to finish off my series of travel blogs, here are the top five locations I would like to visit, in ascending order.

5. Galaxy's Edge
As a massive Star Wars nerd (see any number of past posts), Galaxy's Edge/Batuu is a must visit. I have watched just about every video tour of the themed land and researched everything I can about what to do, where to go, and what to eat. The only thing I refuse to watch are videos of the rides, so that I do not have the surprise ruined. As of now, this is the only place on my Top 5 list that is a planned trip (June 2022, Disneyland, California). I will probably shed some tears and have no shame about it.

4. Western USA National Parks
I admit that this "location" is a bit of a cheat because there are several locations grouped into one generic label here, but it is my website, and I will make my own rules. I would love to visit any of the national parks in the western United States, but a few that are particularly high on the list are Redwood National Forest, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon, and Yosemite. If I am honest, there are a couple of Star Wars (Redwoods) and Indiana Jones (Arches) connections that make some of these sites extra appealing, but mostly they are such iconic parts of the US I have yet to visit, and I want to experience their grandeur.

3. Egypt
For the top three locations on my list, I have to leave the United States and start to tap into my love for Ancient History as well as my love for movie-related destinations. Egypt is a no-brainer when it comes to bucket list sites to visit. For someone who considered a career in Egyptology for a brief minute, I would be sad to never have a chance to visit. Not only would I love to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx, but I would love to explore Thebes and Roman Alexandria, as well. I am still undecided on the appeal of riding a camel, however...

2. Petra
Petra is the perfect melding of historical and movie-related sites. Long before I even knew Petra was a real place, I watched Indiana Jones discover the Holy Grail here, and I was immediately hooked. Now, after studying more about ancient history and the site of Petra, my desire to visit has only increased. I look forward to seeing the amazing stonework and architecture, and also probably bringing my own personal Raiders March soundtrack as I head out the narrow canyon away from the Treasury building.

1. New Zealand
I do not honestly know whether New Zealand would have made this list before the Lord of the Rings movies happened, but once those masterpieces of modern cinema graced our collective consciousness, New Zealand immediately skyrocketed onto my bucket list. Then, once I found out that the Hobbiton film set has been preserved and turned into a tourist destination, no other place in the world can top this location on my list. I absolutely must get here sometime in my life. To walk past Bag End, have a pint and a meal at the Green Dragon; these are the moments of legend, and to know that I too can experience that legend leaves me chomping at the bit. Oh yeah, the rest of New Zealand is supposedly pretty beautiful as well. 

I would love to hear about other travel bucket lists! Where do you desperately want to go but have not yet been?