Love is All You Need (in Tartarus)

As you may have noticed, I’ve developed a love for Rick Riordan’s universe of gods and heroes. After finishing the last short stories and audiobooks of the series, I’m taking a break from it before re-reading (currently re-reading Harry Potter, in addition to our ongoing Animorphs podcast project). But for Valentine’s Day I decided to revisit a portion of Heroes of Olympus. Just some thoughts I had about love while reading “The House of Hades” last summer. 

A little refresher for those who haven’t read Heroes of Olympus lately: At the end of “The Mark of Athena” our power couple Percy and Annabeth fell into the pit and spent the subsequent book walking through literal hell. They made a couple friends while trying to escape, while even the air of Tartarus tried to kill them both body and soul. 

Nico had recently escaped the pit after it nearly destroyed him. When Percy and Annabeth crash landed, things weren’t exactly hopeful. After all, even the son of Hades barely survived. The air itself was poisonous and only drinking from a fiery river kept them alive. 

One trial that particularly struck me early on their journey was the influence of the River Cocytus. Its powers fed them despair, regrets, and grief. Even being near the river was depressing. What struck me was how their physical contact with each other kept them anchored. 

I know not everyone’s love language is touch, but it’s high on my list. There’s something comforting for me about a hug when my anxiety or depression flare up. A physical anchor. Heck, I remember one night that my anxiety flared up after my wife and I went to bed. Not wanting to wake her, I gently let my hand rest against her back. That little connection helped me calm down even before she had the chance to roll over and check in. 

Whether it’s physical contact or something else, there’s something powerful about knowing you’re not alone. It was this journey that impressed me about anchoring myself in connection (not too different from anchoring myself in a positive memory when producing a Patronus). Everyone need someone who can be a safe place. Something like that can’t be manufactured; that trust must be developed and earned. 

This kind of safety is not limited to romantic relationships. Everyone needs a friend (or a few) with whom they can share their heart. I’m blessed to have friends who have helped me through Tartarus in the past. And definitely thankful for my wife who helps to ground me in reality when the Cocytus wants to drown me in despair. 

LDS Geeks Podcast #29: Holidays at Hogwarts

With Halloween in the recent past and the holiday season before us, it's time to start talking about celebrating. So Russell and I had fun discussing how Hogwarts students celebrate muggle holidays. After you take a listen, let us know your thoughts on our Ilvermorny discussion: how do you think they celebrate Thanksgiving?

--Spencer

Listen to Episode 29 on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

Check out Spencer's recent blog posts: click here

Check out Russell's recent blog posts: click here

Show notes:

00:12 - Introductions
01:31 - Spencer's Recommendation: Captain America The First Avenger
        Available for streaming on Disney Plus
03:40 - Russell's Recommendation: Michael Vey 
05:49 - Halloween
15:05 - Christmas
        "Friday Creature Feature - House-Elves" by Spencer
21:35 - Valentine's Day
        "Puffs: Third or Nothing!" by Spencer
28:40 - Easter
        "Harry Potter and the Five Gospel Truths" by Brigitte C. Madrian
33:44 - Holidays at Ilvermorny
39:54 - Conclusion

5 Best Couples of LOST

This year is the 20th anniversary of LOST and I don’t care what people say, I loved it back then and I love it now. Currently rewatching the series in honor of its anniversary (not that I need an excuse) so I’m sure you’ll get plenty of LOST content from me this year, especially as September and the show’s anniversary gets closer. But for today, since it’s Valentine’s Day, I’ll focus on my favorite couples from the show. Honorable mentions include Jack/Kate, Sayid/Nadia, and Ben/Annie, but they’re not in my top five for this list.

Desmond and Penny

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I think there would be something tragic if someone didn’t include Desmond and Penny on their list of best LOST couples. Desmond was supposed to be dead, but Penny kept trying and hoping that she’d find him. Sure there were some time travel shenanigans that could have tipped her off to his survival, but she still had faith in their relationship. Plus, the best relationship quote (romantic or otherwise) from the show came from her: “All we really need to survive is one person who truly loves us.”

Sawyer and Juliet

I wrote about Sawyer and Juliet on my TV couples Valentine's Day post a few years back, but I couldn’t have seen this couple coming. One moment they’re buddies and the next (three years for them) they’re a couple. And yet, even though their screen time together was only a handful of episodes, their chemistry and their connection was beautiful. And Juliet’s death was heartbreaking in the best ways (as far as storytelling goes). To see them reconnect in the flash-sideways was the most perfect reunion in the show. 

Hurley and Libby

Speaking of heartbreaking deaths… Hurley and Libby were perfect. They loved and supported each other in their insecurities, even if we didn’t learn what Libby’s past entailed. For the record, I’m still upset that they never gave us Libby’s backstory as promised in season four (my head-canon is that she’s Penny’s half-sister and was tasked with finding Desmond). All the same, to see Hurley grieve over his girlfriend of only a couple weeks and later be reunited with her in the afterlife. Beautiful!

Charlie and Claire

Maybe it’s because of the respect I have for my dad, adopting his step-daughter as his own, but seeing Charlie care for Aaron is possibly the most romantic thing I see him do while watching LOST. Ask my wife and she’ll confirm that fatherhood is one of the most attractive things a man can do. I know Aaron wasn’t his son, but Charlie cared enough for Claire and loved her enough that he loved her son too. Charlie’s sacrifice for Claire and Aaron broke all of our hearts. I think it was perfect to see Claire and Charlie regain their memories because of Aaron’s birth, bringing their family back together.

Rose and Bernard

How could a list of LOST couples be complete without Rose and Bernard? They found each other later in life, after years of being single (or possibly divorced/widowed in Rose’s case, based on a deleted scene) they found each other. And they’re about the cutest older couple there could be, even without knowing the depth of their feelings. Everyone should have someone who chooses them, regardless of what the future holds, like Bernard choosing Rose despite her diagnosis. And everyone should have someone who believes in them against all odds, like Rose believed in Bernard’s ability to survive.

Naturally I could have included Jack/Kate or Sayid/Shannon on this list as well. And I certainly have a head-canon as to what happened with Ben/Annie. But for now, we’ll leave that on the back burner for another time. For now, see you in another life, brother (or sister). 

5 Times Monica and Chandler were #RelationshipGoals

Happy Valentine’s Day! It might be a greeting card industry holiday at this point, but I still enjoy it. To celebrate this year, I wanted to spotlight one of television's best couples. There are many reasons why Chandler and Monica (Mondler) rank best on my favorite tv couples. I’m just going to cover a few of my favorite Mondler moments.

“I like maintaining you.”

Okay maybe I’m starting off with this one because I feel high maintenance, but I love how Chandler accepts Monica as she is, faults and all. Yes, he teases her about being compulsively neat, but he also loves her and encourages her to embrace her passions. She might have been high maintenance, but it’s sweet how Chandler just wants to be there to help her. (Episode 6x12, “The One With The Joke”)

Monica’s dream wedding dress

It literally took tackling another woman onto the floor, but Monica found her perfect wedding dress. Unfortunately, said woman manipulated her into giving up the dress by stealing Chandler’s dream band. But after learning why Chandler loved the Swing Kings so much, Monica gave up her dress to get the band. (Episode 7x17, “The One With The Cheap Wedding Dress”)

“She's a mother... without a baby…”

Due to a mix up during the adoption process, Monica and Chandler got the call about a baby instead of a preacher/doctor couple. They tried to play the part at first, but their consciences got the better of them. As the birth mother was turning them away for lying, Chandler gave the most heartfelt speech about Monica and why she deserved the baby. Having seen my wife dream of being a mother, I know what Chandler was talking about. (Episode 10x09, “The One With The Birth Mother”)

Not sweating the small stuff

I know I could do better at letting the small stuff go. And with Monica and Chandler it wasn’t even that small. Monica had opened all of their wedding presents without him. And Chandler had kissed another bride to cover up losing the reception pictures. Instead of holding a grudge towards each other for their mistakes, they half-jokingly said “Call it even?” and moved on with life. We could all do with being more forgiving like that. (Episode 8x02, “The One With The Red Sweater”)

“Welcome to an adult relationship!”

The biggest thing I love about Monica and Chandler is they never split up. Sure, there are plenty of people who break up but still end up marrying each other in the end. But it’s refreshing to have a TV couple that doesn’t need the break-up/make-up cycle to fuel their plot. Chandler thought early on that one fight meant he and Monica were done, but that’s just when they began to grow together as a couple. Sure, they’d have lots of other issues with career, infertility, and adoption (to name a few things), but they stay as a team right through the end. (Episode 5x05, “The One With The Kips”)

Few TV couples compare to Monica and Chandler. But some others that come close might include Turk and Carla, Jim and Pam, and Sawyer and Juliet. But regardless of TV couples or marital status, have a happy Valentine’s Day from us!

WOMANCES!

Last week we celebrated brothers from another mother. This week, we celebrate sisters from another mister! Valentine's Day is about so much more than romantic love. Because let's face it, the platonic love between two women can sometimes be so much stronger than all that lovey dovey romance. Now put your hands up as we celebrate all the single ladies with a list of the top 10 favorite WOMANCES! (To see our list of our favorite BROMANCES, see this link.)

10. Leslie & Ann, Parks and Recreation
These two ladies have such different personality types, and somehow Ann isn't totally annoyed by Leslie's antics, and Leslie isn't turned off by Ann's blandness. Instead, they stand up for each other and level each other out. What a reason to celebrate Galentine's Day!

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9. Laverne & Shirley, Laverne & Shirley

One is a schlemiel and the other is a schlimazel. But together, they make the best Hasenpfeffer. Friends through thick and thin, Laverne and Shirley are doin' it their way!

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8. Lorelai & Sookie, Gilmore Girls

Sookie: "You think we'll still be friends when we're dead?" Lorelai: "I will if you will." 'Nuff said.

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7. Romy & Michele, Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

Of all the so-called "chick flicks" out there, Romy and Michele is definitely the most fun. If I were to give a high school reunion award for BFFs for life, it would go to Romy White and Michele Weinberger (as long as they synchronized their dance moves)!

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6. Thelma & Louise, Thelma & Louise

Thelma and Louise invented the selfie, and they were literally friends until death.

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5. Jess & Cece, New Girl

They remained friends through every adorkable one-liner and relationship merry-go-round. Plus, Cece wears a hideous ribbon hat, just to make Jess happy, so those are some automatic BFF points!

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4. Lucy & Ethel, I Love Lucy

The original gal pals, Lucy and Ethel are the epitome of best friends! These girls help each other out of jam after jam, and they always have the other's back. There is no doubt that either one would hide a body for the other.

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3. Lily & Robin, How I Met Your Mother

"Robin Scherbatsky is many things: friend, confidant, occasional guest star in some confusing dreams that remind me a woman's sexuality is a moving target." — Lily Aldrin

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2. Rachel & Monica, Friends

Friends even before Rachel had rhinoplasty and Monica lost all that weight, these Friends are only rivaled by Chandler and Joey. Yes, we love Phoebe, but Rachel and Monica are the ones who'll be there for you (when the rain starts to pour).

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1. Dorothy & Blanche & Rose & Sophia, Golden Girls

These ladies are the classiest, bestest gal pals there could be! These girls are the golden example of friendship: they are supportive when needed, they are real and honest at all times, and they love each other deeply. But most importantly, they know how to share a good cheesecake.

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Happy Valentine's Day, whether you are single or not. Let's remember those unbreakable bonds between girlfriends (that's friends who are girls, thankyouverymuch). Indeed, to all our golden cronies on this Galentine's Day, thank you for being a friend! (To see a list of our favorite BROMANCES, see this link.)

BROMANCES!

Recently divorced, I'm joining legions of men and women who will be single on Valentine's Day. And I've learned how important my boys are! Instead of Valentine's Day being about romantic love, for me Valentine's Day this year is about platonic love. So to celebrate all our single buddies, here's a list of my top 10 favorite BROMANCES! (To see a list of our favorite WOMANCES, see this link.)

10. Nick & Schmidt, New Girl
Friends since before Schmidt was a hottie, Nick and Schmidt are the epitome of the bromance. They love each other, they hang out all the time, and they make the best wingman for each other.

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9. Norm & Cliff, Cheers

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. Norm and Cliff were best buddies, forever bonded by Norm's crazy bar tab and Cliff's neverending trove of useless knowledge.

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8. Buzz & Woody, Toy Story
Enemies at first, best friends by the end. These two are proof that polar opposites (heck, they're not even made of the same material!) can be best buddies. You've got a friend in me!

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7. Wayne & Garth, Wayne's World

Best buddies? Exsqueeze me? Baking powder? Okay, yeah, they're best buddies. Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth. Excellent.

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6. Cory & Shawn, Boy Meets World

Before boy met world, boy met Shawn. In kindergarten! For seven seasons, as these two faced every adolescent anxiety and pubescent problem, they always always always had each other.

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5. Peralta & Boyle, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Jake Peralta and Charles Boyle are simply inseparable in every way. Peralta and Santiago may have the romance, but Peralta and Boyle have the true love.

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4. Shawn & Gus, Psych
Psych was never really about a fake psychic detective or about any of the cases that were presented. The heart of Psych has always been the irresistible relationship between Shawn and Gus.

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3. Chandler & Joey, Friends

Forget Ross and Rachel. Forget Monica and Chandler. The real 'ship was Joey and Miss Chanandler Bong. A modern day Oscar and Felix, Chandler and Joey were a match made in bromance heaven.

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2. Troy & Abed, Community

Friends so close they once graced the cover of Friends Weekly, a pretend magazine of their own design. These bros were made to be together.

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1. J.D. & Turk, Scrubs

It's almost as if Scrubs was created with the sole purpose of showing how bromantic two guys can get. J.D. and Turk open up to each other emotionally, and physically display their affection in a way that had never been seen in entertainment before.

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Happy Valentine's Day, everybody, single or not. Today, we focus on the bromances. (To see a list of our favorite WOMANCES, see this link.) "It's guy love, between two guys." Sing us out, J.D. and Turk!

Father/Daughter Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! I could spend this post talking about more awesome TV couples, but I’m gonna take a twist on it. While growing up, my wife loved that her parents made Valentine’s Day about more than just romantic love. This continued through college and then into her professional life, as her elementary school students give her cute little Valentines. And now that we have our little girl Lucy, I definitely have more on my mind than just my wife (make no mistake, I’m still getting my wife something for Valentine’s Day). So with Valentine’s Day today and Lucy’s baby blessing this Sunday at church, I’ve got father/daughter relationships on my mind. So in no specific order, here are some of my favorite father/daughter relationships in fandom.

Pete and Rose Tyler (Doctor Who)
The original Pete died when Rose was just a baby, as seen in Father’s Day. When the Ninth Doctor and Rose traveled back in time to see him, she ended up saving him and messing up the timeline. But then Pete made the greatest sacrifice a father can, literally giving his life for his daughter’s life. Later on when an AU Pete arrived, he saved Rose from oblivion and basically adopted her as his daughter in his universe.

Alan and Maria Jackson (Sarah Jane Adventures)
This Doctor Who spin-off had an interesting take on a father/daughter relationship. In the first episode, Maria and her dad moved in across from Sara Jane Smith after an interesting divorce. Throughout Season 1, Maria dealt with her mom, who is a bit of a narcissist. Her dad supports her and loves her throughout the whole ordeal, even after he discovers that Maria has been running around with Sarah Jane fighting aliens. He even helped a bit, all the way up until they moved to America. It was refreshing to see a good dad during a messy divorce, just trying to do his best.

Noah and Claire Bennet (Heroes)
“The Company” may have coerced Noah into the adoption in the first place, but Noah became an ideal father for Claire over the years. There were definitely times that their relationship was strained, usually when Noah started lying to his family again and again. But Claire and Noah always reconciled. When it came down to it, Noah’s priority was definitely his family, even to the point of going on the run from “The Company” to keep Claire safe.

Emma and Charming (Once Upon a Time)
Being the same age post-curse, Charming didn’t exactly have a lot of opportunities for traditional parenting. That being said, he definitely made those moments happen still. Typically it came out when it pertained to Emma’s romantic life (especially with Hook) and her grief (losing Henry or Neal’s death, but some of my favorite father/daughter moments with Charming and Emma were when she was hurting and her father was the one who rushed to comfort her. Also, let’s just talk for a second about how awesome it was to see Charming fight to save newborn Emma.

Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyme (Ant-Man)
After the death of her mother, Hope’s relationship with her father was immediately strained and it never really recovered until after he told her the truth during the events of Ant-Man. Between the events of that film and its sequel, Hank and Hope obviously reconciled and pooled their intelligence to rescue Janet from the Quantum Realm. Seeing them work together so flawlessly in Ant-Man and the Wasp was a beautiful sight. I love that movie in general, but the father/daughter relationship was definitely a highlight among the rest of it.

Phil Coulson and Daisy Johnson (Agents of SHIELD)
From the very beginning, Coulson had a special relationship with Skye/Daisy. As things progressed, especially in Season 2 as Daisy met her parents, Coulson definitely became a pseudo-father to her. With how Jekyll/Hyde her birth father was, it only made Daisy cling harder to Coulson. After letting her father go, she didn’t have a father anymore per se, except for Coulson. So it was natural that when Daisy needed guidance, she ran to Coulson. Unfortunately, that also meant that Daisy was the most heartbroken (except maybe for Agent May) when Coulson was dying.

Wilf Mott and Donna Noble (Doctor Who)
Donna had a great father growing up, from what we know. However, after her father, Geoff Noble, died, her grandfather Wilf really stepped up and became the prime father figure to her. Despite her mother’s taunting and criticism, Grandpa Wilf never ceased to encourage Donna to follow her dreams and her passions, even when it meant that she traveled with the Doctor to potentially life-threatening worlds. It was also Wilf who was there for her after the Doctor wiped her memory, watching out for her since the Doctor couldn’t.

Quentin Lance and Laurel Lance-2 (Arrow)
Two years after the death of his daughter Laurel on Earth-1, Quentin was “reunited” with a version of her from Earth-2. This alternate-universe Laurel was a villainous lackey when we first met her. However, over time with her new “father” she changed. Even after Quentin’s death, Laurel-2 continued to honor his memory by fighting the bad guys and continuing to change, even when the world thought she was a lost cause. Her new father’s encouragement changed her for the better and made her into a new hero Laurel.

Shawn Hunter and Maya Hart (Girl Meets World)
When we left off Shawn Hunter at the end of Boy Meets World, he was single and living life. When Girl Meets World picked up, Shawn was nowhere to be seen, but when he came back into Cory and Topanga’s life, she quickly took a liking for their daughter Riley’s best friend Maya. At first it was just a matter of affection, as Maya’s family life reminded Shawn of his own. Later on, as Shawn got to know Maya and her mom, it became about family, as Shawn married Maya’s mom. As a pseudo-father or a step-father, Shawn was amazing with Maya, treating her as though she were his daughter. Eventually that happened, as he adopted Maya in the series finale.

Honorable Mentions:
There are so many other father/daughter combos that I wish I could include. This post would be forever long if I included them all. But here are a few honorable mentions. Cory and Riley, Rory and River, Joe and Iris, Jack and Monica, Tony and Morgan, Scott and Cassie

I hope you have a great Valentine's Day, however you spend it. Personally, I have an 8-week old date that I can't wait to snuggle.