Podcast Suggestion: Redeemed Otaku

We wanted to give a shout-out to someone who is doing a similar thing with their podcast to what we try to do with ours. We haven't covered any anime or manga on the Dorkness to Light Podcast, and I don't anticipate doing so in the near future.

Which is where The Redeemed Otaku Podcast comes in. Becky and her co-hosts talk about anime, manga, and other aspects of Japanese pop culture, from the Christian consumer. Shows include reviews, discussions, and recommendations of anime that are old, new, classic, and obscure. It is a delightful mix of content.

In the two years that the show has been around, they have released about 30 episodes, which can run from 40 minutes on the short side, to over 2 hours. I appreciate a podcast that does not limit themselves to a specific time frame, but is willing for a show to be as short or long as the content requires.

Strange Days

Valentine's Day & Ash Wednesday being on the same say is a bit odd.

And then 46 days later, we'll get Easter ... on April Fool's Day.

These odd confluences don't mean anything, but I do fear the memes.

From Ashes, To Ashes

Marked by Ashes by Walter Brueggemann

Ruler of the Night, Guarantor of the day . . .

This day — a gift from you.
This day — like none other you have ever given, or we have ever received.
This Wednesday dazzles us with gift and newness and possibility.
This Wednesday burdens us with the tasks of the day, for we are already halfway home
halfway back to committees and memos,
halfway back to calls and appointments,
halfway on to next Sunday,
halfway back, half frazzled, half expectant,
half turned toward you, half rather not.

This Wednesday is a long way from Ash Wednesday,
but all our Wednesdays are marked by ashes —
we begin this day with that taste of ash in our mouth:
of failed hope and broken promises,
of forgotten children and frightened women,
we ourselves are ashes to ashes, dust to dust;
we can taste our mortality as we roll the ash around on our tongues.

We are able to ponder our ashness with
some confidence, only because our every Wednesday of ashes
anticipates your Easter victory over that dry, flaky taste of death.

On this Wednesday, we submit our ashen way to you —
you Easter parade of newness.
Before the sun sets, take our Wednesday and Easter us,
Easter us to joy and energy and courage and freedom;
Easter us that we may be fearless for your truth.
Come here and Easter our Wednesday with
mercy and justice and peace and generosity.

We pray as we wait for the Risen One who comes soon.

Podcast #015: Thaumatrope

"Thaumatrope"

On this fifteenth episode, Emily & Alan talk about one of their favorite albums, "Thaumatrope," by Marah in the Mainsail. Stealing (ummm, borrowing) the format from the podcast Long Play, they go through the album song by song, discussing the lyrics and music.

And then they cover listener feedback, most of which is pretty awesome. Because Dorkness listeners are pretty awesome.

Click on the player below to listen to the episode:




You may also subscribe to the podcast through iTunes or the RSS Feed.

NOTE: although the discussion in this episode is "rated PG," the underlying material discussed includes intense images of violence, depression, cannibalism, and suicide.

Link: Marah in the Mainsail's website
Link: Marah in the Mainsail's Band Camp page
Link: Marah in the Mainsail on Spotify
Link: Official YouTube video for "Wendigo"
Link: Video Trailer for the new album "Bone Crown"

We would love to hear from you about this issue, the podcast episode, or the podcast in general. Send e-mail feedback to dorknesstolight@gmail.com 

You can follow Alan on twitter @ProfessorAlan or the podcast @DorknessToLight

Super Bowl Prediction via Church Sign

I assume this is a congregation in Philadelphia ...