In the film Pacific Rim, one of my favorite moments is when one of the pilots of the giant robots shouts “Rocket punch!” and a rocket fires off in the robot’s arm so that the punch is greatly accelerated when it smashes into one of the big monsters it is […]
Category: impostor syndrome
Haunted Houses
Haunted houses are usually explained as some strong emotion tying the ghosts to the location. Perhaps it’s revenge for their death, the extreme desire to finish work left behind, or the love of someplace that was meaningful to them. These intense emotions don’t always wait until we’re dead to tie […]
The Terminator
I’ll be honest in that I haven’t watched any of the Terminator films after the third installation. Terminator 2 will always have a place in my heart not only for the thumbs up at the end, but also because it was the first R-rated film I saw. The non-gorey part […]
Part of Our Brains are Zombie Brains
The walking undead, especially the more recent versions that can run and climb things, can be pretty terrifying. The idea that these monsters have risen from the grave – defied something that is supposed to be universally law – is unsettling, at the very least. I wonder how often our […]
Masks
Masks usually disguise who we are to the world. They can be terrifying, like the awesomely horrific silicone masks of Immortal Masks. They can also be more mundane like a sports coat or makeup. Masks can also serve to show the world what we strive to be. You may […]
The BoogeyMan
Decisions we make are often determined by fear. How do we not lose our job? What if I get ‘canceled’ if I say something with nuance? How can I avoid being targeted by my boss? We all have monsters in our closet that drives us to act from a defensive […]
Bunnies in Bear Suits
I used to think that there were two types of people – bears, and bunnies. Bunnies are vulnerable, kind, and quiet. Bears are aggressive, intimidating, and loud. I came to realize that I was a bunny in a bear suit – someone who wanted to be sensitive and kind, but […]
Scary Stories
Given the state of the world and the monetization of clicks, scary stories live all around us. Reading the news or looking at social media can easily provoke that fear response and then send us into doom-scrolling.
I’d like to talk about a different kind of scary story – the kind that introduce each episode of my new podcast – The Inner Monster Podcast.
Chameleons, Honey Badgers, and Tigers
Chameleons literally change their color to fit in better with their background. They’re masters of being indistinguishable for their surroundings. They’re quiet, unassuming, and just hang out most of the day. Honey Badgers do not give a f___. They will attack venomous snakes head on, and are tenacious monsters that […]
Fear Hunting
Fear is something we often talk about in hushed voices, holding it in the crypts of our minds, trying to keep it from reaching the light of day. We live in a society where it’s uncommon for people to readily own up and confess their fears. However, by unearthing the […]