Episode 151: If a Podcast Falls in a Forest...

A few weeks ago, Stride & Saunter ran into some technical difficulties on Apple Podcasts/iTunes and vanished altogether. As a personal endeavor, this was a frustrating time. But more importantly, it led me to reflect more thoroughly on the status of the show, the nature of the intimate connections afforded by podcasts and the value of asking for specific help from those around you. A shorter and different episode than you might expect, but we'll be back to regular episodes next week.

In gratitude,
Kip

Episode 150: Wonder Woman

“I’m such a believer in the genre because I’m a believer in mankind turning stories into about what it means to be a hero and what would I do if I was a hero and how would that feel...And this is such an important time in the world for people to think about what kind of hero they would want to be and what we’re going to do to save this world that I was honored to get to join in the dialogue.”
— Patty Jenkins, speaking with Screen Rant on May 31, 2017
“Gal Gadot is a revelation; she fully owns the role as much as Robert Downey, Jr. owns Iron Man or Chris Evans owns Captain America. She is Wonder Woman, and it’s impressive to watch her walk the fine line between naiveté without stupidity, sexually aware without being sexualized, a warrior bred for battle who still retains a compassionate heart.”
— Alisha Grauso of MoviePilot, on May 30, 2017

Modern film has become a dynamo for discussions about our world, our culture and our humanity. This role has been especially prominent with the release of a Wonder Woman film, starring Gal Gadot. Audiences have come out en masse to marvel at her superhuman strength, commitment to justice and to appreciate her role as a female superhero in a comic landscape which often highlights male narratives. As many critics of the film have pointed out, it serves as a tent-pole of sorts, one which may determine the market viability of future female-led superhero movies. This week we're joined by Aayesha Siddiqui to examine the commentaries made by the film and to explore its unique and widespread influence. What does the movie articulate about heroism, gender and personal growth? What arguments does it put forward about the horrors of war and the conflict between bravery and cowardice?

Episode 149: The Changing of Rooms

So much of our experiences as people rests upon the spaces and environments we occupy and traverse. In particular, the rooms where we socialize, rest, eat, learn and work have a heavy bearing on who we are and how we live. But when these spaces change, how does that process affect us? This week, Mark Ashin joins us to discuss the phenomenon of rooms shifting in time and how our memories and perceptions are tied not only to rooms themselves, but particular decorations or appearances the room might take on.

Episode 148: What We Can Say In Music

Cultures and societies around the world have embraced and leaned upon music since time immemorial and for various reasons. Music can soothe, invigorate and stir deep reflection and profound emotional reactions. But when we introduce lyrics, perspectives and personally-charged stances into songs, how do they change? How does music allow us to communicate ideas that speech or other means of communication might not? This week, we welcome Evan Rasch to work through this concept. What are the dangers that music, as a form of communication, might present? Do we utilize music for messaging out of fear of being more direct?

Episode 147: The Bed and The Shower

“Those minutes where I am alone, just me and my pillow. I think. A lot. I think about everything, anything. It varies from ‘What am I doing with my life?’ to ‘Did I have homework?’ The room is so silent, but my mind is so loud. It drives me crazy because the things I would never think about, I think about. Sometimes, I hate it because it brings up things I rather never think about again. The split second before sleep is the most active second of my life.”
— Sylvia Plath

Many of us point to people, stories or experiences that really make us think or open our minds. But how often do we go to spaces or habits and rituals to actually deviate from the typical or mundane thoughts we have? This week we welcome Liam Leonard-Solis to examine this idea by looking specifically at the bed and the shower as spaces where many of us have time alone at the beginnings and ends of our days. How might that solitude offer us a freer space for thinking? What could we draw from these places and apply elsewhere in our lives?