Welcome back to Blogmas 2025, my annual series of holiday-themed blog posts that runs every day through Christmas. This year, I've enlisted the help of AI to generate daily writing prompts, which has led to some interesting creative challenges and unexpected topics. Today's prompt for December 19th asks a deeply personal question: If you could … Continue reading Where Magic Still Lives: Choosing My Fictional Christmas
Oz
More Than Yellow Brick Roads
When L. Frank Baum published The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, readers saw a delightful children's fantasy about a Kansas farm girl who finds herself in a magical land. What they didn't realize was that Baum had created one of the most sophisticated commentaries on American society ever disguised as a fairy tale. Through … Continue reading More Than Yellow Brick Roads
The Tik-Tok Man: An Early Example of Artificial Intelligence in Literature
In an age when artificial intelligence dominates technological discourse, it's illuminating to look back at early literary representations of thinking machines. Long before the term "robot" entered our lexicon and decades before Isaac Asimov formulated his famous Three Laws of Robotics, L. Frank Baum introduced readers to a remarkable mechanical being in his Oz series … Continue reading The Tik-Tok Man: An Early Example of Artificial Intelligence in Literature
Disability and Difference in Oz: A Journey Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
When L. Frank Baum penned The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, little did he know he was creating a world that would captivate readers for generations. The Land of Oz, with its colorful characters and fantastical landscapes, has become a cultural touchstone. But beneath the emerald sheen and silver shoes lies a more nuanced … Continue reading Disability and Difference in Oz: A Journey Beyond the Yellow Brick Road
Bloganuary the Twenty-Third
Welcome back to Bloganuary, the daily encouragement from WordPress for bloggers to post something each day. If you want to participate in Bloganuary, just click here! Today’s prompt asks to: Interview a fictional character. NAME: Dorothy GaleDOB: 06/10/2011Patient#: 05171900Initial Assessment: Dorothy Gale, age 10, was discovered early this morning amongst the debris of her home outside of … Continue reading Bloganuary the Twenty-Third
Henry’s Story
It’s a familiar story. Little girl gets caught up in a really bad storm. As unbelievable as it sounds, her tiny farmhouse gets swept away, carrying her and her tiny dog along with it. They end up in a strange land where they encounter witches, a wizard, and a talking scarecrow. Seems like a crazy … Continue reading Henry’s Story
Courage
Originally written in May of 2010… Oz had been facing some dark days for quite some time. It had been 12 years since little Dorothy Gale dropped into Munchkinland. 12 years since she took that fateful trip down the Yellow Brick Road, meeting friends and enemies alike. It had been 12 years since the Lion … Continue reading Courage
My Favorite Movies #18 – The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz 1939 Directed by Victor Fleming Quick synopsis... There's no place like home for young Dorothy (Judy Garland), who's been swept away from her farm in Kansas to a wonderland of munchkins, flying monkeys and different-colored horses. She must follow the Yellow Brick Road to the all-knowing Wizard of Oz to find … Continue reading My Favorite Movies #18 – The Wizard of Oz
A to Z Challenge – Return to Oz
Return to Oz 1985 Directed by Walter Murch Quick synopsis... Dorothy finds that her old friends have been turned to stone and that urban blight has struck the Emerald City. Assisted by new friends, Dorothy battles the wicked Princess Mombi and the evil Nome King to save her friends and restore the beloved Emerald City. Kids, this … Continue reading A to Z Challenge – Return to Oz
Rewatching Buffy – Episode 75
Welcome to Rewatching Buffy, the part of the blog where I rewatch Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Each Tuesday evening, you’re invited to join me as I attempt to rediscover what made me love this show 21 years ago. New Moon Rising Oz is back! This probably won't end well for Oz... We open on Willow … Continue reading Rewatching Buffy – Episode 75
The Confusing Middle 