Well, it’s almost Independence Day Weekend, and that means that it is almost time for CONVergence 2023: All Dressed Up. I am looking forward to it; I haven’t been to CONvergence since 2019, since just before the pandemic. I am eternally grateful to be able to go to CONvergence once again, to see those whom I don’t get to see often, to go to panels and learn/experience things and share my knowledge. It promises to be a grand time.
Last season, I started to take some time to sit down and talk to fellow POC folx in the geek community about our experiences. Now that we’re in season 2, the discussions continue. Today we have a returning special guest - writer and cosplayer, Sonni de Soto (she/her). You can find Sonni with the following links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonni_de
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sonni_de_soto/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sonnidesoto
Content Warning - Mentions or Discussions of:
COVID-19
Eyes
Religion
Spoiler Warning:
The Good Place
In this episode, we discuss topics ranging from Religion and Vampires to Transformers and Star Trek.
Hosted By:
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/
Nat MN (they/them)
Sarah (she/her)
Content Warning - Mentions of:
Dysmorphia
Religion
Sex
Vampires
Werecreatures
Books/Comics/Series Referenced:
The adventure of cleaning up audio and improving show notes from previous panels continues in today’s episode of Justin on Panels. We are still working through MarsCon 2018, with the panel “Cleavage Optional: Gender, Cosplay, and Genderbending Cosplay”.
Content Warning: Blackface does get mentioned during this panel.
How is the cosplay experience different for women and men? Why is genderbent cosplay so popular? What fans aren't doing it and what characters aren't being genderbent? What does this mean for trans and non-binary characters and fans?
With: Bridget Landry, Justin Grays, Kris Heding
The adventure of cleaning up audio and improving show notes from previous panels continues in today’s episode of Justin on Panels. We are still working through MarsCon 2018, with the panel “Star Trek”. Please note: at the time of recording, only season 1 of Star Trek: Discovery had been released.
A talk about the last 52 years of Star Trek, 6 Shows, and the 13 movies. Yes there will be spoilers for Star Trek Discovery.
With: Tony Artym, Elizabeth Erickson, Justin Grays, Joan Marie Verba, Stephanie Stensland
Last week’s episode of Star Trek: Picard is “Mercy” (PIC 2x08). This is the antepenultimate episode! Thank you for joining me on this adventure.
I totally meant to post this last week, but I had a lot on my mind and a lot going on, and so it got delayed until today. The night before the penultimate episode. Oh, brains!
Tonight’s episode of Star Trek: Picard is “Monsters” (PIC 2x07). This episode deals heavily with mental health and mental illness. If you need help with mental health issues, you can look to MentalHealth.gov, United Way 211, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline, or a number of local places. Help is out there.
Tonight’s episode of Star Trek: Picard is “Two of One” (PIC 2x06). I am out visiting family, and so my setup is slightly different. I’ll be back at my usual recording space soon. I also don’t yet have a camera, but that will happen soon. Again, thank you all for helping me get to a place where I can have a camera and for encouraging me to keep creating.
Season 2, Episode 02 of Star Trek: Picard. I'm thinking out loud about the episode while watching it, and am sharing my thoughts with you. Please forgive the low quality - I am using my laptop's internal camera and I do not have any video editing skills. This is an experiment and a learning experience. Please feel free to leave a comment!
The other day, I had pondered the idea of doing reaction videos. Specifically, reacting to Star Trek: Picard. I decided to give it a shot. I've never done a reaction video before - this is an experiment. I may only do the one episode, I may go the entire season, I might even do other shows.
Please forgive the low quality - I am using my laptop's internal camera and I do not have any video editing skills. As I said, this is an experiment. Please feel free to leave a comment!
The Season Finale! In this episode, we discuss topics ranging from theater to anime to World War II.
This episode is not sponsored.
Hosted By:
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/
Nat MN (they/them)
Sarah (she/her)
Content Warning - Mentions of:
Chronic Pain (Migraines / Sciatica)
COVID-19
H. P. Lovecraft
Louis C.K.
Holocaust / Nazis
Robert A. Heinlein
Student Debt
Over the last four years, I have been promising to finish cleaning up the audio from the various panels that I have been on and improve the show notes. Now that GraysMatter Podcast is up and running, I have taken the time to also revisit these panels. Please join me in experiencing Justin on Panels.
Starfleet's Prime Directive is evidence that Borg, Dominion, & Klingons are not the only ethnocentric civilizations in Star Trek. Let's talk about how and why deciding what's best for another culture is problematic regardless of intentions, even in space.
With: Justin Grays, Stephanie Stensland
In this episode, we talk about topics ranging from guns and droughts to language and history.
This episode is not sponsored.
Hosted By:
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/
Nat MN (they/them)
Sarah (she/her)
Content Warning - Mentions of:
Death
Guns
NRA
Police
Ronald Reagan
Second Amendment
In typical Justin format, I’m getting this up after Season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery started. In fact, I finished making my notes the day that episode one aired, and yet I didn’t write them up into an actual post until today. But now that Season 4 has started, some of the things that I’ve been wondering about have some answers. At least, the beginnings of answers. And so I will include some of my thoughts about the first two episodes of the 4th season at the end of the post - there will be some spoilers, so be forewarned.
In this episode, we discuss topics ranging from city councils and the military to The Muppets and Animaniacs.
This episode is not sponsored.
Hosted By:
Justin (xe/xem) - https://www.justingrays.org/
Nat MN (they/them)
Sarah (she/her)
Content Warning - Mentions of:
Alcohol
Anti-maskers
Death
Medical Appointments
Medical Procedures
Mental Illness
Military
Police
Psychological Abuse
Racism
Slavery
Starship Troopers
Spoiler Warning: Disney’s Gargoyles
Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery ended on 07Jan2021, and there were a number of loose ends that left me with questions. I have been rewatching season 3 and taking notes so that I can share with you the questions that I have. Hopefully these questions will have answers in season 4.
This is part one, covering points that came up during episodes 1-5.
