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What is it about the tortured artist that we just can’t quit? We’re drawn to them like moths to a flame, knowing full well that their light burns too bright to last. Jim Morrison, James Dean, Sid Vicious, Kurt Cobain—icons of rebellion, each of them embodying the allure of the “sexy solo.” It’s that dangerous, self-destructive energy that defines them, the allure of someone living on the edge of life, burning out before the world has a chance to dim their fire. The sexy solo is more than just rock stars and movie legends—it's a cultural archetype. It's about the...

Let’s talk about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and its approach to women—more specifically, the way women can sometimes be portrayed in recovery circles as the dreaded “Psycho Bitch from Hell.” Now, if you’ve spent any time in AA meetings or know someone who has, you might have heard that phrase thrown around. It’s usually said with a laugh, followed by a cautionary tale about some ex-wife, girlfriend, or, heaven forbid, female sponsor who made life miserable. But the joke’s wearing thin, and it’s time to dig deeper into what this really says about the culture surrounding women in AA. First, let’s...

We’ve all heard it: “Just trust in a higher power!” It’s the mantra of twelve-step programs, religious leaders, and anyone who thinks that a vague sense of divine intervention will magically solve your problems. But what if this whole idea of a “higher power” is just one big conspiracy theory, carefully crafted to keep us in line? Now, before you get your pitchforks and holy water, hear me out. Conspiracy theories are built on the idea that there’s a hidden force pulling the strings, controlling everything from behind the scenes. Sound familiar? A higher power is the ultimate puppet master,...

It was a moment born out of gratitude. I had been illustrating for a church, and in return for their kindness, I decided to give something back: a painting of Christ, rendered in oil, for their congregation and church hall. It was late one night, as I began the under-sketching, that something remarkable occurred. Jeff Buckley’s haunting rendition of Hallelujah played softly in the background, and as I focused on the task at hand, I briefly saw tears coming from Christ’s eyes. Here’s the strange part—I hadn’t drawn any tears. The vision felt real, though I know now it was...

Being raised Catholic, there were a lot of things we simply didn’t talk about, and sex? Yeah, that was pretty much a "don’t even think about it" topic. You might say I got more of an education about guilt than anything else. I remember this one bad experience with a church school teacher that left me feeling completely lost. Looking back now, I realize they were trying to explain something about sex, but at the time, I didn’t get it at all. There was no context, no explanation—just vague comments about sin and purity, which, if I’m being honest, did...