In This Issue:

What Kind of Thinker

are You?

The Scientist

Who's Out There Doing What?

Articles / Books / Podcasts, Etc.

Coming Events

Alpha Babe Academy

MYTHWORKS - Applied Mythology

Mythic Challenges - Create Stories that Change the World

Create Now - Empowering Youth through Arts Education & Mentoring

Center for Conscious Creativity - Creating a better future through Arts and Media

Entertainment Industries Council - Encouraging the Art of Making a Difference

BIRTH2WORK

RAISING FAMILIES

When Parents Lead, Children Succeed

What Kind of Thinker are You?

"Tomorrow's illiterate will not be the man who can't read;

he will be the man who has not learned how to learn."

    Psychologist Herbert Gerjuoy

Too many people are not learning how to learn, how to actually think, and how to communicate their thoughts. Reasons range from distraction by tech, lowering of educational standards, or denial of access to learning. In oppressive systems it can be the actual removal of the learned, the artists, the thinkers.

The Ageless Wisdom posits that “The next war for humanity will be fought on the Mental Planes”. That sure seems to be happening now.

Let’s look at three levels of Thinking and see how we might move more of us from Common Thinking to Critical Thinking to Creative Thinking so we can be at the appropriate level at the right time, and better communicate with others wherever they might be at the time.

COMMON THINKING

Some Common Thinking is essential for sheer survival as well as maintaining one’s physical well-being and other quotidian tasks. (One of my fave Latin words is quotidian = daily.)

But we don’t want to be stuck, lured, or forced into only Common Thinking. Thought-contagion and lack of access to outside information can result in Group Think, including willful delusions, anti-intellectualism, cliques, gangs, authoritarianism, and cults. If everyone’s thinking alike, no one’s thinking.

Common Thinking can be short-sighted and result in unintended consequences - “It seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Everything happens for a reason” is a Common Thinking platitude called Retrospective Symmetry. Granted the world and the people in it are rather chaotic and often quite unpredictable. Our minds crave meaning and we’ll often supply it after-the-fact just to make sense of things.

Another incorrect assumption is that Correlation equals Causation, which it may well not. Just because you won the game wearing blue socks does not mean the socks caused the win, though lots of people will always then wear their “lucky” blue socks. In politics, those in office on claim to be the direct cause of good times and blame opponents as the direct cause of bad times, regardless of their actual control or influence. 

Too often reactions to new ideas are fear and antagonism. This can include irrational conduct determined by the environment, as well as procrastination. Common Thinking can also bind people into group-approved behaviours, often via religion.

Many religions use a sacred, quite often secret language inaccessible by the common folk. The invention of the printing press and the availability of the Gutenberg Bible altered the hold of the Catholic Church on its common parishioners. Of course whoever translates any sacred languages for printing or preaching can still control a lot of the information.  

Common Thinking cannot relate separate fields of thought so there tends to be no synthesis.

World myths hold stories about the consequences of people trying to move out of Common Thinking. The Titan god Prometheus was chained to a rock and tortured for bringing forbidden fire to humans; fire is often symbolic of the mind. Why would a creator god forbid humans from gaining knowledge about Good and Evil and punishing them for trying? And how about the Tower of Babel?

Powers-that-be typically do not want the people they’re controlling to start thinking for themselves, looking around to see who’s really behind a lot of problems, and start demanding solutions.

With so much at stake around the world these days, it behooves us all to not only move ourselves up the Thinking pyramid but help and inspire others to do so as well..

“People with convictions are convicts. What you believe imprisons you.”

         Robert Anton Wilson https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/robert-anton-wilson-quotes

CRITICAL THINKING

“Most people don’t have thoughts. What they have are opinions about their emotions.”

     Georgia Lambert https://www.lambertslodge.com/

So what is Critical Thinking and how can we develop it and teach it?

The Scientific Method – learn it and use it. Science is a process and it serves us best to keep curious, open and inquiring minds in order to discover new things and better ways of doing old things. Study ancient science, too, as a lot of it still holds and some really old principles are being ‘proven’ by modern instruments. 

Do keep in mind the difference between Scientific Theory and Scientific Law. E.g., It’s not a Theory of Gravity, it’s a Law – sci-fi, fantasy, and wizardry to the contrary

A famous mythical teacher is the Greek centaur Chiron, whose taught medicine, music, archery, hunting and more. His pupils included Hercules, Achilles, Jason, and some say Atalanta.

The Greek Titan Prometheus brought fire down from heaven, allowing humans to stay up after sunset, explore caves, and develop barbecue.

Other gifts from Geeky Gods were more technically advanced. The Egyptian Thoth was an astronomer who regulated the heavens, created calendars, and invented hieroglyphs. 

Mezo-America's Quetzalcoatl gifted humans with metallurgy, arts and crafts; New Zealand god Mata-ora invented tattoos; and Rabefihaza of Madagascar brought hunting and fishing. Nencatacoa was god of weavers to the Chibchas of present-day Columbia as Arachne was goddess of the thread arts to the Greeks, and Spider Woman filled that role for Native Americans.

There’s also In many actual cultures teachers are revered, such as senseis, gurus, kumus, and more.  

Think tanks and war-gaming exercises strive to extrapolate ideas out to 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th level consequences, as well as correctly assess the resources, resistance, and timing needed to accomplish a goal or a policy.

When looking for the basic cause of something, apply the “Five Why’s” method. Keep asking “Why?” for five times; it’ll often take you to the core reason something’s happening. Investigative journalists use this to good effect as do sociologists, political analysts, and detectives. A useful tool in this method is asking “Cui bono?”, Latin for “Who benefits?” 

Sure, you could teach AI to do this, but as recent events show – often at the cost of human lives – taking humans out of the equations takes humanity out of the equation. AI is not and can never be the end-all and be-all of decision-making. See more at the movies.

Submit your ideas and projects for critical feedback from consultants, editors, fact-checkers, and for scientific and academic papers, get peer-reviews.

For decision-making, here’s a helpful checklist.

• Does it feel right?
• Is it fair and equitable to all concerned?
• What is the cost-to-benefit ratio?
• What are the possible blowbacks and unintended consequences?
• Will it help or hinder the future?

Play chess. I have a Star Trek 3D chess set out on display but my To-Do list still includes figuring out how to decipher the instructions and learn to play it. One of these days….

The next article in this Newsletter about the SCIENTIST ARCHEPATH offers lots of suggestions, sites, and references for developing Critical Thinking skills and helping others learn them, too.

Question everything.

“Today, as in every generation, we stand at a crossroads. Our highest task is educating young people to do more than just pull levers. We must train them in the art of critical thinking and imbue them with a love of learning. …education is predicated on the notion that after the experience, citizens would not only know more, but care more, and make the journey from knowing to caring to acting.”

   University of Texas President William Powers, Jr.

The future of civilization and life on the planet depends on it.

CREATIVE THINKING

In the ArchePaths, the Magician is where Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking merge. The Magician is someone who can “See patterns where others cannot see them” [Critical] and “Create patterns where they did not previously exist” [Creative].

Some of the most engaging stories spin off of Critical Thinking, be it anti-gravity, invisibility, worm-holes, time travel, and more.

The Ageless Wisdom tells us the imaginative mind is not dominated by its own past or environment. It is flexible, contemplative, synthetic, artistic. It can re-use old ideas in new ways. It is not confined by either-or but can embrace both-and.

When in-the-Zone with the Creative Force holding sway, most people report an energizing, time-stretching experience, a swirling flow of ideas that can result in great works of art, architecture, exploration, scientific advancements, socio-political systems, rescues and restoration.

As Plato taught, abstract thought forms are still in perfection, ideal, not distorted by personality, culture, time and space. [He did give us a great metaphor for the Common Mind with the shadows on the cave wall.]

Creative Thinking taps into the “Raincloud of Knowable Things”. The mission then is to pass that on to others in ways best accessible to them.

The Greeks and after them the Masons as well as other organizations dedicated to Wisdom and Creativity saw seven categories of learning as especially valuable.  

All of these are multi-benefit skills. They help wire your brain for better functioning in many arenas besides these seven. They’re especially helpful for young brains and go a long way to helping create facile minds open to exploration and innovation.

Think how many toys for early childhood and infancy are about learning these skills, be it with Lego bricks, colourful mobiles, the sing-song of nursery rhymes, toys with different surfaces, and such.

Unfortunately too many young people are isolated on screens just absorbing rather than playing and exploring, to the detriment of their mental, emotional, and physical health. You can explore a lot about these with library and internet searches.

1. GRAMMAR – structure of ideas, words, and communication / aids in learning different languages and about different cultures / especially helpful in creating new languages like Elvish, Klingon, and the ones in GOT
2. RHETORIC – word choice, rhythms…persuasion for great speeches, not hate speeches
3. LOGIC – like code and recipes, it has to be done correctly to work correctly
4. ARITHMETIC – helpful in finding a sense of proportion and prediction
5. GEOMETRY – integral to engineering, art, personal and group dynamics
6. ASTRONOMY – predicting the seasons, navigation, a sense of wonder 
7. MUSIC – enjoyment, motivation, inspiration

A few other notes… Many myths are personifications of Astronomy, from the Pleiades to Persephone. The first three skills are evident in formal rules-based debates (not shouting matches). Spartan soldiers were taught dance as it made them more agile in battle. Music can stir us to action, be it for the Dark or the Light. The jury is still out on bagpipes.

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CONCLUSION

We need to be facile in all these types of Thinking so we can easily move among  them, use them in combination as need be, and adjust our communications with others according to where they are at the time.

The more we can work on this ourselves and encourage and support others in doing so, too, the sooner we can leave behind the deleterious affects of those who want to keep people sheeple bound by Common Thinking.

What can further developing, teaching, and supporting Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking bring us?

More sanity and balance, more creativity, more exploration, more benefits for humans, other life on earth, and our world as a whole.

MYTH TIPS

These books do a great job examining and explaining the different levels of Thinking, including how to avoid the downfalls and increase our mental faculties and creative abilities.

We suggest finding books at your local library, bookstore new or used, or at the author’s website when possible.

Historians’ Fallacies Towards a Logic of Historical Thought 

David H. Fisher

https://archive.org/details/HistoriansFallaciesTowardALogicOfHistoricalThought

Anti-intellectualism in American Life 

Richard Hofstadter - 1964 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction.^[1][2]

A mid-century classic unfortunately quite relevant again today.

PURSUIT OF LONELINESS, THE American Culture at the Breaking Point - Phillip Slater

https://www.philipslater.net/nonfiction/the-pursuit-of-loneliness

GRAMMATICAL MAN – Jeremy Campbell

 https://archive.org/details/grammaticalman00jere

WHEN GEEKS WERE GODS

Pamela Jaye Smith - Article in the MYTHWORKS Newsletter 

https://myemail.constantcontact.com/-When-Geeks-were-Gods----MYTHWORKS-Newsletter---March-2013.html?soid=1102200972776&aid=qt5jWBmrlJM

Project Censored – Media Literacy

https://www.projectcensored.org/

ORIGIN OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BICAMERAL MIND, THE - Julian Jaynes

https://www.julianjaynes.org/about/about-jaynes-theory/overview/

MYTHIC CHALLENGES – Create Stories that Change the World

Our consulting company offers the Creative tools of Mythic Themes, Archetypes, and Symbols to help story-tellers address 15 critical problems in the real world as identified by the Millennium Project and the UN.

www.mythicchallenges.com

BEYOND LINEAR THINKING Changing the Way We Live and Work

Dr. Linda Seger

https://lindaseger.com/spirituality-books/beyond-linear-thinking/

Raising Families is a rich, helpful organization for “Training Good Parents to be Great Leaders”.  

https://raisingfamilies.org/

THINKING FAST AND SLOW – Daniel Kahneman

Review - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/dec/13/thinking-fast-slow-daniel-kahneman

Find our Newsletter Archive here --

https://pamelajayesmith.net/articles/newsletter-archive/

THE SCIENTIST ARCHEPATH

Recall the five ArchePaths of the Warrior, Clergy, Scientist, Magician, and Lover. Previous Newsletters have explored the Warrior and the Clergy Paths.

The 3 Levels of the Scientist ArchePath are –

-- the Student, the Scientist, the Philosopher --

The Scientist ArchePath offers ways to incorporate these aspects and to progress upward to being even more efficient and effective.

What’s your experience with the Scientist ArchePath?

If you were ever a baby or have ever observed one, you’ll note that they are clever little physicists and psychologists.

Why in the world keep on tossing that cup off the high chair but to learn about gravity, Newton’s 2^nd law F=m.a (Force equals Mass times Acceleration), and the tolerance level of a particular adult’s nerves to repetitive actions.

Geography – we had a children’s puzzle of the United States with the colorful pieces shaped like the states. I can still name and place most of the states, though it gets a little slippery around the mid-west “I” and “O” ones.

Music - is based on frequency and vibrational relationships, even if the endless repetition of “Chopsticks” or minor key scales drives everyone else crazy. Neurophysiology shows scientifically how music helps wire young brains for math and many other subjects.

Political Science - including aeronautics and architecture. A Current Events class that studied the death of UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld in a plane crash was a vivid and troubling intro to Political Science. These days one country's political career cut-offs are accomplished by defenestration = being tossed out a window. [Fenestra is the Latin word for window.]

Chemistry - Do you like to cook? That’s chemistry and thermodynamics, especially when the soufflé falls or you accidentally burn the bacon.

For ten years in the 90s I did free-lance producing and directing for Hughes Space & Communications and Boeing, back when it was run by engineers. It was always fascinating. We did films on satellites, wi-fi on planes, digital cinema, the Hubble telescope repair, international ethics, and many more.

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QUALITIES OF THE SCIENTIST ARCHEPATH

Here are some aspects you might find helpful to connect you with and further develop your own Scientist ArchePath.

STEPS & GOALS - Student... Scientist... Philosopher

MISSION - Wisdom as the perfect application of Knowledge

KEY WORD - Process

DESIRES - Wisdom, perfect Knowledge, Truth, precision, rationale, to uncover all secrets, all information, a 'Unified Field Theory'

FEARS - Sloppiness, emotionalism, disinformation, misinformation

STRENGTHS - Precision, rationality, information, assessment of true situation, persistence, clarity on non-emotion, methodology

WEAKNESSES - Coldness, detachment, non-intuitive, rigid, manipulative

STYLES OF ACTION - Meticulous, precise, methodical, down to earth, touches things, grasps and investigates things, puts things in order, very neat, watches time

STYLES OF SPEECH - Precise, rational, orderly, good diction. Words like logic, order, specific, precisely, rational, timely

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Unfortunately, like with any of the ArchePaths, this one too has a Dark Side.

In so many stories it’s the Mad Scientist who unleashes horrors. You also have the cold rational Scientist ala Spock and Data in the STAR TREK stories, though they certainly do explore other sides of themselves.

Rather than Ration vs. Passion our best bet is to combine the two so we do Critical and Creative thinking along with empathy and compassion.

An excellent dramatic example of that is how Alan Rickman’s character in GALAXY QUEST transforms from Dr. Lazarus, the rigid rational ‘scientist’ role, into a kind person who gives a longed-for gift to a dying young alien.  

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AI – Friend and/or Foe?

CHATGBT gave me credit for writing three of Joseph Campbell’s biggest books. So, where are my royalty checks…?

[Note: “Friend and/or Foe” was the title of the International Security film we made for Hughes for the AIAA: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. It included industrial espionage, the Departments of Customs and Commerce about dual-use technology, and the FBI. This was a few years after the Berlin Wall came down and the Cold War was presumably over. Fast forward to today....] 

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RESOURCES for STEM

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

LITTLE DILBERT – “The Knack” = a cute video about science https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx6HojLBsnw

“How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” – book and course by Michael Gelb

https://michaelgelb.com/blog/f/how-to-think-like-leonardo-da-vinci-who-is-leonardo

Neil deGrasse Tyson

https://neildegrassetyson.com/

NASA – keep up with what’s going on up there.

https://www.nasa.gov/

Skeptic Society - They have an extensive archive.

https://www.skeptic.com/

Science Friday - They also have a lot of archives.

https://www.sciencefriday.com/

Science Daily

Peer-reviewed information in a variety of arenas.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/

Raising Families – uses practical science to engage, educate, and encourage children.  

https://raisingfamilies.org/

The Great Courses

https://www.thegreatcourses.com/

I’ve really been valuing learning about the actual physical earth in the GEOLOGICAL WONDERS Course.

MIT free online courses

https://ocw.mit.edu/

Stanford free online courses

https://online.stanford.edu/free-courses

ArchePaths webpage

https://pamelajayesmith.net/archepaths/

Downloads of science-focused MYTHWORKS seminars “ArchePaths” and “Angels and Aliens”.

https://pamelajayesmith.net/products/cds-and-audio-tapes/

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YOUR PERSONAL MYTHOLOGIST

A Personal Mythology Consultation can help identify your unique qualities and combinations along the ArchePaths and give you practical, enjoyable tools to enhance your natural tendencies – and your next steps.

Each of the Paths has 3 Levels [Beginner, Adept, Master]

Each has 3 Approaches [Emotional, Mental, Synthesized]

The Paths are gender-neutral and non-age-specific.

The state of the world today cries out for more individuals of integrity, balance, wisdom, courage, and compassion – all of which can be found on all of the ArchePaths.  

Better defining and aligning with your own ArchePaths can not only improve your life but it can inspire and inform those around you to more positive action for themselves and the rest of the planet.

Like the saying goes: Be the Change you Want to See.

Learn more about the ArchePaths here – http://pamelajayesmith.net/archepaths/

We offer a FREE 20-minute phone consultation to discuss how a Personal Mythology Consultation can best work for you.

Email pamelajayesmith@gmail.com to schedule your call. 

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 BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS

 “A body at rest tends to stay at rest.

A body in motion tends to stay in motion.”

          Isaac Newton’s 1^st Law of Motion

Can’t move forward?

Everyone’s got a great idea but we often don’t know how to get started.

Having a mythic framework can really help.

Or maybe you’ve reached a point where you don’t know what to do next with the plot.

A fresh pair of eyes plus time-proven mythic structure using Mythic Themes, Archetypes, and Symbols can offer choices aligned with your vision and goals – and that can help you advance your project on a global scale.

Want to develop out that great idea you've either recently come up with or have had for a long time now?

Our Brainstorming Session can help you solidify your inspiration and sort all those great ideas into workable form.

“Suffice it to say, if you’re on a quest to bring your work to the next level and then get it out to the world in the most appealing (buyable) way, make sure Pamela Jaye Smith is on your brainstorming team from the beginning!” Reece Michaelson

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PITCHPROXY for Your Project

CONGRATULATIONS!!! to the WGA and to SAG-AFTRA and the DGA for the wins they gained for the creatives who make good media happen.

After five months of not much happening at all, the media industry is hungry for content -- so get your wonderful projects out there for consideration and may we soon be seeing them on screens!



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Got a story almost ready to pitch?

Besides recent requests from a couple of well-known production companies for the proposal and scripts, we've recently submitted the Pilot Script to two companies for our TV series proposal "Operation Magic Fire", a limited series inspired by Norse myths, set in Afghanistan.

“This is fantastic, Pamela Jaye, and just the kind of guidance and insight I so need. You got this concept instantly, and I have a perfect path forward. I am excited to start putting the ideas to work. This all has been fun, and anything from here is gravy.”

 RC Long

We can craft Pitch Materials for your projects, too. Plus give you guidance on Target Acquisition and Pitch Coaching. Or do it for you if you like.

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LINKS TO SERVICES

Creative Services - http://pamelajayesmith.net/services/

Personal & Organizational Mythology - http://pamelajayesmith.net/archepaths/

Pitch Materials - http://pamelajayesmith.net/services/pitch-package/

“True patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people on earth…”

    Eleanor Roosevelt

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What would you personally sacrifice for the good of the world?

French philosopher Simone Weil has some suggestions --

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/26/the-world-is-burning-who-can-convince-the-comfortable-classes-of-the-radical-sacrifices-needed

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Ricky Kej – 3X Grammy Winner

https://www.rickykej.com/

-- Music can Change the World --

Do visit Ricky’s website to see what this very talented musician is doing on so many fronts for so many people and causes.

Also check out the marvelous music videos, many of them with Stewart Copeland of Police.

UNITED NATIONS Goodwill Ambassador (UNCCD)

UNITED NATIONS Refugee High Supporter

UNESCO MGIEP "Global Ambassador for Kindness"

UNICEF "Celebrity Supporter"

Earth Day Network "Ambassador"

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“How Storytelling Can Advance Impact” - The Clinton Global Initiative



Storytellers To Address Systemic Injustices, Unifying Divisions, and Sharing Language

https://www.clintonfoundation.org/press-and-news/clinton-global-initiative/cgi-story-studio-2023-how-storytelling-can-advance-impact/

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As for “Herstory” you might find this site of interest. https://www.34circe.com/

It’s a great group of visionary people and they have some pretty amazing podcasts and projects.

I’m pleased to be their Mythology and Creative Advisor, be on some of the podcsasts.

Have learned so much from them, do check it out.

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50 Over 50 – Forbes list highlighting women who are challenging age and gender norms. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbespr/2023/08/01/forbes-releases-its-2023-50-over-50-list-highlighting-women-who-are-challenging-age-and-gender-norms/?sh=690acacd5c7f

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Ageless Wisdom - still thriving and connecting across all types of borders.

"Brothers and sisters, today we are meeting together as the humble heirs of ancient schools of wisdom. In our encounter with one another, we want to share the great treasure we have received, for the sake of enriching a humanity so often led astray on its journey by the myopic pursuit of profit and material comfort." 

    Pope Francis in Mongolia

https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-quoting-buddha-urges-religious-dialogue-fight-fundamentalism-2023-09-03/

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BOOKS TO CHANGE THE WORLD



https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/27/books-to-change-the-world-dua-lipa-sadiq-khan-sebastian-barry-and-more-share-their-picks

Includes Dr. Seuss’s THE LORAX and Euripides’ THE TROJAN WOMEN as well as Toltec Wisdom and many more recent writings.

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A TOUCH OF LIGHTNESS

"ALSO SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA"

Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Kindness is weakness!

 Abhor pity, worship strength!

    Be an uber-jerk!



From “Haiku U. – From Aristotle to Zola, 100 Great Books in 17 Syllables” by David M. Bader

https://www.hpb.com/products/haiku-u-9781592401284



HOW SHALL I PUT IT?

Euphemisms (sometimes also known as ‘spin’) are sometimes rather amusing, but sometimes tragically so.

“The apparatus moved into an unpredictable orbit and ceased to exist as a result of a collision with the surface of the moon,” Roscosmos said in a statement. It said a special interdepartmental commission had been formed to investigate the reasons behind the loss of the Luna-25 craft.

“Unscheduled rapid disassembly” = an explosion.

“Unplanned interaction between aircraft and earth” = a crash.

These incidents sound like people being OBE = Overtaken By Events.  

 If you never go off on a tangent,

then you are bound to go in circles.

Articles, Books, Podcasts, Etc.

 WASTED - Steve Finly

Steve is one of my favorite authors, both in prose and screenplays. He's a produced screenwriter and published novelist. Here's my blurb on his novel WASTED.

“Author Steven Finly takes us on a magic carpet ride into the psychedelic 60s and 70s when world views and ideals were shifting and culture clashes were disrupting our realities.

The characters in WASTED, though definitely rich in those bygone times, reflect the challenges we all face even in today’s fractured world – especially when one of their in-crowd is murdered.

Remember, reminisce, reflect, be glad you weren’t there or wish you were there… this story offers something for everyone of every age and inclination. Plus, amidst the trials and tragedies, it’s also colorful and fun.”

               Pamela Jaye Smith

https://www.amazon.com/WASTED-exciting-new1960s-thriller-HIPSTERS/dp/B0C5PG8YRL/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3JIFAC1N2RQYP&keywords=Finly&qid=1700995560&s=books&sprefix=finley%2Cstripbooks%2C139&sr=1-3

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THAT’S A FLAG!

The Women’s Guide to Refbombing

Miquiel Banks

Thanks to Miquiel Banks for giving me info and ammo to hold my own in the Man Cave when family and friends gather to watch sports. Now I can better understand what’s going on and even drop in some knowledgeable comments of my own.

Having been in the band in High School and University I attended lots of football and basketball games but never really grasped the rules. And later attending Dodgers baseball games and some hockey games, too, I was more a spectator than an informed watcher. No longer – thanks to Miquiel’s book.

I especially like the Chapter on “The 5 Virtues of Refbombing” which can well be applied to anything else in our lives – Truth, Honor, Duty, Trust, and Magic.

Even if you think you’re up on the regulations and rules, you’ll find additional insights in THAT’S A FLAG! as it covers a great many diverse sports.

Well worth the read! And it’d make a fun gift in any season, too.

https://www.amazon.com/Thats-Flag-Womens-Guide-Refbombing/dp/B0CCCMZXRR/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3682DSJT3BHXD&keywords=Miquiel+Banks&qid=1700996489&s=books&sprefix=miquiel+banks%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-2



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Stressed out? Who isn't these days.

To find reliable relief from the stress, anxiety, and overwhelm that seem to be plaguing us all these days, check out Aurora J. Miller's neuro-physiology hacks at Instagram.com/aurorajmiller and on her website https://aurorajmiller.com/

Aurora always offers inspiring and practical advice that really has helped increase my own productivity.

Do check it out!

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Library Resource for Novels

https://multcolib.org/resource/novelist-plus

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The Royal Society Open Library

The independent scientific academy of the UK (the oldest one in continuous existence) is dedicated to promoting excellence in science for the benefit of humanity. An excellent source of authoritative information on anything science. 

https://royalsociety.org/

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Past MYTHWORKS newsletters available here –

http://pamelajayesmith.net/articles/newsletter-archive/

HELPFUL RESOURCES

The KURULTAI Series

Pamela Jaye Smith

 History repeats itself so that everyone

has the chance to be and do everything.

The KURULTAI is a group of souls whose lives

intertwine through time and place.

Their Mission is two-fold:

Everyone Enlightened and Evolved

Redeem and Uplift Matter

They are variously Lovers now, Warriors then,

Clergy, Scientists, Magicians….

Who kills whom, where is betrayal, where loyalty?

And always the battle between the

Dark and Light of the KURULTAI.

But how can you tell who’s on which side when

the players keep changing between lifetimes?

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AMBER WAVES OF GREED

Katy is a glamourous gangster moll in 1950s America, helping her mob boss lover by using strategy and tactics from her remembered lifetime as a warrior back during the Peloponnesian Wars in ancient Greece.

A gun-runner comes to town to make a deal, pitting the two mobs against each other. Now if Katy could only retrieve her KURULTAI memories of who the rest of the players really are before the tensions boil over again in deadly far-reaching violence.

                     -- Available Now --

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THE CANYON OF FORGETFULNESS

Trooper Kat crawls up out of a canyon in the Australian outback in 2163 with no memory of who she is or how she got there. The old Sergeant who runs the isolated supply station takes her in against the objections of his embittered wife.

When a troop train arrives on its way to a doomed battle, the handsome, idolized Commander reclaims Kat, his lover and one of his spies who he remembers from other lives.

As her KURULTAI memory starts to return, Kat knows she must escape, or die.          

-- Available Soon --

CONSTELLATIONS

...is set at the New Science Frontiers Conference in Vienna in 1900.

HEIR APPARENT

...takes place in 14^th century France in the midst of a coup.  

THE BLOOD-DARK SEA

...Greece, Egypt, Carthage and more during the Peloponnesian Wars from 431 to 405 B.C.E.

*****             

The first KURULTAI story

"AMBER WAVES OF GREED" is now available.

$0.99 e-book download

https://pamelajayesmith.net/products/short-stories/amber-waves/

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Coming soon is the second story

"THE CANYON OF FORGETFULNESS".

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-- A sample from the beginning of the

second story, available soon --

It is a gift, we are often told, not to be able to recall our other lives. We would be too bombarded, they say, with the overwhelming nostalgia and grief and anticipation and excitement and the great washes of love and joy. But isn’t that the point?

Some teach it is a respite to forget and that we should welcome the dimness behind the Doors of Darkness.

Yet all the teachings of the KURULTAI, no matter the time or place, the continent or the culture, direct us to recall, to search out the past, to integrate the various Selves into one united, balanced Self who can then call upon any aspect as needed in whatever time or place one finds one’s Self.

Yes, that is the Ideal. But sometimes, the between-lives and sometimes the very lives themselves press down upon one with the weight of myriad whisperings, with a fierce nostalgia that pierces the heart, with a desire for surcease from that not yet grasped, or that held and lost, from that not yet known but merely missed and desired in some vague ethereal imagining.

These are the things that drive ordinary mortals to excesses of substances and indulgences. The desire for oblivion is strong in us all.

Some say it is the yearning of the one-you-are-now to be again a part of the One-That-Always-Is. To be a wave that rises, rushes towards the shore, breaks, and is no more. The form is gone, a one-time-only occurrence. But the substance is part of the eternal whole. That oblivion, that satori, that nirvana, that paradise, is such an innate desire holding such a strong appeal, it is a wonder we do not all throw ourselves over the precipices of canyon rims to fall and disappear into the increasing shadows.

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THE OOPSIE MEMOS

Kaye G. Gregory

** Read for FREE! through June 21st **

http://pamelajayesmith.net/products/short-stories/the-oopsie-memos/

Who the heck are these guys?!

Why is there so much aggression and repression, sexual violence, femicide, murderous mayhem, and just plain downright bad behaviour?

Sometimes it seems like some people on this planet are of a totally different and thoroughly more dangerous species from

the rest.

How did it come to this? Theories abound.

The Oopsie Memos explain how it happened. 

One is a high-ranking diplomat, the other a much-decorated military commander. These two old girlfriends, both proud and headstrong, formerly very close but now estranged by time, distance and differences of opinion are forced together to resolve an extremely dangerous situation --

The wrong men in the wrong place

at the wrong time.

It all started with a bureaucratic error….

Coming Events

To book Pamela Jaye for events or workshops, contact us.

Keynote, Seminars & Workshops, Festivals

Online Classes, Coaching, Retreats

Private Courses available with extensive feedback and one-on-one conversations via email, Zoom or phone.

Asynchronous group classes include feedback on exercises. 

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Pamela Jaye appears as a Mythology Expert

on the History Channel.

“Mysteries of Scotland”

Ancient Aliens / Season 20, Episode 9

  https://www.instagram.com/ancientaliens/reel/C4LgZehpkJ6/

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STORYBOARD DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Ongoing monthly meeting, 2nd Monday of the month. 7-10pm on Zoom.

After more than two decades, SBDG is still my favorite writers group – always smart, always informative, always fun!

Hope you can join us on Zoom for some wide-ranging script development conversations.

I’ve spoken there a number of times and look forward to doing so again.

[One of my faves was "Men in Black 3".]

https://storyboarddg.wordpress.com/

JAIPUR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

January 5-9, 2024   Jaipur, India

https://www.jiffindia.org/

-- and --

Aryan International Children’s Film Festival

of Jaipur India  

28-30 August 2024

JIFF notes, “The proposed films are for children only and will provide them moral education to become a good human being.”

Since 2011 I have been a jurist for the Jaipur Intl. Film Festival, ranking both screenplays and films. And am also on the Board of Advisors for their Library Academy Awards, the WORLD’S LARGEST & MOST SECURE FILM LIBRARY by Jaipur International Film Festival Trust.

The International Film Festival is open to writers and filmmakers from around the world, so do consider entering your media for upcoming events. And if you are in the area, do consider attending the Festival in January.  

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ONLINE COURSES for Savvy Authors

Watch the 2024 schedule for upcoming classes.

And do check out the other valuable courses they offer on so many aspects of writing - the art, the craft, the business.

My blogs for Savvy Authors -- 

Piloting the Planes of Story

Politics and Character Arcs

How Creativity Works

In Defense of Shallow Characters

LA WEBFEST

May 2-4, 2024

Barnsdall Gallery Theatre

Hollywood, CA

https://www.lawebfest.net/

Founded by the amazing Michael Ajakwe, the LA WEBFEST was the original and has inspired dozens more WebFests over the years around the world.

With Michael’s passing the Fest was down, but is now back and going strong, thanks to Young Man Kang, Rich Halke, Jordan Love-Mitchell, Jazmen Darnell Brown, and the Creative Team.

If you enjoy web series or are curious about them – please do come watch with us. There are also informative panels and presentations.

This year I viewed and rated shows nominated in the Best Director category.

It’s always a fabulous and impressive collection of creativity from around the world in many different styles and genres. Always enjoyable, always fun, always inspiring!

Hope to see you at this year's LAWEBFEST.

DOES YOUR STORY HAVE A PASSPORT?

Even if your story takes place in a remote village or on another planet or dimension, you can touch upon global issues and universal archetypes that readers in many other places can relate to - while still keeping your story unique to you.

So get your Story a Passport and give it wings to travel round the world!

Our Brainstorming Sessions can help you do just that.

https://pamelajayesmith.net/services/story-script-consultation/



PITCHING YOUR PROJECTS

Now that the strikes are over, there's a high demand for new content.

Typically it's a quiet time in Hollywood during the Holidays until about mid-January. Because of the five months lost to supportive inaction during the strikes though, now is a fine time to get those stories you've been working on out there to buyers.

There are on-line PitchFests going on all the time, plus many listing services like Stage 32, Virtual Pitch Fest, InkTip, ISA, Greenlight My Movie, and more.   

We can help you get your story ready to pitch, be it a Story Consultation, writing the Pitch Materials for you depending on your project -- [Log-line, Pitch, Synopsis, Market Appeal, Series Bible, Pitch Deck], selecting the target companies most appropriate for your project, or Pitch Coaching by Zoom or in person.

 Email us for more details.   

ONGOING

Story Consultations and Coaching for all media and genres - from initial brain-storming to private classes to detailed feedback and suggestions.

Personal Myth Consultations -- Who are you? Who and what do you want to be? What's your ArchePath? What myth are you currently living? Understand your Personal Myth and empower your life.

Email for a Free 20 minute consultation on how we might work together to enhance your creativity and accomplishments.

Give us a call and use the Free 20 Minute Consultation to discuss how we might help you craft your own creative projects using Mythic Themes, Archetypes, and Symbols.

Mythic Tools work in any genre, any style, and any platform from novels to features to web series or XR, from fiction to non-fiction to message media.

Pamela Jaye & the MYTHWORKS Team

www.mythworks.net

323-874-6447

pamelajayesmith@gmail.com

MYTHWORKS

Mythic Challenges

Alpha Babe Academy