Beer and Conversation Podcast

The boys drink and review Spaten’s Optimator — a delicious dopplebock from Germany — then discuss Biden’s first 100 days in office. How has he done?

While there are some decent, or even positive points, the overall rating is poor.

Pigweed and Crowhill discuss Joe’s sharp left turn, his oversight of the vaccine program, his spending proposals, his cowardice in the face of the teacher’s union, his mismanagement of the border, his foreign policy, climate issues, social justice, police reform, accusing the United States of racism …. Biden seems on track to be Jimmy Carter 2, or worse.

P&C drink and review an IPA from Mully’s Brewery in Southern Maryand, then — with special guest Longinus — review the classic horror / mystery novel featuring the world’s most famous detective. 

The boys review the story of the spectral hound (with spoilers) and evaluate Conan Doyle’s writing style, as well as his well-known characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. What kind of a man was Sherlock Holmes? And what kind of a relationship did he have with Watson? 

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a classic tale, full of mystery,  romance, intrigue and horror, and a good introduction to these famous characters. We hope this short episode gives you a taste to dig further into the affairs of the man who made 221B Baker Street famous.

The boys drink and review an imperial red ale from Mully’s Brewery, then discuss the hero quest pattern and how it applies to different stories.

The common elements of the hero quest include …

• An unusual birth,
• Separated from father / mother, sent to live with aunt / uncle,
• A call to Adventure,
  • Sometimes from an animal, which symbolizes our gut instincts
  • Sometimes from a wizard, or spiritual guide
  • sometimes it requires leaving the influence of your family, or your mother,
• Leaves the familiar world.
• At the boundary of familiar and unfamiliar, the hero encounters the threshold guardian — often his shadow.
• Goes into strange and threatening lands where he might fight monsters to find the hidden potentials.
• Death and rebirth — old self dies, new self emerges with new strength and purpose

They see the pattern in the stories of Moses, Krishna and Mithridates. (They wanted to add Jesus and Buddha, but there wasn’t time.) Then they discuss the larger issue of patterns and archetypes.

What’s the origin of this hero quest pattern, and why do so many compelling stories follow it? What does the hero quest say about each of our lives? Where are these archetypes from, and how do they play out in society?