It’s basically taken me like 18 months to get through the X-Files episode “Monday” which is ironic if you know what the episode is about

Finally finalized all my syllabi for the start of the semester...can't wait to have all the errors and missing information stare at me right in the face when I pull them up in class tomorrow morning

X-Files episodes after the 1998 movie are *so* silly, it's the absolute best. A community's HOA comes to life as a monster concerned with code violates (sort of)? Amazing, amazing stuff.

This year I've decided to write every week about what I'm showing in my Religion and Film course, starting with Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece, Magnolia (1999) open.substack.com/pub/zacharyshe…

There is a very special, unique form of torture that is waiting for a car repair in a waiting room where three separate people are watching videos on their phone with the volume up. Absolutely staggering stuff.

Moved away from the American context in Religion and Film this week for a fresh look at style and existential treatments of faith and culture: open.substack.com/pub/zacharyshe…

Remembered that today is the 18th anniversary of one of the most important days of my life - the release of Halo 3. It sounds hyperbolic but there is truly no way to describe how formative that game was for me. Bungie

Best burrito place/food truck in Waco closed forever today. I won’t tell you if the tears on my face are because of that or the perfect hear of their salsa, so don’t bother asking.

What started as just reviewing some Lord of the Rings special features for class tomorrow has kind of become an intention to just deep dive into the Appendices features for fun as much as I can today...so it's gonna be a great day.

Finished one whole William Gibson trilogy in September's reading...I want to do more, currently debating if I want to do the Sprawl or Bridge trilogies next.

Elmer Gantry (1960) and Winter Light (1963) open.substack.com/pub/zacharyshe…

We jumped into October in the best way possible in Religion and Film: by starting to explore Christian horror films--of the apocalyptic and demonic varieties Left Behind (2000) and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) open.substack.com/pub/zacharyshe…

Writing things that you think are kind of important but also don't actually want to write is...tough.

Realized today that (at least according to Google Scholar) my work has been cited just over 150 times...it's just really gratifying and humbling to know that at least a few people out there are finding the work I do useful!