In a Goldilocks Society, it is proper to seek out that which is neither too hot nor too cold.  Why settle for less when we can have warm and cozy?  It is therefore fitting to reject what is too hard or too soft, too big or too small.  It is imperative that we make accurate decisions:  pick the exemplary melon from the market; select the best answer on a multiple-choice exam; meet our perfect match at an online dating service.  We want everything to be just right.  But where the heck is Goldilocks when it comes to preserving entertainment that

In all of life we undergo a series of moments that vacillate between the distant reaches of Joy and Despair.  Sometimes we seem to bounce back and forth like a table-tennis ball, one half with a painted grin, the other wearing a pout (a smile turned upside down isn't necessarily a frown, when you think about it).  As flipping television channels repeatedly from comedy to drama may leave us dazed and blinking, so might the hectic ping-pong match of Existence if not for the luminous rays of Hope that shine forth out of our deepest darknesses.  Know what I mea

I know I'm not the only person to be moved to tears by the ending of a book or movie.  Books can elevate the soul or wring the emotions like a wet hanky.  Films can make graphic statements that are seared into the mind's eye.  So don't pretend you think I'm some wacko because saying goodbye to a television series that has been part of my life for a number of years is heart-wrenching.  It isn't peculiar in the least to feel sad over the loss of beloved characters — even if they're no more real than that myth about the moon being made of cheese!  (T

Part One:  Anticipation

There is no doubt.  The very thought of combining the wit and "wonder" of Alice, the clever tongue-tangly-tingly "madness" of author Lewis Carroll, with the freakishly whimsical and abstract conjurings of film director Tim Burton sent me straight into a tizzy.  Yes, that's right, an actual tizzy!  When was the last time that happened to you?  I can only describe the experience as a head-spinning spasmodic shiver of delight.