Avatar: Pocahontas in Space

I grew up in the age of the beloved Disney movies The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King. When Pocahontas came out in 1995, I loved it in a more mature way, imagining I deeply understood "Colors of the Wind" and playing the song in junior high band. Later, in 2009, James Cameron's Avatar came out, and I was awestruck. I've also always had a thing for space and stars, and it very magically combined my interest in space travel with a fondness for nature.

Those Disney movies and Avatar have stayed with me well into my adulthood. I've always clung to Belle as my favorite character, but Avatar holds a special place in my heart. One year, I "won" Halloween by showing up to a friend's party in full Neytiri costume, having done my own makeup. Nobody talked to me for hours because they didn't recognize me! Once the cat was out of the bag, people were still confused as to who I was supposed to be. I even re-used the costume for a football game, throwing an ASU shirt over the outfit and opting out of the makeup, which made people even more confused. It was such a good movie, and I was always surprised to find how many people had not only not seen it, but had no recollection of what it even was.

When the Pandora area opened up in Disney World, I was thrilled to be immersed in the recreation, and riding the Ikran (or Banshee) on the Flight of Passage ride was more thrilling and awe-inspiring than I could have imagined. 

I don't remember when it first occurred to me that the story of Avatar is the story of Pocahontas in space, but the parallels are fascinating. Here is how they stack up.

The Overall Plot

Both stories involve "modern" people, driven by a greed for resources, clashing with local "savages."

• The Valuable Mineral: In Pocahontas, the colonizers are obsessed with gold, even though it isn't actually there. In Avatar, the "Sky People" are after Unobtainium, which they know is sitting right under Hometree. 

• The Long Journey: The "Skywalkers" in Avatar had to be in cryogenics for the long journey to Pandora, while the Englishmen in Pocahontas had to cross the salt water on a long journey to the Americas.

    

The Antagonists

In both movies, the villain is ugly—both in appearance and spirit—and gives a demeaning speech about the locals to justify killing them.

• Governor Ratcliffe (Pocahontas): "Don't lose your heart, men. It won't be long before we reach the New World. And remember what awaits us there. Freedom, prosperity... the adventure of our lives. You're the finest crew England has to offer, and nothing-- not wind nor rain nor a thousand bloodthirsty savages shall stand in our way. Carry on, men!"

• Colonel Quaritch (Avatar): "You're not in Kansas anymore. You're on Pandora, ladies and gentlemen. Respect that fact, every second of every day. ... Out there beyond that fence, every living thing that crawls, flies, or squats in the mud wants to kill you and eat your eyes for jujubes."

The Overseers: Both movies feature a leader who supports the villain, but isn't necessarily quite as evil. In Avatar, this is the corporate administrator Parker Selfridge. Unlike the brutal Colonel, Selfridge isn't painted as a pure combatant; he’s a bureaucrat, which makes his complicity in the destruction feel more cold and calculated. King James in Pocahontas isn't even seen until the sequel - he never steps foot in the New World, and is, therefore, just an ideal over-sea-er. 

Signs from Nature

Both films rely heavily on the idea of a spiritual connection to the environment.

• The Signs: Pocahontas has a dream and confides in Mother Willow. Later, a raccoon brings her the compass John Smith gifted her, reminding her of the spinning arrow in her dream. Neytiri sees the sign from Eywa—the floating, dandelion-like seeds that collect on Jake Sully.

• The Battle: The invaders of both films had superior weapons, and the natives in each story united disparate tribes to form a more powerful army in order to level the playing field.  

• The Rebellion: Mother Nature physically strikes back in both. Mother Willow raises her roots to trip the encroaching Englishmen, and in Avatar, the animals unite to fight against the humans.

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

It isn’t a coincidence that the heart of both stories is a tree. In Pocahontas, Mother Willow is an ancient, sentient guide who offers wisdom and perspective, acting as the spiritual anchor for the entire tribe. In Avatar, Hometree is the literal and metaphorical center of the Omaticaya people—it is their sanctuary, their connection to their ancestors, and their source of life. Both films use these massive, rooted, and ancient beings to highlight a fundamental truth: while the humans see the land as a resource to be harvested or moved, the natives see it as a living entity that holds the memories and spirits of those who came before. When the invaders target the tree in each film, it’s not just an attack on a resource; it’s an assault on the soul of the community.

The Heroes and the Love Story

John Smith and Jake Sully are both battle-tested soldiers, and I love that they share the same initials. They both undergo the same arc: a cocky guy meets the indigenous beauty who happens to be the chief's daughter, betrothed to a beefcake of a warrior, and she teaches him to the foreign hero to nature differently. He realizes his people are in the wrong, falls in love, and is seen as a traitor by his own people.  

• All Tied Up: Both of our heroes are captured by the natives following a misunderstanding. However, in Avatar, Dr. Grace is also captured and tied up, while in Pocahontas, John Smith is by himself.   

• The Injury: In Pocahontas, when John Smith throws himself in front of the musket fire to save the Chief, he is wounded, and Pocahontas rushes to his side, cradling him. Neytiri likewise cradles Jake Sully's human body when he is suffocated in the battle.   

• Lost (and Found) in Translation: It makes sense that the indigenous tribes of each move have their own language. Overcoming the language barrier and learning to communicate is one of the first tests of our new couples. 

The Divergence

How the two films differ is powerful. While the setup of these two films mirrors each other so closely, the way they end is where the real story lives. The depth of the transformation changes significantly between the two eras. In Pocahontas, the hero’s "leaning in" is cautious and tentative; he learns a few lessons, but he remains firmly an outsider, leaving much of the emotional labor of bridge-building to her. In contrast, Jake Sully’s arc is one of complete immersion. He doesn't just visit the forest; he effectively dies to his old life so he can be reborn into the new one. This shift in the heroes' journeys—how they communicate, how they fight, and how they ultimately choose their futures—tells us as much about our evolving culture as it does about the movies themselves.

• Overcoming the Language Barrier: A key difference is the role of language. In Pocahontas, she magically learns English ("Listen with your heart"). In Avatar, the process is more deliberate—Jake is part of a program designed to bridge that cultural gap.  

• No Fight Club Here: While both films lead up to a battle between superior weapons and a united native force, Pocahontas ends with a fragile, hopeful truce. Avatar goes further, with an all-out battle and brutal losses on both sides, ending with the total expulsion of the industrial force.  

• The Departures: John Smith ultimately returns home to heal, leaving behind many of the men in Virginia but ultimately retreating to the world he knows. Jake Sully, however, makes a more radical choice: he permanently abandons his human body to live as an Avatar, helping to lead the effort to expel the industrial force from Pandora entirely. These departures mirror a classic tension—between the comfort of returning to the life we were born into with a newly refreshed perspective, versus the transformative, permanent choice to fully commit to a new way of existing.

There is so much to be said about the velocity of technology today—from the rise of AI to the evolution of increasingly effective, and frankly, scary weaponry. It’s easy to feel the weight of that shift. But I’ve come to believe that in a world where these forces are becoming more pervasive, the act of retreating into nature and intentionally celebrating our humanity is going to increase in importance, not decrease. If Pocahontas and Avatar taught me anything, it’s that no matter how advanced our 'Sky People' tech becomes, it can never replace the quiet wisdom of a forest or the necessity of seeing our world through a lens of connection rather than conquest. The further we advance, the more we need to stay rooted.

 

 

 

Better Than Candy: STEM-CenTrick or Treat Alternatives

Being an engineer by training and an engineering manager by trade, I have been aware for decades of the decline in our country's engineering education and pipeline of science and technical talent entering the workforce. Relatedly, I feel compelled, partially because I want to be a leader within my company, and partially because my energy, money and time are not depleted by kids of my own, to advocate for STEM in my local communities and with youth organizations.

I have done this in a number of ways (and feel free to steal any of these ideas):
    • I have been a judge or mentor for robotics and drone competitions for high schoolers.
    • I have supported programs to get girls into programming.
    • I have volunteered at public events to showcase STEM activities
    • When friends who are teachers reach out for help with state-based lessons or postcards, I will try to send the class postcards and other artifacts that are related to my industry, like models of fighter jets or stealth aircraft.

For several years now, I've done one additional, funny and surprisingly gratifying thing - I give out toys along with candy for Halloween. Trick -AND- Treat, one might say. But the toys are somewhat focused on STEM learning. I try to keep them to about $1 per toy or less, but sometimes I will spring for a handful of more expensive items to sprinkle in, with the hope that it may encourage a young person to go into an engineering or related field. 

I have a whole setup to make it easy and less annoying. I set out a comfy camping chair and two side tables on my porch or driveway. I use one table to hold my Halloween bowls with candy in one and the STEM toys in the other. I keep the bags next to me on the ground for easy refilling. On the other table, I set up my tablet and snacks or drinks or whatnot for me. I play my favorite Halloween themed movies on my tablet to keep me entertained between visits, and when the kids, dogs and parents come, I wait for the kids to say their requisite, "Trick or treat," and then I let them know they can take one candy and one toy. I comment on my favorite outfits and answer any questions they might have about the toys. Then I go back to drinking, eating and watching the movies. For someone who doesn't generally "like kids," it's actually quite a delight!

What I look for in my STEM toys is something that kids can learn from. Years ago I found these small solar car kits - those were my favorite! First, you have to build the car from the parts. Once assembled, you had to learn how to use it in the sun. But in the right light, those things took off! And there was no stopping mechanism, so you just had to hope it would find shade to stop. Finding those again, and on the cheap, however, has proved difficult. So I've had to search for alternatives.

Foam gliders are a great alternative - they are inexpensive, flat packed, require assembly and then can teach a thing or two about wind and aerodynamics. I also enjoy holographic glasses which bend light into fun shapes - you can get Halloween themed ones (or Christmas) or other themes.

Slingshot helicopter twirly things are fun, and again, pretty inexpensive.

Somewhat more practical but still a little educational are miniature compasses with or without keychains. Invisible ink pen and notebook sets are usually a hit, and I suppose kids can find an interest in how the chemistry of them works. The kids also get a kick out of jumping popper toys.

I usually throw in little puzzle cubes. I'm not sure those really teach many tangible lessons, but I suppose it helps kids develop spacial rationalization and maybe dynamics principles.

Giving out STEM toys is also a sort of inclusivity measure, since some kids may have allergies or may not be allowed to have much sugar or whatnot. But I doubt there are many parents who would prohibit kids from playing with semi-educational toys.

Though for me, the best part of giving out the STEM toys, is the fact that the kids get REALLY excited about it. It is so unusual to get anything other than candy, I suppose, that the novelty of it causes the initial reaction. "MOM!! I get a TOY!!" is a common exclamation. The parents get a kick out of it, too.

And then watching the kids decide what to select, weighing the pros and cons, asking questions, is also entertaining. Very few of them grab and go, they ponder the possibilities and merits of the toys presented to them. It shows that they are using their brains even in that. And I hope that they use their brains in using the toys once they get home. And maybe some of them will use their brains to work for me building airplanes some day. 

STEM toys are also more practical than candy, since they won't go bad and don't need to be consumed or brought in to work with everyone else's leftover candy. Just stash the remaining inventory for next year and build your pile up from there!

If you want to get some ideas, I recommend two places to start:
Visit Party City or a party supply store, especially in the off-season for Halloween. The clearance section is especially great for budget-friendly options to hoard toys in bulk.
Look on Amazon! I have a list I keep updated with ideas when I think of them or as I prepare for the next Halloween. You can access my list here!
And you can create your own, and share it in the comments for others (and me) to use!

Halloween DIY Decorations

Halloween can take many themes and feelings.  It can be downright scary, or it can be fun and silly.  Your Halloween décor may involve spider webs, bats and ghosts, or it may hint at axe murderers, villainous vampires or mummies.  So the drop-dead awesome DIY projects you can use may be limited to the way you want to haunt, err, decorate your home.  Here are some ideas you'll shriek for.
 

Broomstick Way

Use a collection of old, dusty brooms to line your driveway or walkway.  Turn the broomsticks upside down and stick the end a few inches into the ground to secure them.  The broomsticks can be painted or decorated in orange lights, fake spider webs, or both.
 

Halloween is in the Air

Hang ghastly decorations in trees and off your roof or anything else that's tall.  Use fishing string to hang your decorations so they appear to be floating.

Ghosts can be made from old white pillow cases stuffed with batting, newspaper or grocery bags.  Make the head of the ghost by stuffing the center and then pulling it tight with a rubber band or elastic hair tie.  The bottom can be cut up to make a more whispy appearance.  You can also take these ghosts and prop them up on broom sticks (with the broom part removed) around the yard.

To make bats or spiders, use balls of newspaper secured with duct tape and spray painted black, orange, purple or green as desired.  Pipe cleaner, bent metal hangers or paperclips can be used to form the bat wings or spider legs.  For additional thickness, use aluminum foil or paper wrapped around the legs or wings, and spray paint them as well.
 

Pumpkin Patches

Use large garbage bags full of stuffing, and spray paint them orange to make large, round pumpkins (if you can find orange garbage bags, even better).  You can also paint a face on them with black to make them look like jack-o-lanterns.  Or you might try illuminating them with lights on the inside of the bag, pressed up against the outside of the bag.

 

What Would You Like on Your Tombstone?

Old sheets of wood make for sturdy, re-usable mock graves for a cemetery theme.  You can either prop them up against something (like a tree or boulder) or construct wooden frames to prop them up.  Gray, black and white paint can be used to make a gloomy, stone like façade.  Then use stencils or stamps with black paint to write your epitaphs and add decorative scrolls and designs.  You can either write RIP in large letters, or add funny or realistic epitaphs.

 
Here are some real epitaphs from Boot Hill in Tombstone, Arizona:
 Here lies Lester Moore.
Four slugs
From a forty-four.
No Les
No More.

Here lays Butch.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.

Here lies George Johnson, hanged by mistake 1882.
He was right,
we was wrong,
but we strung him up
and now he's gone.
 
Stranger look as you pass by -
As you are now, so once was I.
As I am now, soon you shall be.
Prepare for death and follow me.

He was young
He was fair
But the Injuns
Raised his hair


Here are some funny ideas if you want to add some humor to your Halloween decorations, but many, many more can be found on the Internet.

I told you I was sick.

Rest in Pieces

She always said her feet were killing her
but nobody believed her.

Bad to the Bones

He was Dead Serious




For more craft and design hacks, check out my book, Design Hacks for Disney Themed Rooms!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084H5SK33

DIY Moana Sail Purse/Bag

A couple years ago, Jaiman and I decided we should try to move to Florida to be close to Disney World so we could go regularly. I was extremely lucky to land a wonderful full time job in Florida which I started in July 2018, and now that we're here, we've started going to Disney World roughly once a month.

While we both have some fantastic Disney shirts, he suggested a month or two ago that we start Disneybounding. If you're not familiar with the concept, it's basically a "lighter" version of cosplay, where you essentially just wear the colors and not necessarily the exact costume of your favorite Disney character. This actually opens up a lot of really interesting and creative directions, and you can find a ton of ideas if you search online.

Needtheless to say, we started looking for what characters we'd want to do, and I targeted Moana, because, well, she's awesome. I had pretty much what I needed already in terms of clothes, a burnt-redish shirt, khaki capris, and even a bright turquoise gem necklace. But my bag selection was lacking. And the colors themselves didn't necessarily scream Moana like I hoped they would.

So, I was inspired to create something that would be a little more literal Moana, and came up with the idea of making a sail-shaped purse. I spent a lot of time getting the fabric design just right, but luckily for you, this work is now done and you can simply purchase it! This was my first pass at making a purse or bag of this type, and I'm pretty happy with the results.

Below are the details of my project for anyone else who may want to make something similar. I will also add, this fabric would make for great sail-shaped pillows too!

Materials needed:

Tribal Sail fabric (I used 2 yards of Modern Jersey fabric, order it here: https://www.spoonflower.com/designs/8441542-tribal-sail-001-by-lowa84)
Pins
Thread (any neutral color is fine, I used white)
Cotton cord (I used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0728K3QJ4/)
Sewing machine (I used https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VWXZKG/)
Fabric scissors
Black marker
(Optional) Chiweiner or other lovable pet to cheer you on (Carly is always trying to get in my pictures!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time: 2 - 2.5 hours

Skill level: Basic

Instructions:

1 - Lay the fabric out on a flat surface with the spiral pattern centered. Imagine and then draw a large sail shape with the marker. Make it about half an inch in each direction larger than you need it, since you will be sewing seams on each side. 

2 - Use fabric scissors to cut along the sail shape you've drawn. The cuts don't have to be perfect, because you'll end up hiding the cut edges on the inside of the purse.

3 - Find another section of fabric with the spiral pattern and flatten it out with the spiral pattern centered again. Take your first cutout and lay it upside down so that the two faces of the pattern are together. This is to make a symmetrical copy. Trace around the edge of the upside down piece. 

4 - Use fabric scissors to cut along the sail shape you've traced.

5 - Lay the pieces together so that the faces are towards each other and you are seeing the white underside. Line up the edges and pin them. 

6 - Take the cotton cord, measure and cut one piece double the length of the top of the shape with a little extra slack. 

7 - Tie the two ends of the cord together and place along the knotted end on top of the fabric.

8 - For each side of the purse, wrap the top edge of the fabric around the cord and pin. 

9 - Sew the seams at the top of each piece holding the cord in place.

10 - Sew the other two edges of the fabrics together, just like you would if sewing a pillow. You sew them with their patterns facing each other so that when you're done, you'll flip them inside out and the seam (and messy cut edges) are on the inside, and the outside looks clean. Helpful tip: When you get to the end of the first edge and you want to turn the corner, make sure the needle is in the fabric (manually roll it if needed) and then lift the foot, adjust the fabric and then set the foot back down. This gives you a continuous thread and ensures you don't have any gaps. 

 





















11 - Once both edges are sewn together and all pins are removed, flip the fabric inside out through the open edge. 

12 - To make the purse strap, cut a long straight strip of fabric, however long and thick as you'd like. Make sure to make it a little more than twice as thick as you want the final strap to be. The cut doesn't have to be perfect, since you'll end up hiding the cut edges on the inside again.

13 - Fold the strip of fabric in half and pin. Then sew along the open edge. 

14 - Flip the strip inside out. It will take some working from both ends. 

15 - Cut additional cord to run the length of the strip plus some additional slack.


16 - Run the cord through the strip to the other end so you have some cord handing out of each side. Helpful tip: You can use a permanent marker or pen with a clip on the cap to wrap some cord around it and then use the marker/pen to edge through the fabric strip. 

17 - Tie both sides of the cord in the fabric strip to the cord going around the rim of the purse. Make sure it's the length you want, and trim/adjust the cord and/or fabric strip or tie additional knots as needed to get the desired length.

18 - Once properly adjusted, sew the bottom of the strip on both sides to the rim of the purse. 

19 - Show off your handiwork! Feel free to post pictures on my facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/deziwheel/ I'd love to see what you've done!  

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Design Hacks for Disney Themed Rooms

Halloween: In Memoriam

My life changed on Halloween last year.  I didn’t know it then; I thought it was a phase that I’d shrug off, a period of mourning that would heal with time.  It healed some, but seems it nevertheless changed me for good. 

One year ago I got the horrific news that a family member had been struck by a vehicle and killed instantly.  She had been walking down the road holding hands with her loving husband.  They had just moved to Florida together to start their dream retirement.  All I could think of was how full of life she had been, one of the most joyful people I knew, and how detrimental it would be to poor Jim, her husband who had to pick up the pieces of their life that she left too soon.  

I’d known people who had died before.  I’ve lost grandparents to those things that take you in old age.  I’ve known families who have lost babies within days or months of giving birth.  I’ve seen teenagers get in with the wrong crowds and lose their lives.  I’ve had classmates who died in war.  But no death has shaken me like Joyce’s.  Perhaps it’s the juxtaposition of her being so full of life and love, and then such sudden death.  Perhaps it struck close to home - I go for walks, and I drive, and she had no influence on the outcome.  

I can’t put my finger on it, but there’s something more to her death.  It’s a tragedy, but not just a tragedy.  It’s horrible irony, but not just a shame.  It’s as if her death was supposed to have meaning to me, a purpose, and so fate made it so.  

Ever since Halloween last year, I’ve had an uncanny notion of Joyce watching over me when I drive, shunning me when I steal a glance at my phone, and praising me when I avoid a pedestrian who didn’t hear or see me coming.  Joyce’s story has made my passion for autonomous vehicles not just selfishly indulgent, but imperative for mankind.  And she made it personal.  It’s no longer about the “cool” factor of the technology.  Joyce is to human drivers as Hiroshima’s Peace Park is to the atomic bomb – a vivid memorial that begs modern society to do away with such destructive forces.  

We don’t know what caused the driver to veer suddenly to the side of the road, but I think it’s fair to assume that the driver was distracted, whether it be by a cell phone or otherwise.  I’ve been in a collision because the driver behind me was fidgeting with his radio, something that we don’t villanize as we do texting or drunk driving.  

What I’ve come to learn in my research is that there are far too many variables when it comes to driving behavior.  No one product or activity can ever make a driver completely dangerous or completely safe.  I’ve texted while driving in order to stay awake.  I rationalized that an alert but distracted driver is safer than a driver whose eyes aren’t even open.  Drivers who have had a couple drinks are often safer drivers than those who have had no alcohol at all – slightly inebriated drivers are aware of the risk of getting caught and therefore behave better.  

Thus, I’m not going to crusade against any one behavior – texting, drinking, applying makeup, aggressive driving – because none of these are inherently more or less dangerous than any others.  Instead, I’m crusading against the one aspect that puts us in danger at all, and that’s putting human beings behind the wheel.  We are far too comfortable with driving, far too distracted by life, and far too bad at it (statistically, you are worse than you think).  We need smart vehicles to take over, so that we can spend our time doing being distracted.  

Take the human element out of driving, and you remove the human error that puts us in danger every time we get near a roadway.  Until then, the only thing I can think to do is be the best driver I can be, and I hope that Joyce approves from above. 

Rejuvenating Ways to Spend Labor Day Weekend

If you're not barbecuing or traveling this weekend, make the most of it so you don't look back on the three day weekend with regret.  Here are some ideas to return to your four day workweek rejuvenated. 

• Read a book

• Review upcoming schedules for football games or theater shows you may want to go to, and buy tickets 

• Get the family together, turn off the devices and play old fashioned board games or card games. I recommend Ticket to Ride and Rummikub!

• Try out a new restaurant in your area

• Go for a walk or hike

• Create a secret board on Pinterest and start pinning Christmas gift ideas for your loved ones
  
  

• Watch some TED Talks

• Evaluate your progress on any New Year Resolutions and reinvigorate your commitment for the rest of the year or set new goals

• Reach out to a friend you haven't spoken to in a while

• Clean out your garage or organize a room that's been needing it

• Consider listing an extra room on Airbnb
  
  

• Try cooking a new dish

• Start thinking about Halloween costumes - it will be here in no time!

How are you spending your no-work Monday?