Dominic McGowan
Bio
I’m very much motivated by a wish to escape from reality. Weirdly that more often than not involves dark, dystopian fantasy or science fiction, which you’d think, given the state of the world, would be the last place I want to retreat to.
Stories (11)
Filter by community
A Best Friend I Never Deserved
As I sit to write this, I am more than aware of the uncomfortable road down which this memory will take me. I was not a good dog owner. I wasn’t a bad owner either: Beryl had shelter, space, food, insurance, regular vaccinations, and regular veterinary care. What I did do was take her for granted and, ultimately, did not show her the love she deserved.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Petlife
Beat Parental Boredom: 5 Shows You’ll All Love
It’s 6am. You’re about to start Peppa Pig for yet another session on the Netflix carousel and maybe, just to stop your brain dripping out of your ears, you’ll get to mix it up with Octonauts before cognitive damage really sets in.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Families
The Key to Reaching Television Nirvana
I know this may be hard for you to believe, but I, a writer, have a problem finishing things. It has plagued my life from an early age. When I first started writing stories I would conjure these huge, fantastical worlds, spread over page upon page of scrawl, displaying imagination far beyond my single figure age…until the ending. Looking back, I don’t know how much I was affected by 80’s popular culture, but every story I wrote, no matter how complex or involved, ended in the same variation of ‘Then they woke up and it was all a dream.’
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in FYI
The Man Who Bought the World
I wasn’t going to attempt this challenge. Writing about being influenced by social media? Me, the man who controls his echo chambers, thinks for himself, and absolutely is not, and never has been, manipulated by an algorithm? Impossible. But...then I thought some more…
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Geeks
4 Rockstar Classical Composers. Top Story - March 2021.
Classical music is dull as dishwater, isn’t it? The stuffy, well educated middle-aged, reverentially filling concert halls, following etiquette as mysterious as it is non inclusive. If you infiltrate this world, you will hear talk of modal fifths, the importance of madrigals, and secret whispers that the flautist was a beat early at the beginning of the recitative. The truth is that, even for those who enjoy Classical music, there is layer upon layer of snobbery and study that can often make the world seem entirely inaccessible.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Beat
The Muppet Christmas Carol is NOT the Greatest Christmas Movie of All Time
*Edit December 21: others have brought to my intention that part of the reason for Disney being unable to include the song again is due to the original negative being lost. Disney also intend to restore the song in 2022’s 4K 30th anniversary release. This is great! But it doesn’t excuse the original atrocious decision…next year I will rename the article in honour of good decisions being made.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Geeks
Potato Head, Toy Story, and Muppets: stop sexing childhood
I remember reading a while ago about a long running daytime tv controversy that had mothers clutching pearls and fathers popping monocles everywhere: ARE BERT AND ERNIE GAY?! Can you imagine the generations damaged by this torrid tale of muppet sexuality being slid under our wall of child protectionism?
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Families
My Slightly Perfect-er Way to Watch the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
So. I have a confession to make. I don’t really care that much about the MCU and I literally wrote that title for clickbait (aka SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMISATION BABY!!!! 🙄). I will, however, give you my perfect way to watch the films, so if you are here for that please scroll to the end. If you’re now slightly intrigued as to what on Earth I think I’m playing at, then please, dear reader, skip nothing.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Geeks
Twitcher
This room always felt like a morgue to Jones. Silly really, as, barring any tragic accidents, this was not a place that saw death. But the stainless steel, the harsh lighting removing all shadow from the work room, and the absolute cleanliness of the place seemed to strip out the humanity in a way he imagined you only experienced around the dead. Of course, the body on the slab reinforced that feeling.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Futurism
The Messenger
A hole was developing in the bindings on his right foot. The word shoe had been left miles behind in a ripped and tangled trip hazard. This dune should bring him to The End. He’d been saying that for hours now. Or was it days? The sharp grass stabbing the arch of his foot brought him quickly out of the mental drift; concentration needed, watch the footing.
By Dominic McGowan5 years ago in Futurism
