Welcome to summer… the weather is warmer, it’s time to sit outside with a cold drink and learn to be anti-racist. The past month has been eye opening for me in a lot of ways, and I have been grateful for all of the lists and recommendations on ways that we can educate ourselves on racism and the Black Lives Matter movement using some of my favorite pop culture mediums. Every non-fiction book was immediately sold out, but there’s some great Black fiction that I “kept meaning to get to.” And now I am finally doing it. It hasn’t all been educating myself, I still found plenty of time for mindless entertainment, I promise.

Reading

Here’s a great anti-racist reading list from Powell’s if you aren’t sure where to start.

I quickly devoured The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John Mandel who also wrote Station Eleven. I love her storytelling style and how these seemingly independent stories come together. It wasn’t AS good as Station Eleven, but I still really enjoyed it.

I just finished American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson, a recent purchase from Powell’s. It was SO DAMN GOOD. It takes place in the 80’s and early 90’s, written as a letter to a woman’s young twin boys explaining her life and family and her time in the FBI. I had a hard time putting it down – the story is great and geographically diverse (Martinique & Burkina Faso). It’s also based on real people (the politicians in Burkina Faso) which I didn’t realize till I was half way through. I went on a bit of a wikipedia rabbit hole after I finished the book to learn more which rarely happens.

I am almost done with The Mercies which is a crazy good story about a 1600’s fishing village in Northern Scandinavia. A boat filled with all the village men goes down in a storm and the women are left to run the village. It is so good, I’ve had a hard time putting it down this weekend! Update: I finished The Mercies and it was AWESOME! I am so glad it stuck the landing – 10/10 would recommend.

My new reading goal is to make sure every other book is written by a BIPOC. The last book I read by a man (sorry guys) I stopped within the first 50 pages. I’ve read a lot of male authors, but a librarian recently mentioned she mostly reads female authors, and I noticed I do tend to enjoy them more so plan to start paying better attention to who I let on my bookshelf.

Next up: The library just informed me that An American Marriage, Homegoing and Between the World and Me are ready, so those are my next 3. I also picked up G Willow Wilson’s latest graphic novel – Invisible Kingdom, she wrote the Ms Marvel series that I LOVED, I can’t wait to dive in to her new series!

Listening

Here’s a good list of books, tv shows, movies and podcasts to help educate you.

If you live in Oregon and haven’t read the OPB article about Oregon’s Racist history, there’s an audio version included and there’s also a good 5 minute Retropod episode that will give you a quick overview of what a terrible state we’ve been.

I read a different list that I can’t find to share (sorry!) that suggested What a Day as a podcast to listen to. I used to listen to it and stopped because I felt like it was redundant to news I already knew in the morning. BUT Akilah Hughes (one of the co-hosts) is delivering some great content around systemic racism and the history surrounding specific BLM events. Episodes are only 15-20 minutes, easy to listen to while getting ready in the morning or while driving to and from the gym.

I really enjoyed Winds of Change which just finished its 8 episode series. I wish it had a better final episode but maybe with some time away I’ll come to love it more. It does sound like there could be more to come from the story. It definitely filled a Russian/CIA/KGB hole in my heart left by The Americans, an all time favorite TV show.

Watching

My husband and I finally watched The Last Dance. As a kid who grew up in Oregon in the late 80’s/early 90’s and was a MAJOR Blazer’s fan, it was fun to watch the series and remember all of those players that I hated (did anyone ever like Bill Laimbeer?) It’s definitely Jordan’s version of history, but I still learned a few things and it was fun to have a bit of sport around.

When They See Us should be required viewing, it’s only four episodes and even though we have spread them out over a couple of weeks, it’s a horrible story that I didn’t know anything about. Watch it, be infuriated, keep going.

The Juneteenth episode of Black-ish was a great and easily digestible way to learn about this (soon to be national) holiday. If you’ve never watched Black-ish it’s really smart and worth watching. Then watch #blackAF on Netflix which is the same creator, Kenya Barris, who stars with Rashida Jones (Ann Perkins!) who I love so much.

We finished Top Chef and the right person won – I was VERY happy! Luckily to fill that foodie void is Padma Lakshmi’s new show on Hulu – Taste the Nation. It’s so well done – each episode tells about specific food cultures from immigrant groups. It’s been educational and the Gullah Geechee episode is free on YouTube, which was our favorite! We devoured the series and every episode had us curious to try or revisit foods we may have over looked.

Wyatt Cynac has a show on HBO that I completely missed – Problem Areas. I caught it on Hulu the other day – I was looking through the two seasons and discovered in the second season they go to Salem, Oregon and talk to the school district about mental health. It was FASCINATING. Once we finish Taste the Nation this is the next binge.

Also on YouTube is 8:46 a stand up special Dave Chappelle recorded earlier this month. It’s eye opening and smart and I wish I had started watching his work years ago.

I did also find time to watch Queer Eye, the first episode with the gay pastor was AWESOME, the rest of the season was also good, but man they started out with a bang. I also binged season 2 of The Politician. I liked that they didn’t try to tell too many stories and the comedic team of Judith Light and Bette Midler is still one I will always be shocked and delighted by. Over the weekend we enjoyed Uncorked on Netflix – a foodie movie that includes both wine AND BBQ? The movie was made for my husband and me. We also enjoyed Leslie Jones: Time Machine, the woman wore a knee brace for her standup special recording and I love her SO DAMN MUCH.

What pop culture kept you sane over the past month? Did you pick up any new recommendations based on the increased awareness of Black authors and creators? Did you find some good mental health breaks with pop culture? Share your new favorites in the comments!

May seemed to fly by faster than April did. Maybe it was that we turned our backyard into a dog park for Norm & Cliff so are enjoying more time outside. The warmer weather also helped. Pop culture continues to keep me sane this month. Thanks to attending another Bookish Happy Hour with the library this week my list of “to reads” is getting longer and longer…Here’s a few of my favorite pop culture finds over the past month. Please make sure to share yours in the comments – I am always up for new recommendations!

Reading

Becoming RBG was a nice graphic novel about Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s life. It was a gift from my dad and I’m not sure if he knew it was more of a young reader book, but it was fun to read her story and I’m happy to share it with kiddos in my life who need to learn about this hero. I then ready a very NOT child friendly graphic novel – November Volume I, by Portland comic book writer Matt Fraction. It’s a weird story but I liked it enough that I’ll complete the trilogy.

On vacation with a friend last year she handed me The Nest when she finished reading it. I figured now was a good time for a light and easy “beach read.” It’s a good story with some nice twists to it. Nothing amazing to write home about, but it was the easy read I needed after finally finishing The Starless Sea last month. I have a lot of other books on my shelf to read, but also a long list of new books I need to find. Might be time to finally do curbside pickup at Powell’s (I really need the library to open)…

Listening

I have a friend who has similar podcast taste and he texted me a few weeks ago to recommend We Crashed, about the rise and fall of WeWork. It was FASCINATING. I’d heard pieces of the story but hadn’t heard it all. If you like a good “guy sounds like a massive tool and gets his comeuppance” kind of story, this is it. It’s only 6 episodes and it’s really fascinating.

Now I’m in the midst of Wind of Change, an investigative series into whether the CIA wrote the hit power ballad by The Scorpions at the end of the Cold War. I’m learning a TON about the CIA during the cold war and the story is BANANAS. It’s still going on because I refuse to download Spotify to binge it. But that will probably change soon enough…

The Daily episode a few weeks ago about the Murder Hornets was fascinating if you’re curious what’s going on there. This weeks episode about USPS was really helpful too. And I’m grateful for Think Out Loud and OPB Politics Now for helping to keep us up to date in Oregon on reopening and our May election!

Games

I don’t usually talk about my obsession with the NYT Crossword mini, but it’s a thing. Last month I also discovered Tiles on the New York Times app and it is such a calming, zen like game to play. You can pay for the game app or play tiles 8 times a day for free. So far that’s been enough for me.

Last week one of my all time favorite pop culture writers, Whitney Matheson, mentioned a new app called I Love Hue Too. It is my new obsession (and probably why I should rewatch Upload, I was two screening with the game). It takes color hues and mixes up the pattern so you have to put it back. Again, it’s super soothing and zen like. I’m. Obsessed.

Watching

We finally finished Ozark and it was SO GOOD. If you need a good series right now that’s SUPER dark but a great story, this is it. We could only watch one episode a day – it was a lot to process. And I am grateful that my clients are so much easier to manage than Helen’s.

A few people had recommended Never Have I Ever on Netflix and it was SO GREAT. It’s produced by Mindy Kaling and a very smart show about an Indian American  teenager growing up in LA. The voiceover is John McEnroe, which makes NO sense but really ties the show together. Trust me. It’s awesome. I’m also enjoying #blackAF if only because Rashida Jones is so great. I tried a couple of episodes of Hollywood on Netflix and couldn’t get into it. It’s just not my jam, but if you like Ryan Murphy you may enjoy it.

Over on Hulu I devoured Mrs. America. I know it’s a fictionalized account of some characters but I learned a lot about everything that was going on during the Equal Rights Amendment work in the 70’s. I thought it wrapped up nicely.

I blew right through Run on HBO, with just 7 half hour episodes it’s a light and easy show. I love Merritt Weaver which won over my aversion to “hey lets have an affair” kind of shows. It’s just weird enough with some good twists I kept with it. And it’s all worth it for a very ridiculous minor character late in the series.

The best thing that happened over the past month was on April 30th – A Parks and Recreation Special. It was EXACTLY what I needed during quarantine. What is Leslie Knope doing? What do her binders say? I was SO HAPPY, and yeah I cried at the end. It also got me thinking about what other fictional towns and characters are doing right now. My friend and I went down a wild Gilmore Girls quarantine fan faction hole that we really should have shared with the internet.

The other day my brother suggested I check out Upload on Amazon Prime, and so I binged that this week. It was a clever show by Greg Daniels (creator/EP of The Office & Parks & Rec). It has a similar but different vibe to The Good Place – what if right before you die you could “upload” and then still communicate with your loved ones on earth? There’s a good mystery to it and the female lead, Nora, is an actress I hope I see for years to come!

That’s the pop culture that has kept me sane this past month, what about you? I’m excited for more warm days ahead to spend time outside with my pups and making a dent in my bookshelf and the laundry lists of books I want to read…

Stay Healthy, Stay Sane, Walk Your Dog…

Consuming pop culture in a pandemic is weird. Sometimes it’s great, but I am noticing the changes to my pop culture habits this past month. I can’t watch too much “dark” TV, news podcasts are fewer and further in between and books better be entertaining and escapist for me right now. What pop culture habits have you seen change over the past year month? Here’s a few things that got me through…

Reading

I FINALLY finished The Starless Sea and I didn’t like it. I mean, it was fine but it needed to be read on vacation over a couple of days where you could continue to pay attention to who was who and what all that flowery language in the beginning was referencing in the end of the book. I posted a comment on my Instagram and had multiple people agree and a few who actually loved it. I think those that enjoyed it were able to consume it in less than 3 months. So, take that note if you pick up the book (or want my copy – happy to pass it along!)

Inheritance by Dani Shapiro was my Pandemic Book Club book and it was a much easier read! Shapiro discovers through a DNA test that her father wasn’t her biological father. It was a fascinating story about a woman who’s parents had both passed away without sharing their secret. It’s a really interesting story. Fun fact – my dad was adopted and his birth family found him about 14 years ago. Somehow I find his story (and his birth mother’s) more interesting (big surprise). Still if you love a good WTF happened? this is worth it!

I’m not sure what’s up next – I need the weather to warm up. I have a stack of books on the table to get through, plus a bunch of new recommendations thanks to the library. Fun fact – my library does a Book-ish Happy Hour each week, which is now on Zoom (and open to anyone from anywhere!) if you’re stuck on what to read next, they can help! It’s low key and a smaller group so you get lots of great ideas tailored to you! Also – check out your own library, they might be almost as awesome as mine 😉

Listening

I’ve been catching up with Think Out Loud an OPB podcast with local news stories each day. It’s been a good way to keep up on local/state news especially with an upcoming election in May! I also appreciate OPB Politics Now for keeping me up to date. Family Secrets from Dani Shapiro (or Inheritance fame earlier in this blog post) has a GREAT podcast where people tell you about their crazy family secrets. Most of them have books or have written/spoken of their stories in other venues but man alive they’re crazy fascinating stories if you like that kind of thing (and I do!)

I’m also listening to more Steely Dan than usual (thanks dad?), the Trolls World Tour soundtrack is pretty great and other random pop music that keeps me moving.

Watching

My husband and I making our way through Ozark right now which is a REALLY good but hella dark show. We’re good for one episode at a time and we don’t make it every night. We’re about to start S3 so should be done by my next round up to fully discuss – which I know my in-laws can’t wait for either.

I mostly sobbed through the Schitts Creek finale, it was so fantastic. I did finally watch the Best Wishes, Warmest Regards documentary about the final season and it was lovely and man that show is so good. As per the usual, we’re on a Parks & Rec loop and can’t WAIT for the special episode tonight!

I LOVED Little Fires Everywhere, wow that was fantastic. It was weird to watch a show set while I was also in high school, so relating to the adults AND kids was kind of weird. It was great. If you have Hulu jump on this show! I’m also enjoying Mrs. America on Hulu. I didn’t know the story of Phylis Schlafley and really not a ton about the ERA work and who all was involved with it, so I tend to learn something new each episode.

The SNL at Home episodes have been weird, but I’ve appreciated them. They’re trying something that I think a LOT more shows are going to have to figure out in the coming months. I was sad the Gretchen Whitmer sketch was cut for time last week, it was so great!

I really enjoyed this season of Brooklyn 99 – the dance number in the finale was FANTASTIC. Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist continues to be the perfect show for right now. Trust me, watch it. Also, both seasons of New York & Beverly Hills Housewives are keeping me sane. There’s nothing better than a bunch of crazy rich women who have no idea what’s coming complaining about NOTHING. My husband and I are also grateful for the return of Top Chef, although it REALLY has us missing going out for dinner. I miss restaurants and not having to clean up after dinner…

The other day my brother texted the family to demand we all start watching Never Have I Ever, and he was right, it’s AWESOME. We only watched the pilot but we’ll binge the rest over the next week or so – it’s the kind of show we need right now! Plus, John McEnroe does the voice over which is super random for a show about an Indian American teenage girl…

Okay, that’s it for the month – what pop culture is saving you and your quarantine companions lately?