September certainly flew right by, and that blunt change of weather was certainly unexpected, although I think we all know the rain is needed around here in the Northwest! Sunny afternoons quickly turned to rainy days this month, but my pop culture consumption continued! Here’s a few things that helped me transition from summer to fall…

Listening

The Michael Jackson podcast Think Twice was a good challenge to think about the artist v. the art. Which is a conversation we’ve been having a lot of over the past few years. I think we can all agree MJ was incredibly talented, but wowza was he a bad person. There were pieces to the story I didn’t remember, or know so it was good to get that recapped.

I finally started listening to Murder in Oregon about the murder of Michael Franke back in 1989. I didn’t realize that the murder has never been solved. I grew up in Salem when this happened and I remember hearing his name a lot. I also forgot until the podcast that the DA’s kids went to my elementary school and I remember a couple of times that our school would go on lock down because of threats to the family. If you grew up in Oregon or just enjoy some good true crime, this is (so far) a great podcast.

Reading

It’s been a long time since I stopped reading (or listening) to a book, but I can not finish Pageboy. I know it’s the “it” memoir of the summer but it’s jarring in its storytelling style. If you’ve read it, you know what I mean. If it’s on your list or you’ve read it I’m curious to know what you thoughts!

I did really enjoy Megan Rapinoe’s memoir One Life which was a great audiobook. It was a quick and interesting story about her life, and although not intentional, it was perfect timing with her final match coming up.

I finally read This is How You Lose the Time War, which is this book that no one will tell you anything about except to say YOU SHOULD READ IT. I agree, you should read it, and I will also say, it’s a perfect weekend quick read – just keep going it pays off I promise.

I really enjoyed Nora Goes Off Script last year and worried her next book wouldn’t stack up, but Same Time Next Summer was a great end of summer rom com that I needed! I also really enjoyed The Celebrants but didn’t love the section v. chapter style (I know, just give me chapters, the shorter the better).

Watching

Last month my husband and I got sucked into a Sister Wives binge and we are finally caught up to live. There’s a lot to be said about reality TV and the choices that people make, but after 18 seasons, it’s still wild that Kody thinks the camera confessionals are therapy and not going to make him sound like a horrible husband and human. I’m glad that some of the wives have found the support to leave.

Speaking of polygamy… I finally watched Under the Banner of Heaven and it was really good, intense, but good. If you like a good Mormon polygamist sect story, this is for you. Then I read this piece from my favorite journalist Leah Sottile about Tim Ballard (of the “popular” film Sound of Freedom) and it all sort of came together that these two stories were connected. WILD.

We’ve binged the final season of Reservation Dogs and just have the finale left. Every episode this season has been fantastic and I have loved the stories of the elders and parents and these amazing three generations (and beyond of course) of people.

What have you been reading/watching/listening to lately? What are you excited about as we head into fall? The final season of Big Mouth? A new Naomi Alderman book? Britney Spears memoir? Yeah, me too.

This month included a lot of baseball, a trip to the coast with Norm & Cliff and a train trip to visit a friend, all resulting in some great pop culture consumption time, which I always love this time of year. Here’s what I read, watched and listened to while the dogs snoozed or were on a walk this month.

Reading

August was a good book month for me! I didn’t read as much as a I expected, but I read good stuff! Daisy Jones and the Six was just as fun and fantastic as everyone said it would be. I do NOT recommend watching the show adaptation immediately after, I did and ended up super angry at how many (dumb, weird, unnecessary) changes they made. I bet in six months I would have forgotten a few more things and liked it.

A friend of mine texted and asked if I’d ever read The Giver, yes the book you may have read in elementary school about children being told what they do with their lives (super Hunger Games vibes). Anyway, I hadn’t and so picked it up at the library for a quick read. It was GREAT, and the reason I read it was because of this article interviewing the “highest grossing female director”, Greta Gerwig about her inspiration for Weird Barbie. If you’ve seen Barbie, check out this article and maybe give The Giver a read, I thought it was great.

I Have Some Questions for You has been on my to be read list for a while, and I was so happy when it showed up just in time for a trip to the coast where I could get in some good reading time. It was GREAT. An excellent mystery and great twists along the way. I highly recommend it if you are a true crime podcast junkie.

Listening

Someone (and I can’t remember who – if it’s you please respond in the comments to get proper credit!) suggested Think Twice the new Michael Jackson podcast to me, and it is a slower burn than I expected but still excellent. It starts as the child sex abuse charges are unfolding and then goes back to his childhood and through his whole career. It’s a fascinating reminder of ALL that Michael Jackson accomplished in his life, and all the flags and warnings that were ignored. Side note: if you haven’t watched the Brooke Shields documentary on Hulu, it’s great and she talks about her relationship with Michael.

I have had a big ole crush on Timothy Olyphant since Justified was first on, so when I saw he was a guest on Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers I was super excited. He was so funny and the conversation between the three was very entertaining and made for a quick trip home from the coast.

Watching

I need you all to stop what you’re doing to watch the two seasons of Somebody, Somewhere on Max. There’s only seven episodes a season, this is an easy weekend binge of this sweet, funny, raunchy and wonderful show about a woman in Kansas dealing with her aging parents, the death of her sister and the quirky characters in Manhattan, KS. I loved it and should not have watched it on a train, people were concerned with my laughing.

We FINALLY watched Season 2 of The Bear and loved it/maddened by that finale. Each episode is really intense and really fantastic and if you’ve ever enjoyed a dining experience you need to watch this series, it’s so great.

I’m finishing up a few other shows that I’ll hopefully remember to talk about next month. What pop culture have you been consuming this summer? Anything I missed?

My birthday month did NOT disappoint my friends. Multiple movies in a THEATER, all the baseball, and an EPIC Parks & Rec themed birthday party. All of that along with some live theatre and an addictive new podcast, I hope you’re having a good pop culture month too. Here’s a few things I loved this month…

Reading

I finished The Daydreams while on vacation at the end of last month and really enjoyed it. It reminded me of the time on Saved By the Bell where they started a band (yes, deep cut for you kids of the early 90’s). So, take that piece of information with you if you decide to read it. It was a fun and easy vacation read.

Flux was probably a book better to read on vacation – it’s a dense (but not long) science fiction book that I think would be better if I could have binged it in a couple of days. I think I liked it, I really need someone else to read it so I can discuss. Please hurry up.

After Flux I knew I needed something lighter and The Club was it! I really enjoyed this book, it’s one of those stories with narrative told through multiple characters, so after a couple chapters I had everyone figured out and then it got juicy. If you like rich people and celebrities behaving ridiculously, this is a good one with a nice murder mystery thrown in! A perfect vacation or weekend read.

Listening

For my birthday my dad and I went to see Lyle Lovett and His Large Band out at the Grand Lodge and it was an AWESOME concert. Dad’s seen Lyle four times now and this was my first. I won’t miss him again, it’s such a fun show and the large band are all incredibly talented. A great summer evening concert. My husband and I saw the Indigo Girls on our anniversary trip and they were also a very fun concert!

We listened to the first three episodes of Family Trips with the Meyers Brothers on our anniversary trip last month and it was SO FUN. It was nice to listen to something light hearted, I’m excited to listen to a couple more on our trip to the coast this weekend. I’m a big Seth Meyers fan and my dad tipped me off to Neal Brennan’s interview with Seth on The Blocks Podcast. If you’re an SNL/Seth Meyers fan this was a good listen!

Into It, Vibe Check and Deja News have been keeping me going this month, but we need to talk about SCAMANDA…

My dad mentioned this great new podcast he was listening to and I should check out. I was listening to an audiobook so put it on my list and mentioned it to a friend who loves true crime. Then this past week I needed something to listen to and promptly devoured all 8 episodes (and the 4 bonus eps) This story is WILD. A mom with cancer starts a blog talking about all her treatment and what’s going on, becomes a poster child of faith at church, speaks regularly and the church fundraises for her and her family… but…maybe she doesn’t have cancer? The story is BONKERS and very sadly true. If you liked Inventing Anna and need a crazy twisty true crime pod (without the murder) this is for you.

Watching

I don’t go to the movie theater very often, so getting there three times this month was a feat! The month started with Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. It was super fun, and while over the top, I did love the addition of Phoebe Waller-Bridge who I love. The acknowledgment that Indy has aged was also pretty funny and well handled I thought. The Barbie Movie is everything I could have wanted and more. It was the most fun I’ve had at a movie in a very long time, and wow is it PINK. Love Barbie or hate her, this is a fun time at the theater with a great message for men and women of all ages.

Primo is the family show you didn’t know you need to watch. A sweet story about a teenager in Texas growing up with his overbearing latino uncles and single mom. It is so funny and smart. It was created by Shea Serrano and produced by Mike Shur (Parks & Rec, Brooklyn 99, The Good Place, all the shows you know and love) so you know it’ll be GREAT.

I am sad that The Other Two is over but those three seasons were quite a wild ride! We have finally binged the first full season on The Bear and will be watching the second season soon, I promise!

Oh and we had a live theatre experience too this month! My friend and I saw the musical Six this week and it was a BLAST! I had no idea what I was in for – a musical about the six wives of Henry XIII. Sure, that sounds fun, it looks sparkly and like a good night out. What I wasn’t expecting was a 90 minute girl group concert that was such a fun evening at the theater! If it comes to your town, go. It’ll fill that Barbie/Taylor Swift hole in your entertainment heart.