What I'm Into: Books, Beats, Battlestar Galactica
October 2014
Acquaintance turned internet friend turned actual friend Leigh Kramer publishes a monthly "What I'm Into" link up and I've been planning on participating since August. If you head over to her site, you can read her likes and recommendations, plus see all of the link ups. I'm readying my GoodReads and Spotify playlists in anticipation.
Here are some things I've been into this month...
Books:
October was a book heavy month for me, probably because I had more free time than usual (more on that another time).
This year, I've been hosting an online book club (transparency: some months have been popular, some have been lonely) revolving around Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next Series. Coming into October, my only expectation was to read and start message boards for the sixth book in the series, One of Our Thursdays is Missing. If you like to read (or claim all out book nerd status, as I do), I can't recommend this series enough. It ca get a little dad-joke heavy in places, but is mostly a dream world for readers.
Early in the month, though, I was invited by our wonderful link-up leader Leigh to a Coffee with Authors panel that was a part of the Southern Festival of Books. I'd always wanted to attend a SFoB event, so this was something I could mark off my Nashville bucket list. The panel was sponsored by the WNBA (not the one you're thinking of) and featured women authors (which you could probably guess, regardless of which WNBA you thought of). That morning, Mary Laura Philpott of Parnassus Books led Nadia Hashimi, Gabrielle Zevin, Ann Weisgarber and Lily King in a discussion of their writing processes, publishing stories, and also their actual works. I read as many of their books as I could fit in as prep, and I enjoyed seeing how while stylistically different, all four writers spoke volumes on family relationships and the roles of female characters in context with other family and household members. You can see information about their books on my "October Reads" GoodReads shelf.
Now, a poll: While it hasn't necessarily succeeded as a book club, I have LOVED reading books about the same character/by the same author this year...and not clumped together in a binge, Hunger Games-style. For 2015, I've considered doing John Le Carre's George Smiley books - does that sound interesting to anyone who'd want to read along with me, or do you have any recommendations?
Beats:
I'm only mentioning this because October gave me a case of the sads, music-wise. Due to some life circumstances, I had to bow out of ACL 2014 and miss the Avetts, Beck, OUTKAST, and everybody else. Don't worry, my 2015 wristband is already acquired.
I have been listening to SOHN quite a bit, though, in anticipation of seeing them at FFFFest - they're like early Mikky Ekko, but with a slightly higher production value (sorry, it's true).
Aside from actual beats, I can't recommend the Serial podcast enough - and you don't have to look far to find that everyone else in the world is listening, too. If you're one of the few people who haven't listened yet, PUH-LEASE go back and listen; we're only six episodes in and it will be easy for you to catch up!
Battlestar Galactica:
Not really. I've never watched BG.
If you know me and my TV tastes, you know that sitcoms aren't really my thing. I know that I'd enjoy some of them (Community, The Mindy Project), because I'm intrigued and amused while reading about them in my Twitter feed, but if I'm going to commit time to something, it's probably going to be a one hour drama.
Well, this Fall, Selfie has come into my life. Selfie. SELFIE! The least likely sitcom that I should love. I gave it a chance primarily because of John Cho and secondarily because of Karen Gillan, and I'm glad I did. It's cute and light, yet has a heartening amount of social commentary on the state of, well, social media and technology and how it affects real-world relationships (...::she says as she blogs::...). Tip from someone on the other side: Give it at least three episodes. That third one is a treasure.
But now back to one hour dramas - two things I'm loving this season:
- Regularly scheduled Doctor Who - it's the first season I've been able to watch week-to-week.
- The Walking Dead. This show is the best of both worlds (SPOILERS ---->) - week one had all the zombie killing and week two had all of the relationship development. Plus a Carol and Daryl reunion, y'all!
What I'm looking forward to:
- Two words. One legend. GARTH. BROOKS.
- Visiting my BFF Brooke, FFFFest, Austin in general
- Justin Townes Earle at the Ryman
- A new Stephen King book!
- THE AMERICANS. (Get ready, y'all. It's coming November 6.)
- Thanksgiving - The perfect holiday for introverts who love to visit family and eat comfort food while not dealing with Christmas stress.
