play list: march 2018
We surveyed our team to find out what everyone is reading, listening to, watching, and playing. The resulting lists were unpredictable, yet made total sense, and are definitely worth a look when you have some time to kill.
Books
Becky: I’m reading Lincoln in the Bardo, a novel by George Saunders, and it’s so bizarre I’m not sure I can recommend it yet. A lot of his short stories are quick, absurdist takes on consumer culture, but this is entirely different. Historical paranormal fiction, sort of scripted like a play. It’s nuts.
Kevin: Last year, I read The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***. It’s about priorities, and among other things it reminded me to allocate my mental space more constructively.
Jordan: Robert A. Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. I usually read fantasy epics, but decided to venture back into the sci-fi realm. Heinlein's book shows up on "must read" lists, so I decided to pick it up.
Olivia: I’m currently reading One Hundred Years of Solitude. I started it because I had to borrow a book and it was my best option. I had always been too intimated to read it, but it’s actually really funny and outlandish.
Jeff: Batman: White Knight. A miniseries dedicated to a deconstructive narrative style about Batman’s world and characters. Sean Murphy’s dynamic, gritty, and simultaneously precise art style fits Gotham City perfectly. Like all good comic books, White Knight uses these fictional icons to reflect on the state of the world and has something to say about it.
Music
Micah: Listening to a lot of Portugal. The Man recently. Really enjoying their Woodstock album.
Becky: My favorite album lately is Waxahatchee’s Out in the Storm, which I spent a lot of time with before interviewing her for The Oklahoman. It’s a whole album that feels like the first morning you wake up and realize you feel good after wallowing in something really awful for a while.
Sarah: Tycho. A band I've known for a while, but come back to again and again. They specialize in electronic space-like instrumental music that is great for listening to when concentrating on work or playing a game.
Kevin: This time of the year I like to listen to Bob Marley, which I find relaxing when working with a busy schedule. You can’t go wrong with Exodus, and then I like to let Spotify create a station based on that, and branch out from there.
Olivia: SZA–Obama’s a fan too!
TV Shows
Sarah: The Great British Bake Off. A British baking competition show. I just finished one of the newer seasons, and it's a great light competition show where you get to see all kinds of yummy desserts.
Jordan: Star Trek (any and all of their series) and Firefly are basically playing on loop at my home.
Becky: I recently finished season one of GLOW on Netflix. That’s maybe out of character, but I watched the original series as a kid and, for a very short while, totally understood why people like wrestling. The show is really well done, so funny and so brutal, and I love how much of the production staff is female.
Micah: I'm into science fiction, and the best show I've watched in that genre recently is The Expanse.
Olivia: I’m rewatching Mad Men for the third time. I love the set and costumes but even more so the strange dialogue and left turns in the plot.
Movies
Olivia: Shape of Water was a delightful mash-up of genres! Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.
Jeff: Blade Runner 2049. A movie no one saw last year for no good reason. It’s beautifully shot and full of great performances. Like the original, and all great sci-fi movies, its themes and visuals will bounce around in your head long after the credits roll.
Kevin: Running Scared, which is the most underrated comedy I’ve ever seen.
Micah: I would recommend Flash Gordon, but that's a bit obvious. I like to watch indie films from time to time, and one of my favorites that I have to recommend is Sing Street.
Sarah: Thor Ragnarok. A really unique take on a superhero movie, mixing a lot of great action and comedy. Loved the weird and interesting characters. One of the few movies I've seen recently where I've been super excited to see it a second time.
Games
Jordan: Civilization V. A very addictive game that I recently bought off Steam.
Micah: PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds). Stressful? Yes, but amazingly fun and addictive. Always playing for that next chicken dinner.
Jeff: The Room: Old Sin. I promise this has nothing to do with Tommy Wiseau! It’s a beautifully intricate, yet uncomplicated, escape room-style puzzle game. And you can play it on your phone for less than five bucks.
Sarah: Planet Coaster. A theme park builder/simulator. If you liked the old Roller Coaster Tycoon games then you'd probably like this. A spiritual successor to that franchise and a ton of fun.
Kevin: Dice with Buddies is the perfect way for me to fill any small amount of downtime. Wanna get on my good side? Get the app, then play me: ThatKevinHanleyGuy.