Greetings from the end of 2023,
I worried that being a new parent would mean less personal time. This deficit of hours would translate to fewer books, reduced hours of TV, and listening to less of the music I love, and more of the music Sid enjoys. I have found this to be mostly untrue, largely in part, to the extensive touring and travel schedule we embarked upon this spring and summer. On countless flights, and bus rides I fell down a deep rabbit hole of (re) viewing my all-time favourite TV shows.
While at home, my daily commute to the office carves out at least an hour for podcasts, music, or audio books. While I previously held little interest in round table discussions or “talk radio,” I have increasingly found comfort engaging with political content that fits this exact description. Listening to people I consider smarter, and more informed, engaging in real-time discussions across a range of topics, has been an enriching experience.
Despite noticing a significant decrease in my personal reading, I’ve spent a considerable amount of the last six months reading to and with Sid. He is a parrot, and repeats everything we say. Some words spill from his mouth, flawlessly, while others, like “strawberry,” confidently morph into shorter, adorable renditions, like “straw-be.”
Overall, it has been a fantastic year of consuming, and being consumed by art! EVEN WITH A CHILD.
Audiobooks
Beginning in 2020, my insatiable appetite for audio has meant a full embracing of audiobooks. I specifically enjoy listening to non-fiction and memoir and find it even better if the author reads it themselves.
Spare by Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex
Monsters by Claire Dederer - This book rearranged my brain
Unscripted By James B. Stewart, Rachel Abrams
An Immense World by Ed Yong
A Thread of Violence by Mark O’Connell
Deserving of mention for all time: No Visible Bruises by Rachel Louise Snyder
Books
Doppelganger by Naomi Klein -Hands down my favourite book of the year
Conundrum by Jan Morris -A complicated read, written a very long time ago, but gorgeous writing none the less. Here is a strong review that captures the “conundrum of conundrum”
Podcasts
Bone Valley- Stunningly good reporting, and writing.
Hard Fork- I love this show, but this episode especially.
The Daily- I can’t live without it.
Matter of Opinion- Are you a real adult if you don’t listen to talk radio?
The Ezra Klein Show- Ezra’s searching, nuanced conversations about the war have been profound. Also, this episode about gender narratives has stuck with me for months.
The Run-Up -A must for this political season
Too Far- These two have made me cry-laugh, cringe, and feel strangely comforted during a strange season of life.
The Coldest Case in Laramie- Soundtrack in Palm Springs, Sid on my chest, and cold early morning walks last February.
This American Life - Do you like to cry?
Deserving of mention for all time: S-Town
Favourite Kid Books
Love you Forever (I can’t read this one all the way through because I always start crying)
TV
I am re-watching my all time favourites, but a few new seasons stuck in my brain.
Sopranos- Each time I re-watch this series, i’m reminded of how truly magnificent James Gandolfini was as Tony Soprano. I think it is truly my favourite show of all time.
The Leftovers
The Wire
Mad Men- Re-watching this series again I find myself thinking about Sid, and if one day, he will watch shows and feel nostalgia for the decades before he was born.
Succession- Brilliant writing.
Mind Hunter- What does it say about me that I take comfort it rewatching this series?
Band of Brothers- Ditto, above.
Better Call Saul
Girls- So much funnier than I remembered it
The Bear
Movies
Stacy and I have a tradition of watching a movie a night during the holidays, so this list is a bit light as of publication.
Oppenheimer
Barbie
In the Mood for Love at VIFF- If you’ve never seen it, you should! Chungking Express is also gorgeous. When I first moved to Montreal I lived near walking distance to Cinema Du Parc, and I saw In the Mood For Love there twice. In my 20s I rented Wong Kar Wai’s other films over and over, before finally buying them for myself.
Killers of the Flower Moon- Lily Gladstone, wow-wee.
May December
Maestro- I wept throughout this film. Maybe my favourite of the year.
Love you forever fucks me up every single time. Highly recommend Red is Best.
Good for you, Sara, that you have mastered the art of Motherhood, having a career and creative time for yourself! And don’t forget to credit yourself for a great long-term partnership with your wife!