2020: the year with no end in sight. 2021: the year with the hint of dawn. We shall see if it disappoints. Regardless, I’ve tired of sitting on my ass creatively the past year. My output consisted of this monthly blog, scraps I produced during my writing group on Saturdays (virtual, obviously), and mercifully I was able to return to photography near the end of the year. This was absolutely fine for survival mode. But I’ve lived with pandemic rules for nearly a year now. Time to step up my game.

I’m still getting my ducks in a row. I treat the whole month of January as prep for the coming year (December is for doing nothing). Yet, I’ve managed to write nearly every day since returning to work. I pack up my desk at the end of the day and set back up at an adjacent desk to write for an hour in lieu of my beloved coffee shops. It is working so far.

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This month’s playlist:

The Last of Us Part II

Very few video games have elicited deep emotional reactions from me. Shadow of the Colossus nearly broke my heart. Brütal Legend made me laugh out loud and brought me to the verge of tears. The Last of Us made me weep in the first five minutes and left me distraught at the end. I had high expectations for Part II.

I think it is hard to overstate how well realized the characters are in The Last of Us. Gameplay flows effortlessly into scripted moments and back again — the cutscene character doesn’t feel any different from the gameplay character. Immersion usually breaks at that transition. They feel like two different things. Not so in The Last of Us Part II. Whether Ellie is shot in a cutscene or in gameplay, it conjures the same surprise and rage.

The Last of Us is infamous for being a bleak affair. It is dark, tragic, brutal. I expect the ending to be especially challenging. What I did not expect were moments of pure, heart-filling joy. This game brims with emotion. And I want to feel all of it.

i've never had more fun in a museum than in the last of us part 2

— lucius (@patendude) January 23, 2021

WildLife (2018)

I have not ever watched a more emotionally perverse movie. I’ll need to visit this one again.

Barry (2018 —)

I don’t doubt for a moment that Bill Hader is a lethal assasin in this series. The legitmematly good action moments aren’t overshadowed by Hader’s legendary comedic chops. What a great blend of comedy, action, drama. (Also, Anthony Carrigan’s NoHo Hank may be the best thing since sliced bread).

H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction

I’ve been picking away at this for… awhile. The early stuff just isn’t that great and I’ve only dug one short story so far. Here’s to hoping Lovecraft hits his stride soon. I am game for some weird fiction inspiration.

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This month I also recapped the past year in photos, and discussed short documentary production.