I am out of the office. Do not contact me. Unless you want to hear my Logan Roy impression.

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This month’s playlist:

Little Women

I never got around to reading the book in high school, though my sister and mother spoke of it highly. I’d usually think of that Friends episode when Little Women was mentioned.

I prefer reading before watching. But this Christmas, Greta’s version was put on the TV and my presence was mandatory.

Stunning performances. Loved the nonlinear storytelling. I laughed, my eyes leaked, my new year resolution is to read the novel.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

All we had growing up were the Star Trek feature films and the few odd Next Generation episodes recorded onto VHS tape. I’ve been meaning to properly watch through TNG before moving onto Deep Space Nine. Let the voyage commence.

A comforting and genuinely funny show.

Loop Hero

Help. Another game that has captured the spirit of Civilizations’s fabled “one more turn.” Please, I need sleep.

Excellent combo of resource management/deck building and mysterious lore. One more loop.

The Bible

Read through the whole ding dang thing this year. An exercise in discipline. Some interesting bits, many boring. I tried to approach it with fresh eyes with my current understanding of this collection of documents and letters. It’s comforting to have touched every bit of it recently. I feel better equipped for some tough conversations.

I think this sums the overarching theme I found.

”Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door.” — Ezekiel 16:49 NLT

Pandora

When I need music, I’m looking for a sonic hobbit hole in which to focus. I want to hit the play button and go. That is Pandora’s one trick and it’s yet to be bested.

The OG music streamer is still alive (though Rdio isn’t, RIP), yet far from the limelight. It even offers the same features as the services that supplanted it. But all I care about are its original “radio stations.” They remain the industry standard. Serving tracks of exactly what you want while slipping something new in here and there. I have Pandora to thank for my favorite discoveries.

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Git!