Media

(Last updated: 10/04/26)

Books

On my bedside table pile right now:

• Poems of the Decade 2011-2020 from the Forward Prize for Poetry. I love anthologies as a way to be introduced to so many different new poets, and I loved the previous collection.
• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. It's been too long, I've held out against spoilers too long, time to buckle in and actually read it.
• New Feminist Art Criticism edited by Katy Deepwell.
• The Hundreds by Lauren Berlant and Kathleen Stewart. I LOVED Stewarts' Ordinary Affects and it's been crawling all over my brain and giving me writing ideas, so I'm excited to read more.
• The Winners by Frederik Backman. The previous two books in this series have been incredible and also wrecked me, so I'm both excited and terrified to read the last one.
• What Is to Be Done? by Vladimir Lenin.
• A bunch of books recommended by hockey players for a project I'm working on!

I will note, there is nothing that I love more than recommending people books and I have a comprehensive categorisation system to help me with this, so please if you are ever unsure of what to read, let me know and I will try my best to find something good for you!

Movies & TV

My all-time favourite TV show is Riverdale, and yes I am serious about that. So serious, in fact, that I presented a talk on it, entitled "Can Riverdale Ever Jump the Shark?". The talk notes and slides are available. I'm also eagerly awaiting the news season of Interview with the Vampire, and I loved watching Wayward recently. I love a weird gothic show :)

Regarding movies I've been trying to watch more as of late, and you may view my opinions on letterboxd dot com. And! I have lots more I'm excited to watch too. I'm struggling to convince people to watch some of them with me... but I'll manage eventually.

Sports

I am kept sane by year-round sports. NHL through the winter, F1 through the summer, and MLB to plug the gaps. I am a super-mega fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins & Oscar Piastri and my allegiances are currently shaky in baseball... My dad will disown me if I stray from the Yankees but I spent so much time watching the Blue Jays through last year's playoffs that they've started really charming me ;)

Music

Inspired (blatantly stolen) from my wonderful friend Anna, I am going to try my best to update my song of the week :) This list aims to collect songs that feel like they're going to kick their way out of my chest when I listen to them. If I also end up looking really stupid dancing to them at the bus stop because I literally cannot stop myself that is often a corollary.

For past songs of the week & my thoughts on them, check out the archive here: Song Archive

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Hello everybody my dearly beloved hockey team has officially clinched the playoffs so this week we are reviewing my skating playlist.

More on said dearly beloved hockey team: I have already made perhaps too many people watch their video for clinching but you should watch it anyway. I woke up and cried real tears and then I watched this video and then cried more real tears. I actually could go on and on but that's not the point of this blog, which is to talk about music. Here's the down low: pittsburgh is the city of love, twenty-one years of true love, you said we couldn't fucking do it so we did, belief can go a long way.

More on my skating playlist: Everyone say thank you Fern for convincing me to go ice skating for the first time in many years a few months ago and thus beginning an obsession that continues to consume me. I am having wonderful fun and word on the street is that I am now incredibly hench and built etc etc (no but for real I keep discovering various physical activities that I can in fact do !? it's incredible !?). Also everyone thank hockey man Steve for a) teaching me how to use my new skates and b) giving me the confidence to try out hockey for real. Anyway, every week I spend a bunch of time at the rink on my own and the music they play is total dogshit so I have constructed my own playlist of music that much better fits the mood and tone of skating around in anti-clockwise circles and trying my learn to skate skills. The criteria is nebulous, I'll be honest. 1) The songs may not have quiet moments because then I have to hear Let It Go (which they play with distressing regularity). 2) The songs must make me feel cool and/or hype so that I don't get frustrated when I badly do a one-foot glide for the 480th time. 3) I must associate the songs with hockey and/or figure skating in some vague way.

The review:

1. PUCK BUNNY by Jeweleye -- I've been super obsessed with this one & it's my song of the week. Fun, pop-y, electric, on-theme, literally what more could you want. All of Jeweleye's limited catalogue is loads of fun, and I'd really recommend you check it out, he deserves more listeners in MY opinion. I think the Flowers EP is particularly worth a listen for weird crunchy atmospheric music that I think fans of Ethel Cain will particularly enjoy.
2. Filth abd Boys & Girls by CHRIS CASEY -- Another recent new discovery I've been LOVING !! There's people out there making fun as hell music guys. I mean, fun as hell other than the lyrics which cut a little close to home to be completely enjoyable, but that's part of why it's great. Clearly I've been on a bit of an electric kick :)
3. Gentleman by Towa Bird -- I saw Towa Bird open for Renee Rapp last year and she was possibly the best part of the entire show. Short fast songs that sweep you away in a swirl of classic rock.
4. Think I'm in Love With You by Chris Stapleton -- It's music I associate with hockey, you really thought you'd get away without MORE COUNTRY !? Yeah, right. Stapleton is a staple (ha! ha!) of the hockey players rotation, but unlike Morgan Wallen he actually makes music that's good, lol. This is a fun laid-back song that makes you feel like either sweeping around the rink or a dance floor in big smooth arcs.
5. WELTiTA and VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR by Bad Bunny will NOT be re-reviewed because I did already just talk about them recently. But, you know, they're on there.
6. Bible Belt by Travis Tritt -- I was introduced to this absolute banger in the end credits of My Cousin Vinny which is a very funny film you should all watch. It's fast and exciting country-rock with lyrics that make me laugh every time I focus in. Also, yes, MORE country WAS REQUIRED !!! I've actually kept it quite conservative (although hopefully not Conservative. You never know with country).
7. Various song from Linkin Park, particularly Faint -- Ok so here's my theory. I think Linkin Park sits at the perfect intersection between "emo" and "music hockey players would realistically listen to". Tell me you can't imagine, like, Trevor Zegras or Will Smith (Hockey) driving home from a bad game listening to Linkin Park. I also listened to a lot of Linkin Park with my dad's best friend who is a big Maple Leafs fan, so it's all tied up together in my brain. Also, most importantly, Linkin Park bangs.
8. Praise You by Fatboy Slim -- Every few months I rediscover Praise You and everytime it's a fantastic song. What can I say. Was watching the world's greatest hockey team (the Pittsburgh Penguins) last week and they played this over a montage and it was pitch-perfect.
9. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton -- Ok this song's why I added the addendum about reminding me of figure skating lol, this is really the only one. Also I can't explain the connection you just have to feel it (but I believe in your ability to do so). Someone's gonna do an incredible free skate to this track in a few years and then I'll be vindicated, just you wait.

Love you guys, chat soon <3

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