Hey Dan,
Great questions, and it's heartening to remain connected with you and the others good folks.
Given the year that we've had under the deranged monster, I've been uncertain as to what to post. I actually contemplated tossing out my list of his top 50 to 100 outrages, from the absolutely horrific (the carnage we've seen, and far more yet to see with respect to the obliteration of USAID), to the less consequential though surely grotesque acts of narcissism (renaming the Kennedy Center and seeking to put his ugly mug on our coins). But why undertake such a soul-crushing act? Part of me just needs to remember how far we've fallen, because you just forget, because it's every day! Still, I long to wake up to hear that he's left us! So enough already!
My favorite concert of the year was Jeff Rosenstock in Boston. I've rattled off enough of my favorite cuts of his, and I have Frank Turner in February in Connecticut!
As far as movies, I really liked the Springsteen flick, Deliver Me From Nowhere. The nuclear war film, House of Dynamite was riveting. Also, two films with Cillian Murphy: Steve and Small Things Like These. Matthew McConaughey was outstanding in the gripping tale of the California wildfires, The Lost Bus. My wife and I were really, really disappointed by One Battle After Another and Sinners. The World Will Tremble, a Holocaust film was also impressive. Honestly, I've forgotten a lot, and I'm sure I have yet to see many gems.
Streaming shows that I enjoyed included The Pitt, Adolescence, Task, White Lotus, Blue Lights, Informer, Death By Lightning. I was underwhelmed by Pluribus and my wife really disliked it.
Podcasts: My longstanding faves are Sam Harris's Making Sense and Andrew Sullivan's The Dishcast, The Prof G Podcast (Scott Galloway), The Poetry of Reality (Richard Dawkins). This year, I've added, and thoroughly enjoyed The David Frum Show, The Bulwark Podcast (Tim Miller). I pretty much dropped Bill Maher, both Real Time on HBO, and his podcast, Club Random, as I continue to be disgusted that he would sit down to dinner with the monster, absolutely inexcusable to dine with someone so covered in the bloody of the world's most vulnerable people.
I just found a Youtube video about Kathryn's amazing WWll museum in Australia. She and her husband John have built a simply fantastic memorial to Australia's contribution to the war effort. It's remarkable what they accomplished! Here's a short video. I hope she won't mind my sharing it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzEfBrjZxog
A few random thoughts: I am jealous of those who have already obtained a copy of The Fire Agent. Can't wait, and sure hope that David comes to the Boston/Cambridge area for a reading!
EEE, where art thou?
Reg, are you okay, sir?
Again, thanks for keeping the lights on here, Dan, and looking forward to staying connected in 2026.
Peter T.
