NEW YEAR ENTERTAINMENT VOLUME ONE
- Dawn Shannon
- Jan 10, 2018
- 6 min read
Wow, it's only been one week, and already I'm jonesing for more entertainment in the new year. At Dawn Says, boredom is death. Who wants to be bored? I do not. So, to that end, how shall we entertain ourselves?
Let's begin...
WHAT I'M WATCHING/WHAT YOU SHOULD BE WATCHING
1. "Counterpart" (available on STARZ)
The excellent actor J.K. Simmons has a terrific show coming out on STARZ, Sunday, January 21, 2018. I know I will be watching after I spied this trailer. Why don't you give it a whirl? The trailer is below...
2. "The Magicians" (available on SYFY/SYFYONDEMAND, Season 3 starts Wed. Jan. 10, 2018)
I rarely get as hooked on shows as I have on this show. I even went out and purchased the books, that's how much I love this show. It's "Harry Potter" for adults. Check out the Season One trailer....
3. "AP BIO"(available on NBC Feb. 1)
Some of you may know Glenn Howerton from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". However, this show is his baby, so to speak. The trailer looks delightful.
An article on Deadline said the following: The sneak is set for 9:30 PM Thursday, February 1, with Will & Grace as the lead-in. The next two episodes — and the pilot — will be available on the NBC app, Hulu and NBC O&Os’ sites on February 2. The d-episodes then will air when A.P. Bio returns on NBC: first at 10:30 PM Sunday, February 25, immediately following the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony, and then at 8:30 PM Thursday, March 1. The show then settles into its regular 9:30 PM slot.
4. "The Chi" (available on SHOWTIME )
I'm a big fan of Lena Waithe. So, I'm super intrigued by her coming-of-age series set in the South Side of Chicago. Let's check out the trailer...
5. "LA to Vegas" (available on FOX)
Dylan McDermott as a debauch pilot? Yes, please. Let's check out the trailer...
SHOUT OUT TO A COOL ARTICLE
I'm a fan of Buzzfeed.com, mostly for the recipes and shopping tips. However, I think you would really like this article. It is titled "19 WAYS TO MAKE 2018 INFINITELY BETTER THAN 2017".
Here is the link:
Here are some of my fave suggestions from the article:
1. Schedule mental health days in advance.
Don't wait till you've been ground into a fine dust (emotionally speaking) to think about taking some time to recharge. Whether it's taking time off from work (if you're in a job or financial situation that makes it possible to do this) or just using a weekend afternoon to hardcore indulge your need for sleep, alone time, and relaxation, I've found that it's far better to anticipate when I'll need this and plan for it in advance, than to get halfway through the day and realize that I'm basically nonfunctional because I'm so drained. If you know that spending time with your family is difficult or that a certain time of year is busier at work than usual or that you're always exhausted after traveling, consider planning down time for right after.
2. Master one incredible party dish.
Creating a delicious meal to share with others (or to eat yourself throughout the week) makes you feel super accomplished, and also is just simply enjoyable. I recommend Food Heaven Made Easy's roasted vegetable lasagna recipe.
3. Listen to podcasts created by queer people, POC, and other people whose voices don't get as much airtime in most media.
Seeking out the art, commentary, and viewpoints of people who aren't already constantly centered in everyday American life is a great way to broaden your perspective and understanding. I highly recommend the following podcasts:
4. Work on your "happy list."
Taking some time to mull over and then list out the things that really light you up is fun to do, and it can really help you get to know yourself better. Hear me out: On the recommendation of a friend, I listened to the audio version of Gabrielle Union's book, We're Going To Need More Wine (which she reads and which you should listen to ASAP). In the book, she talks about her life coach challenging her to come up with a list of things that make her truly happy. The exercise makes her realize that she isn't even sure what makes her really, deeply joyful. So, she takes a while (like, months) to think about it, and starts making a list. Sounds like a worthy endeavor to me!
5. Master a crock pot meal.
Having a slow cooker recipe up your sleeve comes in really handy when you're having a really busy (or really lazy or really sad) week.
Here are a bunch of great slow cooker recipes.
6. Set up a monthly $10 donation to a cause you care about.
If $10 feels like too much, choose a smaller amount and an organization that will benefit from whatever you can give. Some of my favorites, with their own mission statements, are:
AVP empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organizing and education, and supports survivors through counseling and advocacy.
Groundswell Fund supports a stronger, more effective US movement for reproductive justice by mobilizing new funding and capacity building resources to grassroots organizing and policy change efforts led by low-income women, women of color, and transgender people.
At United We Dream, we transform that fear into finding your voice. We empower people to develop their leadership, their organizing skills, and to develop our own campaigns to fight for justice and dignity for immigrants and all people. This is achieved through immigrant youth-led campaigns at the local, state, and federal level.
The mission of the Jim Collins Foundation is to provide financial assistance to transgender people for gender-confirming surgeries.
I must interject, what I don't see on this list is the LosAngelesMission. If you live in Los Angeles, please donate to help the homeless.
If you don't live in Los Angeles, feel free to donate to your local organization a la the Salvation Army.
6. Choose a book-to-screen adaptation and read the book and then watch the movie.
The generic "read more this year" resolution hasn't really ever worked for me because I tend to need projects with structure and purpose, as well as beginning and end points. But too much structure makes me feel like I have homework. So, last year I decided to re-read the Harry Potter books and re-watch the movies in between, one by one. I felt like I'd accomplished something pretty legit and it was really fun to get super deep into the universe, think about how the books were translated to screen, etc.
Here are a couple more ideas:
Lord of The Rings (3 books, 4 movies)
Game of Thrones (5 books, 7 TV seasons)
Hunger Games (3 books, 4 movies)
The Godfather (5 books, 3 movies)
Pride and Prejudice (1 book, a miniseries, and a movie)
Friday Night Lights (book, TV series)
Wiseguy (book) / Goodfellas (movie)
Brokeback Mountain (story, movie)
Hidden Figures (book, movie)
The Price of Salt (book) / Carol (movie)
The Color Purple (book, movie)
Chronicles of Narnia (7 books, 3 movies)
It's Kind of a Funny Story (book, movie)
Devil Wears Prada (book, movie)
Malcolm X (book, movie)
Out of Sight (book, movie)
Fingersmith (book, BBC series)
7. Get really into a topic.
I've been known to attack a new topic from several angles — listen to a podcast episode or series about it, read its entry (and linked entries) on Wikipedia, watch documentaries on it, then any feature movies or TV series, then read the books. I just really enjoy immersing myself in a historical event and learning everything I can about the players involved, the social context at the time, etc. You learn A LOT, have a ton of great factoids to share, and get to feel productive while filling your head with interesting shit.
In 2017 I went sort of bonkers trying to learn more about the OJ Simpson trial. Here's what I consumed:
• Watched OJ: Made In America (documentary)
• Watched The People vs. OJ Simpson (FX series)
• Read Without a Doubt by Marcia Clark
• Read In Contempt by Christopher Darden.
• Read "An Incendiary Defense" by Jeffrey Toobin for the New Yorker
• Read Dominick Dunne’s Complete O.J. Simpson Trial Coverage for Vanity Fair
• Listened to OJ Made In America filmmaker Ezra Edelman on two podcasts: WTF with Marc Maron and Longform
I also highly recommend getting into cults (as in, learning about them) and England's royal family.
NEXT TIME: WE DISCUSS FOOD AND BOOKS. AREN'T YOU EXCITED!?!?
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