Media Log: January 2026

[cyberneticdryad]

JAN | FEB | MAR | APR
MAY | JUN | JUL | AUG
SEP | OCT | NOV | DEC

Articles

Roll for resistance: How a fantasy game defended the commons, Kate Linden and Mitch Linden [Link] (2026)
Shared by ysabetwordsmith. I am not as in touch with the TTRPG community as I once was, but my brother is. We grew up playing with our dad as DM, and eventually my brother as DM, and I'd say about 70% of our campaigns were 3rd edition D&D. Since this debacle, I think the only D&D campaign he is still occassionally running is our one standing family campaign (and mainly, I think, to keep things easy for our mom). It's hard to look back when the company ruins the goodwill they had in such a vocal and public way.

Necromancy in Fantasy Literature and TTRPGs: Power, Taboo, and Why We Keep Raising the Dead, The Blasphemous Herald [Link] (2025)
Fleshing out ideas for a D&D character's backstory..

Comics & Manga

N/A

Books

Oceanic, Amy Nezhukumatathil (2018)

Time is a Mother, Ocean Vuong (2022) [In Progress]
Most of the poetry I get from my library are those slim, paperback versions, but this book was a hardback with very nice thick paper. As much as I love ebooks, there is something so lovely about a book with a good tactile presence.

Behooved, M. Stevenson (2025)
Had this briefly recommended by shydeer months before I actually found a copy at my local romance bookstore. The demisexual in me wishes the characters had more time to interact and get to know one another before catching feelings, and the fantasy intrigue reader in me wishes we got into the politics a little more, but this is a romance book! There were also a couple points where I felt things were re-explained fairly close together, which I'm not sure if it was a lack of trust in the reader or an intended character trait of the MC. Overall though, a cute read! Enjoyed Bianca and Aric both, and thoroughly enjoyed the colloquialisms scattered through the narration.

Movies

Batman Begins (2005) [Rewatch]
Every time I watch this movie, I look on at the monorail system lovingly and then remember that they completely did away with it in subsequent movies. But I do still love the music and the miniatures used.

Wrath of the Titans (2012)
My partner put this on thinking it would be a good movie for us to heckle together as I love to heckle mythology movies, but this movie was mostly just bland and unengaging. The most interesting thing about it was the pegasus animation. I haven't seen the movie's predecessor, but I'm not even sure it would be worth a heckle watch.

Tron: Ares (2025)
I'm not going to pretend that Tron as a franchise is like, world shatteringly good, but as someone who actually likes Tron, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than the mixed reviews had me thinking I would! I thought the story was at least more interesting than the last movie, and I appreciated that there were more ties to the original. Either someone at Disney really likes Tron and we'll get the sequel they were trying to set up, or the box office failure is going to be the nail in the coffin.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) [Rewatch]
We got to the pirates section in KH2, so it was only natural to do a rewatch of this trilogy. It blows my mind that this movie is over 20 years old. I never cease to be amazed at how well the special effects have held up (better than a number of movies that have come out in recent memory).

Starship Troopers (1997) [Rewatch]
One of my partner's favourite movies. I'm always intrigued by the propaganda and political commentary in this movie, though it gave me some feelings given the current progression of things.

Dante's Inferno: An Animated Epic (2010)
I have neither played the game this was based on nor have I read Dante's Inferno. I usually enjoy animation anthologies, but this one I mostly just found distracting and I didn't enjoy the character design from most of the studios involved.

Music

Crack Up, Fleet Foxes (2017) [Relisten]
Put on record while doing chores at home. =) I need to find more of their albums on vinyl.

This is the One, Utada (2009)
I'm not even going to pretend: I put this on for my commute because Simple and Clean as well as Sanctuary were bonus tracks, and my brain is thinking about Kingdom Hearts constantly right now. I'd love to check out more of their music, but the style and lyrics of the album didn't really grab me (even if it was fun to float around such a time specific soundscape for a bit).

Take Me Back to Eden, Sleep Token (2023) [Relisten]

Somewhere City, Origami Angel (2019) [Relisten]
I don't think I'll ever get enough of this album. Always a fun, dancy listen♡

Dead Club City, Nothing But Thieves (2023) [Relisten]
I looooove the title track on this album, but I remember not really loving the vibe of the rest of the album and wanted to give it another try. It's definitely not bad, but it doesn't have the same pull as that opening song. *shrug*

Save Rock and Roll, Fall Out Boy (2013) [Relisten]

Alive!!, Becca (2008)
I wish I had been more interested in non-soundtrack music in middle/high school because as much as I enjoyed listening to this now, I would have been about this in that era of my life. I'd only ever listened to I'm Alive! from this album because of Kuroshitsuji, but it was fun to hear more of her work!

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex O.S.T., Yoko Kanno (2003) [Relisten]
Gods, I need to rewatch this show. I still can't believe I've never made my partner watch this with me either...

Dragon Age: Inquisition - The Bard Songs, Elizaveta Khripounova & Nick Stoubis (2014) [Relisten]
I just like to put this one on to sing along to, what can I say?

After the Disco, Broken Bells (2014) [Relisten]

Shows

Fallout (2024-) [S1, Ep 1-2]
Intrigued! Thoughts pending additional viewing with my partner.

Leverage (2008-2012) [S2, Ep 12-15; S3; S4; S5, Ep 1]
I cannot believe it has taken me this long to watch this show. I binged most of season one and two last month. I love these hooligans, and I want to go dig through fandom things, but I am waiting so I am not spoiled.

Tron: Uprising (2012-2013) [Ep 1-11]
I forgot! That I had never gotten to watch this! But I figured if I paid for a month of streaming, I may as well get my money's worth. I am intrigued about their use of slightly modified Legacy music at parts. Also, how did I never hear that Elijah Wood was the lead in this???

Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) [Rewatch: S1; S2, Ep 1-18]
In a surprising turn, after eight years in our relationship, my partner decided that he was finally ready to watch this with me. I tried very hard not to vibrate in excitement and failed, lol. EDIT: My partner loved Zuko. All according to plan! I am also having fun watching him put together the puzzle pieces of what he knows from cultural osmosis, playing the AtLA set in MtG, and now watching the show.

Video Games

Kingdom Hearts II (2005) [In Progress]
After finishing KH1 last month, we immediately started KH2, but we only made it through Twilight Town (the only part I ever got to play with a friend who had it when it came out). I think we're about 2/3 of the way through the game now, but will probably finish next month.

Star Wars: Outlaws (2024) [In Progress]
My partner asked to start this one because it was on game pass. As much as I love Star Wars, I didn't find the intro for this super compelling. Will need to ask him if he wants to get back to it.

Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) [In Progress]
I have very fond memories of watching my dad play the original two Bladur's Gate games as a kid, so I was very excited to play this game when it came out. All of my friends raved, but I found the game very overwhelming on my own (plus my partner bought it for us on console not PC, which is not great for me). BUT! My QPP offered to start a save with me, and we're having a fun time together. =3 We are still in Act 1, but I'm excited to actually get to see the story and characters!

Fable (2004) [In Progress]
Gamepass is a blessing and a curse. I like to have one or two games active at a time and play them to completion, but my partner likes to just taste test lots of games. I've never played a Fable game, and it's really sweet that he wants to share the game with me a bit before the next one comes out. We'll see howfar we get with this one though.

Comments

[hafnia]

ahhhh I love Fleet Foxes! "Helplessness Blues" is one of my favorite albums of all time.

[cyberneticdryad]

That album was my first love of their work (courtesy of a friend who burned me a copy of the CD). Would love to find a fun pressing of it for my collection<3

[derry]

I second the previous commenter, "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes is so great! :D

... also, I may need to steal this post format too, it's such a neat idea to keep track of what you're up to during the month! <3

[cyberneticdryad]

I'm glad you like it! I have been meaning to add something like this to my website for ages, but I thought maybe tracking month by month here might be a little easier for me on the go. =)