If you have some spare time this summer, but find your what-to-try list either empty or running amok, check out our curated list of things to read, listen to, watch, and game. Your diocesan staff offers up a bit of everything — from the heartwarming (Ted Lasso) to the thought-provoking (Jesus and John Wayne) to the blood-pumping (Soca 2021 Latest Hits). There’s sure to be something here to help you catch up on your much needed R & R.
What we’re watching
Ted Lasso (AppleTV, season 1 available, season 2 starts July 23)
Mare of Eastown (HBO Max)
In the Heights (Hurry! Leaves HBO Max July 11)
Mythic Quest (Apple TV)
Workin’ Moms (Netflix)
Special (Netflix)
Death in Paradise (Netflix)
Messiah (Netflix)
Hamilton (Disney+) then the original 1776 (Amazon Prime or iTunes)
The Summer Olympics (NBC and NBC affiliated channels)
Schitt’s Creek (Netflix)
Loki (Disney+)
Great British Baking Show (Netflix)
Peaky Blinders (Seasons 1-5 on Netflix)
what we’re watching, second inning: Can’t forget baseball!
The Natural
A League of Their Own
42
Bull Durham
For the Love of the Game
The Rookie
Sandlot
The Babe
Moneyball
What we’re reading
Nonfiction
Small Victories: Spotting Improbable Moments of Grace – Anne Lamont
Think Again – Adam Grant
Digital Minimalism – Cal Newport
Jesus and John Wayne – Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Dear Church – Lenny Duncan
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent – Isabel Wilkerson
Looking for God in Messy Places – Jake Owensby
Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time – Marcus Borg
Fiction
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry – Fredrik Backman
Anxious People – Fredrik Backman
The Testaments: A Novel – Margaret Atwood
The Book of Longings – Sue Monk Kidd
The Girl With the Stars in Her Eyes – Xio Axelrod
A Grain of Wheat – Ngugi wa Thiong’o
What we’re listening to
Singles
Masego (Youtube)
Rising Appalachia (Youtube)
Jon Batiste (Youtube)
Why Don’t We Go to Italy, I Am a Town and Down at the Twist and Shout – Mary Chapin Carpenter (All Spotify)
Sounds of Summer (with Slightly Stoopid) – The Movement (Spotify)
Todo se transforma – Jorge Drexler
Palm Beach – Vicente Garcia
Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
Albums
Ruthie Foster’s Let it Burn (esp. 1st track Welcome Home)
Strunz and Farrah’s Americas
Spotify Playlists
In the Heights
Soca 2021 Latest Hits
90s Country Music
Jazz Guitar Classics
Mozart Summer Classical
Swirlyfoot’s EDM Favs
Swirlyfoot’s Acapella Favs
Swirlyfoot’s Fav Jazz Covers
Swirlyfoot’s Disney Favs
Billy Joel
Harry Chapin
Jim Croce
Cat Stevens
Sunshine Reggae
Uplifting Soul Classics
Podcasts
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Under the Influence with Jo Piazza
Smartless with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett
Audio books
Game of Thrones (series) – George R.R. Martin
The Vorkosigan Saga (series) – Lois McMaster Bujold
Dating Makes Perfect – Pintip Dunn
What we’re gaming
Animal Crossing New Horizons (Rev. Todd’s Nintendo friend code is SW-8240-3424-0441!)
Dadish, in which a dad (who’s also a radish) must defeat various obstacles and fast food villains to regather his angsty and scattered radish children.
