Like all of you, I’ve spent the last few weeks almost exclusively at home, waiting for the virus to blow over. I’ve unfortunately spent most of my non-work time obsessively checking the news and social media instead of learning to bake sourdough or write the next great American novel, but that doesn’t mean I have nothing to report for my “media diet” log.

Here’s what I’ve been reading and watching before and during the social isolation age.

Annihilation. Finally got around to watching this after owning it on iTunes forever. A decent movie, but somehow didn’t fully capture the profound weirdness of the book.

Below Deck Sailing Yacht. A total guilty pleasure that I make no apology for.

Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. I think this was Sanderson’s first Cosmere novel, and it lays out the pattern that other books would build on. Great read.

Upgrade. A fun, but dark, indie sci-fi.

Detective Pikachu. More enjoyable than I honestly expected. Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu shouldn’t work as well as it does.

Cloverfield. I don’t think I’d re-watched this since it originally came out, and I had totally forgotten that T.J. Miller is the “cameraman” for most of the movie.

Psych. A “comfort food” TV show, perfect for rewatching during a global crisis.

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. I saw this in the theater when it came out, and my expectations were low: but it was fun! Rewatching it reminded me that I should watch the sequel.

Back to the Future. We recently set up a surround-sound system at home using some Sonos speakers, so I put this on as a “test,” which was a smashing success.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. An exciting heist story in a truly strange sci-fi / fantasy setting. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

Batman Begins. Another movie to “test” the surround-sound; I didn’t think I’d be so into the home theater setup as I am, but now I don’t think I can go back to my old stereo life.