The Things Getting Me Through: A List

In my last post back in…February, I wrote a post about the things that are getting me through a second Trump administration and everything that entails. I focused exclusively on Doom (2016) and I had planned to have more posts focusing on specific subjects. 

So anyway, here’s a post with a list of things that is even more derivative of Innuendo Studios “CO-VIDs: 25 good things that got me through” which you should go watch, along with the rest of their channel.

1. Star Wars: Andor - Season 2

   
   

Star Wars: Andor (on Disney Plus) is just fantastic. I’m sure that a large amount of people that would actually read this blog are familiar with it, but I do need to actively rave about it for a bit. 

Season 2 of Andor bridges the four years between Season 1 and Rogue One, with every three episodes focusing on a period in each year. Over the course of this season, we see the rise of the Rebel Alliance and their base on Yavin IV, the growing operations of the ISB and their pursuit of the Rebels, the logistical oppression involved in the creation of the Death Star, and more.

There’s espionage, politics, fantastic character development, and space rock paper scissors. This season also propelled the character of Kleya into being my all-time favorite Star Wars character. Who is Kleya? Watch the series to find out, ya dope.

Much like the first season, the second season of Andor was such a great watch largely due to being an unabashed look at fascism, how it takes hold in a society, what it takes to resist it, and just how pervasive it can actually be. And this is from a show made by Disney! 

If you haven’t watched Andor… what are you doing? Don’t worry about the rest of this list, go watch Andor, it’s 24 episodes of Star Wars at its absolute best! (Then come back and finish this post, please and thank you!)

2. Falling Back in Love with Being Human - Kai Cheng Thom

Falling Back in Love with Being Human is a lovely book by Kai Cheng Thom. The book is a collection of love letters written by Thom to different people in her life, both those who she has had good relationships with, and those she hasn’t. And seeing that she is a Chinese-Canadian trans woman, there are quite a few people she hasn’t had the best of relationships with (looking at you, TERFS!)

Thom’s use of language is masterful, and every letter in the book will leave you with very specific emotions. Sometimes that’s feeling warm and fuzzy, other times it’s quiet anger, and a few times, it’s utter devastation. 

But most of all, this is a book about love, and I would love for everyone to read it (I know, I’m terrible, I’m sorry, Kai should write a love letter about how bad that word play was).

3. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

Mario Kart is the ultimate equalizer. It is the perfect party game. It combines casual goofiness with intense competition in a way that has only been truly matched by the Super Smash Bros. series.

I have owned Mario Kart 8 for years, and put in huge amounts of time on it. But within the past six months or so, it has been essential. Playing games online with friends? Mario Kart 8. Playing games with my girlfriend and she doesn’t feel up for Death Squared (which is often)? Mario Kart 8. It has reemerged as a staple and I couldn’t be happier to dive back into the now nearly 100 courses and have a blast while simultaneously raging at my TV (seriously, my language is at its most expletive-filled while behind a Mario Kart controller). 

Also, I guess Mario Kart World is a thing now, but who even has the money for a Switch 2?

4. Nitpicking Star Wars Technology and Culture

Page from "Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Force War"

This is probably the nerdiest point on this list, but what do you expect? It’s me. Also, it’s another Star Wars point, so sorry, but I’m an American nerd, this was bound to happen.

This is less an interest in a specific Star Wars property and more a recurring rant I have held with the series for several years.

So, the Star Wars expanded universe spans a long time. The current canon timeline (the Disney stuff) currently covers around 300 years or so. The former timeline, pre-Disney, covered around 25,000 years of time. 

My rant is focused on the legends timeline, and is centered around this question: why is the technology and culture in works like Dawn of the Jedi, which is 25,000 years before A New Hope, virtually the same as the technology and culture in A New Hope? It doesn’t make any sense! Sure, there are some minor differences. The hyperspace routes are different, lightsabers aren’t a thing yet, and the understanding of the Force is different. But it’s still the same species of aliens, the worlds look the same, the cultural attitudes are the same, it’s basically the same setting with a different coat of paint and it is so boring!

Show me a Coruscant that is completely different from The Phantom Menace! Show me species that have since gone extinct! Show me styles of armor and clothing that would be considered archaic by the times of the films! 

This is such a specific rant, I'm not the only who has ever raised the question, and there are times where I could probably make a whole post about it, but for now I’ll keep it as just a point here, and inevitably spend way too much time thinking about it again at some point in the future, especially if James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi movie is ever actually made instead of sitting in limbo with all of the other announced Star Wars movies.

5. Legos

Set from The Lego Movie 2

Legos are cool. I had a bunch of Legos at my last apartment that I disassembled and put in a bin and I’ve since realized that was a ridiculous idea because that’s a lot of pieces. But I’ve rebuilt the Millennium Falcon and Steamboat Willie, which has been cool.

6. Squid Game

I finally watched Squid Game because I generally cannot keep up with the myriad of shows as they come out.

Just like Andor is an indictment of fascism, Squid Game is an indictment on capitalism using similar story points to Battle Royale and the Hunger Games. 

You’ve heard of this. Netflix is having people actually compete. Mr. Beast did it too. At least people don’t die in theirs, I guess?

7. Neon Genesis Evangelion

What the hell even is this series? This anime is absolutely bonkers. While I am late to the party behind every anime watcher who has ever watched any anime because this is basically the Star Wars of anime, it’s also completely bonkers.

The absolute trauma this series puts its characters through, the explorations of the human psyche, the weird alien designs, the purposely disjointed storytelling…

For those of you who aren’t weebs, NGE follows a trio of teenagers who have to pilot giant mechas to defend Japan from attacks by Angels (basically big Lovecraftian monsters). It sounds pretty basic until the main characters all have nervous breakdowns from the pressure and the Angels reach incomprehensibility to the viewer as well.

But anyway…congratulations!

8. Just Dance

My girlfriend and I got Just Dance 2025 to play with our friends ahead of a wedding. The plan was to play it at the AirBNB. The AirBNB didn’t have a TV, so we didn’t all play, but my girlfriend and I play together. The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Rasputin are both amazing. I will elaborate no further.

9. The K-Pop Demon Hunters Soundtrack

Was K-Pop Demon Hunters a ridiculous but fun movie? Yes. Did I add the whole soundtrack to my Spotify? Yes. Have I listened to “Your Idol” way more times than I should considering the subject matter? Absolutely.

10. Chocolate Chips

    
    

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You know what snack is perfect for end of the night when you have a massive sweet tooth and love chocolate? Chocolate freaking chips. I’ve been having a handful at the end of the night, and it has been awesome. Would recommend.

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And that’s all I've got. Ten is a good number of things I think. I’ll try to come up with more things soon, and continue to survive the fascist state. You all survive too, and tell me how you’re getting through everything!