June has been a tough month for my consumption of various media. I started my new job two weeks ago, and I’ve spent most of that time trying to hone my daily routine.

That means things like binge-watching Netflix or Hulu and even reading–unfortunately–have fallen by the wayside for now. But I’ve still managed to check some things off my list.

#AmFinished

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Netflix

Holy crap this movie was amazing! I managed to watch it over two days while feeding the baby. The graphics, the voice acting, the story, the writing. This is probably the best Marvel movie ever, and it’s not even really close. Jake Johnson, Mahershala Ali, John Mulaney, and Nicholas Cage (What?! Yes.) are just some of the delightful voices you will hear.

I would love it if Marvel did more animated stories like this for characters they probably won’t get to in the main-line MCU.

Masters of the Planet: The Search for Our Human Origins, by Ian Tattersall (Audible)

I didn’t end up reviewing this book, but I did enjoy it. Its academic tone was consistent throughout, and it left me with a few other subject areas to check out. Since this was on Audible, I’ll have to dig up this book’s bibliography online somewhere to peruse some of the other academic works it references and add them to my list.

#AmReading

The Horse, The Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World, by David W. Anthony (Audible)

I included the full subtitle because it really captures the theme of the book better than the main title. Anthony is an archaeologist who has studied early European peoples. He combines this expertise with some well researched linguistic history to try to pinpoint the homeland of an oft-theorized and much misunderstood group of people who quite literally shaped Eurasia: the Proto-Indo-Europeans.

The first two-thirds of the book have been spent building the case for the PIE peoples hailing from the Central Eurasian steppes between the Black and Caspian Seas sometime between 4,000 and 3,000 BCE.

Even though the archaeological details can get a bit dull for me, I love this book and its material. Anyone who knows me knows it’s right up my alley. More thoughts to come.

The Path of Daggers, Robert Jordan

I’m nearly finished now and in the midst of a chapter where a huge battle is definitely about to take place. The past couple chapters have been flipping uncharacteristically between short POV sections, lining up the main figures of the battle as they scout each other’s forces and maneuver. I’m loving every word of it–I just haven’t had a lot of time to sit and absorb it.

I might reread the last few chapters once I’ve finished the book, just to experience it in full.

City of Bridges, by Stace Dumoski (Wattpad)

I’ve really enjoyed this book in the spare moments I’ve been able to read it. I’m currently about halfway through, but the author seems to add a new chapter every week or so, so I don’t actually know how long it is. Solid characters and great world-building, though.

#AmWatching

Supergirl, Netflix

Well, season four is out, but I’ve only watched a couple of episodes. Honestly, the story so far this season hasn’t captured my attention quite yet, but to be fair, I haven’t given it its due attention. I’ll come back to this one at some point.

One Strange Rock, Netflix

My wife and I just started this short docu-series about the absurd weirdness that is life on planet Earth. With Will Smith as its narrator and some beautifully dramatic cinematography, this one is definitely high on production value. I think the information it provides will match.

Making Time for Reading

That’s really the priority at this point for my consumption schedule. Listening to Audible to and from work definitely helps a ton, but I also want to be able to sit down with a real book more often.

I’m considering changing up my blogging schedule to accommodate. But we’ll see.

Steve D