What’s going on in here?
Happy New Year! Welcome back to Leave Me Alone! I’m in Here!
It’s 2026, and nobody knows what it’s going to be yet. A lot of the awful things will continue to be awful, and probably get worse. But maybe the good things will keep getting better, too. Join me in my room and find out what I’ve been watching, reading, listening to, and obsessing as we start 2026.
What am I watching?
I’m looking for a big show with lots of seasons to really sink my teeth into this winter. I recently completed my Mad Men rewatch, so it’s time for my next watch project. I’m open to suggestions! Will Heated Rivalry inspire me to finally finish Letterkenny? Who can never be sure?
This week I’m into:
Hereditary. I watched this on New Year’s Eve, and per Letterboxd, it was my eighth time logging it. This means it’s probably my tenth time seeing it, because I saw it twice in theaters. The first time was one of my favorite moviegoing experiences, as my friend and I dragged ourselves up to the AMC at Temple and found a new obsession in this movie. The second time I made my mom come see it with me, because I’m a freak. I love this movie, and Gabriel Byrne’s delivery of “What language is even that?” is so funny.
The Pitt. Ohhhh baby, are you ready to jump back into The Pitt? I will absolutely be rewatching season one before season two kicks off on January 8th, and I am deeply excited. This show combines so many of my interests. I love ER. I love fast-paced, smart TV dramas that produce more than ten episodes in a season and don’t take a two year break in between. And I love Pittsburgh. I was born there, I lived in the North Hills suburbs until I was ten, and returned to attend the University of Pittsburgh. I am so excited to see what The Pitt is cooking up for season two.
The War of the Roses. Last summer, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman starred in The Roses, a remake of this classic Danny DeVito dark comedy. I was so mad when I heard about that, because I love The War of the Roses so much. Then I saw The Roses and it was fine. But it can’t come close to the original. Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas are so great at loving each other, and then wanting to kill each other. I’m pretty sure I love this movie because it aired on Comedy Central a lot when I was a kid. Thanks, cable!
What am I listening to?
Yeah, maybe I’ve got a lot of songs from the Heated Rivalry soundtrack on repeat at the moment. But I’m pretty sure I’ve been listening to other stuff, too. Here’s what’s stuck in my head:
No Children by the Mountain Goats
mangetout by Wet Leg
Riki Tiki Tavi by Donovan
This Will Be Our Year by the Zombies
Details of the War by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
What am I thinking about?
This week, other things I feel like talking about include:
Some things I have recently hung on my wall.
Finally hanging up the many, many prints I’ve been amassing lately. I bought my apartment in 2024, and it’s been relatively slow going in furnishing and making it look how I want. I did have wallpaper samples up for about a year and I still don’t have wallpaper, but the good news is I took them down to hang prints! I’m addicted to putting things on my walls. Lately, I’ve been hanging prints from Ravi Zupa, Anne Archy, and James Boyle.
Fundie Fridays. One of my biggest, deepest interests is Christian fundamentalism and Christian pop culture. Fundie Fridays is one of my favorite resources when I want a deep dive on a specific aspect of these topics. Hosts Jen and James cover everything from the Duggars to Veggie Tales to the Precious Moments Chapel in Missouri. I’m passionate about this topic because I know how dangerous Christian fundamentalism is, and how many victories they’ve had in recent years.
These little not-exactly-Beanie-Babies but basically Beanie Babies I’ve been getting at Booth’s Corner. The used DVD guy has a $10 credit card minimum, and when I can only find a few discs I want, I hit the target by grabbing one of these little guys. I love them! Here’s my new friend with my latest haul.
What am I working on?
For the last few months, my MovieJawn colleague, Genevieve Radosti, and I have been hosting VideoJawn, a monthly show on Instagram Live where we celebrate physical media. I’m really proud of the work we’ve been doing, and I’m excited to see what 2026 will bring. Tune in to our next episode on MovieJawn’s Instagram on January 27 at 8pm EST!
Now get out of my room!
That’s it for this edition of Leave Me Alone! I’m in Here!
If you’ve read any part of this, I am so grateful! I hope to see you back here again soon.