The 10yo has gotten into Bob's Burgers, and I started my family all trying to WOOF at the same time as Gene's casio keyboard during the theme song. (It changes after the early seasons!)

I don't really want to put together the whole #StrangerThings Creel House LEGO set, but I wouldn't mind if someone gave me their Holly Wheeler minifig. (Those curls!)

The Testament of Mon Mothma

Starting off 2026 like

I think we're taking E to too many movies. She just plopped down with her lunch and said, "Let's all go around and say the worst thing about our holiday break. For me it's the AI Coca-Cola ad."

2016 / (almost) 2026

Stranger Things spoilery thought: Robin was right, Prince > Butthole Surfers.

Me, E, and Dustin are ready for the #StrangerThings finale!

My favorite pieces I wrote in 2025 let me go deeper into trends, especially why we buy the things we buy. Some highlights:

My 20 favorite movies of the year (Letterboxd username is mar_to_go).

The 10yo: "I'm not going to say 'Happy New Year.' I'm going to say, 'Meme reset! No more 6-7!'"

My twelve-year-old daughter's Christmas haul included a cassette Walkman and a Discman, and music to play on both. Yes, part of it is STRANGER THINGS. But part of it is the seemingly inevitable swing towards throwback tech, coupled with the current longing to be LEFT ALONE TO LISTEN TO SHIT

I have returned from upstate and I can confirm that every young dude there has the broccoli cut.

I'm an army chaplain and a father to four little women. In my head, I look like Bob Odenkirk. Geraldine Brooks, 'March.' (I'm trying to read all the Pulitzer Prize winners from this century.)

As a holiday treat, we watched Hawkeye with the 10yo. Yelena and Kate Bishop are a really good pair. I hope the team up again (or, at the very least, I hope Marvel doesn't forget about the existence of Kate Bishop entirely).

Yeah, this tracks. I went through a phase this year.

Got the full biddy experience at Song Sung Blue upstate. There were quiet singers! There were loud whisperers! There were chair kickers! Couldn't have asked for a more obvious audience.

Becoming the art at the Tang museum.

Tried to leave NYC a day early to beat the snow but wound up driving straight into it? ❄️ Just staggering bad decision making over here.

Once, when my daughter was a toddler, she put on my shoes, walked down the hall, and called out, "Hey Jesse, I'm taking a shower." It's the hardest I've ever been roasted.

The ire my kid feels toward Wicked: For Good keeps me going.

Steve is just mad that Dustin chose Eddie's hairstyle over his. #StrangerThings

I am VERY proud of myself that I thought to wrap all of E's Stranger Things-themed gifts in Christmas lights paper. 🤘

With the holidays in full swing, we’re sharing our wish list: fair compensation, AI protections, work-life balance, better benefits, and layoff protections. We’ll need solidarity from both the public and our fellow union members to make it happen. Happy holidays, from the Hearst Union! ❤️

When I tell you that bringing the 10yo to Ella McCay brought down the collective age of the audience by SO much...

The Testament of Ann Lee is a great Upstate New York movie (yeah yeah, filmed in Hungary, thanks tax credits and cheap Orban-ist labor laws), and easily the greatest Niskayuna film of all time

Upon further review, it doesn’t look like it’s playing anywhere near here. This is a huge bag fumble. I know my people. They’ll come out to see a film partially set at that weird historical site near the airport where they teach you how to make soap on field trips.

Niskayuna, go ROLL OUT for The Testament of Ann Lee. You won't regret it!

Not even talking at length about the gowns in Sabrina can even this out.

I know Amanda Seyfried isn't going to be on top of the Sphere or anything to promote it, but The Testament of Ann Lee rules and I hope people check it out over the holiday break.

For us, the action is the juice. If you weren't sick of me hearing me go on about HEAT, that's just one of twelve holiday '95 movies that grossed over $50 million domestic that we discuss on the latest episode of the Sports Alcohol dot com podcast! www.sportsalcohol.com/the-sportsal...

Varang fever is sweeping the nation!

In my neighborhood, I've noticed a lot of kids just casually wearing Santa hats. I declare this trend 100% wholesome. www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/parenti...

Pre-emptively telling Jesse if he wraps any of my Christmas presents in the orange Marty Supreme wrapping paper that A24 sent him he's in the doghouse.

I am very good at diagnosing myself when I have strep, and I would like all the stickers.

So sad. Truly the end of an era. I've been going since it was Northsix. I can't wait to see it become a Balenciaga or something. 💔 www.brooklynvegan.com/music-hall-o...

Gonna love scrolling through and watching the Oscars in 24 separate, unconnected YouTube shorts.

Just me and my emotional support Advil.

I had a dream I was watching The Bone Temple 🥲

I am sick and quarantining away from my family. I can hear them eating dinner in front of the TV and laughing and laughing at whatever they're watching. I'm having a real George Bailey moment about it: Do they have more fun without me?

I have not yet been able to write about Stranger Things 5's Argyle erasure, but I did slip in a little bit of my feelings here. www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/gif...

Today the 10yo had a school dance performance and when the choreo called for her to do the "6-7" hand motion she abstained and folded her arms. 😆 #ProudMama

Since the pandemic, the cost of childcare centers in New York has risen twice as much as inflation and is four times the median family income. How did we get here?

My dad took us to see The Princess Bride in the theater on a whim, knowing nothing about it. It was one of those moviegoing moments we still talk about today. 💔

Lots of people wearing black and white or checks at Chess.

Jesse is taking the 10yo to see The Dust Bunny tonight (without me? seems wrong) and I told him about my idea for the split diopter drinking game.

So those weird videos where Elsa and Spider-Man switch heads are sanctioned now?

"Several of the toys gave tips about dangerous items around the house. Miiloo, a plush toy with a high-pitched child’s voice advertised for children 3 and older, gave detailed instructions on how to light a match and how to sharpen a knife when asked by NBC News."

I 100% agree with the stuff in here about de-stigmatizing stay-at-home dads, but isn't calling them "the new moms" part of the problem? Dads taking the lead in caregiving does not make them moms! (Dads do care work. Moms do care work. Adults of all kinds do care work!) www.gq.com/story/story/...

Jellycat market is bonkers.