What we’re reading, listening to and thinking about this month.

Todd R.: For Emmy award-winning shows, we’re enjoying “Fleabag.” For shows that probably won’t win an Emmy, we’re enjoying “Stumptown.” Beginning on November 29th, I will be permitted to listen to Christmas carols, as the Rapp family tradition is to wait until after Thanksgiving dishes have been cleaned. And I would bet serious money that we’ll be watching “The Irishman” in the next week. 

Alyssa: Best part of November was the performance of “School House Rock” by my daughter’s middle school theater department. I’m also into “Watchmen” on HBO and loving “Lights Out with David Spade.”

Todd S.: The Stone family is watching the Star Wars streaming series, “The Mandalorian,” as an appetizer to the next Star Wars movie coming out next month. And yes, “Baby Yoda” is as adorable as you would expect. 

Rich: The past few weeks had been dominated by my shoulder surgery on Nov. 12. Since then, it’s been a lot of rehab, figuring out how to live and sleep with a sling, and realizing that sleep is hard to come by, with or without a sling. I am finding time to read the newspapers and follow the impeachment hearings. I continue to hold out hope that America will survive the Trump presidency, but not sure how long it will take to restore a functioning federal government. Remarkably, it is turning out to be a great year for football in Minnesota. The Vikings are tied for first in the Central Division and have a chance to make a run in the playoffs. The Gophers are an even bigger surprise with a chance to beat Wisconsin and play Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship. I am all in. Will 2019 be the year? Why not? 

Sarah: I spent much of November prepping and packing for a big move. My favorite podcasts were on constant rotation while I packed – “My Favorite Murder,” “The Popcast with Knox and Jamie,” “Stuff You Missed in History Class,” “Comments by Celebs and Cabinet of Curiosities.” When I had time to binge watch, I chose cheesy Netflix Christmas movies (don’t miss “Holiday in the Wild,” “Let it Snow” and the “Knight Before Christmas”) and made a hefty dent into the final season of Amazon’s “Man in the High Castle.”

Anna: My highlight of the month was traveling to Spain and visiting beautiful buildings and parks, eating tapas and drinking too many cappuccinos. I started reading “Lilac Girls” on the plane, a World War II novel that features three women – a New York socialite, a German doctor and a Polish teenager – caught in the clutches of the Nazi regime.   

Quentin: As the lone Iowa Hawkeye football fan and graduate in the office, I was thrilled to see the Gophers experience their first loss of the season earlier this month to my alma mater. On the streaming front, I've been really enjoying Disney+. It's chock full of some childhood favorites and newer blockbuster action films, which has made for a nice few hours (or entire night) in. I started reading and watching the impeachment proceedings more closely, particularly how they impact Democratic presidential campaign messaging and the overall state of the 2020 race. The November 20 debate hosted by The Washington Post and MSNBC delivered substantive conversations around policy and personal narratives, thanks in large part to the exceptional, all-female moderator panel). Podcasts have returned to my weekly routine, with “The Daily” by the New York Times and “Can He Do That” by The Washington Post bookending my morning and evening walks to and from work.