If this is your first time reading one of these “Watched/Read” posts here, they’re inspired by Steven Soderbergh’s annual “Seen/Read” list. At the beginning of every year, Soderbergh posts his chronicle of all the media he consumed during the prior year.

I wanted to do something similar, but felt that keeping track each month would keep me more engaged as a writer and make it an easier read. What I had in mind turns out to be similar to “What I’m Doing Now” posts and pages that writers like Cavan Scott (inspired by Martine Ellis and Derek Sivers) have set up.

Yet my professional work doesn’t change much from month to month. What does change is the culture and media I consume. I’ve wondered if I should include podcasts or sporting events in these lists, since they comprise a big part of my media diet. However, I don’t think that would generate much discussion. Or it would be better in a separate post.

Besides action dramas like Alien: Earth and Peacemaker, The Paper seemed like a good change-up to add to TV watching. Following up or spinning off The Office feels like a bad idea and this series wasn’t consistently funny enough to convince me otherwise. But maybe it’ll get better in a second season, as these sorts of comedies (Parks and Recreation, especially) often do.