Happy Fifth Night of Hanukkah!
It’s my turn to give away some goodies!
Today’s prize is: a box of books + extras!
You will be getting all eight books shown, the socks, and candle. Plus, there are a few more surprises I’m including. I picked all of these up at the independent bookstore where I work, Belmont Books. Just a friendly reminder, as well, to shop local if you can!
Here’s how to enter!
We talk a lot about TV, movies, and podcasts here! I want to know what piece of media was a huge comfort this year!
Standard disclaimers apply: I am not being compensated for this giveaway. Void where prohibited. Open to international residents where permitted by applicable law. Must be over 18, like big stacks, and you cannot lie. Sadly, photobombing cat will not be included, despite his best efforts to climb into any and all boxes.
Comments will close 3 December 2021 at or near 12pm ET, and winner will be announced shortly afterward.
Good luck, Happy Hanukkah, and thank you for being part of Smart Bitches!
Thanks for celebrating with us this year!
Winner update: Congratulations to Jen M! Be sure to check your inbox shortly.
I rewatched Bones for the first time since it aired and it was so soul warming. I’ve also been super grateful for all the new Marvel shows on Disney+. WandaVision was as delightful as it was heartbreaking and I’m really loving Hawkeye 🙂
The Repair Shop is delightful. Also, this year I have discovered The Great British Sewing Bee – like the Great British Baking Show, but for home sewers.
This might seem like a weird answer for a “comforting” form of media, but I discovered the show “Homicide Hunter” on Hulu and it became my comfort watch every night. If you aren’t familiar, each episode is a case from the files of Lieutenant Joe Kenda and he tells about the case in his own words. His voice is oddly soothing and his humor is as dry as the Sahara. I started watching it out of boredom, but before I knew it I was hooked and I got my husband addicted too. We now both constantly refer to Joe Kenda, have even more inside jokes, and I learned about some interesting criminal cases from Colorado Springs. Watching an episode or 10 every night before bed became our routine and we were both sad when we caught up on all available seasons. I may or may not go back and watch episodes again just because no other true crime show has made me as happy as Joe Kenda’s.
P.S. after retiring from the police force he became a school bus driver and if that’s not the best thing, I’m not sure what is.
Short documentary about whales – Secrets of the Whales.
Happy Holidays!
Thank you for your generosity 🙂
What We Do in the Shadows! 1000% ridiculous and just a joy (an adult joy) to watch. Right up my alley with the random vampire humor. BAT!
Podcasts brought me so much comfort this year! FBOL(F Bois of Literature), Fated Mates, Grace Lin’s Kids Ask Authors, and Strange Familiars( I love Timothy Renner’s voice!) are my favorites.
The Lost Romance – a Taiwanese show about a editor at a small romance press that falls into an unfinished novel and finds herself the “evil second female lead”. So hilarious, so meta with all the tropes. The family politicking bits are a bit slow but then it really takes off. I’ve already binged it the first and rewatched it this year
Schitt’s Creek, over and over.
I enjoy Bridgerton, The Librarians, GBBO and The Discovery of Witches. Each one takes me away from the real world for a little while. Also love KNBR 680AM on the web. I haved loved the San Francisco Giants for years and they have the best sportscasters. Can’t imagine a baseball season without the guys! I also live 1083 miles from SF now and they are my lifeline. Happy Holidays Bitches!!
I found comfort in Smart Bitches Pod and Heaving Bosom’s Podcast! The cross over was the all time best internet hug ever!!!
So this’ll be an unpopular one, but I’ve watched A LOT of youtube. Usually the Game Grumps or Safiya Nygaard. The grumps are two grown men who play video games and make dumb jokes/funny commentary while playing. I know it sounds childish but they never fail to put a smile on my face. Safiya is great because she’s funny and quirky and does bad makeup science/fashion/weird internet haul videos. Plus her cat Crusty is the best.
Ted Lasso, definitely! And I have some teacher podcasts that got me through pandemic teaching: Teacher Needs a Drink, Will This Be On The Test, Teachers Who Drink…..hmmmm, there seems to be a theme here!
Duck Tales (woohoo!)
Mandalorian all the way. I watch a lot of Grogu.
Busy Philipps’ is Doing Her Best podcast!!
It seems weird to call this show comforting, but I did find it absolutely fascinating: Bone Detectives on Acorn, in which a team of experts analyze skeletons found on archaeological digs across the UK. I only wish there were more episodes.
Taskmaster. Huge recommend for fans of British TV and just comedy in general. I had a bad depression this year where literally all I could do was go to work and watch taskmaster.
I mentioned Japanese shows Wakakozake (the live-action version especially, though the short animes are good too), and Cherry Magic! the first night, but forgot about Men’s Onsen! Apparently created by a female BL mangaka, this live-action reality travel show follows five handsome guys (of various professions and body types)as they tour onsens (with all the undressing and bathing that entails), eat, shoot the breeze in a refreshingly nontoxic way, and so forth. The bromance between MMA fighter Takeru and quiet writer Shota (who, as the youngest, gamely accepts the crazier stunts the show lays out for him) is non-queerbaity but still eminently shippable. There’s only one subtitled ep on YouTube iirc, but I admit I tracked down a book and DVD even though I don’t speak Japanese. I also love the Monster Foodie segments on Sesame Street, and think all food should be delivered by catapult…
I’m going to be an odd duck and say the England men’s national soccer team’s youtube videos. Especially the suit fitting video. 13 minutes of happiness right there.
Ted Lasso, GBBO and audio books (mostly British historicals and mysteries). And the official diagnosis is….I’m a confirmed Anglophile!
Playing Farm Together on my Nintendo Switch.
Ted Lasso. Repeatedly.
Great British Bake Off, for sure
Great British Baking Show. I am so glad I put off watching it until this year when I needed it most.
Korean dramas in general. Mr. Queen (already mentioned) was great, and I’m now watching a fabulous thing called Happiness, about a pandemic that turns people into sort of zombies, sort of vampires (zompires?) with the cutest couple in the history of cute couples, he the police detective she the anti-terrorism agent, competence porn, marriage of convenience…. it’s on Rakuten Viki.
The Hallmark Good Witch series,which I binged through several times. I must admit the last season was a disappointment.
I don’t watch TV, true crime podcasts are my weakness. Most especially Crimes and Consequences.
The Expanse and Witcher were great escapist shows to watch.
I love anything to do with Good Mythical Morning — their Youtube channel, their podcast, whatever. They and I were at a conference at the time time in the 1990s and it’s such a comfort to know I didn’t imagine how weird life was at times in that group. Plus, they are just downright funny. They make me laugh out loud so much.
I wrapped up a LOST re-watch alongside The Storm podcast and it was such a comfort while I was finishing grad school, I always made sure to carve out a couple hours for each week’s Lost episode and corresponding podcast.
And watching Ted Lasso with my mom!
I don’t watch a lot, but Raya the last dragon was a delight and the life podcast is great to wash dishes to.
I’ve also read way too much Harry X Draco fanfiction. Why? I haven’t read a Harry Potter book since the 7th one came out.
My comfort watch? Young Sheldon. As the mother of someone somewhat neurodivergent, it’s easy to see that even supergeniuses need their mom sometimes.
I mostly read, but when I want to watch I usually turn to THE GOOD PLACE. Did not follow it when it started, but I am in love now!
I’ve been watching Gary Bembridge’s Youtube channel Tips for Travellers about Cruising, which I’ve never done but he makes it sound so – restful?, fun? – that I’m sortof interested.
Weirdly, it may be the podcast my daughter and I started doing. (Yes, YTA and it’s available everywhere, if you are interested.) We manage two podcasts a month. It’s kept us in touch for this year, given us something we enjoy that we can do together even though we are on opposite sides of the year.
If you mean media for consuming, I would go with Bridgerton, season 1. It was pretty and entertaining and kind of fluffy. Certainly took my mind off the ongoing mess around us. I really enjoyed it.
Gravity Falls, which I watched over and over again to get that hit of humor, wit, creativity, and warmth during the times I needed it the most.
I’ll go with Lucifer, which has that great blend of action, mystery, paranormal, and romance. Plus a sexy, playful hero I would not want to date in real life but can enjoy in the show.
Star Trek: Lower Decks and GBBO.
I’ve heard lovely things about Ted Lasso, but honestly haven’t spent much time on other media besides books and Facebook, LOL! Just staying connected with fellow friends and reader friends that way!
I have enjoyed the TCM podcast, the plot thickens. I have my tv set to turn onto TCM whenever I turn it on and I often don’t change it because you never know what you’ll find.
I have been listening to music more too. Lots of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. I always listen to George Michael and echo and the bunnymen this time of year because the unending barrage of Christmas since July depresses me. The holidays don’t feel special anymore.
The Problem Solved videos at USA Today