One of my favorite traditions/rituals, both with students and colleagues, is sharing what I’m currently reading, watching, and listening to. I think there’s significant value in these exchanges — they build connections, spark conversation, and remind us that we’re always growing, always learning (and always looking for a good new show, book, or album).

As you head into the weekend, here’s what I’m digging right now:

Listening:
Recently I treated myself to a new record player, and my current spin is What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye. It’s one of those all-time classic albums that I felt had to be in my budding record collection. Transitioning to vinyl seemed right at a time when I aim to slow down and spend less time online: the warmth of the vinyl, the ritual of lifting the needle, the slight crackle between tracks. As much as I love the convenience of streaming, there’s something powerful about being present and listening intentionally. It’s almost meditative — and with an album as timeless and poignant as this one, it feels like a masterclass in both music and social and political message. I’ve already lined up the Marvin Gaye biography, Divided Soul as one of my #summerreads.

I’m also listening to my Sade-inspired playlist and a lot of modern jazz from the UK. If audio books count as listening (which they 100% do), I’m currently slowly working my way through Stephen King’s post-apocalyptic fantasy novel The Stand This audiobook, recommended by a co-worker, is 48 hours long!

Reading:
I’m almost finished with April’s #slowchathealth Book of the Month – Weightless by Evette Dionne, a book that was recommended to me by the good people at Vinyl and Pages — a fantastic little record/book/tea store I visited in Baltimore while in town for the SHAPE America national convention.
In Weightless, Dionne explores the minefields that fat Black women navigate every day, from early experiences with a PE teacher (yes, ouch) to the online spaces of adolescence, to confronting major health challenges as a young adult. It’s powerful, personal, and so necessary. As Sesali Bowen wrote, “Weightless is the book to read if you want a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live in a fat Black body.” I’m learning a lot — and reflecting even more.

I chose We the Pizza as the next Book of the Month because I enjoy reading cookbooks, I love pizza, and this book also has a great story.  Down North is a the pizzeria owned and operated exclusively by formerly incarcerated people and the book tells the story about how the restaurant fulfills its mission to educate and support the formerly incarcerated while serving dope food. Not only does it include a timeline of incarceration in America, but has a FIRE Philly-inspired music playlist too. (Just don’t tell my Chicago friends that I’m about to fall in love with Philly-style pizza!)

As I referenced earlier, I’m already lining up some books for the summer. The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green and YA novel Where Wolves Don’t Die by Anton Treuer are already on that list.

Watching:
When it comes to TV, my current binge watch is Mobland on Paramount+. Set in London, it’s dark, violent, and gritty — everything you might expect from a crime series — but with a strong sense of place that’s nostalgic for me.
As a now “respectable” teacher in my fifties, long removed from my London youth, this feels like safe escapism. It reminds me a little of the layered character studies from Top Boy or Gangs of London — tough on the surface, but with emotion underneath. I’m loving Tom Hardy’s performance as Harry Da Souza.

If violent gangster dramas aren’t your cup of tea(!), you can also catch me watching Andor with my family, and we just finished watching the latest season of Hell’s Kitchen.

I make a habit of sharing my current reads, watches, and listens with students because it opens doors. It tells them that it’s okay — even important — to be curious. It shows that reading, listening, and learning aren’t chores or checklists; they’re opportunities for discovery and connection. It makes space for students to share their worlds too. I enjoy modeling the fact that I am a regular reader, and I appreciate the suggestions for new music, books and shows to check out.

Here’s my invitation to you:
What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to?
I’d love to hear — share yours in the comments or reply using #slowchathealth!

This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here. Please do follow each of the outstanding contributors on social media (including Andy Milne, the author of this post) and consider writing a microblog post of your own to be shared with the global audience of slowchathealth.com

Pair this blog post with the following:

Allow Me To (Re)Introduce Myself by Andy Milne

Creating Classroom Playlists by Andy Milne

Cookbooks Exploration by Sarah Gietschier-Hartman

Multicultural Appreciation Through Music by Dom Servini

Have you read the latest Book of the Month recommendation?