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In this special start-of-the-year episode, Kris and Rian deep-dive into their personal and creative themes, goals, and projects for 2026. They also cover a few big news items that happened over the last month, and discuss the books, movies, TV shows, and games that have captured their attention and hearts throughout December (ahem… let it be known there was absolutely no cramming to fit everything in before the year closed out). Kris surprises Rian by adding a little danger to Backlog Roulette, and the pair announce their buddy read for the first quarter of 2026.

How about you? We’d love to hear your themes, goals, or projects for 2026! Feel free to share them in the comments below.

We wish you all a happy and safe New Year!

0:00 Intro
2:10 The Newsstand
8:48 Read Watch Play
17:46 Main Topic: Themes, Goals and Projects for 2026
51:49 Backlog Roulette
55:35 Coming Right Up (buddy reads pick for Q1)
57:25 Connect with us

Read: 

Wuthering Heights https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/a72b94aa-4d4a-47dd-841b-583036ae006d

You've Lost a Lot of Blood https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/0076165b-dba2-49a6-8e15-2618bba670fb 

Run Like Hell https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/76f65c1f-c464-4153-8bec-65e27d2cb8c4

Level Apocalypse https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/97df550b-5bf8-471b-9312-7c713d40479b 

The Only Good Indians https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/79437676-42a1-4936-86ac-b885a7f33ac9

The Long Walk https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/65a4aeef-9821-48ef-914a-79fb8646ab83

This Skin Was Once Mine https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/fe204dee-e161-4a95-832b-e4fae34a49e9

Watch:

The Grand Budapest Hotel https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/120467-the-grand-budapest-hotel

All’s Fair https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/258742-all-s-fair

Heated Rivalry https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/301507-heated-rivalry

The Abandons https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/223300-the-abandons?language=en-AU

Play:

Enshrouded https://store.steampowered.com/app/1203620/Enshrouded/

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond https://store.nintendo.com.au/au/metroid-prime-4-beyond-nintendo-switch-2-edition.html

Skate Story https://store.steampowered.com/app/1263240/Skate_Story/

Dispatch https://store.steampowered.com/app/2592160/Dispatch/

Terminator 2D: NO FATE https://store.steampowered.com/app/1718460/Terminator_2D_NO_FATE/

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