Your Winter Binges

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. For the last 10 minutes of the show today, we invite you to call in on the question: How are you passing the time in hibernation? What are you reading, watching, listening to, binging on, or even new hobbies, hobbies that you're starting in cold weather lockdown at 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692. It's an invitation to report on yourself and do a good deed by giving other listeners some ideas they may like from how you're passing the time if you're staying home more than usual, because who wants to go out when it's 3 degrees?

How are you passing the time in hibernation? What are you reading, watching, listening to, binging on? Maybe a new hobby you're starting, at 212-433-WNYC/433-9692, as we're all locked in from the cold. You want an example? As snow blanketed our area last week, Mayor Mamdani made a recommendation.

Mayor Mamdani: I can think of no better excuse for New Yorkers to stay home, take a long nap or take advantage of our public library's offer of free access to Heated Rivalry on ebook or audiobook for anyone with a library card.

Brian Lehrer: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid, the romance novel about a passionate, secret relationship between two rival professional hockey players. Did you heed the mayor's call and borrow the book from your local library? By the way, the New York Daily News says that the New York Public Library saw a 529% spike in Heated Rivalry downloads after Mamdani plugged the book. Some people call it the Gay Hockey Book. Or did you stream the HBO series adapted from the book? The first season wrapped up its run in late December, and it's been an unexpected hit. So popular right now.

Are you binging on Heated Rivalry? Are you reading or watching something else? Another book of the moment? All of a sudden, it seems David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. It turned 30 this week. The anniversary of the book's publication is generating a lot of renewed attention. The New Yorker writes, "Infinite Jest has turned 30. Have we forgotten how to read it?" and GQ, "Infinite Jest came out 30 years ago this week. If you've never read it, there's never been a better time."

What about TV? Are you watching The Pitt, the HBO medical drama? Or in honor of the late Catherine O'Hara, did you revisit Schitt's Creek? Have you watched any Oscar-nominated movies that are available on streaming? I just watched One Battle After Another, which gave me almost three hours of distraction from the cold. Highly recommend. Now that the Grammys have happened, did anyone take a deeper dive on music? I've said here before in recent years that the Grammys are my favorite award show because there's so much actual music, not as much film at the Oscars ceremony, et cetera. Like the big montage of new artists was great at the Grammys on Sunday night. Anyone take a deeper dive into any one of those after seeing that sampler segment?

Whatever it is, what are you binging on if you're spending more time indoors in this cold snap in hibernation? What are you reading, watching, listening to? Suggest it to other folks because it's still going to be cold for a while. 212-433-WNYC 433-9692. We'll take your calls and texts right after this.

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Brian Lehrer: Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Now to how you're spending time in hibernation for the fun of saying what you're doing and to give other people some ideas if they need to pass the time, and they don't want to go outside. 212-433-WNYC 433-9692. One person, a contrarian, starts right away on the text thread with, "I'm not hibernating, I'm going out cross-country skiing." Reid in Brooklyn, I think, is going outside too. Reid, you're on WNYC. Hello.

Reid: Hi, Brian. Long time, long time. I'm an arborist. Trees don't go inside, so neither do I. I've been working out Staten Island and just trudging through 3- and 4-foot snow drifts, inspecting trees, which is where I am right now. I've been building planted aquariums in my off time. It was something I've been wanting to do for years, and just decided that if it's going to be so cold, snowy, and miserable outside, I'm going to create my own little tropical paradise in my little aquarium tanks. I've built one little nano tank, and I'm now in the process of building another big, big 48-inch planted aquarium. It's been really, really fun. I highly recommend it.

Brian Lehrer: That is awesome. Are there any trees for you as an arborist that particularly like this weather?

Reid: The maple trees do pretty well for cold temperatures, but the other way is actually really interesting. I was hearing of a live oak that is usually a tropical tree, there's an arborist who I follow on Instagram has been growing it at the University of Pennsylvania by using a little microclimates to generate warmer temperatures on the southern side of a building. They're using it as an experiment to see how far north we can plant tropical live oaks as global warming increases temperatures.

Brian Lehrer: Really interesting.

Reid: Generally, all of the deciduous trees do very well; they're adapted to cold winters like this.

Brian Lehrer: Reid, thank you very much. Interesting how many of the texts and calls we're getting are from people who say they do go out. Gina from Crown Heights, she's 82, says, "Don't stay home, go out. Go out every day for walks and errands. Cautious with the snow, but have to get out." Randy in Pound Ridge, you're on WNYC. Hi, Randy.

Randy: I have been indoors, albeit in my pajamas and robe, but I've been pretty busy. I've been on the treadmill watching hacks, and I finally got to see that fabulous show. I've enjoyed every second; it makes the treadmill much more palatable. I'm reading a book by George Saunders called A Swim In The Pond In The Rain. I write with a group of women every Tuesday, and this book is a master class in reading, a master class in writing. It is just a joy to read. I'm taking Duolingo and starting Spanish,-

Brian Lehrer: Awesome.

Randy: -although I don't understand all the bells and whistles that they put on the stupid screen. I think it's really quite an amazing way of learning. I'm enjoying that. The other thing is my husband and I are doing the crossword puzzle together every morning at breakfast, so that's been wonderful.

Brian Lehrer: It sounds like you got a lot of cold-weather hibernation activities going, Randy. Thank you very much. Listener writes, "Hibernating? I am a licensed bat rehabber, and I'm taking care of bats that need overwintering who are disturbed during their hibernation." Angela in Brooklyn, you're on WNYC. Hi, Angela.

Angela: Hi. I'm going to expose myself as a total Trekkie nerd here, but I've been watching the new Star Trek show. It's great. It's called Starfleet Academy. It stars Holly Hunter as the captain. She plays a 400-year-old captain of the-- It's not really a ship, it's kind of a ship, but it's the Academy. It's very multicultural. I love it. I love Star Trek.

Brian Lehrer: Still another generation of Star Trek. Cindy and Cranford, you're on WNYC. Hi, Cindy.

Cindy: Hi. Thanks for taking my call, Brian. I binge-watched the series The West Wing and dreamed about having a president that was as lovely, caring, and human as President Jed Bartlet.

Brian Lehrer: Back to The West Wing for a little nostalgia, I guess. Nick in Putnam County, another one who's going out. Nick, you're on WNYC. Hello.

Nick: Hi, Brian. Can you hear me okay?

Brian Lehrer: Yes, we got you fine.

Nick: Great. In addition to drawing, playing the piano, and reading indoors, my wife and I, we get bundled up and we go out to demonstrations protesting ICE and Trumpism. Saturday morning, we were in Ossining, Saturday afternoon in Mount Kisco, yesterday afternoon in Mohegan Lake, and this afternoon we're hanging banners off of overpass over the Taconic Parkway protesting ICE and fascism. Everybody should get outside and resist.

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Brian Lehrer: Nick, thank you very much. You know what? Nick gets the last word. Listeners, thank you for your calls and texts about staying in in the cold, and as it turns out, going out in the cold. Brian Lehrer on WNYC. Stay tuned for All Of It.

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