KWICK 6: Slow Week

Thought of the Week:

Have you ever had a work week where the only thing you do after work is cook, eat, and watch mindless tv? This is what this past week has been for me. Every day I came home from work exhausted and not wanting to do much. So I watched tv that I've watched multiple times already. Shows that didn't take much thinking. I didn't even read much this week. It was the definition of a slow consumption week.

What I've Consumed:

I'm sure we all have weeks like this. This past week, every day was pretty busy. I didn't really have a slower day until Friday. Last-minute reviews, research, and client appointments. I didn't feel like I was slowing down. It didn't give me time to think about what was going on in the world. I'm not sure I enjoy weeks like this. I have to make spaces for things I enjoy. So that brings me to the only thing I've consumed this week on my commute: The Sunshine Place.

The Sunshine Place details the story of Synanon. It was initially a drug rehabilitation community that had tremendous success, however, the program turned into something more sinister. This story was even more compelling because the host is a daughter of former members, and Synanon has been an unspoken boogeyman for her family. I am always interested in stories such as this because it is interesting digging into the minds of people who are the leaders and those who fall victim to the leader. One thing I got from this podcast is a question that I ask myself after all cult stories: Why do we assume charismatic leaders are the best? Why do we continually place them with so much power?

Currently Reading:

As I stated, I didn't really read much this week, so I am in the same place as last week for Foundryside and The Love Songs of W.E.B. DuBois.

African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan by Thomas Lockley and Geoffrey Girard

• 33% completed. I take time in the morning when I get in my office to read my nonfiction book. It's allowing me to make progress on it and let my computer boot up. I don't like jumping straight into work but at least taking care of myself before I take care of my employer. Anyways, I have only finished part 1 of this book, and I would recommend it to everyone. It is interesting in so many ways. Not only are we learning about Yasuke but also the Japanese culture at this time. I am learning about how the Jesuit missionaries were viewed and how they viewed the people there. It is fascinating. By the end of the week, I should be around 50%. It really is an interesting and easy read.

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