KWICK 6: Tears of the Kingdom and Books
Thought of the Week:
Some changes are happening in my life soon, and I am super excited about the new journey I will be on. First, I am happy to state that I accepted a job offer in Warner Robins, GA. Going back to Robins this early in my career was super unexpected, but I am happy to get back there and learn from the fantastic attorneys I previously worked with. This job will focus primarily on contracts, an area I am excited to dig more into than I have in my current job. Starting law school, I wanted to be an in-house attorney for a corporation focusing on contracts. While this isn't a corporate job per se, focusing on government acquisitions and procurement will allow me to specialize earlier in my career than planned.
The job isn't the only aspect of the move I am excited about. Moving back closer to my friends and family is what I need. I will be closer to my best friend and her family, so I will be able to see my goddaughter grow up and not just in pictures. I'll be able to see her a few times per year instead of once or twice a year. If you read KWICK 008, KWICK 6: A 2022 Reflection, you know that the end of 2022 knocked me on my tail in a way I wasn't expecting. Living so far away from family and having that knockdown happen made me reflect on what is important, and while my career is important, being present in my loved ones' life is more important. So next week, be on the lookout for a reflection on what I've learned in the last year.
What I've Consumed:
Tears of the Kingdom
On May 12th, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom came out. To be honest, in my free time, that is what I've been consuming. It is a great game, but I am still unsure which Zelda I like more. Many of the complaints I had for Breath of the Wild have been addressed in TOTK; however, this new game does seem harder in some ways. Either way, I am having a good time! Highly recommend either of these Zelda games.
Recently Finished Books
Before TOTK came out, I did finish a couple of books.
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by SA Chakraborty
- I own other books by this author, I haven't read them, but I decided to jump on her new book as soon as possible. This story starts with introducing Amina, and we get hints of her background. She is a retired infamous pirate. A wealthy mother comes and seeks Amina out to find her kidnapped granddaughter. Her son was a member of Amina's crew, and Amina seems to have some regrets about his death. I really enjoyed the book. Amina is an interesting character to follow. I read along while listening to the audiobook, and I would highly recommend the audiobook. There are little interruptions and mini-chapters that the audiobook makes more fun and easier to follow. I enjoyed the twists and turns in this story. I absolutely loved how the characters interacted with each other, and some parts made me laugh. I am excited about where the story goes. It is part of a series but didn't end in a way that made me hate that I read it when it wasn't complete.
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Allow Me To Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution by Elie Mystal
- I enjoyed this book. It was informative and critical of the Constitution in a way that non-lawyers could easily understand. There is profanity and humor, but it also has a sense of urgency. His goal was to introduce the history of the Constitution to the everyday person and make us ask why we deem this document a democratic win. While I didn't agree with all his points, I think it critiqued America and its undying love for this document fairly, but it definitely leans heavily progressive. One aspect of the book that I thought was very timely is the critique of the Supreme Court. In light of the scandals and the reality of the type of control they have on our democracy, this book offers some reasonable solutions that I never really thought of. I left the book thinking that while America praises itself for progress, the country still hangs on to the idea of democracy like the wealthy white male enslavers believed democracy should be. Their words are golden, and America doesn't like to critique those words if it benefits everyone.
📚 Currently Reading:
- 13% completed. I have really just read the introduction and the first chapter. The author stated he wants to get me to understand three things by the time I close the book: 1) how black history has been whitewashed; 2) how to make connections between past, present, and future; and 3) the important role black people have played in human history. So far, it has felt like a dump of historical facts, but I expect it to get better. I will say the author writes beautifully. His writing has a poetic flow that makes it easy to read.
Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction
- 26% completed. I am still making my way through the short stories. My favorite story so far has been IRL by Steven Barnes. It is a fast-paced story that reminded me of Ready Player One with the premise. It follows Garret as he tries to get his father out of the real-life consequences of his virtual game actions. I would love a full-length novel because I think the world would be fascinating, and it would be able to develop some of the themes it hinted at fully.
If you need some recommendations, check out my Goodreads or StoryGraph. And then follow me on Instagram and Twitter. One of my favorite newsletters to read for current events is Morning Brew. Check it out.