KWICK 021: Hobbies & Reading

🤔 Thought of the Week:

The beginning of the year is always a time of excitement and new beginnings, just like the end of the year is a time of reflection. In 2025, I decided to approach things a little differently. I don't have a ton of goals for the year that are broken up by the quarter. My only goal and focus this year is to learn and enjoy who Chakeira is. I will be turning 35 this year, and I feel I have accomplished a lot. However, with law school and then the focus on my career, I have gotten away from those hobbies that bring me joy. I don't want to spend the year comparing what 20-year-old Chakeira thought life would be like at 35. I want to enjoy the hobbies and life I have today. Of course, I want to be conscious of my spending and ensure I prepare for the future, but I want to enjoy the fruits of my labor. 

With that in mind, I have a couple of mini-vacations planned for the first half of 2025. First, I am traveling to watch a portion of the Women's March Madness. This has always been a desire of mine. I am super excited to see who will end up in the region. Next, my sister and I will see Kendrick Lamar and Sza in concert. I am a huge Lamar fan and have not been to a concert in ages. I am excited to see what they have in store for this experience. 

I am thankful I can buy tickets and book hotels without worrying about my bills. I understand I am privileged and do not take that for granted. The latter half of 2025 will be quieter for me, but that is to start saving for a 2026 vacation. I do not take my life for granted and am excited to see what 2025 has to offer. 

💻 What I've Consumed:

I ended 2024 with a variety of books, from fantasy to romance. 

• The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower #2) by Stephen King. I enjoyed this book and gave it 3.75⭐️. It is a tonal shift from the first book in the series, but it did dive more into the characters. While this isn't a prologue book like the first, it definitely sets the scene for the rest of the series. The first book introduced the main character and the problem, while this book introduced the secondary characters, and we got to know them. The pacing felt off in some areas, and the ending disappointed me. However, that seems to be a common occurrence from what I hear about King's writing. This book leans more into internal conflict than external conflict. I think both books need to be read to determine if this series is for you. I like the books enough to continue. For more information, I did complete book notes on book 1 and book 2. 
• Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell. I gave this book 4⭐️ and still have mixed emotions about it. I think the book's first half is very strong, but in the 2nd half, it got away from what I enjoyed most. The book is full of commentary about identity, masculinity, and black culture but does not do a good job of exploring all of the messages it wanted to explore. The book's first half had a dystopian feel, but it felt more like a utopia in the second half. The tonal shift between the two halves was jarring. The book left a lot of plot holes. I could infer this from some of my experiences, but I can understand why some readers did not make the connections. This book had many flaws, but I liked it so much because of the conversations that could be had. It is a perfect pick for a book club or buddy read because of the conversations it can bring forth. I completed book notes after reading the book. 
• Church Girl by Naima Simone. I needed this palate-cleanser book after reading two books that involved a lot of worldbuilding. It was a nice change of pace. For the most part, I enjoyed reading this book and gave it 3⭐️. The relationship between Aaliyah and Von is paced pretty well for most of the book. However, the ending felt rushed. The last 40-50 pages crammed resolution, 3rd act miscommunication, and declaration of love into it. I think we saw some growth in Aaliyah, but Von’s seemed to happen suddenly.

I also took the time to finish watching Season 1 of The Expanse. I really enjoyed seeing the TV show. I think it does a good job of visually distinguishing Belters, Earthers, and Martians. I plan to continue reading and watching the series in conjunction. It seems realistic and was paced better than the book. I also like the way the characters are portrayed. One issue I had with Holden in the book was his sudden love for the only woman around. In the show, it seems they will build that relationship. Also, I thought Miller's fascination with Julie was weird in the book, but I think they presented it a little better in the show. He doesn't have hope left, so his fascination seems more like Julie is a religious figure providing the hope. 

I finally watched Leverage: Redemption, and I enjoyed it. The show is not as good as the original because it loses some of the characterizations. Nate is mentioned in the first couple of episodes, and then it is like he never happened. Hardison is not in many episodes, but I understand that is because of other work he is doing (such as Alex Cross, which I want to watch soon). Parker is mixed for me. In the original, we saw her growth, but sometimes, it seems as if she reverts to that initial Parker. Eliot is the same. However, I think one of his storylines did not match what was stated in the original. Sophie, as the lead, is good. I think we learn more about her in this series than in the original. Harry and Breanna, as additions to the team, do add some humor and additional storylines. Overall, I enjoy and will continue to watch as seasons come out. 

Finally, I have watched a ton of basketball. We are fully into the college basketball season, and I enjoy having more opportunities to watch women's basketball. I have pretty much watched all of the top teams at this point. UCLA continues to be the frontrunner, and it looks like Notre Dame is gearing up for a deep tourney run. USC looks good, but I think they still have some growing pains. LSU has had a pretty easy schedule so far, but now that SEC play has started, I will be able to get a good feel for them. A few players are dominating for them, and I can't wait to see them play SC and Texas. SC is exploring this year. I am not sure they can run it back, but they have been winning by committee. I have enjoyed seeing the growth of the players. This season has been great. 

📚 Currently Reading:

The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan. 100% completed. I just finished this over the weekend, and I really enjoyed it. I am still thinking about my rating and my final thoughts. There were some characterization issues, but for the most part, I enjoyed the mystery and political intrigue of the story. 

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler. 4% completed. This isn't a long book, but after reading the first two chapters, I decided I needed to read this book a little slower than usual. Out the gate, Butler hits you with multiple things. First, who is this vampire, and what happened to her? Second, I understand why so many people are uncomfortable with this book. Chapter 2 makes it clear that consent and perception will be themes in this story. So far, I like it. 

Caliban's War (The Expanse series book 2) by James S.A. Corey. 1% completed. I literally just started this book last night before I got too tired. The prologue is nuts. The author does a good job of establishing the book's tone in the prologue. I still remember book 1's prologue. 

They Were Her Property by Stephanie E. Jones-Rodgers. 39% completed. This nonfiction book does a good job of presenting the author's research. While it can get a little repetitive, the points the author wants to communicate is very clear. 

💡 Lessons Learned:

When I first read this, I was taken aback. It is a cynical view of why there is a prohibition on murder but why wars and the death penalty persist. I do not necessarily agree that it has nothing to do with ethics, but I do believe the "state's" function is maintaining power and control. With that, the state must be both benevolent and dangerous to other nations and its population.

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