Five Things for the Week

//I'm still experimenting with the format. Last week's "Five Things for the Week" was combined with "Recently Read, Watched, and Listened". In this week's, as you will see, the two were merged.

1. On mental health

Something inside of me is broken. The good thing is that I'm getting closer and closer to figuring out what it is. And logic would dictate that once I do figure out what it is, then I should be able to figure out how to fix it. Admittedly, I have known something was broken for a while. It just that it wasn't until recently that I started to try to identify what it was.

2. On adoption

My last post was a short vent about something that triggered me. Like I say in that post, I don't write or speak publicly about adoption. I do write and think about it a lot. It's my way of processing feelings and thoughts that I have not only about adoption as a "thing" but, as an adoptee and the experience I have. There are times when I do want to be more public about expressing myself as an adoptee, even wanting (at times) to add my voice to some of the issues around it... Perhaps soon.

3. Read

If You Want to Kill Someone, We Are the Right Guys - This reads like a season of FX's Fargo.

Students Live In Tents, Do Homework Under Flashlights, And Deal Without Textbooks Months After California's Massive Camp Fire - Schoolwork was difficult enough for me, having a desk and other resources at home. I can't imagine trying to do it in a tent, using a flashlight. This is an incredible look into how students are coping after the destruction.

Blair Braverman on the Iditarod, Fear, and Resilience - "I was learning to break the impossible into tiny pieces. I was learning the difference between limits that can and can’t be pushed. I kept waiting for the trail to get easier, but maybe it wasn’t going to. Maybe all you could do was keep moving."

“Fixer Upper” Is Over, But Waco’s Transformation Is Just Beginning - "Do I love this? Do I hate this? Or do I just resent how effectively I’m being marketed to?" This is my thought with most things I encounter. This is a long read but fascinating. The "Magnolia Effect" is going to be a documentary some day, I know it.

4. Watched

Kung Fu Hustle - Watching this again after several years (I first saw it in 2004 when it was released), and it still was a fun experience. Movies aren't made like this often, with tongue in cheek humor and characters that are just, fun! Still as entertaining as the first viewing, if not more so.

Patriot Act, Vol. 2 - My respect for Hassan Minaj grows. I love the mid-90s NBA references.

5. Listened

Three Apple Music playlists in heavy rotation: 1) Top 100: Global, 2) Top 100: Korea, and 3) Top 100: USA. There's a lot of crossover but I like the Korean one the best. K-Pop! Duh!