Classics Considered

Dear readers,

September was a rough month on all fronts—work, life, mental health. When October finally crept up on me, I was a little sad time had passed so quickly and in such dreary ways. Happily, the change has been for the better, and I can at last feel the spark of hope Jordan expresses in The Great Gatsby.

I am taking a break from making videos and have decided to admit I am in a reading rut as well. I have a big stack of books on the top of one bookcase, which is all the books I was reading (or had intentions of reading) and set aside. I feel much better since they aren’t on my nightstand. All I have there now is the slim volume of Hebrews, which shall be the next installment of the Bible journals that I go through.

What have I been up to if not reading, you may ask? Lately, three things:

• Health – Been eating a lot better the last couple of months, while trying to lose the last few lbs. In what feels like a personal miracle, I have also taken up jogging, which is something I hated in the past. I can now run up to 1/3 of a mile continuously. (Basically, I am turning into my dad.) My goal is to work up to 1.5 miles.

• Home – It’s been many months since my move, and I finally feel like I’ve unpacked everything! There’s a few smallish boxes left, but that’s about it. Once it is all organized and my place is clean (I started a deep clean yesterday), I will start on a bigger project which is to go through all my stuff and truly pare down my possessions. It’s really time to start loving life as it is and not try to be someone else with a massive set of dishes or a guitar that’s too big for me . . . The only thing I plan to be “maximalist” about is books.
• Work – I have been gaining more responsibilities in my new role and helping to mentor someone in their job search. I have the space and support to gain more experience in a shorter amount of time than I previously anticipated. It doesn’t come without challenges, but I’m very excited about it!

In other news . . . I’m still watching and (unabashedly) enjoying Rings of Power with my parents and sister. The show has its flaws, for sure—the cinematography is not of the highest caliber, and like any TV show, some episodes are weaker than others. Still, I am very invested in the main characters and impressed by the dialogue, which carries many of the spiritual and philosophical themes I appreciate in The Lord of the Rings. In a series where I was expecting simplistic messages of “good vs evil, with the power of friendship(tm),” I’m finding more interesting questions about a person’s role in the greater world, the spiritual forces that influence events and people, and the darkness within that we must be on guard against. Some of Galadriel’s reflections, in particular, have been very moving—it is so refreshing to have a female character who experiences doubt and discouragement, without giving up on her faith.

In these ways, then, Rings of Power has surpassed my expectations, by far. I can only hope it is maintained in season 2. For now, it has been really nice to watch a wholesome series with my family, something to look forward to. I shall be sad when the last episode airs (next Friday).