Andrew Benesh > Recent Status Updates

In wondering if I should have read VS Naipul's "An area of Darkness" first instead, or perhaps Liza Weinstein's "The durable slum". Either way, it will be interesting to see how this develops its thesis.

I looked the narrative structure, but I would prefer to see it interspersed with more general economic and social data. The connections to going economics policy, development trends, and social issues are present but not centrally situated. I suppose I want this to be slightly more academic. Abdhul is a cool kids though.

So far so good on the intro. Capturing the boundaries between slum and affluence, and the class stretches studies structure of the slum is fascinating.

Finished! The mindfulness chapter is good. The final sell chapter seems a bit superfluous. Overall good ideas rehashed from old ideas, but some issues with integration.

The section on building habits is good, but seems to contradict the section on prioritization. I really looked the examination of removing constraints.

The intervening chapters on play, clarity, and boundaries have been really good. While I think the core idea is still oversold and many arguments rely on oversimplified ideas, the broad ideas are solid.

The 3 piece model - choice, discernment, and recognizing trade offs - is a good general set of ideas. I'm still not totally sold on this as a broad philosophical stance and want to see it deal with not complex problems, but it seems like a useful thought tool.

This was suggested to me at AAMFT, and just became available through the library. The first section makes an interesting case against bad priorities, but I'll need to see ether actual propositions in action before I'm sold. I hate these business books and their over the top persuasive writing style.

Good review of adult attachment theory.

A fitting end to Jaum, and the closest thing to a happy ending I've seen for a planet in a while. The final wookiee moments were really touching. Chewie being with his family and among the wookiees is something that needs to happen more often in Star Wars.

I'm afraid this means Tyvan isn't dead. And Jaum us still alive. Still, there was potential in that plan. Sevox send like a really good guy.

The escape narrative is very WWII. Zarro continues to impress me, though I feel a lot of sympathy for his father. The overall plot arc reminds me a lot of what we see in A New Dawn and. Ahsoka with imperial strip mining and enslavement.

I'm really liking this art, and Zorra is growing on me. Chewie's PTSD flashbacks are a smart thing to include. The werewolf guy in Han's vest beds to die.

I like this kid; her persistence is fantastic. They're done a good job with Chewie wrestling between his moral compass and the task at hand. I assume that there some profanity in those roars.

.. with his trusty sidekick Han.

The last segment is really depressing. Bb-K8 and pilot deserved better, even if it is in kind with Phasma's character. I wish we saw more integration of Phasma's back story as well.

The water creatures are freaky. I enjoyed the flashbacks and nods to the Phasma novel. I like how they're balancing her ruthlessness with her superficial leadership.

The final chapter and epilogue are great - the bugs to Hero's eccentricity and the unique personalities of the hippoes were great. Travers is suitably dead, though I could wish a worse death for him. I'm curious to see where book 2 will take Adelia.

So much betrayal! I like how they just continue to roll with the escalating chaos. I will be displeased if Hero dies from those injuries. With the dam blown, this has to resolve pretty quickly. I'm a little concerned for the protag hippos who will be caught in the wave.

This is technically only 85%, but it's the end of the last chapter and epilogue. The rest of the book is notes, and index, and a reading group guide (which is awesome).

The last two chapters are hard to read as you know that Bonhoeffer is reaching his end. I really appreciated the attention to detail regarding his funeral, and the exploration of the dynamics between the 17 who were with him after Tegel.

Buchenwald is a strange place; the accounting of different inmates from both Nazi and Resistance groups it's revealing. I wish we had Bonhoeffer's writings about them; how he'd reason about being incarcerated with a medical torturer or as change designer would be informative.

And the Stauffenburg plot fails. Seeing the differences in Dietrich's letters with Maria is disheartening, as is his transfer to Gestapo prison and Buchenwald. The reliance on more second hand accounts really captures the loss of autonomy and hope here.

The accounts of you've at Tegel are very detailed. I still find alerts of the relationship with Maria concerning. The author does a good job handing religiousless Christianity and efforts to circumvent Nazi censors.

It is remarkable how many assassination attempts Hitler managed to narrowly avoid. Maybe shooting him would have been the best option after all.

The Nazi scheming continues. I'm a bit disappointed in Churchill, but his stance makes some sense. Bonhoeffer's courtship and engagement are a little squicky by modern standards, but there was a war on.

This feels like a return to home for Phasma. I'm loving the BB action. This episode feels less eventful than the previous, but it established the setting of this new planet. I like that Pilot seems grounded - possibly more than Phasma.

The initial conflict feels like a perfect for Phasma as we've seen her in the books - ruthless and focused on self preservation. I appreciate the minute by minute of her escape from Starkiller Base. The art here is really kinetic.

I've heard mixed things on this one, but I really like Phasma as a character. This should be interesting.

The Leia #1 issue is nice; it's interesting to see new parts of the early Luke / Leia relationship. The handling of Alderaan survivors is a good that's always fascinating. The change in art style took a moment to adjust to. The ANH comic is a fun throwback.

That was a nice little Luke aside. It felt shallow compared to what we've seen of Leia or even Han, but fits alright. I'm curious if the trees are meant to be the same tree we see in TLJ, or if they're just related. Poe's heritage is interesting.