Reluctance to the Mainstream — Sunday Thoughts 13/02/2022
Hey everyone!
After gentle coaxing by friends (yes David, I’m talking about you) I have decided to start watching the acclaimed Arcane, and as I begin the second episode the only thing in my mind is... why the hell have I not watched this before?
I spent a good chunk (close to 4 years actually) of my teenage years playing League of Legends. I still remember when a friend introduced me to the game, how fascinated I was. Those who know it will understand how long ago it was when I say that Jinx had just been released! Though I never delved deeply into the lore of Runeterra, I did have the occasional “down the rabbit hole” moment with the backstory for some of the champions. In fact, I used to play Jinx quite a lot, and Vi as well. So many of the characters in the show I got to know very well over time. So again I ask myself, why am I watching this only now?
I think the answer is an unconscious aversion for anything that becomes too popular. It happened with Squid Games, with Game of Thrones, with Breaking Bad... Basically everything. I cannot tell you why this is, it certainly isn’t rational. It prevents me from enjoying really good stuff sooner than I do. Anyway, I will make a conscious effort to override this stupid jerk reaction in the future!
📚Reading
I posted a tweet the other day about The Name of the Wind that made me extremely nostalgic, so even though I have a copy of the book at home, I went to Waterstones and got a new one. You might ask yourself about this foolish adventure to read something again when I have, quite literally, hundreds of books in my TBR, but come on. It’s The Name of the Wind.
I find it difficult to explain how this masterpiece of a book makes me feel (I’m deliberately ignoring all the polemic around the long wait for the third book, that’s a whole different conversation). It’s tremendous, incredible, amazing, the closest thing to a perfect polished diamond bound in paper. On my second re-read my love for it has only grown.
I am also past the first couple chapters of Trudi Cavani’s “The Magicians’ Guild”, and obviously if I’m reading alongside what I consider one of the best fantasy book ever written, my opinion of it might be affected. I’m trying to compartmentalise and analyse it for what it’s trying to be and I am enjoying it for now. It’s a nice little story with a fast pace so far.
Cover of “The Name of the Wind”
🖋Writing
The first couple batches of feedback from my beta-readers is starting to trickle in and I am beyond excited to finally see the reaction to the finished book! I have to say, there was some trepidation but it has been dissipated swiftly. The constructive points were aspects that I knew needed polishing and I have begun to revise a third draft of the manuscript. I have also commissioned the cover for the book and should have it within the end of next month.
If you remember, I mentioned a couple months ago I had started to outline and world-build a story I had been kicking around for some time. Well, things have ramped up. I have done some hours of lore-building and heavy outlining and I have started writing the first two chapters in earnest. Exciting things to come!
🚑Medicine
I haven’t overtly talked about this a whole lot. You might have noticed by the prolonged periods of inactivity though.
The first semester of this year was incredibly difficult.
I have entered a very stressful stage of my training and after four years of very demanding work, I am starting to feel the effects of burnout. I am happy to report that the worst of it seems to have passed thanks to the help of important people in my life. Having people care enough to see you thriving is everything.
Okay, I won’t get mushy in this newsletter, but I do think this deserves a whole post on its own at some point.
Alas, things are going well. Crossing the equator of my OBGYN rotation and though I quite like it, I know it’s not my thing. I am continually fascinated by surgery and the most fun I have is when I am in theatre. I guess it’s good to know that’s what I want to do with my life.
That was a long one but it’s been a while and I had accumulated stuff in the back burner. It’s good to be back into the groove of things. Thanks for reading, see you next week!
Pablo
