Book 5: A Whole New World

Book 5

A Whole New World

A Twisted Tale

By: Liz Braswell

Published: 2016

ISBN: 978-148470732-6

Approximately 385 pages

I didn't think I would make it this far in the project let alone be ahead, so I stepped out of my reading comfort zone a little bit and read some fiction. Well, it wasn't really too far out of my comfort zone since this story is centered around a Disney story. A Whole New World by Liz Braswell is a twist on the story of Aladdin. As you can see on the cover the premise of the book is "What if Aladdin never found the lamp?" That phrase isn't entirely played out in the book.

If you are familiar with the movie, this book follows the movie (similar to how a Disney musical follows the text of a movie while on stage) for about the first 80 pages or so. It was fun to replay the movie in my head while I was reading. Including the musical numbers that brought me back to my Vocal Point (show choir) days in college at Fredonia. We also get names of some of the characters we see in the opening scenes of the movie that we didn't know.

Again if you are familiar with the movie and using the information from the cover of the book, the Disney and/or Aladdin fan can probably piece together this story takes a turn in the Cave of Wonders. When I said the cover isn't entirely accurate it's because the point where the story turns is Aladdin does still find the lamp in the Cave of Wonders, however where the twist starts is Abu does not steal the lamp from the disguised Jafar before he throws Aladdin back into the cave giving him is "eternal reward." So Aladdin, Abu, and Magic Carpet get thrown back into the cave without the lamp.

From there it is not the story of Aladdin you know. I don't want to write too much about the story so not to get hate comments about spoilers. I will say this, as I was reading through the rest of the story it seemed very apocalyptic and Hunger Games-esque. It is a story about absolute power with a sprinkling of classism and capitalism throughout. The unfortunate part of the book is you don't see/hear the Genie as much as you do in the movie. While he is an integral part to the story, his ongoing presence is not. The flip side to that is that the twisted pieces to the story where he is present, the character is still full of the same wit and sarcasm as originally portrayed by the late Robin Williams.

There were a couple of quotes I noted throughout the book. The first of which comes from Genie when he says, "A wish is the most powerful thing in the universe. If you know how to work around the limitations. ... Only there was one tiny problem. I hadn't quite understood the catch: you can't make the wishes yourself. The universe has a way of keeping things in balance" (pg. 128). And later he revisits a similar concept saying, "Even the most powerful sorcerers in the world cannot just summon infinite amounts of anything into existence forever-it has to come from somewhere" (pgs. 230-231). If you think about this as wishes and/or goals, they don't just happen and you have to make them happen. The effort, energy, and resources you have will be utilized to achieve what it is that you are looking for. It may require some sacrifice (cost/coming from some where) but it can be in balance as well.

Jasmine also talks to us about what an individual seeking absolute power may really be looking for. "Because that's what he wants, besides power. More than anything Jafar seems to want to be loved and admired-that's why he has those parades, and gives all the coins out, and makes those speeches from the balcony. He wants everyone, including me, to love him" (pg. 178). I do believe this to be true and some leaders don't know how to achieve this properly. We will often do an exercise asking to name those we consider to be "good leaders" and those we consider to be "poor/bad leaders." Then follow that up with listing the qualities of both. If someone were to look into the personal history of those considered to be the latter, there is most likely something they lacked in their history they are seeking, love and admiration. They will believe that power is the way to achieve it.

I do also love the end of the book where the characters who identify as women and mothers refuse to be left out of the revolutionary fight. I believe this to be an even stronger message than Jasmine alone being the only identified woman who fights Jafar. 

What an amazing and creative twist on a story we know so well. If you are familiar with the tv show Once Upon A Time, the concept is similar. The biggest difference is the twists of the book are all within the same story versus the show where the characters come from multiple stories and are all interwoven. If you are a fan of Aladdin, I would recommend reading this one to see what may have happened if Jafar rose to power. The author does have other books in the series and after reading this one, I am looking forward to reading the one centered around Beauty and the Beast as I am also very familiar with that story.

Citation:
Braswell, L. (2016). A Whole New World: A Twisted Tale. Glendale, CA. Disney Press.

Up Next

Making Meaning:

Embracing Spirituality, Faith, Religion, and Life Purpose in Student Affairs

Edited by: Jenny L. Small

Book 4: The Contract

Book 4

The Contract

The Journey of Jimmer Fredette from the Playground to the Pros

By: Pat Forde

Published: 2012

ISBN: 978-1-60907-140-0

Approximately 196  pages

Book 4, The Contract: The Journey of Jimmer Fredette from the Playground to the Pros, by Pat Forde, has been on my shelf for a handful of years. I remember sharing on Facebook that Jimmer was going to be home doing a book signing.  My mom had a friend get me a copy for a Christmas gift.

If you aren't familiar with Jimmer Fredette and "Jimmermania." Here is a brief synopsis of my interpretation prior to reading the book. So Jimmer is from my small hometown area.  He is a product of Glens Falls High School (while I went to South Glens Fall High School a decade before). Our area does not see a many high profile individuals, let alone college or professional athletes, come to stardom. The hand full of names someone might recognize include Dave LaPoint, "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, Rachel Ray, and Brendan Harris.  Jimmer became the Section II all-time scoring leader in New York State Boys Basketball history (though that and the state scoring records were recently broken). Even though Glens Falls was not considered a "hotbed" for basketball talent, a number of greats had come through the town from high school ranks as the state tournament was hosted at the city's Civic Center (now known as COOL Insuring Arena).

Even with his scoring prowess, Jimmer was not highly recruited to play "big time" Division I basketball at the collegiate level. He had received offers from local Siena College, from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and Brigham Young University (BYU) from the Mountain West Conference.  Jimmer ultimately attend BYU and became a star during his junior and senior seasons. He was a sight to watch with his seemingly unlimited shooting range. Especially being from Glens Falls, he was must see TV for me and some of my friends. We tend to get behind our hometown stars. Living in New Jersey at the time of his rising star, Jimmer was the talk of the Jersey Shore. At least in the eyes of me and my friends.  We would make regular trips to Buffalo Wild Wings to catch later evening games on TV, and to also take advantage of the Bud Light specials after 9pm at the time. Jimmermania even spawned a number of YouTube videos asking to "Teach Me How to Jimmer."

While it was heartbreaking to watch the Cougars not make it to the finals in Jimmer's senior season, much having to do with the loss of a teammate being honest about violating the schools honor code and being dismissed from the team, the hype continued to surround Jimmer. He took home numerous Player of the Year awards, including the coveted John Wooden Award, during that season. Even with all the accolades, he was being doubted as an NBA Lottery Pick and some as an NBA player at all.  Questioning his size, at 6' 2", he has more of the skills of a shooting guard than a point guard, will he be quick enough to keep up with other NBA players, and can he play any defense? Because of our investment in Jimmer during his junior and senior seasons at BYU, my friends and I made the trip to the Prudential Center in Newark to be there when Jimmer was drafted into the NBA. Since the league had invited him to be in the green room, it was a safe assumption he would be a first round pick. I will never forget hearing the ESPN commentators, especially Jay Bilas, say "I think it's Jimmer time" as the 10th pick of the draft approached.  "With the 10th pick, of the 2011 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select...Jimmer Fredette from Brigham Young University," were the words utter by then commissioner David Stern.  My friends and I dressed in our Glens Falls Basketball gear, while it pained me to don those being a South High Bulldog, cheered, had the kids sitting in front of us hold the sign we made congratulating Jimmer from the upper deck, high fived each other, and scanned the arena for other Jimmer fans. Jimmer had become a lottery pick. We would later find out Jimmer was actually drafted by the Sacramento Kings after a trade with Milwaukee earlier in the draft.

Suddenly, the quiet, predominately hockey crazed town became instant fans of the Sacramento Kings. I was fortunate enough to see Jimmer unexpectedly start his first NBA game in January of 2012 in Philadelphia against the 76ers.  Even more unexpectedly, my friend Brad and I ended up in a box suite with other Jimmer fans on the $15 tickets we had purchased. It was a random Tuesday night game and this was when the Sixers were terrible before "The Process." Jimmer had three up and down season with the Kings.  He then spent some time with the Bulls, Pelicans, Knicks, and Spurs.  Jimmer also spent some time in the NBA Developmental League (D-League, now known as the G League) where he became a D-League All-Star MVP. Jimmer currently is an All-Star in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) with the Shanghai Sharks. Last CBA season he was recognized as the International MVP of the league. He continues to "light it up" in the league regularly scoring 30, 40, or 50 points a night in the league.

Finally having the chance to read the book, there are a number of things I didn't know about Jimmer's journey. First and foremost was the title of the book The Contract. This piece of paper when Jimmer was younger and the agreement he made with his brother TJ was a driving force to reach the platform he did. Additionally, I didn't realize the strong influence TJ had on his basketball development. There were a handful of times, the aspiring rapper, made some missteps with the local and national media the drew some negative attention to himself and that is what I remember about TJ within Jimmer's rise to stardom. Clearly knowing the area and knowing we do not boast NBA level talent, the inventive work that TJ did in compiling training exercises was inspiring to read about in his care and love for his brother. I was also not familiar with TJ's anxiety and vestibular disorders.

There were a few things I noted as I was reading the book. I was aware that Jimmer identifies with the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and Mormonism, but there are some basics throughout the book that discusses the Mormon faith. Knowing the area is not a space having many regularly practicing Mormons, I was interested to read about Jimmer's transition to BYU and Provo where the faith is more prevalent. It was interesting to read the snippets from Mormons: An Open Book produced by LDS and their list of "Ten Facts to Know When Meeting a Mormon."Additionally, Jimmer identifying as a white player in a sport dominated by non-white players, I appreciated the author spending some time with Jimmer and the Fredette family sharing their perspectives on his journey and navigating that portion of his identity in his new world as well.

While we are all now removed from the Jimmermainia of the early twenty-teens, it is still very much alive in my life tracking and watching Jimmer highlights from China. It was fun to read about local places I grew up with and were familiar with. It also gave me a chance to reminisce about the 2011 NBA Draft and how much fun my friends and I had even just listening to people read off names.  Jimmer was always must see TV with my dad and I whenever one of his teams were on TV. I remember watching his debut with the Bulls and lighting up the Knicks while with the Kings. I also remember his first game in the NBA staying up all night when the Kings played the Lakers, and won, during the lockout shortened season.

I would recommend anyone this book who are fans of Jimmer and/or from the Glens Falls area. We may see some more of this hype over the next year or so out of GFHS!

Citation:
Forde, P. (2012) The Contract: The Journey of Jimmer Fredette from the Playground to the Pros. Shadow Mountain Publishing.

Next Up:

A Whole New World

Liz Braswell

Book 3: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*uck

Book 3

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*uck

A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

By: Mark Manson

Published 2016

ISBN:978-0-06-245771-4

Approximately 210pages

Book three, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck - A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson, jumped off the Amazon.com page for me probably for the same reason it jumped out at many people, the bright orange color. No really, because of the word "fuck." While not the most appropriate word in the world, it is one that is firmly in my vernacular.  It's just such a versatile word.

It's becoming such common place that I read something recently that late night cable series may no long have to edit it out. The late George Carlin's list, from this 1978 clip of the "Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say on Television," is continuing to dwindle. I'm beginning to wonder what is even off limits anymore.

Alright enough about that, let's talk about the book. My overall thoughts are the book was enjoyable. It was easy to read and pretty straight forward, similar to my first book. There are a number of things within the book not necessarily earth shattering new information, but instead, a new way of thinking.  Additionally, there are a few pieces of the book I disagreed with the author.

Manson discusses the idea that physical and psychological pain indicate something is out of balance and life is a series of problems to be solved. Our happiness lies in what problems we choose to solve and how we choose to solve them. He also, early on, discusses his interpretation of negative and positive emotions. Negative emotions, he states, "are a call to action. When you feel them, its because you are supposed to do something" (pg. 34). Positive emotions" are rewards for taking the proper action" (pg. 34).

The author also dives into our digital reality. We live in such an information heavy age, our own insecurities can be magnified by the latest web page or article we have access to. Not to mention the intentional personal bullying that could ensue through social media. Through this, Manson spends a bit of time discussing entitlement and the "easier and more problem-free our lives become the more we seem to feel entitled for them to get even better" (pg. 57). I believe the biggest thing that struck me, and I have internalized this personally, is "Technology has solved old economic problems by giving us new psychological problems. The Internet has not just open sourced information it has also open-sourced insecurity, self-doubt, and shame" (pg. 60). How many of us (raising my hand) have felt some sort of inadequacy reading a "Facebook friend's" post regarding a new job, promotion, or recognition or even things in their personal lives such as engagements, weddings, children, or a new pet and not felt some sort of jealousy or "I'm better than that person so why am I not achieving that?" We all do it in one form or another.

Manson then begs the question, "if suffering is inevitable, if our problems in life are unavoidable, then the question we should be asking is not 'How do I stop suffering' but 'Why am I suffering-for what purpose'" (pg. 69)? He then goes into something I have found helpful recently he called the "self awareness onion."

The self awareness onion looks like this: (pg. 70)

1. Understand one's emotions.
2. Having the ability to ask why one feels certain emotions.
3. Our personal values: Why do I consider this to be a success or failure? How am I chosing to measure myself? By what standard am I judging myself and everyone around me?

He then moves into how changing or adjusting our values will change how we see our problems. I believe it was summed up pretty well on pg. 89 when he said, "...self improvement is really about: prioritizing better values, choosing better things to give a fuck about. Because when you give better fucks, you get better problems. And when you get better problems, you get a better life."

The next piece of the book I have recently resonated with all too much. The first piece that stuck out to me was when Manson states, "We don't always control what happens to us. But we always control how we interpret what happens to us, as well as how we respond" (pg 94). This statement couldn't be truer. How you interpret everything around you and how you respond to it outwardly is key to having the resources and support to decide how to press on with it. However, one must realize that your interpretation of a situation may be different from someone else. One cannot enforce their own experience/interpretation of a given situation on another.

Manson discusses a concept of "victimhood chic" later in the book. Now I don't know if it's because of the industry I am in and/or evaluations of myself, but this concept I believe comes very much from a place of privilege and I don't necessarily agree with the author's stance. Manson discusses "victimhood chic" as being "in style on both the right and the left today, among both the rich and the poor. In fact, this may be the first time in human history that every single demographic group has felt unfairly victimized simultaneously. And they're all riding the highs of the moral indignation that comes right along with it" (pg 110-112). He goes on to say "Right now, anyone who is offended about anything-whether it's the fact that a book about racism was assigned in a university class, or that Christmas trees were banned at the local mall, or the fact that taxes were raised half a percent on investment funds-feels as though they're being oppressed in some way and therefore deserve to be outraged and to have a certain amount of attention" (pg 110-112). It may be the way I'm reading the section, but it just seems to read very privileged and derogatory. That many sub-sects of this species don't have the right to feel victimized. Now,  I don't know how the author identifies, however, judging from the picture in the back cover he looks to be in his late thirties early forties, white, heterosexual (he later discusses the relationship he has with his wife), and male. There is some privilege that comes with that identity and being a best selling author.

The remainder of the book had me questioning if there was any good left. Discussing searching for doubt and measuring success by your failures. These are things I tend to do regularly. I have been the pessimistic optimist searching for all of the things that could go wrong, attempting to troubleshoot issues that haven't occurred, and fretting (usually) all for not.

The final two chapters in the book really do tie some concepts together. The first is, while we all want to have many experiences and sometimes less is more. If we have less, perhaps we can appreciate it more deeply. I recently had an interaction illustrating this. I had a student venture into my office stating they were stressed out. I keep a number of mindfulness pieces in my office including a coloring book and crayons (and yes I work with college students). When I presented the student with the coloring book and 8 pack of crayons, we discussed the intentionality I had with only having the 8 pack versus having the giant 96 pack of crayons. Because when you are using this as a calming activity, having more choices into what colors to use, as strange as it sounds, could amplify the individuals anxiety.  Having minimal choices in colors, the student could appreciate the different shades of those basic colors based on how hard or softly they pressed and at what angle they colored from. I believe in the field I work in this is also true of our advising/supervision style and the student response. We can see different shades and depths of them (their personalities, their potential, and their present) the way we push and at what angle we push from.

The final piece discusses coming to grips with our own mortality. This discusses, what something in the fraternity/sorority advising field talk about a lot, leaving a legacy. Manson leaves us with four questions (pg. 205):

• How will the world be different and better when you're gone?
• What mark will you have made?
• What influence will you have caused?
• They say that a butterfly flapping it's wings in Africa can cause a hurricane in Florida; well, what hurricanes will you leave in your wake?

Manson mentions in the chapter that humans are the only animal having the ability to conceptualize their own mortality. Knowing this, he suggests once we come to grips with our mortality, we can put our values into perspective and begin laying the foundation of our legacy. Again, I believe this to be true when thinking about my profession as well. I view part of my role is to help the undergraduates understand their time within the chapter is limited and how are they laying a foundation for their organization to continue to grow and prosper.

As much as I found the book bouncing around and changing concepts, I did enjoy it. Again, not going to lie, I enjoyed the "colorful" language throughout the book. I found myself laughing out loud in some sections. For those of you who don't necessarily enjoy the vulgarity of such language, it is not as prevalent as I may make it out to seem. I would recommend this book for individuals who are looking for a way to put the issues they are dealing with in perspective. While it won't provide you with easy strategies to completely change your perspective, it will provide you with an intellectual release and cleansing that you can let some things go.  It's just a matter of how you chose to let them go and what you are going to replace them with that is important.

Citation:
Manson, M. (2016) The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuative Approach to Living a Good Life. San Francisco, CA. HarperOne Publishing.

NEXT UP:

The Contract

(Pat Forde)