I was not handling any of this well. Then again, I had been shot. April was unconscious. There was a talking monkey. And it was Carl.

This was exactly the kind of book I needed without realizing it. This was a fun and enjoyable, fast paced read with just enough science fiction, whimsy and "what if" mixed in.

And so, ironically, the Altus Space became my only respite from the prison that Altus had put me in.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is an excellent continuation and I'm pleased that the series is a duology. Readers may be left with larger questions but I am pleasantly content with how everything wrapped up, plus the added sprinkle of foreboding added on top.

Our reality isn't about what's real, it's about what we pay attention to.

My favorite episodes of Black Mirror are ones that seem like a very realistic outcome for society. Our reliance on a new gadget, online functionality or social media ultimately result in our downfall. We all use these technologies, understand their benefits and blindly ignore their downsides.

I realize now that power you can't control isn't power at all

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor walks the line highlighting the downside of our dependence on those tools and challenges us to be better. This is like a self help book for a dystopian world and it was great!

My theory is that Carl's brother was building audiences all over the internet and was planning to pit them against each other somehow.

The internet is a minefield of fake accounts run by bots, an echo chamber used to rile up our strongest emotions and it's a yelling match from one side to the other. Hank Green leaves plenty of concern and caution in his book without it being preachy.

You will always struggle with not feeling productive until you accept that your own joy can be something you produce.

I'm glad a friend handed me a copy of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing last year because it lead me to the Carls and what was a very fun and enjoyable trip.

Power is just a lack of constraint.