15 August 2003 (Friday)

shock of the new

Hello hello. First day in a while that I've had prolonged internet access. For a few weeks now it's been "Oh look, so-and-so's emailed me. I should...oop, there it goes. Disconnected. I'll write back when I next get online, I guess..."

Everyone's scattering to the winds. Zach is off to graduate school, Ms. Slithy-Tove has beamed from Boise to Chicago, Mr. ECheng is off carousing in tropical lands somewhere (oh wait, he's always off carousing in tropical lands somewhere). Even Soren and I will be going our separate ways for a few months -- he to academia, I to the opposite, whatever that is. He got on a plane today; I miss him already.

I have been reading novels. This is probably less noble than tackling some factual tome about international economic policy (which does fascinate me, admittedly), but my brain is only fit for narratives right now. After finally giving Joseph Heller's Catch-22 its due attention, I raced to the end of the book and immediately started re-reading. I'll have to keep this one on my shelf for a few years. Also on the polished-off list: Dave Egger's You Shall Know Our Velocity! and Nick Hornby's How To Be Good (by way of jimbatcho), both fine conversation starters, both well catered to my generation of confused-because-we're-free, guilty-because-we're-comfortable types. Next up: William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying and Stephen Crane's The Red Badge of Courage. Oh yes, we're looking to be cheered up around here.

posted by enjelani @ 03:08 PM PST [ link ]