Echos of Eco

Finally, I've finished Foucault's Pendulum after having been reminded a couple of times that it's been a while since I've written anything.  I'M A SLOW READER APPARENTLY, OKAY??  Just kidding.  Thank you for checking up on me to make sure I'm still on task and kicking.  It's appreciated. 

Anyway, I have a feeling this story ended in a similar nostalgic fashion that Queen Loana did, but I may also be making that up completely since I don't really remember but rather just had this slight déja vu feeling as it was happening.  The text ends in "It is so beautiful" after a bunch of melancholy closing-word type things have been said.  Finality is always beautiful, isn't it...as is sadness.  At least in art.  Too bad it doesn't really work that way to the one experiencing it, in real life.  Otherwise so much would seem beautiful and glittering to me rather than extremely mundane and useless.  Although, I guess they are actually starting to glitter now with Christmas on its way.

Anywhoooo, now that I've thoroughly S.A.D'ed you out, some more thoughts, tracking backwards:

I am nosy and a snoop, and therefore savor being inside other people's minds and hearts.  Eco gives me only glimpses of that, hiding between lengths of obscure ideology.  For example:

"'All emanates from God, in the contraction of simsum.  The problem is to bring about tikkun, the restoration of Adam Qadmon.  Then we will rebuild everything in the balanced structure of the parzufim, the faces -- or, rather, forms -- that will take the place of the Sefirot..."

(seriously, what??)

vs.

"Because at the time I felt the need.  I had just given up drinking.  Relationship between the liver and the heart.  A new love is a good reason for going back to drink.  Somebody to go to a bar with.  Feel good with."

Perhaps the sparseness of these moments gives it more value.

Speaking of going to bars with people, I guilted some old coworkers into spending time with me a few weeks ago.  It was nice to go out, and to be social.  Same with Thanksgiving, having had the opportunity to see friends that I truly value. Feelin' good with people, reminding me that they exist.

I think it's time for me to read a slim volume.  Eco's brief chapters saved me any strenuous work, but I think I need something quick and (hopefully) breezy for the next book. I feel this impending doom creeping up on me but it could be exciting...I need some forced change in my life, I think.  I've also had this intense pain in my lower back lately that will just not go away.  I'm aging rapidly, or the whole of me is giving up, either way.  Better read as many books as I can before whatever it is that I feel in my gut eats me up.