Non-Sequiturs

Finished Roberto Bolano's novel The Savage Detectives. Wonderful. A unique novel. The story of a group of poets in Mexico City who call themselves the Visceral Realists and about the two leaders of the movement, Arturo Belano and Ulises Lima. The book is structured as a triptych: the first part is an introduction to the major characters in the form of a diary by a poet new to the group; the second part is the longest part, nearly 400 pages, that details in interview form people who knew the two leaders, either as friends or enemies; and the final section is back to the same characters from the first section and their Quixotic quest to find the original Visceral Realist. The quality of writing was excellent and I could barely put the book down. It is sad that Bolano died in 2003. He only left one more novel, 2666, which he finished 3 weeks before he passed away. It is sitting on my night stand and is being eagerly awaited.

I am not a patient person. I tend to get frustrated when it takes a long time for me to achieve something or for something I want to happen to happen. I recently met someone that I would like to get to know a lot better. We have similar interests and seem to have an interesting connection with each other. The issue is that he was in love with someone else last year and that person broke things off with him and returned to his former lover. The person I am interested in, though they broke up over three months ago, still has feelings for this other person and is trying to let him go. I have tried to just get to know him without dating him to see if there is at least an interest there on both our sides, but unfortunately he is still hung up on this person and it seems to infect every aspect of his life. So I tend to get attention from him on his good days, which seem to be few and far between. So, I am more than likely going to just let him go. I don't need this type of complication in my life at this time. It just saddens me, because he is a good guy. Hopefully, he will be able to get over this person soon.

It is no secret I am huge music fan. I think it is interesting following the careers of certain musicians and seeing the paths they take. Why do certain bands, U2 or R.E.M. for example, start out making interesting, non-mainstream music, then get a taste of popularity and streamline their music to become more popular, thereby getting rid of what made them interesting in the first place? And on the other side, you have artists like Radiohead, who make even darker or more challenging music, almost to point of alienating any fans they have made. Radiohead, at least, has taken a few steps back, and are making more digestible music that is still challenging.

Lyrics rattling around my head:

"Hilary walked to her death
Because she couldn't think of anything to say
Everybody thought that she was boring, so they never listened anyway
Nobody was really saying anything of interest, she fell asleep
She was into S&M and bible studies
Not everyone's cup of tea, she would admit to me
Her cup of tea, she would admit to no one"

Belle & Sebastian
If You're Feeling Sinister

"Jumped into the river
Black-eyed angels swam with me
A moon full of stars and astral cars
And all the things I used to see
All my lovers were there with me
All my past and future
And we all went to heaven in a little row boat
There was nothing to fear
Nothing to doubt"

Radiohead
Pyramid Song

"More than I can hold in my hand
Running through the gaps like water
Aching with a passion inside
Deep as the river
All desire
The ashes and the fire
Turning this night inside
And the light from you"

Shriekback
This Big Hush

"If you love him you should leave me
That's the best thing to do.
Because if you need him, you don't need me
Like you used to.
And if you believe that you'll be happy
Then I'm happy for you."

Lloyd Cole
Happy For You

"It's the blaze across my nightgown
It's the phone's ring
I think last night (you were in my dreams)
You were driving circles around me"

Kristin Hersh
Your Ghost

Appealing Things:

The Original Cast recording of Sunday in the Park with George
Kit-Kats
Roland 808 drum machine
Listening to Satie's Socrates on a cold day
80s music
Little Britain ("computer says noooooo")
Youtube
Mafia Wars
Polihale Beach
Sad Stephen's Song
Iron Chef
Pavement (the band, not the sidewalk or street)
Spicy Mustard
Tom Ka Gai soup

Annoying Things:

White wine
Light bulbs going out while you are shaving
Alarm clocks
Ryan Seacrest
Bad crabcakes
Jessica Biel's dress at the Oscars
People who wear too much cologne or perfume
Hell's Kitchen