No Dancing: This is a respectable house

I am wearing my Sunday best, listening to Depeche Mode, and dancing in a discombobulated fashion. Life is grand. My friend backed slowly out of the room when I cranked the music and started dancing. They need to loosen up. I think some alcohol is in order, except for that it's a Wednesday night.

When I swim, I have long, nearly annoying conversations with this journal. I sit and try to map out where I stand on any number of emotional or political issues. It is so tiresome. I will not trouble you with them.

Let me instead tell you about Umberto Eco, or "Cutest man in the entire Universe" as my friend mouthed to me halfway through his talk. His English is a little hard to follow, as it is highly excitable, and I felt like a complete sham because I haven't read his books (only a few of his essays). He says that he reads comic books. He talks about sex (When we saw Amos Oz I said, annoyed, "Why does it always have to be about sex? Sex sex sex! Bah on sex!" but I have gotten over this.) It's more that he makes reference to sex an awful lot, but I was okay with this. He also talks about the problems of a one-legged man - where are his genitals, after all? Oh, he was hilarious and witty and I momentarily wanted to seduce him.

We love this quote, it's from Vogue: "People always ask me, 'How is it that your novel, which are so difficult, have a certain success?' I am offended by the question. It's as if they asked a woman, 'How can it be that men are interested in you?' Because I am beautiful, of course! To ask such a question insinuates that you are very ugly.

I myself like easy books that put me to sleep immediately. But the normal reader who does not spend his day fighting with Kant or Hegel feels respected if there is a jujitsu with a novel, a resistance, a seduction. If the book says yes immediately, it is a whore. There is no challenge in seducing a whore."

He told a beautiful story about how he always tries to finish his books on his birthday. When he finished Baudolino, not on his birthday, he was worried (He said he wanted to add a few chapters, but no!) but the next day he found out that he finished the book on the birthday of his grandson.

He is a fabulous little man. He makes me want to learn Italian (sigh).

Yes, I know, it's not the truth, but in a great history little truths can be altered so that the greater truth emerges.

2002-10-23, This is a RESPECTABLE house

before / after

archives / website / hello book / diaryland