It's that weird time between Xmas and New Years where every day can be termed Blursday. This is a classic time for a Heckasac post, and old school readers will remember that sometimes Smiller would take the wheel because he would be so bored at his job at PacCorp. I had many years where I got this time off, paid, and didn't have to use official vacation but those days are long gone.
This last week or so has been a social whirlwind. Fun but I'm feeling a bit run down and haven't been sleeping well. But feeling oh so grateful for friends, loved ones (lots of overlap there), cool presents, etc. Things finally finally finally seem back to normal from COVID to me, or as much as they will ever be with that memory of COVID that will linger forever.
I finally got through with reading the 600 pages of Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann and I HIGHLY recommend it although I'm haunted by the thought that maybe I should have read a newer translation.
Now I'm reading a short Cynthia Ozick book called the Puttermesser Papers and it's so Jewish. It even has a golem! Great to read for Hanukah. She also mentions Middlemarch a lot.
I noticed that Criterion has a director's picks for John Waters now, so on his recommendation I watched the newest Catherine Breillat movie, Last Summer, which I don't think ever came to Sac.
Seeing Breillat's Fat Girl in the theater was an indelible and devastating experience in a way that only a few movies have been. Last Summer is very good. The characters are complicated and not what you think. Recommend!
