DRUGS!

Or, House of Leaves.

At first, I kind of hated the book. It was too big, and there were too many footnotes. Let me just put it out there that I DESPISE footnotes. I make a point not to read footnotes, out of protest, unless I absolutely have to. That and the prospect of turning my book upside-down and every which way to read it seemed like too much energy for homework.

And then I got past the introduction and discovered that a) I was able to read this book for (literally) hours at a time without realizing it, b) that I was reading and enjoying the footnotes, and c) that I was taking it way too seriously. Remember the part where Johnny asks the reader to imagine that something is behind them? I tried to find it just now but it’s buried in a footnote and I don’t have the time/energy to read back through (I should have marked it the first time around but I don’t like writing in “pretty” [read: non-academic] books). Anyways, it scared the hell out of me. I went into my friend’s room to read.

Okay, part b is only partially true. I only enjoy reading Johnny’s footnotes. Zampanò’s notes are too dense, and remind me a bit too much of “real” footnotes.

Anyways, what’s really upsetting me is that the book is over in about 100pgs (including index!) and I just really wish that it were part of a huge, impossible series. I also wish that the Navidson Record actually existed, because I would probably own about three copies of it and watch it on a regular basis. I’m also upset by the fact that because this book is so interesting, it has completely sapped all of my motivation to do more pressing work. Professor Fitzpatrick, will you write a note to my other professors and explain to them why I haven’t finished Uncle Tom’s Cabin or studied for my econ midterm? That’d be super.