Category: Read Run Write

week three

Books Read:
5. Submission — Michel Houellebecq
6. Magenta Soul Whip — Lisa Robertson

Kilometres Ran:
this week — 6.33
to date — 71.76

I enjoyed Submission in spite of finding the narrator François rather unlikable. Not dislikable. I just didn’t feel anything for him one way or the other. I like how through François Michel Houellebecq seems to be poking fun at the ridiculous notion that Islam is coming to take over the West and annihilate its culture. It’s rather smart satire, I think, in spite of my limited knowledge of French culture and politics. The ending seemed a bit too predictable. A good read regardless. This is my first Houellebecq book and I will probably read more of his stuff. Although The Weather gets (or seems to get) the acclaim, I enjoyed Magenta Soul Whip more for reasons that I can’t quite put to keyboard. I think I prefer the rambling styling of The Weather versus the familiar poetic form found in Magenta, but still I enjoyed Magenta more so. I’m not sure why, and my aching knee that refuses to be dulled by any amount of wine is hindering adequate introspection.
week three
I didn’t run much this week, as you can see from the paltry 6.33 km logged above. My knee has been agonizing so much so that I’ve decided to explore physiotherapy. I got the official blood test results and the doctor is indeed convinced that I pushed a little too hard and nothing much more. I talked to her about my knee and asked about physiotherapy and she agreed it was probably a good idea and recommended a place and therapist nearby. I’ve booked my first appointment for January 27 and in the meantime bought an over-the-counter knee brace from London Drugs for $50. At the very least I’m hoping for a bit of placebo.

week two

Books Read:
3. God in Pink — Hasan Namir
4. The Weather — Lisa Robertson

Kilometres Ran:
this week — 28.59
to date — 65.43

I did not like God in Pink. It’s not really a story that one likes, per se, and there in lies the problem in my opinion because it is an interesting story and arguably one that needs to be told and written and read but my problem with the book is that it is poorly executed and that’s really unfortunate. I wanted to like it, as much as it can be “liked”. I do think it deserves to be read. I just wish that it was better written. I adore Lisa Robertson’s work but up until now I had only read her in lit journals, which seems a bit of a crime. I really enjoyed The Weather from Sunday through Saturday. You can read Monday on the The Poetry Foundation’s website here and you can listen to Robertson reading Tuesday on the Coach House Books website here. [EDIT: not anymore, unfortunately.]
week two
I haven’t gone for a run in a couple days because it seems I’ve been going a bit hard over the past few days and on Sunday had a bout of macroscopic hematuria and the doctor said that maybe I should tone it down a bit for a bit and sent me for some blood tests just to make sure it was in fact my kidneys unable to process my body’s muscle cannibalizing and not, you know, cancer or an STI. “You didn’t by chance have beets yesterday, did you?” she asks. “I have to ask,” she says apologetically.

And damn it my knee hurts.