Reginald Barkley > Recent Status Updates

“It's a strange thing to discover and to believe that you are loved, when you know that there is nothing in you for anybody but a parent or a God to love.” AHHHHH

“You don’t rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems”

Some of the best descriptions of love and what it does to us, primarily the messy parts once it has ended. Perfectly encapsulates the mixture of happiness, despair, attachment, and even hate. The backdrop of the war as simply that, a backdrop, as once a person loves, becomes attached, nothing else matters, not even the bombs falling around you.

Amazing

Good

Crazy world man crazy world

“That thought alone, that she should feel lucky for only a minor injury, not to mention that any woman should feel that way, was so horrifically ridiculous and unfair, it was like watching someone steal something precious from you and thanking them for it.”

CLOCK IT QUEEN

Embarrassingly charming overall

THIS TORTOISE IS CRYING, HE JUST WANTS HIS BROTHER TO KNOW HE CARES ABOUT HIM

Concluded part one at last. Ivan focused chapters to wrap it up. I love the way Sally Rooney describes emotions. It’s evident she has felt them deeply to be able to describe them with such precision. Related to the feelings Ivan felt surrounding the embarrassment felt from having an emotional outburst with family as well as the confidence felt when being seen with your partner.

Contrary to when this tortoise began reading Intermezzo, I find myself anxiously awaiting the chapters from Peter’s POV. Peter’s struggles with depression, suicidal ideation, and wanting to love and be loved but feeling inadequate to do so results in frequent consuming without moderation.

“Nights he no longer has to spend trapped in claustrophobic solitude. self-medicated, panic attack or am I dying how to tell. Instead the deep replenishing reservoir of her presence.” - pg. 127

“For her, wanting her approval.
Cases he takes on to impress her, difficult thankless unpaid work. To earn her respect. All the good in him, what little there is. Trying to be loved by her. His morality. Principle of his life.”

I fear that I might end up consuming this novel without moderation (dangerous). I found the stream of consciousness style of prose off putting in chapter 1 from Peter’s point of view but rather enjoyable for Ivan/Margarets chapter. I find Ivan and Margaret very enjoyable and endearing. Peter didn’t shine as much in his introductory chapter but I remain interested for more information on his life.

Thinking of getting curled up in my shell with a good book and eating berries (in moderation)

Haiiiii