Day 135: Noah's Compass

Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler.  ISBN: 9780307272409.

This book somehow ended up on my reading list.  I have no idea how.  Someone on one of the many book blogs or NPR must have made it sound interesting.  In any case, sometimes reading outside of my usual fare is a good idea, and I needed it to be after the last couple of books I've read.  This one is also a pleasantly easy read, which is also important to throw into my reading diet occasionally.

The novel opens with Liam Pennywell, who has just been laid off from his teaching job at the age of 60.  He's trying to decide whether or not he should retire, but in the meantime he's decided to economize his life and prepare for retirement.  The first thing he does is move into a smaller apartment.

Oh man, I wish I was moving.  The description of getting rid of furniture and possessions and then moving what's left over into the apartment sounded so appealing to me.  Here I am stuck living with someone else as a kind of parasite and after a year of unemployment moving back into a place that's mine seems nearly impossible.  I want so much to have my life back* that reading about other people unpacking boxes in new apartments almost makes me salivate.  And then there are the times where I get that second call back or an in-person interview for a job and I hop online and start looking at apartments.

You have no idea how badly I want to furnish an apartment right now.  This is beyond nesting syndrome (and I lack the egg to nest).  I've even looked at houses in areas I was oh-so-positive I was going to be hired for; these were places no one in their right minds would accept jobs for except for me because I don't care where I live.  I am seriously willing and able to live in the most isolated rural town you can throw at me.  Just give me a relatively decent library and I'm happy.

I think most of this stems from not having space that is actually mine.  Yes I have my "own" bedroom in my friend's apartment, but I can't or at least shouldn't bring all my furniture in,** and this is a space I can be easily turned out of.  If she told me to pack my shit and get out I could be out of her apartment within 48 hours, possibly sooner if pressed.  This makes me long for nothing more than to sign a year long lease and know that I will be in one place for the next year or so, with the same leaky faucet and noisy neighbors; at least they would be my crappy curtains hanging in the living room.***


*Even if I just end up moving in with my current room mate in a more legitimate manner...i.e. being able to afford paying rent. 
**I have all of a 5x5 storage container left of furniture and other items that I couldn't bring myself to get rid of, but couldn't very well take along either.
***My room mate has lovely curtains; curtains that I make myself would probably not be so nice.