Technicalities, and another book

So, I finished another book for goal 47. Another book that I had started before the 1st (and hence, before my challenge). 2666 by Roberto Bolaño. Really, this is one book broken down into 5 thematic parts (also called books, so this might get a bit confusing), but then contained in 3 physical books. In the first physical book (total of 350 pages), are housed the first 3 thematic books--The Part About the Critics, The Part about Amalfitano, and The Part About Fate. This is the book I just finished, so I'm counting it as one, and then I'll count the other two physical books (housing parts 4 and 5, respectively) as one each as well. I don't think this is cheating, but obviously I wouldn't count War and Peace as more than one book (or Infinite Jest, which is actually on my to read list, for that matter).

So to the story: Ostensibly, 2666 centers around a series of murders that take place in Santa Teresa, a small town just across the Mexican boarder. I say "Ostensibly" because, so far, these murders (numbering in the hundreds, all of young women) seem to only float in the background, until the very end of the 3rd part (where some of the characters go to interview a man who has been arrested for the murders. The narrative structure disintegrates and the writing takes on a phantasmagoric quality).

So far, the first three parts seem to link up only in the most tenuous of ways, but the plot is interesting enough, and the writing engaging enough for me to slog on another 5 hundred pages and find out if it all comes together in the end.


Other continuing goals: Goal 42, donating to Freerice.com. So far I've donated 10,000 grains of rice. I've decided to do them in 5,000 grain increments, because it will be easier to keep track. I need to play 200 times total to complete this goal (198 to go!)


Still telling D I love him everyday. Last night he "reminded" me (I hadn't forgotten, just hadn't said it yet. It was about 11:30) which annoyed me, but probably won't be a bad thing later down the road when I actually might forget or lose track of time.


Oh, and for goal 30--saving a dollar a day--I've decided to get ahead of myself. I plucked out all the quarters from my change jar and rolled $10 dollars of them, so I'm set for the next 10 days. I figure since it's the final number (1001) that's important, rather than the daily ritual of sticking a dollar in a jar, this is the path of least resistance.