A little burnt out

I cannot believe I still feel the need to talk about this book, but I do. Perhaps I am on my own little quasi journey right now and I need to find closure with Santiago and the Alchemist. I am glad, Christine, that you agree with me about the oil story. It seems that it is just plopped there in the middle of the book, but its relevance is ten-fold!! I think the idea of living every moment to the fullest is so important for us as a human race as a whole, yet we always tend to be planning for the future or reminiscing about the past. Damn it, if we don't sometimes just sit and have a moment where our minds are not racing, our sweet little lives will be over before we know it. And we will look back and say "where was I?" All right I think I got it all out. But, I wanted to suggest that everyone also take either a philosophy course at some point in their lives. It is really great, and in a class that asks all the unanswerable questions, one can really strengthen perspective, and appreciate every moment life has to offer, whether good or bad.
Gee whiz, I wish computers could tell us to shut up!
love Melanie
P.S. Dr. Dwyer, I would love you forever if you could maybe give us a copy of a "family Tree" of the characters in TGOST, AHHH too many names!