Businesses lose approximately $13 billion per year due to migraines...

The Booker short list has been announced. I am sadly deficient in my Booker-List-2005 reading – I have in fact read none of these books. Although I am sure they are all fine, fine novels.

Dan’s a Banville fan, and I have heard wonderful things about Julian Barnes, although the only book I tried to read of his, A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, bored me. (However, reading the Amazon blurb made me rethink it. Maybe I should try it again. It looks funny.) I had to look up Arthur and George on the Amazon UK site to get to any reviews; it looks ok. (Why do books come out in the UK way before they come out here? Is there a lag time there for American writers/books?) As for Barry – it is against my principles to read Irish novels/books anymore. I may be the only living soul who has never even picked up Angela’s Ashes. I am so heartily tired of Americans wanting to be Irish (don’t even get me started on Americans of Irish descent who support the IRA), and the Irish feeding on this phenomenon, and so I boycott. Or something like that.

The Ali Smith won’t be released in the States till January, and I never made it though White Teeth so haven’t approached Zadie Smith’s new one. As for Ishiguro, I am sure it’s an excellent book, but his stuff is so freaking dry and I simply don’t have the brainpower to work at one of his novels right now.

So I am being anti-cultural and enjoying my vacation books instead of immersing myself in the excellent literature represented by the Booker prize. Like last year’s winner, Line of Beauty? Well, yeah, EXCEPT for that one.

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Books out and about in the past weeks and in the next few weeks that I want to read, in no particular order:

October 25 The Lost Painting - Jonathan Harr
September 6 Shalimar the Clown – Salman Rushdie
September 20 Goodnight, Nobody - Jennifer Weiner
September 1 The Tender Bar - J.R. Moehringer
August 3o A Widow’s Walk: A Memoir of 9/11 - Marion Fontana
July 19 The Undomestic Goddess - Sophie Kinsella

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Ultrasound this morning; it has been confirmed by the physician’s assistant at my OB’s office – el bambino is head down. I couldn’t see jack since their office ultrasound is so crappy but I believe her BECAUSE I WANT TO.

And for Gina’s peace of mind, I promise to pack some towels, a pair of scissors, a gallon of bottled water, and some Purell in the car when we leave for the shore. Because she’s right, giving birth on the PA Turnpike will require some advance prep. I hope to hold off on birthing this baby till we’re either down the shore, or back home, since there is a great likelihood that my car would never be the same again. And I love my car.

Also the PA told me that she doesn’t think I am going to make it till my due date. Great, thanks, now you have ensured that I will be late AGAIN. This happened with my second son, and I am still bitter.

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Speaking of lack of brainpower (was I? I forget.), this morning I put Si’s sneakers on Jude and did not notice until we were halfway through my doctor appointment.
Also, this afternoon, I literally forgot where I put my work bag and made Dan turn off the car so I could unlock the hatch - when my bag was in the backseat since I didn’t have the key to unlock the hatch in the first place.
I also tried to brush my hair with my toothbrush yesterday morning. At least it wasn’t spinning at the time.

Dear God, please tell me my brain cells will return to normal. Please. I can’t stand being *this* stupid.

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Check out the The Fatwa Corner (2nd bullet down). What the heck is the Fatwa Bank, and what the heck is a Live Fatwa? (Ok, now I know, see below. I had to look up the actual definition. I think most people associate fatwa with Salman Rushdie, and apparently it’s not JUST a death threat!)
fatwa : a legal opinion concerning Islamic law

Also check out the Ask the Scholar link though; there’s some really interesting stuff on that page. The take on the true meaning of jihad and the explanation of Islam’s viewpoint on peace was educational and enlightening; however, some of the women-in-Islam-related stuff about praying while wearing make-up and nail polish leaves me, frankly, a bit bewildered and a bit amused. I don’t know a whole lot about Islam; I should do some reading.