Have ordered a new MacBook, though I declined to pay the extra $299 for the cool aluminum case. Am feeling dizzy and unwell today. Swine flu, most likely. Also just finished Dan Simmons' amazing DROOD and now nothing will satisfy me except another long novel of sinister Victoriana, which I do not have.

Posting this on my iPhone, so I'll keep it short since this little tiny keypad is a real pain to write anything longer than ''plz get milk.''