Terrible, Dreadful Times

I'm very sorry about my absence from this space, and for my extended silence. I'm sorrier about the nonstop barrage of attacks on my physical and psychological health. The last two and a half months have been close to unbearable. I've survived, but in pathetically bad shape.

In the last week, I've begun looking at my mail (of both email and snail variety), but only for a few minutes each day. That's all I can manage right now. In the next week or two, I'll try to write thank-you notes to some very kind people. In the meantime, please let me offer my immense thanks to all those who have expressed their caring and generosity.

I would like to return to writing, but I can't put a date on it at the moment. My thinking is not yet what I'd like it to be, but I'm working on it. It goes slowly.

And that's about all I can do this morning. Time to crawl back into bed, where I spend inordinate amounts of time. Being seriously ill is unbelievably boring.

P.S. For yet another nauseating, infuriating, goddamn Memorial Day, this, one of my better efforts in all the years of this blog. And if you haven't seen The Americanization of Emily, you've committed a crime against humanity, including your own. It's wonderfully funny, passionate, and bracingly, deeply intelligent. Go watch it. You'll feel better.

And there's considerably more about Emily here (including a close analysis of the crucial final scene, which seems to trouble so many people, the fools), also a good effort in these parts.