suffering for my art

I'm still not up to writing normally, though I'm much better now; wrist splints and rest have done the trick. Please accept my apologies for not responding to comments; I have been reading them, and do appreciate them.

I have a confession to make; my carpal tunnel syndrome was not caused by using the computer, as I have been letting everyone think. It was actually due to a newfound enthusiasm for drawing and painting, which found me holding an oil pastel or a brush for hours on end. That was obviously too much of a strain for my right hand, then the problem arose in my left hand because I started overcompensating. It seems to run in the family; my mother told me she got carpal tunnel syndrome in exactly the same way.

In better news, I have discovered a fantastic place for secondhand (no pun intended) books in Bahrain: Khalid's, an antique shop on Budaiya Road (just past Bookcase). A friend recommended it months ago, and I finally visited on Saturday. They have a great mix of books, some of them beautiful old editions. I picked up four paperbacks (500 fils each): Naked ; Phantoms in the Brain ; The Door ; and The Winter Queen .

I was particularly happy about coming across the Magda Szabo book as I wanted to read some Hungarian literature before a trip to Budapest in June (for this). And David Sedaris is possibly the funniest writer in the world. I once randomly found a copy of his Me Talk Pretty One Day in Isa Town market and laughed all the way through it (the book not the market).

Anyway, try to visit Khalid's; it's a lovely place (the books are upstairs).

I'd better go, as my hands are not feeling too good. But I hope to be back to blogging soon, as I miss writing, and I miss you all!