Fay, girlfriend, when you get here please tell us how to say "Insh'allah' because mom's class is heavily Muslim for summer session and they will be astounded. Funny, I learned from a Yorkshire lass. And yeah, Cindy. Would love to look England up and down myself. One day.

Er. Well, my attempt to render it into phonetical English is this: In - shuh - aah - la

But my flatmate suggests this:

En - sha' allah

Um. Take your pick.

She might like to practics "Sallarm-a-lay-cum" (Peace be upon you) and the traditional respons "Way a-lay-cum sallarm" (And upon you be peace), 'cause that always goes down a treat.

Also, in Egypt the slang for 'cool' is 'ishtah!', which means 'cream!' Don't know how multiregional that is, though.

Laura, I think I dreamed that you were Hec's ex-wife.

Eeep Fay (and I typed that Gay the first time around) all manner of pieces falling into place ~ma for you. Also quick beauracracy ~ma.

Laura, I think I dreamed that you were Hec's ex-wife.

Oh we're just one big married Buffista family here.

I think we're good, Fay. Plenty of egyptians in her class.Egyptians, Sudanese, Afghanis, all united by their inability to write an expositiory paragraph...it's probably a very illiterate Benetton ad in there, although God knows what they've been through. And I knew about "salaam aleichem" because very few of my crime novels fail to have a storefront or jailhouse imam in them, but Mom doesn't always read my things...except "Practical Homicide Investigation"(I guess it's genetic)

Cheers. Freaking out a little bit over here.

Also, have just acknowledged to myself that yes, I should go and sell (essentially 'give away') all my graphic novels. Because those suckers are Too Fucking Heavy to take with me. I am purging myself of as much stuff as possible, including text books that I use for teaching. Clinging on to Sandman and Lucifer and League of Extraordinary Gentleman is stupid. I can't afford this weight. I'm living out of a suitcase. Deal with it.

rocks back and forth, keening.

Can't you ship it, Fay?

Also I suggest you go to the police offices wearing your gorgeous hat from the other day and allow the nice nice policemen to help the pretty lady out of her predicment.

My mom has not received that memo.

Nor mine. I think she still hasn't grasped the idea that I am not her appendage, and therefore she isn't entitled to know every last detail of my life, because it's *my* life, not hers.

ION, I finally just got The Boy out the door and on his way home. Good night last night. Yes. And he made the bed this morning, which just strikes me as oddly sweet.

t /carrots

And I knew about "salaam aleichem"

Still, this gets you extra brownie points

Muslim: Salaam Aleicum

You: Way Aleicum salaam, a rahma t'allah bereketu

Muslim: !!!!!!

(No, don't ask me what it means. 'And upon you be peace, and the blessings and grace and forgiveness and all that good stuff that God gives out, yo', essentially, but I'm not clear on precisely what. Still, it's the approved form of 'right back atcha!') eta:

Can't you ship it, Fay?

Expensive much.

I'm by nature a horder. I think that this kind of purging is good for me. It's all just stuff, and books are things that are always out there - you can go buy them back from a book store, or a second hand bookstore, in the fullness of time. Lacking a home and storage space, I need to really embrace this attitude.

Can't you ship it, Fay?

Is it horribly expensive to ship it home for you family to store? I've given away so many books over the years because they are such a bother to move.

It's all just stuff, and books are things that are always out there - you can go buy them back from a book store, or a second hand bookstore, in the fullness of time.

But...buying them back is not the same! It's not just the text; it's the specific copy of the text that you yourself have come to know and love! Memories! Tangible!