First of all: book suggestions, from The Millions. Scroll down for my picks, but they're all interesting. I just bought Jim Shepherd's recommendation.

Secondly: what follows is a baby announcement. I just want to warn anyone who's come here because of An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination, who may be feeling fragile on the subject of new babies. I completely understand.

At any rate: I was going to go to Eastham for Thanksgiving with our friends Rob and Jim. Instead I was in the hospital, hanging around with the very nice Matilda, who arrived a month early on November 24th. I didn't meant this to be the fourth or so entry here, but she had other ideas.

Really, I meant to write about having lunch with my cousin Frank Perowsky, who was in Woonsocket, RI, with Liza Minelli, for whom he plays saxaphone. They all stayed in the Wooonsocket, RI, Holiday Inn Express. Including Liza. I ended up looking at everything in the lobby of the Woonsocket, RI, Holiday Inn Express, picturing Liza Minelli in front of it. Liza at the breakfast buffet. Liza watching CNN on the flat screen TV. I don't know if they have a presidential suite at the Woonsocket, RI, Holiday Inn Express, but I bet not.

We didn't meet Liza. We did, however, meet a bunch of other people in the show, including two of her dancers, Tyger and Cortez, who shortly afterwards showed up in a picture in the New York Times. (Unfortunately I can't find the picture in the online version of the Times.)