RECENTLY I HAD an eyelash transplant. Hairs were taken from the back of my neck and placed across the edge of my otherwise bald eyelids. Since adolescence I have suffered from a condition known as trichotillomania. It is a compulsive-behaviour disorder involving pulling hair out from certain parts of the body. It is akin to nail-biting (which is also part of my compulsive-behaviour repertoire) but less socially acceptable, and more rare. As one step in a cognitive-behavioural program I had this transplant, and I am still getting used to the new feel of my eyelids – which, for example, causes me to blink more than most people.

I am telling you this because I feel compelled to begin each new piece of writing with what is happening to me in the present – what is important in my life now. It is a way of connecting myself to what I write, and hopefully a way of making a connection with an audience.