It can be worth forgoing marriage for sex, and it can be worth forgoing sex for marriage. It can be worth forgoing parenthood for work, and it can be worth forgoing work for parenthood. Every case is orthogonal to all the others. That’s the entire problem.

Every success story can be told as a series of failures.

I like writing that is unsummarizable, a kernel that cannot be condensed, that must be uttered exactly as it is.

I’ve never seen a ghost and I don’t believe in them. I might see one tonight, but even then I wouldn’t believe in ghosts. I’d believe in that ghost.

What’s worse: Offending someone or lying to someone? Saying something stupid when it’s your turn, or not saying anything? Tell me which, and I’ll tell you your problem.

The first beautiful songs you hear tend to stay beautiful because better than beauty, which is everywhere, is the memory of first discovering beauty.

Everything has to be paid for, especially money.

I don’t love writing; I love having a problem I believe I might someday write my way out of.

Is it a failure of my imagination that I’ve never been able to summon any genuine feeling about a sports team?