She pulls away, pats me on the shoulder with three mini-pats, like those used to pet reptiles.

I went to Saudi Arabia in 2010, and spent most of my time in Jeddah and the King Abdullah Economic City.

Do not be critics, you people, I beg you. I was a critic and I wish I could take it all back because it came from a smelly and ignorant place in me, and spoke with a voice that was all rage and envy. Do not dismiss a book until you have written one, and do not dismiss a movie until you have made one, and do not dismiss a person until you have met them. It is a f@*$%load of work to be open-minded and generous and understanding and forgiving and accepting, but Christ, that is what matters. What matters is saying yes.

When we pass by another person without telling them we love them it’s cruel and wrong and we all know this.

Still though, I think if you're not self-obsessed, you're probably boring.

But I'm thinking about 12 things at once, a hundred thousand times a day. Most people do, I would imagine.

But while mum and dad were incredibly caring, it was also a very chaotic household where everyone fought about everything. So I know what it's like to internalize all that chaos.