What ideal, immutable Platonic cloud could equal the beauty and perfection of any ordinary everyday cloud floating over, say, Tuba City, Arizona, on a hot day in June?

The longest journey begins with a single step, not with the turn of an ignition key. That’s the best thing about walking, the journey itself. It doesn’t much matter whether you get where you’re going or not. You’ll get there anyway. Every good hike brings you eventually back home. Right where you started.

Who needs astrology? The wise man gets by on fortune cookies.

How long does it take to write a good book? All of the years that you've lived.

The Latino military fare badly when they stumble into war with the gringos. But in the torture, murder, and massacre of their own people, they have always performed with brilliance and elan.

When the writer has done his best, he then should proceed to do his second best.

As Mark Twain said, 'I love Wagner -- if only they'd cut out all that damned singing!'