I never blame failure - there are too many complicated situations in life - but I am absolutely merciless toward lack of effort.

I have lived hard and ruined the essential innocence [sic] in myself that could make it that possible [sic], and the fact that I have abused liquor is something to be paid for with suffering and death perhaps but not renunciation.

My latest tendency is to collapse about 11:00 and with the tears flowing from my eyes or the gin rising to their level and leaking over, and tell interested friends or acquaintances that I haven't a friend in the world and likewise care for nobody.

Vitality shows in not only the ability to persist but the ability to start over.

he could transform the barest incident into a thing of curve and contour.

They were smiling at each other as if this was the beginning of the world.

New friends can often have a better time together than old friends.