The Buddhists say there are 121 states of consciousness. Of these, only three involve misery or suffering. Most of us spend our time moving back and forth between these three.

Also she signed away the right to self-destruct years ago. The fine print on the birth certificate, her friends call it.

When God is a father, he is said to be elsewhere. When God is a mother, she is said to be everywhere.

But now it seems possible that the truth about getting older is that there are fewer and fewer things to make fun of until finally there is nothing you are sure you will never be.

You think you want the blue skies, the open road, but really you want the tunnel, you want to know how the story ends.

One of the odd things about being a writer is that you never reach a point of certainty, a point of mastery where you can say, Right. Now I understand how this is done.

Some women make it look so easy, the way they cast ambition off like an expensive coat that no longer fits.