I was an incredibly misanthrope. I couldn't relate to people my age, and I'm not sure why, as I wasn't particularly smart or interesting

I've been quite fascinated by the relative insignificance of human existence, the shortness of life. We might as well be a letter in a word in a sentence on a page in a book in a library in a city in one country in this enormous universe! And that kind of fear and insignificance has kept me awake at night.

The romanticised life, where all the great poetry and music and art of the world comes from, is great but it requires a lot of self-indulgence.

I definitely tell things at arm's length but that is conscious. No part of me wants everybody to know what's going on.

I think your most intimate thoughts are only honest when they're in your head.

I am quite competitive. In stupid things like card games.

It took a lot of time and practice for me to realise that there's no point trying to be something you're not.