Men, as a general rule, shy away from therapy because there is no obvious way to keep score.

It's just like magic. When you live by yourself, all your annoying habits are gone!.

They were soul mates, my mother and father. They claimed to adore each other, as if the word 'adore' meant 'argue with ceaselessly.

Some people know that they are so adorable looking, all they have to do is smile and dress up and they get plenty from that. Then there are some of us who, early on, see that that doesn't work. So we joke about it.

my mother ... took the fact that my taste differed from hers as a personal insult.

The day is divided into two important sections: Mealtimes and everything else.

Here’s what I learned: First thing in the morning, before I have drowned myself in coffee, while I still have that sleepy brain I used to believe was useless — that is the best brain for creative writing. Words come pouring out easily while my head still feels as if it is full of ground fog, wrapped in flannel and gauze, and surrounded by a hive of humming, velvety sleep bees.