No," mom says, looking at me in the eyes. "What's a triumph is that you woke up this morning and decided to LIVE. THAT'S a triumph. that's what you did today.

I had fooled myself into thinking that I was something important to the rest of the world.

I want to live but I want to die. What do I do?

I had hurt her feelings, I found out later; I didn’t know I had that power.

I owe her everything and I love her and I tell her these days, although every time I say it, it gets a little diluted. I think you run out of I love yous.

I'm still a nobody, when am I not going to be a nobody?

I'm jealous of her. Can you be jealous of your mom for being able to handle things? I couldn't take a day off, take a dog to the vet, and cook dinner. That's like three times too much stuff for me to get done in one day. How am I ever going to have my own house?