That was his mother. When she wasn't crying over the breakfast cereal, she was laughing about killing herself.

So now what? What happens when words fail us?

It's love this and love that but of couse it's so easy to love someone you don't know, whether it's George Clooney or Monkey. Staying civil to someone with whom you've ever shared Christmas turkey- now there's a miracle.

Clockers" asks--almost in passing, and there's a lot more to it than this--a pretty interesting question: if you choose to work for the minimum wage when everyone around you is pocketing thousands from drug deals, then what does that do to you, to your head and to your heart? (Hornby's thoughts after reading "Clockers" by Richard Price)

Hard is trying to rebuild yourself, piece by piece, with no instruction book, and no clue as to where all the important bits are supposed to go.

I guess I should have forgotten about it ages ago, but forgetting isn't something I'm very good at.

The artistic temperament is particularly unhelpful if it is just that, with no end product.