It is a cliche that most cliches are true, but then like most cliches, that cliche is untrue.

I have Van Gogh's ear for music

Just as it is the love of money that is the root of all evil, it is the belief in shamefulness that is the root of all misery.

If a thing can be said in ten words, I may be relied upon to take a hundred to say it. I ought to apologize for that. I ought to prune, pare and extirpate excess growth, but I will not. I like words—strike that, I love words—and while I am fond of the condensed and economical use of them in poetry, in song lyrics, in Twitter, in good journalism and smart advertising, I love the luxuriant profusion and mad scatter of them too.

No adolescent ever wants to be understood, which is why they complain about being misunderstood all the time.

I can understand the Greek idea that there are these these principles of lightening or of war or of wisdom and to embody them, to personify them into a Athena or Aries or whichever god you want makes enormous sense.

You can't reason yourself back into cheerfulness any more than you can reason yourself into an extra six inches in height.