O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, come forth from deep within me with Christmas luminous beauty.

Opened Christmas cards hum to me the hymn of love and teach me the sacrament of correspondence.

I lift up my heart in gratitude for these beautiful yearly bridges that bind us together in love.

Oh, Irrylath, Irrylath, we squaundered our two years together.

If he once failed as a father, it was a noble fail.

They say curiosity killed the cat but I am unconcerned. I am smarter, though slightly less evil, than any cat.

Words are drops of blood, from my heart.

The primary requisite for writing well about food is a good appetite.

Simplify your life and your mind. Think more of infinity and less of yourself.

Religion and morals are symmetrically opposed, just like poetry and philosophy.

Mary and Carrie and baby Grace and Ma had all had scarlet fever. The Nelsons across the creek had had it too, so there had been no one to help Pa and Laura.

Corrupt men are always liars. Lies are their instruments, their pleasure, their solace. In time they come to believe their lies, or rather to half-believe them.

You know, you're kind of squeamish for such a lethal person