We can't be as good as we'd want to, so the question then becomes, how do we cope with our own badness?

The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score.

Record stores can't save your life. But they can give you a better one.

It's brilliant, being depressed; you can behave as badly as you like.

I suddenly had a little epiphany: all the books we own, both read and unread, are the fullest expression of self we have at our disposal.

I fell in love with football as I was later to fall in love with women: suddenly, inexplicably, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain or disruption it would bring with it.

For alarmingly large chunks of an average day, I am a moron.

It's a mystery of human chemistry and I don't understand it, some people, as far as their senses are concerned, just feel like home.

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.

It's no good pretending that any relationship has a future if your record collections disagree violently or if your favorite films wouldn't even speak to each other if they met at a party.

Radio football is football reduced to its lowest common denominator.

Where lies your landmark, seamark, or soul's star?

I do not laugh

Keeping a monopoly on legitimate violence is still the proven best way to limit violence and allow reason some asylum where it can be freely practiced.

Love is serene and calm

Writing is the process of asking the next logical question.

He's a specialist in failure.

Nothing is so dangerous for our security as large groups of desperate people.

Goods are displayed by thousands of shopkeepers with a sense of beauty that finds no other outlet.

I'm a games and theory kind of guy. I love puzzles, so it was fun dissecting Shakespeare's prose.

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy.