摘录

Somerset Maugham once wrote that in every shave lies a philsophy. I couldn't agree more. no matter how mundane some action might apear, keep at it long enough and it becomes a contemplative, even meditative act.

Mantra: Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

Emotional hurt is a price a person has to pay in order to be independent.

I'm struck by how, except when you are young, you really need to prioritize in life, figurig out in what order you should divide up your time and energy. If you don't get that sort of system set by a certain age, you'll lack focus and your life will be out of balance. I placed the highest priority on the sort of life tghat lets me focus on writing, not associating with all the people around me...in other words, you can't please everybody.

You don't have to commute on a packed train or sit through boring meetings. Don't yu realize how fortunate you are? (Believe me, I do.) Compared to that, running an hour around the neighborhood is nothing, right?)

Just like a silent village blacksmith, tinkering away.

They put up with such strenuous training, and where did their thoughts, their hopes and dreams, disppear to? When people pass away, do their thoughts just vanish?

Talent has a mnd of its own and wells up when it wants to, and once it dries up, that's it.

Artistic activity contains elements that are unhealthy and antisocial...but those of us hoping to have long careers as professional writers have to develop an autoimmune system of our own that can resist the dangerous toxin that resides within.

To deal with something unhealthy, a person needs to be as healthy as possible.

Most all the participants have jobs and famiies, and on top of taking care of these, they swim and bike and run, training very hard, as part of their ordinary routine.