When I write, I aim in my mind not toward New York but toward a vague spot a little to the east of Kansas.

We are most alive when we're in love.

Life is a nacho. It can be yummy-crunchy or squishy-yucky. It just depends on how long it takes for you to start eating it.

Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth; without rain, there would be no life.

You cannot help but learn more as take the world into your hands. Take it up reverently, for it is and old piece of clay, with millions of thumbprints on it.

A leader is one who, out of madness or goodness, volunteers to take upon himself the woe of the people. There are few men so foolish, hence the erratic quality of leadership in the world.

Most of American life consists of driving somewhere and then returning home, wondering why the hell you went.

The scissors cut the long-grown hair; The razor scrapes the remnant fuzz. Small-jawed, weak-chinned, big-eyed, I stare At the forgotten boy I was.

It is easy to love people in memory; the hard thing is to love them when they are there in front of you.

Inspiration arrives as a packet of material to be delivered.

So much love, too much love, it is our madness, it is rotting us out, exploding us like dandelion polls.

The worst enemies of success are fear and doubt.

Character builds slowly but it can be torn down with incredible swiftness.

The truth. It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and must therefore be treated with great caution.

I think everything in life is a balance.

The cunning tempter, by avoiding the grossness of vice, often silences objections.

Ed, I see you're out drinking again. What's the occasion? I was sober.

I feel like I've had a really great intense relationship with every single Director I've ever worked with. I can't say there's one that hasn't been deep and profound in its own way.

Americans have an extraordinary love-hate relationship with the rich culture they've created. They buy, watch and read it even as they ban, block and condemn it.

It takes 21 days to develop a habit.

Giving yourself permission to lose guarantees a loss.