I’m interested in things that are none of my business, and I’m bored by things that are important to know.” — Calvin (Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes… - James Hamilton-Paterson

The chef who cooks without a song on his lips cannot hope to infuse the right carefree improvisatory note into his art.

Sometimes in the company of others I find a disagreeable spirit of competitiveness kicks in and each person is shamed into spending rather more than he would have wished. This is a historically established syndrome, of course. One Magus going to Bethlehem would probably have sprung for a box of After Eights. Three Magi on the same trip found themselves laden with gold, frankincense and myrrh and bitterly comtemplating their overdrafts.

Racism. . . . fuelled by bitter assertions that no immigrant ever has the least respect for the environment in his adopted country because he never really believes it's his.