Chess Analogy

"After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box."
-Russian proverb

Cynical

"Life is short, art long, opportunity fleeting, experience treacherous, judgment difficult."

Flashy's Sufferance

"The point is I've made capital out of my dishonourable scars by adhering to one golden rule — Flashy's Sufferance, I call it: always convey, but never say, that your injury is a sight worse than it really is. It’s elementary, really. In convalescence this ensures sympathy, if you play it properly — the barely perceptible wince, the sharp little intake of breath, the faint smile followed by the quick shake of the head, and never a word of complaint from the dear brave boy — but far more importantly, in the heat of battle it enables you to feign mortal hurt and shirk any further part in the action."-George MacDonald Fraser, via Harry Flashman

The Age of Reason

"I was Catholic until I reached the Age Of Reason" -George Carlin

It isn't exactly brain surgery, now is it?

The beautiful part of writing is that you don't have to get it right the first time, unlike, say, a brain surgeon. - Robert Cormier

Writing Cricket Bats

"What we're trying to do is to write cricket bats, so that when we throw up an idea and give it a little knock, it might...travel."

Sir Henry's wise words

"Well, let us hope for the best and prepare ourselves for the worst,"said Sir Henry, who is always cheerful and even spirited -- a very tower of strength in the time of trouble.