Don't you try and go through life worrying about if somebody like you or not. You best be making sure they doing right by you.

There was a lot of genuine respect and personal affection evident in the room after Paul spoke. I'd say the applause must have lasted at least five minutes. Our No. 1 priority now as a league is to build on the shoulders of this commissioner.

Alessandra approached the geniuses of the past to give them life with her attention, which was the form her affection took: paying attention.

I've seen some terrible plays, but I generally enjoy myself. One play I walked out of, I have a tremendous respect for the author. That was Robert Wilson, something called 'Network,' which consisted of Wilson sitting on a bunk, the dialogue of the movie 'Network' looped in while a chair on a rope went up and down.

A novelist writes a novel, and people read it. But reading is a solitary act. While it may elicit a varied and personal response, the communal nature of the audience is like having five hundred people read your novel and respond to it at the same time. I find that thrilling.

Like most people, I have this sort of love-hate relationship with Pittsburgh. This is my home, and at times I miss it and find it tremendously exciting, and other times I want to catch the first thing out that has wheels.