carl:
"you write about love, and you write about beauty, and sometimes that's all it seems like you write about. there are more topics, more situations, more PEOPLE. why do you always seem to be obsessed over the same things over and over again? answer me that!"

me:
"despite how much people want to talk about politics or cubism or the fucking bird flu, there is always an innate desire for transcendence. you can be a goddamn genius and still be miserable over the little things in life. we should never overlook anything. everything matters."

carl:
"then why cant you just make me happy already"

me:
"i've given you every goddamn thing in the world! it's not my fault that you keep messing things up. if i showed you a video of your own goddamn life you'd fucking hate yourself!"

carl:
"i already do hate myself."

me:
"WELL OKAY THEN!"