Why is life worth living?

“Well, alright, why is life worth living? That's a very good question. Well, there are certain things, I guess, that make it worthwhile.

Like what?

Ok... for me...

Ooh I would say Groucho Marx to name one thing.

And Willie Mays

And Louis Armstrong's recording of Potato Head Blues

Swedish movies, naturally.

Sentimental Education by Flaubert.

Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra.

Those incredible apples and pears by Cézanne.

The crabs at Sam Wo's...

Tracy's face."

That's from one of the last scenes in the Woody Allen film Manhattan. Isaac (well, Woody really, is there any distinction between the character and the writer?) is lying on his back on the sofa talking into a tape recorder.

I’ve decided, vaguely, to gradually write a blog entry about each of these things. It’ll take quite a long time (and a bit of research), but it could be fun.