The things that matter to me - which have sustained me during periods of temporary triumph, and intense failure - are my children, grandchildren, music, film, poetry, prose, theatre, and humour. I can be highly emotional, especially when standing on a ladder.

My impressions of life? I'm starting to believe my life is going backwards. It's as if everything is happening in reverse. In fact, it struck me that by seeing my life backwards I may gain a greater chance of making some sense of myself. I went to my doctor:

Hello Doktor Faustus."

"Don't forget to take the tablets as I told you."

"But, I'm only here?"

"You're obviously suffering from "misconception of the direction of time" syndrome. The belief that time only travels in one direction. Why, yesterday I saw a stockbroker walking down Street Wall."

"Surely you mean Wall Street?”

"No. He was walking backwards".

"I think my life is going in reverse?"

"Hello, and what can I do for you?"

I drove my car in reverse into town, parked at a restaurant, and paid for a meal I had still to order.

I believe all debates, or arguments, over metaphysical questions come to nothing. The similarity with my bank balance is unnerving.