The only real happiness a ballplayer has is when he is playing a ball game and accomplishes something he didn't think he could do.
I've had a tough time with Pynchon. I liked him very much when I first read him. I liked him less with each book. He got denser and more complex in a way that didn't really pay off.
Time is the most important thing there is. That is the only element that you can't withdraw from the situation and still have the situation exist. Everything depends on time.