“If I have an essential goal on the Cruise right now, I think that the simplest goal is perhaps to be able to exhibit that I am thrilled to be alive and to be still respected.  The more soulful of us, I suppose the Buddhist or whatever label you want to put on those experiencing their further individuality, might say like, "Look, why should you care about respect from others?  I mean, just the thrill of being alive is your own business.  You can do that alone in your living room."  But that’s not what the Cruise is for me.  The Cruise is about the searchings for everything worthwhile in existence.  It is about walking into the bar and lusting after all the worthwhile possibilities of the world.  It is about flesh.  It is about waves undulating.  And it is about exhibitionism.  You know, I want to look at the flower and appreciate the beauty of a flower, for instance.  Somebody else might say, "You can look at the flower and become the flower.  Isn’t that even better?"  But then I further would love it on the Cruise, if I could look at the flower, appreciate the beauty of the flower, and then have the flower appreciate the beauty of me. That’s how I feel about Cruising right now.  I mean, yes, becoming the flower would be a lot of fun.  I mean, I can do that, too.  I can do that on Wednesday afternoon.  I think I’m free Thursday afternoon.  I can try to become the flower.  But come the weekend, goddammit, I will appreciate the beauty of the flower, and then likewise I will stand, exhibitionistic, having the flower appreciate the beauty of me.  And I think having an intimate, quote unquote "love affair” with a flower is far more psychotic and riveting than having a love affair, quote unquote, with some of the banal creatures of the human race. Although I’d be into that, too.“