It was not pleasant to admit what one is willing to do to go on living. — John Varley

If only she could convince them, perhaps she could convince herself.

You've got to watch yourself when you get as old as I am. You have to try new things, sometimes for no better reason than that they’re new. Otherwise you rust.

But now she was fifty-seven, and suddenly ancient. Soon she would be dead. Dead. You can’t get any more ancient than that.