I knew my motivations for going to each place and what I was looking for. If I don't do that then I generally don't write about my travels.

Feminism now seems to be defined as success is defined: as being as good at capitalism as men are. I feel very estranged from it.

I understand maybe some people are more impressionable than my hard, cynical self, but maybe they need to figure out how to be less of that.

I was twenty-one when I was hired by Planned Parenthood. It was my first work experience outside of either temping or working for my father at his store.

Once you leave, you're no longer of that country, but you are never actually of the country that you go to, and if you go back, you're not anywhere. You never belong to anything.

American culture never necessarily made sense to me, but they should warn you: leaving comes with a huge sense of alienation that never goes away.

Talk to people who know more than you. I feel like we're in this stupid sea of opinion, like "My opinion is valid because it's mine and I have it."

You don't have to go to New York and you don't have to go to LA or London. Go somewhere cheap. Go somewhere with free art museums and then just go to art museums.

Go to a place and just send out emails. That's my entire life. I go to countries and I ask, "Who would I know who lives here?" Not even do I know, but who exists and is on the planet.

There's this resistance to actually talking to people who are smarter than you about things and I don't know why that is.

I like European and South American literature, but mostly I read nonfiction.

There's more to life than love.

i won't be happy until i'm famous like God

Realizing your true self apart from the mind-created ego self is profoundly liberating, and when you do, suddenly the universe appears immensely blissful.

Don't be so sure, " said Gamache. "It's a little humbling to realize the pedestal isn't quite so high after all."Brebeuf chuckled. "Welcome to earth, Armand. It's a little dirty down here.

Don’t let negativity ruin your day.Don’t let inefficiency ruin your week.Don’t let adversity ruin your month.Don’t let animosity ruin your year.

It was not a house where secrets could be kept easily.

Say yes to everything you’re excited about or afraid of.

Somewhere where people aren't so mad would be nice, but I don't know if there is anywhere like that.

I'm the mom and the other members are my children

Unless I'm running and yelling, then you really see how crooked my mouth is!