I've always wanted to find the rules that govern everything. It's amazing that such rules exist. It's even more amazing that we can find them.

When people come together, they become much more productive.

Cities tolerate crazy people. Companies don't.

The paradigm of physics - with its interplay of data, theory and prediction - is the most powerful in science.

Cities are obvious metaphors for life. We call roads arteries and so forth.

Cities are the crucible of civilization.

My tiny scary friend is coming

So little is actually worthy of belief or disbelief. Better to strive to coexist than seek to disapprove . . .

Magic isn’t inherently evil. But it does seem to be terribly bad for people.

I've lived my life again just telling it to you.

What I read: while I'm writing, I tend to go off reading fiction for relaxation - especially the challenging stuff. It's too much like the day job.

Children need adult men in their lives.

There is no idea so brilliant or original that a sufficiently-untalented writer can't screw it up.

I love talking about baserunning.

I'm not really a girly girl.

When I'm old and dying, I plan to look back on my life and say 'wow, that was an adventure,' not 'wow, I sure felt safe.'