Edward Said talks about Orientalism in very negative terms because it reflects the prejudices of the west towards the exotic east. But I was also having fun thinking of Orientalism as a genre like Cowboys and Indians is a genre – they’re not an accurate representation of the American west, they’re like a fairy tale genre.

Something about being rejected at Church Camp felt so much more awful than being rejected at school.

You have so many layers, that you can peel away a few, and everyone's so shocked or impressed that you're baring your soul, while to you it's nothing, because you know you've twenty more layers to go.

I love the sea because it is boundless.

Which is scarier-- lust or temptation?

For what matters if I gain the whole world, but lose my soul?

and yet I feel that the most real home I'll ever have is the space where our roads merged and traveled along together... for a time.