If you try to avoid every instance of peer pressure you will end up without any peers whatsoever, and the trick is to succumb to enough pressure that you do not drive your peers away, but not so much that you end up in a situation in which you are dead or otherwise uncomfortable. This is a difficult trick, and most people never master it, and end up dead or uncomfortable at least once during their lives.

I started making plans, thinking we would get that far.

Stop saying no offense,” I said, “when you say offensive things. It’s not a free pass.

Never look a gift lion in the mouth.

...there's nothing wrong with occasionally staring out the window and thinking nonsense, as long as the nonsense is yours.

Appearance matters a great deal because you can often tell a lot about people by looking at how they present themselves.

I had written eight drafts of the Lemony Snicket' screenplay when this changing-of-the-guard thing happened, and I said to the new producers, "I don't think I could write any more drafts." I guess I was sort of hoping they would say, "Well that's okay, this last one is perfect." But instead, they said, "It's funny you should say that. We don't think you can write any more drafts either."