All good American literature is always interested in people who are ambiguously heroic, like Gatsby.

In those fifty, the Old Man made me take religion seriously. I'd never been religious, but he told us that religion is important whether or not we believed in one, the same way that historical events are important whether or not you personally lived through them.

Just move to the Internet, its great here. We get to live inside where the weather is always awesome.

You can't just make me different, and then leave. Because I was fine before, Alaska. I was just fine with me and last words and school friends, and you can't just make me different and then die.

The preciousness of the moment, which should make it easier to talk, makes it harder.

It's more impressive," I said out loud. "From a distance, I mean. You can't see the wear on things, you know? You can't see the rust or the weeds or the paint cracking. You see the place as someone once imagined it.

Sometimes you lose a battle. But mischief always wins the war