There was nothing in this world that was not a con, suddenly I understood this. Nothing really mattered, and nothing could be lost.

We don't really believe in mowing the lawn; we do it only to avoid unnecessary engagement with the neighbors.

I think it's more interesting if you go all the way with the world you have, and really look at it, and push it to an even more extreme extreme.

All I ever really want to know is how other people are making it through life—where do they put their body, hour by hour, and how do they cope inside of it.

When I was very little, I probably wanted to be more normal. I probably wanted the Laura Ashley bedroom, and instead I got thrift-store everything.

I suppose the daily disciplines are just a reflection of the qualities of my inner world - a mixture of paralysis and terror and a lighter, freer, kind of rebellious woman. So those are just constantly pushing against each other, and that's played out in every area of my life.

He pulled away, but his eyes held my eyes like hands.