Y.S. Lee Quotes

I don't mind suffering as long as it's really about something. I don't mind great luck, if it's about something. If it's the hollow stuff, then there's no gift, one way or the other.

The problem with memory is that is changes whatever it touches. It is never that accurate. As a result, I end up modifying and revising my own experiences. It's myth making.

You've got to roll with the punches to get to what's real.

There'd never been a clothing line made by a young woman like me: a multiethnic woman who has one foot in Gucci and one foot in the ghetto.

If I could direct it [films] I would be very happy. But the economics of business don't always allow you to do what you want.

I try to give'em a reason, you see. It helps folks if they can latch onto a reason.

When a child asks you something, answer him, for goodness' sake.

I didn't want to change the name on the towels.

I still swing the way I used to, but when I look up the ball is going in a different direction.

I'm a golfaholic. And all the counseling in the world wouldn't help me.

I met Jesse Owens once. He was a remarkable individual, and I have tremendous respect for what he did in the Olympics under the circumstances.

I would advise anyone who aspires to a writing career that before developing his talent he would be wise to develop a thick hide.

Things are never as bad as they seem.

To the memory of the Man, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.

Only when you have a changeless sense of who you are, can real change take place.

People's hearts color the heart of the earth and the earth colors the hearts of people.

How can they beat me? I've been struck by lightning, had two back operations, and been divorced twice.

A hungry dog hunts best.

We gain no wisdom by imposing our way on others.

. . . the sin of abortion, or the destruction of unborn children - lies somewhere a close kin to the crime of destroying human life and certainly to be condemned.

Since the days of slavery, if you were a good singer or dancer, it was your job to perform for the master after dinner.

If you're going to write something, that's going to be read by people, a lot of people, you hope it will not only entertain them but maybe do them some good in some way.

I think all good narration contains an element of mystery and suspense. If it didn't, if the storyline were predictable, we would have no interest in reading it.

I really don't deal with hypotheticals.

If we break promises to God, shouldn't we be allowed an occasional violation of our word to our friends and superiors?

What's the difference between Hollywood characters and my characters? Mine are real.

Every rejection is incremental payment on your dues that in some way will be translated back into your work.

We’ve gone through the names—Negro, African American, African, Black. For me that’s an indication of a people still trying to find their identity. Who determines what is black?

I thought it would be fun to take the kind of character that nobody would like, none of our readers would like, and shove him down their throats and make them like him.

We are all born worthy. Worthy of love, worthy of success.

You can't live a truthful life without regret.

To make new friends you have be willing to put in the time.

Our greatness, our talent has never been the question. It's been a matter of grappling for control over what we do.

It is really important that young people find something that they want to do and pursue it with passion. I'm very passionate about filmmaking. It's what I love to do.

I try to go to the gym three times a week. And I have to watch what I eat. I'm a normal person.

Because I know I'm an addict, and I know I'm an alcoholic.

If it's not working, you can't polish a turd.

I think the moment you try to make a movie for kids, you make garbage.

A lot of people don't give much thought to what they believe, and it's easy for them to hold what often are two conflicting ideas in their head at the same time.

I never know where I am going, though. That is part of what makes it so wonderful. And after all, who does?

America! America! God shed His grace on thee.

If you settle for what you've got, you deserve what you get.

I think sometimes the very reason we go through something is so that we can be empathetic with another person later on.

How do I cope with stress? I clean and organize.

There will be no end to angling controversies for there is no one best way for everyone to fish.

I have a rude thought every three seconds!

I'm just a big homebody and love word games like Scrabble and Boggle.

The marvelous thing is that even in studying linguistics, we find that the universe as a whole is patterned, ordered, and to some degree intelligible to us.

An ounce of image is worth a pound of performance

A song without a hook is like a train without rails. It skitters all over the place, bangs into everything. Boom! Crash! There goes Grand Central Station. Crushed by a train.