To shut down the ability to feel pain means you shut down all emotions, joy included. It makes our hearts feel small, it robs us of our joy, and really keeps us no safer.

On my own I generally have very messy hair, wear jeans and sneakers.

Being part of the natural world reminds me that innocence isn't ever lost completely; we just need to maintain our goodness to regain it.

I love playing big rooms. There's nothing like it. It's a power trip.

In the end only kindness matters.

I may not be able to pull on the smallest of holds, but those I can pull on I can pull on all day long.

Live your life with love and bravery and you shall lead a life uncommon.

I consider myself a product of Alaska. The love and the debt that I feel to my home state, you always want your hometown to be the proudest of you.

I'm becoming more and more myself with time. I guess that's what grace is. The refinement of your soul through time.

Reality is what you believe it to be. It's what you put your thought and energy into, because your hands physically manifest thought. So your world becomes what you feel and what you think.

I don't see the world unless I see it in ink.

I'm interested in the way in which the past affects the present and I think that if we understand a good deal more about history, we automatically understand a great more about contemporary life.

The rare female scientist was depicted as masculine, coarse, ugly, careworn and industrious but making no significant contribution.

Never think twice, when you have decided once.

[A]s if enjoying a last, drawn-out supper, he sips on Alexandria's shadows.

I always keep a firewall between my own travails and my perception of public-policy issues; otherwise I would retain no credibility as a commentator.

Tom Cruise is one of the most successful actors of all time.

I think that is the role of the artist in society - the cultural role of the artist is to perform a healing function.

Science is the organized skepticism in the reliability of expert opinion

And then I graduate two years later, in 1998, with my class. And, since then I've been here in Houston for training basically. And I was very happy to be assigned to this mission.

One thing you learn about the novel as a form is that it's always smarter than you are.