Book/Yes Please

"I think we should stop asking people in their twenties what they “want to do” and start asking them what they don’t want to do. Instead of asking students to “declare their major” we should ask students to “list what they will do anything to avoid.” It just makes a lot more sense."

"“Hey. Cool it. Amy is my friend. Don’t talk about her like that.” Sticking up for ourselves in the same way we would one of our friends is a hard but satisfying thing to do. Sometimes it works."

"People are their most beautiful when they are laughing, crying, dancing, playing, telling the truth, and being chased in a fun way."

“Demon, I promise you I will let you remind me of my ugliness, but right now I am having hot sex so I will check in later.”

"My only job was to surround myself with people who respected and supported that choice. Being foolish was the smartest thing to do."

"It’s easier to be brave when you’re not alone."

"Nothing is more depressing than a tired dominatrix. "

"Watching great people do what you love is a good way to start learning how to do it yourself. "

"The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual."

"Chicago had taught me that I could decide who I was. My only job was to surround myself with people who respected and supported that choice. Being foolish was the smartest thing to do."

“fall, and then figure out what to do on your way down”

"Let’s end by pointing out all the positive ways you can scare yourself and feel alive. You can tell someone you love them first. You can try to speak only the truth for a whole week. You can jump out of an airplane or spend Christmas Day all by your lonesome. You can help people who need help and fight real bad guys. You can dance fast or take an improv class or do one of those Ironman things. Adventure and danger can be good for your heart and soul. Violence and desperation are brutal things to search out. Why search out the horror? It’s around us in real ways every day."

"Ambivalence is key."

"My motto has always been “Do work that you are proud of with your talented friends.”"

"A person’s tragedy does not make up their entire life. A story carves deep grooves into our brains each time we tell it. But we aren’t one story. We can change our stories. We can write our own."