“I looked at the fashion model and reassured myself she wasn't dead.”

“It is better to do what you love for work, but if it is your day job that enables an unpaid passion, then your life is still sweeter. What is important is that you make time for your dreams, not whether or not you get paid for it.”

“The reflex of fear was soon replaced with another, more useful emotion.Rage.”

“Write. Start writing today. Start writing right now. Don’t write it right, just write it –and then make it right later. Give yourself the mental freedom to enjoy the process, because the process of writing is a long one. Be wary of “writing rules” and advice. Do it your way.”

“I really wanted something, giving myself permission to screw up wasn't an option”

“It all made me realize I wasn't the only one who wasn't sure they belonged. There was no one right way to fit in--it seemed like everyone was finding their own place, even if that place was on the edge of things. Still, there had to be ways to make it easier.”

“Writing poetry felt silly, not practical. It was poetry. I wasn't exploring space here. But it felt necessary to me.”