Courage is impulsive; it is narcissism tempered with nihilism. Ayelet Waldman More Quotes by Ayelet Waldman More Quotes From Ayelet Waldman As a parent, the only thing I am absolutely certain of is my own fallibility. Ayelet Waldman fallibility certain parent Most writers spend their lives standing a little apart from the crowd, watching and listening and hoping to catch that tiny hint of despair, that sliver of malice, that makes them think, 'Aha, here is the story.' Ayelet Waldman despair listening thinking I was a lesbian for a semester at Wesleyan - it was a graduation requirement. Ayelet Waldman graduation inspirational funny I really think we were charting a course to having a more sane response to mass incarceration, to drug use, and to understanding that the war on drugs has resulted only in the empowerment of vast criminal enterprises and the destruction of democracies around the world. And all that is coming to a miserable, horrific halt. Ayelet Waldman drug-use war thinking I expend far too much of my maternal energies on guilt and regret. Ayelet Waldman regret guilt energy If producing a regular column is living out loud, then keeping a daily blog is living at the top of your lungs. For a couple of months there, I was shrieking like a banshee. Ayelet Waldman banshees couple months I love reader mail, and I do read it, but I won't read hate mail. Ayelet Waldman mail hate reader A good mother remembers to serve fruit at breakfast, is always cheerful and never yells, manages not to project her own neuroses and inadequacies onto her children, is an active and beloved community volunteer. She remembers to make play dates, her children's clothes fit, she does art projects with them and enjoys all their games. Ayelet Waldman mother love art Before I was married, I didn't consider my failure to manage even basic hand tools a feminist inadequacy. I thought it had more to do with being Jewish. The Jews I knew growing up didn't do 'do-it-yourself.' When my father needed to hammer something he generally used his shoe, and the only real tool he owned was a pair of needle-nose pliers. Ayelet Waldman growing-up real father I was born in Israel, to Canadian parents. My father immigrated in 1948, part of a wave of young men and women who came as pioneers, to fight for a Jewish homeland. Their motive was in large part a reaction to the Holocaust, and their slogan was 'Never Again.' Ayelet Waldman fighting men father You know, I feel like my job is to write a book. Then filmmakers come and they make a movie. And they're two really different art forms. Ayelet Waldman jobs book art There's nothing I find quite as annoying as the phrase 'I told you so.' Ayelet Waldman told-you-so annoying phrases States began to realize how much money they were spending on incarceration and how much money they were spending fighting this ludicrous war on drugs that was actually counterproductive. Ayelet Waldman drug fighting war The first inkling my husband had that I was thinking about suicide was when he checked my blog. Ayelet Waldman husband suicide thinking My new novel 'Red Hook Road' began many years ago as a short article in the newspaper. Ayelet Waldman hook red years Look, if you ask a child, 'Would you rather have a fulfilled mother or a stay-at-home Sylvia Plath,' they'll pick Sylvia Plath every time. But I think it's really important that children don't feel their parents' emotional lives depend on their success. Ayelet Waldman mother home children When you consider America, there are hundreds of millions of people who have smoked marijuana illegally. Ayelet Waldman marijuana america people I think I wish I had never spanked my children, but I have. And they remember every instance like they tattooed it on their palms. I think it's a terrible lesson, to use physical punishment to make a point about not behaving, not being kind to their siblings, to other people. I mean that's just absurd. But I've lost it, I understand it. Ayelet Waldman sibling mean children My kids are incredibly secure. More and more of their friends' parents are divorcing, but my kids have absolute confidence that we'll stay together forever. That goes a long, long way. Ayelet Waldman parent long kids My own husband was divorced when we met, but without kids. I don't know what I would have done if he'd had them. I got the message very early on that the worst mistake a woman can make is marrying a man with children. Ayelet Waldman husband mistake children
