I really look at my childhood as being one giant rusty tuna can that I continue to recycle in many different shapes. Augusten Burroughs More Quotes by Augusten Burroughs More Quotes From Augusten Burroughs He's a really nice guy, if only I weren't me. Augusten Burroughs guy nice ifs Like cubic zirconia, I only look real. I'm an imposter. The fact is, I am not like other people. Augusten Burroughs real people looks You have an incredible body." He reaches out to touch my stomach. I feel no pleasure in his compliment or his touch, only impatience. This is the only feeling. I feel like the paper on which my mood chart is printed. Augusten Burroughs body paper feelings I never listen to music when I write. Augusten Burroughs listening-to-music writing Should I just sit down, right here at carousel seven, and shake until somebody's arms are around me and they're saying, 'It's okay, I'm here, I'm here, come with me to the institute. Augusten Burroughs seven arms should Other people sound flat to my ear; their words just hang in the air. But when my mother says something, the ends curl. Augusten Burroughs mother air people I was in advertising for years. That was cushy, you know? It's pretty cushy in a lot of ways, but I hated it. Augusten Burroughs advertising way years I think writers tend to be experience junkies, and I think they also tend to want to be on the outside looking in. Augusten Burroughs want writing thinking I think people tend to see the bigger point, which is maybe not fitting in and feeling like you didn't have the childhood that you expected you would have, or that you felt lonely or struggled with drugs and alcohol or just that you were able to achieve your dreams. Augusten Burroughs lonely dream thinking There's not enough of me left over. Augusten Burroughs left enough My parents had this relationship that was really terrifying. I mean, the level of hatred that they had, and the level of physical abuse - my mother would beat up my father, basically - and I think I was drawn to images on television that were bright and reflective. Augusten Burroughs mother mean father Freshly brainwashed from rehab, I carry the bottle into the bathroom. I hold it up to the light. See the pretty bottle? Isn't it beautiful? Yes, it's beautiful. I unscrew the cap and pour it into the toilet. I flush twice. And then I think, why did I flush twice? The answer, is of course, because I truly do know myself. I cannot be sure I won't attempt to drink from the toilet, like a dog. Augusten Burroughs dog beautiful thinking Reading takes solitude and it takes focus. Augusten Burroughs focus solitude reading There's never a false note in a Berg novel. Augusten Burroughs notes novel When people meet me, many times they're very surprised because they expect someone who is kind of wacky with seven piercings and very hip and cool and New York City, and I'm not. Augusten Burroughs cities new-york people The secret to being a writer is that you have to write. It's not enough to think about writing or to study literature or plan a future life as an author. You really have to lock yourself away, alone, and get to work. Augusten Burroughs secret writing thinking I like, though, that people have a hunger to connect with other people. They're desperate to know that you're not lying to them or misleading them. Augusten Burroughs hunger lying people He continues to smile expectantly. I take a step back. I don't want to catch whatever he has. He is a disturbing out-of-uniform Santa. Augusten Burroughs santa smile steps Marriage is overdone. As long as there are people, people are going to find it interesting. Augusten Burroughs long people interesting Decisions are beautiful. They are the evidence of thought and care. Decisions are the polishing cloths of life. Augusten Burroughs care decision beautiful
