It's always awkward when someone doesn't realize you're joking and devotes thought time to what you've said. Double that when the person is wearing tinfoil. Maureen Johnson More Quotes by Maureen Johnson More Quotes From Maureen Johnson She firmly held the theory that everyone gets at least one very stupid superpower. Maureen Johnson very-stupid theory stupid It took a lot of women like that, a lot of women who said "I'm not going to do what you expect me to do, because you have no idea what I'm capable of. I'm going to get dirty and use tools and live the way I want" to move the world forward. Maureen Johnson dirty ideas moving Top Trumps appeared to be a game in which you got cards, and the cards had a picture (in this case, of a horse), and told you all kinds of stats for that horse, how fast it was, how big it was, etc. Whoever had the better horse won both the cards. You repeated this until someone had all the cards. So, basically it was exactly like high school, except it only took three minutes. Which was really a bit more humane, if you thought about it. Maureen Johnson horse games school We're going to die," Keith said, the moment he was gone. "This man is a serial killer. We're going to die, and he's going to bury us in his garden and build a shed on us. Maureen Johnson serial-killer garden men Sometimes artist like to catch themselves looking out, let the world see them for once. It's a signature. This one is a very bold one. But this is also a witnessing. We want to remember, and we want to be remembered. That's why we paint. Maureen Johnson signatures artist world Sometimes it is worth any amount of suffering just to prevent giving your parents the opportunity to be right. Maureen Johnson parent opportunity giving Stuart, who had just witnessed me go through an entire rainbow of emotions and experiences. There was parents-have-just-been-jailed me, stuck-in-a-strange-town me, insane-and-can't-shut-up me, kind-of-snarky-to-the-strange-guy-trying-to-be-helpful me, breakup me, and the extremely popular jump-on-top-of-you-unexpectedly me. Maureen Johnson rainbow guy breakup I followed your footsteps," he said, in answer to the unspoken question. "Snow makes it easy." I had been tracked, like a bear. "Sorry to make you go to all that trouble," I said. "I didn't have to go that far, really. You're about three streets over. You just kept going in loops." A really inept bear. Maureen Johnson over-you sorry snow One thing," I said, when we had broken apart and the swirling feeling in my head subsided. "Maybe...don't tell your mom too much about this. I think she has ideas." "What?" he asked, all innocence, as he put an arm around my shoulders and led me back toward his house. "Don't your parents cheer and stare when you make out with someone? Is that weird where you come from? I guess they don't get to see it much, though. From jail, I mean." "Shut it, Weintraub. If I knock you down in the snow, these kids will swarm and eat you. Maureen Johnson cheer mom mean I am a mass of contradictions. Maureen Johnson contradiction mass I'm done. I'm going to go to bed and read important books about theater." "It would would be easier if you just said porn," Scarlett said. "No idea what you're talking about. But knock first if you need me. Maureen Johnson talking book ideas Every time you try to flirt with her, a puppy dies. Maureen Johnson flirting puppy trying This kind of thing always amazed Ginny--people who just walked away from institutions. People who left school when they didn't see the point. Aunt Peg had done that. Ginny knew she never would. That either made her someone who worked hard and finished things, or someone who didn't have the guts to break away from the pack. Maybe both. Maureen Johnson aunt people school I still have a whopping bad case of what you call scag magnetism. I thought i had gotten rid of it there, but it looks like scary guys still materialize from thin air in my presence. They are drawn to me. I am the North Pole, and they are the explorers of love. Maureen Johnson guy scary air Something about this boat screamed, "I am a very popular model in the world's oil-bearing regions. I cost more than your soul! Maureen Johnson oil cost soul Once again, her parents' problems had run through her life like a piece of heavy equipment, smashing everything in their way. Maureen Johnson pieces parent running People always say they can't do things, that they're impossible. They just haven't been creative enough. Maureen Johnson creative impossible people Quarrels are a natural part of relationships. Making up is always the best part. Maureen Johnson making-up quarrels natural I read two mysteries a day when I was a kid. All of Agatha Christie, all of 'Sherlock Holmes.' I've seen every single British detective show ever made. Maureen Johnson detectives two kids Being an author means, almost by definition, that you make up characters and then complicate their lives. That's it, really. You make up characters and give them problem after problem after problem. Maureen Johnson writing character mean