This image of wanting to be an artist - that I would in some way become an artist -was very strong. I knew for a long, long time that that's what I would be. But nothing I ever did seemed to bring me any nearer to the condition of being an artist. And I didn't know how to do it. Jasper Johns artistbringcondition share on social
I think with my journey so far, it never felt like an overwhelming, overnight success story. I think that's good for me because I really got to take my time. Tori Kelly feltgoodjourney Change image and share on social
That's the thing that I've always kind of kept in the back of my head in writing about teens, that everything is so important, all the time, every day. Every day of your life, you're changing and making decisions and everything is an emergency to you. Jason Katims backchangeday share on social
The easiest time to cure an illness is before it is accepted as a part of the self-image. Jane Roberts acceptcureeasy Change image and share on social
Acid wasn't getting a whole lot of bad press at the time, and as I saw the whole bad-press thing happen, I became aware that the government had done a whole lie on all the other benign drugs as well. It became clear to me that the government wanted no real drug education. Tommy Rettig acidawarebad share on social
There came a time when I felt I was not going to be satisfied with life unless I could write. James Salter feltlifesatisfy Change image and share on social
The first time I met Patti Smith was in a laundromat. We knew some of the same people, including Richard Hell. Tom Verlaine hellincludeknow Change image and share on social
One thing that being a scientist has taught me is that you can never be certain about anything. You never know the truth. You can only approach it and hope to get a bit nearer to it each time. You iterate towards the truth. You don't know it. James Lovelock approachbitehope share on social
I became an electrician after high school. But I always had this thing in me to write. But it was always a little shameful. To say you were a poet was saying you were kind of crazy, and I carried that around for a long time. I still kind of carry that. And I think it might be true, actually. Nick Flynn carrycrazyelectrician share on social