Sarah Vowell Quotes

I love luxury, I love the high life, and I have to foot the bills - I have received practically nothing from my marriages and relationships.

One evening I sat Beauty on my knees – And I found her bitter – And I reviled her.

The want of a thing is perplexing enough, but the possession of it, is intolerable.

It's such a stress always trying to get bigger houses and larger cars and better schools. Of course, parents want to give their children the best opportunities in life, but sometimes that can stifle them.

Southern California, where the American Dream came too true.

I got a wife who likes expensive things, so she takes all the cash.

Lives have been altered in fundamental ways, and later, after they acquire a more complete understanding of what goals are actually attainable, many are left facing a lot of pain and frustration. And yet, there's no culture of complaint.

No one was more shocked or angry than I was when we didn't find the weapons. I had a sickening feeling every time I thought about it. I still do.

I want to be good all the time, so I feel anxious. But if you weren't like that, you'd be dead, wouldn't you? If you went out happy down the road, la la la. I've never been like that. I don't want to be.

In school, I had a tough time fitting in, and dancing was my way of being in my own element. As a teenager, I became a bit disillusioned with it. Even with competitions, I'd win, but still there would be tears.

I got involved in music because I love everything about it, but now I'm in it you see the other side and it isn't much fun. Not as glamorous and enjoyable as you imagine.

Few things can make us feel crazier than expecting something from someone who has nothing to give.

This society is driven by neurotic speed and force accelerated by greed and frustration of not being able to live up to the image of men and woman we have created for ourselves; the image has nothing to do with the reality of people.

James Bond is quite serious about his drinks and clothing and cigarettes and food and all that sort of thing. There is nothing wry or amused about James Bond.

Perfectionists are their own devils.

My father happened to be a doctor, and though I loved and idealized him privately, professionally I never had any use for him or anyone connected with that science.

Buying sports cars, going to expensive nightclubs, spraying people with champagne and things like that - what I learnt is that it wasn't for me, and, in fact, I feel pretty empty after doing that.

When I moved to New York, I was dead broke and lost my mind, and my girlfriend dumped me and was with some banker making money. I wandered by Jane Curtin's house, and she's like, 'Come in here, dear. I'll make you lunch. Tell me, what's going on in your life?'

I went from someone who really wanted to perform from a really young age - that was all I knew - to going on 'X-Factor', which I thought was going to be the most incredible experience ever and it becoming the worst experience of my life.

I'd be on stage in Ireland performing for thousands of people and just not believing in what I'm doing at all. And it hurt, it hurt badly. I knew every day that I couldn't continue this way.

Having money hasn't made me any happier. There are some negatives associated with it too, like having to be away from home when you don't want to be.

We're not all Kim Kardashian. We can't have $15,000 from head to toe every single day.

There were many times eating ramen noodles and sitting on a friend's couch watching ESPN where I was like, 'This is not what I thought California was going to be like. I thought it was going to be pools and cocktails with umbrellas in them and Maseratis, but this ain't it.'

I always had this impression that money bought you happiness and money solved everything, and it's the biggest lie I have ever been told.

The story of trying to live up to the myth is more interesting than the myth itself.