Someday by David Levithan
Perception/ Descriptions
The young handsome white guys are always fun They're the ones who are naturally given things, who find that gates swing open before they touch them. These guys take advantage. Sometimes they don't know they're doing it. Most of the time they do. They are harder to erase because they like their lives. but I stay in there anyway, because I like their lives, too. p28-29
It takes me about two periods in school to realize she's one of the only black girls in class-- a point brought home in third-period history, when both the teacher and other students keep looking at her when they're talking about Selma, as if her skin colors makes her an expert on something that happened decades before she was born. I would guess they don't even realize they're doing it-- when people are thinking about a difference, their eyes will usually wander to someone they think embodies the difference. p42
Gwen's parents are there, as well as four younger kids who don't share any family resemblance in their features but deeply resemble a family in the way they exist with each other. p80
I don't believe any body is inherently better or worse than any other. The outside world makes its judgements. p318
Feelings
I don't understand how it's possible to know you have a good life, but still be missing out on it. I don't understand why I won't let myself give in to what I have. It's good. What I have is good. p60
"Nothing wrong. It's just that... isn't it okay if there are some days that aren't wrong but aren't really right, either? He hasn't done anything wrong. I'm the one who isn't feeling right. Do you know what I mean?" p61
I go on with life. I turn on the news and try to let that be my cause of stress and outrage instead of something more personal. Except the news feels like a personal attack against anyone with a shred of intelligence and decency, which doesn't make me feel much better. I try to think of ways my mind could be playing with me... but that's a stretch and a strain. p93
The chapter starting on page 115 is excellent! Good look into a rocket-speed mind.
...and then she's calling on Rick Myers, who I bet hasn't even read the whole book yet, because he's talking about Jane Eyre-- the character, not the book-- as a paradigm of innocence, and I'm saying, no, you're not innocent if you're part of the colonialist system, and the teacher is telling me it's not my turn, which strikes me as a very colonial thing for her to say, but I don't think anyone but me is appreciating the irony. p118-119
I have endured this life by seeing the unbelievable expanse of what others can endure. I have held on to my stories, and none of these stories end up saying the exact same thing. Each of us holds at least one story within us that breaks our hearts to tell. Each of us holds at least one story in which we are surprised by our fortitude. Each of us holds at least one story that never came true, the story we most wanted to be able to tell.p190
"... there's something different with the impressionists. they recognize that their subjects are constantly changing, and that they're only capturing one moment. It's not even a definitive moment. Like, they're not saying this is the best possible way to show this scene of this person. They're saying this is just one of the ways you could see it. This is the way I saw it... and then it was over. Only I caught some of it. I managed to get of it down, before I, too, was gone." p226
I remind myself that we all have rules, not just A. Things that aren't universally right or wrong-- just personally right or wrong. p239
Lines I Love
But I can't force myself to repeat something I know isn't true. p41
"You can tell me anything," I assure her. "I just won't have anything remotely intelligent to say about it. I've totally got your back, but I'm only armed with a water pistol." p 144
Bullying
I know there's a twisted code of honor about never tattling on another student, never speaking up against someone who's done you wrong. I know I will only make it worse by breaking this code. But the code of honor was written by bullies for the protection of bullies, and I don't want to follow it. p72
Humor
(9) It did not take long for someone at their school to realize that the student body was suddenly awash in photos of student bodies. p110
Now all I need is for them to sell gift certificates for time to read them all. p352
Understanding the World
"Don't mistake evil for power. That's a bad mistake we all make. Thinking that it takes more strength to break the rules of human decency than to follow them, and therefore if we follow them, we have to be the weaker ones." p261
There is a fervent joy in taking action. There is a non-abstract importance in what we are doing. The balance between right and wrong is always in question, ad the only way to ensure we tip toward justice is to make sure our weight s firmly planted on the side of right. p296-297
It's not the usual American crowd where the majority group is easy to pin down. No-- this crowd is actually America, all the different races and genders and ages and clothing styles and love inclinations on one street together, making their steady march to the destination. p304
"I think you must be careful not to mistake inconvenience with harm. They are two very different things." p340
Love
Love should never be thought of in terms of deserving. p293
We're told that the most powerful words in the world are "I love you." And while I think those are powerful, I think equally powerful is this phrase: I have started to know you, and I want to know more. p194
I have visited all stages of relationships; I've just never been in one myself before. I feel like I've seen the map, but now I'm actually living in the actual landscape. p300
The whole point of love isn't to be the other person's solution or answer or cure. The whole point of love is to help them find what they need, in any way you can. p382
So much shade
The president says he is "monitoring the situation" from a golf course in Florida. p303
The young handsome white guys are always fun They're the ones who are naturally given things, who find that gates swing open before they touch them. These guys take advantage. Sometimes they don't know they're doing it. Most of the time they do. They are harder to erase because they like their lives. but I stay in there anyway, because I like their lives, too. p28-29
It takes me about two periods in school to realize she's one of the only black girls in class-- a point brought home in third-period history, when both the teacher and other students keep looking at her when they're talking about Selma, as if her skin colors makes her an expert on something that happened decades before she was born. I would guess they don't even realize they're doing it-- when people are thinking about a difference, their eyes will usually wander to someone they think embodies the difference. p42
Gwen's parents are there, as well as four younger kids who don't share any family resemblance in their features but deeply resemble a family in the way they exist with each other. p80
I don't believe any body is inherently better or worse than any other. The outside world makes its judgements. p318
Feelings
I don't understand how it's possible to know you have a good life, but still be missing out on it. I don't understand why I won't let myself give in to what I have. It's good. What I have is good. p60
"Nothing wrong. It's just that... isn't it okay if there are some days that aren't wrong but aren't really right, either? He hasn't done anything wrong. I'm the one who isn't feeling right. Do you know what I mean?" p61
I go on with life. I turn on the news and try to let that be my cause of stress and outrage instead of something more personal. Except the news feels like a personal attack against anyone with a shred of intelligence and decency, which doesn't make me feel much better. I try to think of ways my mind could be playing with me... but that's a stretch and a strain. p93
The chapter starting on page 115 is excellent! Good look into a rocket-speed mind.
...and then she's calling on Rick Myers, who I bet hasn't even read the whole book yet, because he's talking about Jane Eyre-- the character, not the book-- as a paradigm of innocence, and I'm saying, no, you're not innocent if you're part of the colonialist system, and the teacher is telling me it's not my turn, which strikes me as a very colonial thing for her to say, but I don't think anyone but me is appreciating the irony. p118-119
I have endured this life by seeing the unbelievable expanse of what others can endure. I have held on to my stories, and none of these stories end up saying the exact same thing. Each of us holds at least one story within us that breaks our hearts to tell. Each of us holds at least one story in which we are surprised by our fortitude. Each of us holds at least one story that never came true, the story we most wanted to be able to tell.p190
"... there's something different with the impressionists. they recognize that their subjects are constantly changing, and that they're only capturing one moment. It's not even a definitive moment. Like, they're not saying this is the best possible way to show this scene of this person. They're saying this is just one of the ways you could see it. This is the way I saw it... and then it was over. Only I caught some of it. I managed to get of it down, before I, too, was gone." p226
I remind myself that we all have rules, not just A. Things that aren't universally right or wrong-- just personally right or wrong. p239
Lines I Love
But I can't force myself to repeat something I know isn't true. p41
"You can tell me anything," I assure her. "I just won't have anything remotely intelligent to say about it. I've totally got your back, but I'm only armed with a water pistol." p 144
Bullying
I know there's a twisted code of honor about never tattling on another student, never speaking up against someone who's done you wrong. I know I will only make it worse by breaking this code. But the code of honor was written by bullies for the protection of bullies, and I don't want to follow it. p72
Humor
(9) It did not take long for someone at their school to realize that the student body was suddenly awash in photos of student bodies. p110
Now all I need is for them to sell gift certificates for time to read them all. p352
Understanding the World
"Don't mistake evil for power. That's a bad mistake we all make. Thinking that it takes more strength to break the rules of human decency than to follow them, and therefore if we follow them, we have to be the weaker ones." p261
There is a fervent joy in taking action. There is a non-abstract importance in what we are doing. The balance between right and wrong is always in question, ad the only way to ensure we tip toward justice is to make sure our weight s firmly planted on the side of right. p296-297
It's not the usual American crowd where the majority group is easy to pin down. No-- this crowd is actually America, all the different races and genders and ages and clothing styles and love inclinations on one street together, making their steady march to the destination. p304
"I think you must be careful not to mistake inconvenience with harm. They are two very different things." p340
Love
Love should never be thought of in terms of deserving. p293
We're told that the most powerful words in the world are "I love you." And while I think those are powerful, I think equally powerful is this phrase: I have started to know you, and I want to know more. p194
I have visited all stages of relationships; I've just never been in one myself before. I feel like I've seen the map, but now I'm actually living in the actual landscape. p300
The whole point of love isn't to be the other person's solution or answer or cure. The whole point of love is to help them find what they need, in any way you can. p382
So much shade
The president says he is "monitoring the situation" from a golf course in Florida. p303
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