John David Anderson > Quotes

“We all have moments when we think nobody sees us. When we feel like we have to act out or be somebody else to get noticed. But somebody notices, Topher. Somebody sees. Somebody out there probably thinks you're the greatest thing in the whole world. Don't ever think you're not good enough.”
― John David Anderson

“... stories are everywhere, just waiting to be found...”
― John David Anderson, L'ultima lezione di Miss Bixby

“We all have moments when we think nobody really sees us. When we feel like we have to act out or be somebody else just to get noticed. But somebody notices, Topher. Somebody sees. Somebody out there probably thinks you're the greatest thing in the whole world. Don't ever think you're not good enough.”
― John David Anderson, L'ultima lezione di Miss Bixby

“When you’re a teenager, everybody is waiting for you to be something or someone else - your friends, your parents, your teachers. Sometimes you lose track. Are you the shy kid in the back of the room who apologizes for even accidentally touching Susan Childress’s arm, or the guy making bombs in the backyard? Are you the helpless nerd with the backpack on hoping you don’t get the snot beat out of you by the school bully, or the helpless nerd with the mask on, hoping you don’t get the snot beat out of you by the town’s newest supervillain?
Or maybe you’re just the helpless nerd staring at the helpless nerd in the mirror, talking to yourself, wondering which one of you needs more help.”
― John David Anderson

“A beautiful mind is worth more then a pretty face”
― John David Anderson

“We all need something that's ours. A thing that we know absolutely about ourselves that others can only guess at.”
― John David Anderson

“Sometimes it’s the thing that’s right in front of you that you keep looking over.”
― John David Anderson, Sidekicked

“That which doesn’t kill us will only try harder next time, so you might as well make the most of the space in between.”
― John David Anderson, Finding Orion

“In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.”
― John David Anderson

“But life doesn't put a limit on how much it can suck”
― John David Anderson

“It's definitely possible to love something and not like it all the time.”
― John David Anderson

“Wherever you want to go, there's always a path that will get you there. But there's a difference between knowing something and believing it.”
― John David Anderson

“We met in the first grade, Topher and I. He pointed to my Lego Star Wars lunch box and asked me if I had any of the actual Lego Star Wars sets. I told him I had four, all complete, all sitting on my dresser at home, the instructions carefully packed away in case I ever needed to rebuild them, like if an earthquake happened. He said he had a few of them, too, but they weren't put together; as soon as he built them, he tore them apart and mixed the pieces in with his other pieces... I asked him the obvious question: "If you mix up all the pieces, how will you put the ship back together?"
Topher shrugged. "Guess I'll just build my own ship," he said.
In that moment, I knew the most basic thing I needed to know about Topher Renn.”
― John David Anderson

“Their revolvers are drawn, but they won’t fire. They’re just here as backdrop. The fire department is here too, as are the ETMs, but there isn’t much they can do either. They know the rules. This is clearly out of their scope, and these guys are out of their league. They’re basically here for crowd control. Besides, have you ever seen an ETM jump into a pool of acid to rescue two costumed teenagers? Do you even know what those guys get paid?”
― John David Anderson

“It's not the last day that matters the most. It's the ones in between. The ones you get the chance to look back on. They're the carnation days. They may not stand out the most at first, but they stay with you the longest.”
― John David Anderson

“You don’t invite two guys to the same rich snooty dinner party charity thingy. Haven’t you ever seen a movie in your life? Now one of us has to kill the other one.”
― John David Anderson

“Sometimes conversations are full of blank spaces.”
― John David Anderson

“That's what a secret is. It's a confession in disguise. Well, sort of. The whole power of a secret is in the keeping - the power of knowing something that nobody else does. But the whole point of confession is letting go. You're supposed to feel better afterward. Like the weight has been lifted and your soul is suddenly free to fly or whatever.

But what if it isn't? What if, after telling someone, you feel just as bad as you did before, except now everybody else knows? And you can see it in their eyes as you walk down the hall? Your secrets staring right back at you? Wasn't it better, sometimes, to not say anything at all?”
― John David Anderson

“The longer you have to be somebody else, the harder it is to convince everyone you are you.”
― John David Anderson

“Im James Bond. Im Jason Bourne. Im Super-freaking-Mario come to life.”
― John David Anderson

“People you look up to and aspire to be like. I always thought that's what parents were for.”
― John David Anderson

“I know what you are going to say: sticks, stones, and broken bones, but words can kick you in the gut. They wriggle underneath your skin and start to itch. They set their hooks into you and pull. Words accumulate like a cancer, and then they eat away at you until there is nothing left. And once they are let loose there really is no taking them back.”
― John David Anderson