Angela Merkel

I was remembering days in the distant past when I slept on other peoples' couches, and how there was no way I could do that anymore.

From a psychological standpoint, there are basically two feelings you're born with: one is that you're owed something and the other's that you're the one who owes everyone else.

Couldn't business people come up with better language than, "your card's been declined!" The words are so freighted, personal, humiliating. And so often you actually have money in the bank to pay for what your credit card is denying you. "Your credit card doesn't seem to be working," would seem to be better, far kinder language.

Part of being really engaged with your life is to be angry, outraged, defiant, but not to show it. To act this way is really an art.

We all have quarrels with the world and we'd all like to think we're living in a golden age, just as there are some people who should have children and some people who should not.

Once, when I was poor, I had real power. I mean I had more power than I knew what to do with. I know now that women have more power than men and always have had, now that they've seized it.