Newness wears off. This is something I’ve learned about relationships. I’ve had more than a few run their course, the idiosyncrasies that were once endearing becoming annoying, the jump of my heart into my throat at the sight of her lessening to a skip, then a pause, then the bare recognition that at some point slips into dread, and you know it’s time to end it. It’s different with Alex. The newness might have faded, which is inevitable, but it’s grown into something better. The panic of not being able to come up with something to say to her has settled into the comfort of companionable silence, my hand resting on her knee, or her head on my chest. The frantic need to be near her and know how she feels has morphed into an almost pleasant ache of missing her when she’s not with me, because I know we’ll be together again.

— Mindy McGinnis

So then the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association merged to create the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which personally I think is rather a mouthful,' Adelaide said as she set down her wineglass.' I'm sure others have much shorter terms,' the doctor said, sawing into his steak with more vigor than necessary.' Such as?' Grace asked.' There are plenty who just call us bitches, dear.

— Mindy McGinnis

They were so thrilled when I said I’m a virgin,” I blurt out. “I’m so fucking stupid.” I start crying again, and Alex hands me a napkin. “You’re not stupid,” she says. “You simply don’t assume people mean you harm.”“Yeah, well.” I blow my nose loudly. “Last night that equaled being stupid.”“No, it means you’re normal,” Alex says.

— Mindy McGinnis

We're cleaning cat ears. Rhonda doesn't require us to come in on Sundays, but somebody has to feed the animals. Yesterday Alex and I helped five cats and two dogs find homes... We agreed we probably could have placed a couple more cats if their ears were nice and pink inside like in the wet-food commercials. We told Rhonda to take a much-deserved break today, and we'd come in, feed everybody, and make our cats a little more like the ones on TV. So I skipped church to clean cat ears.

— Mindy McGinnis

When animals make a stupid mistake, you laugh at them. A cat misjudges a leap. A dog looks overly quizzical about a simple object. These are funny things. But when a person doesn’t understand something, if they miscalculate and hit the brakes too late, blame is assigned. They are stupid. They are wrong. Teachers and cops are there to sort it out, with a trail of paperwork to illustrate the stupidity. The faults. The evidence and incidents of these things. We have entire systems in place to help decide who is what. Sometimes the systems don’t work. Families spend their weekend afternoons at animal shelters, even when they’re not looking for a pet. They come to see the unwanted and unloved. The cats and dogs who don’t understand why they are these things. They are petted and combed, walked and fed, cooed over and kissed. Then they go back in their cages and sometimes tears are shed. Fuzzy faces peering through bars can be unbearable for many. Change the face to a human one and the reaction changes. The reason why is that people should know better. But our logic is skewed in this respect. A dog that bites is a dead dog. First day at the shelter and I already saw one put to sleep, which in itself is a misleading phrase. Sleep implies that you have the option of waking up. Once their bodies pass unconsciousness to something deeper where systems start to fail, they revolt a little bit, put up a fight on a molecular level. They kick. They cry. Furthermore, they don’t want to go. And this happens because their jaws closed over a human hand, ever so briefly. Maybe even just the once. But people, they get chances. They get the benefit of the doubt. Even though they have the higher logic functioning, and they knew when they did it THEY KNEW it was a bad thing.

— Mindy McGinnis

When I say the things that don't make sense you answer me anyway. It's like having green in your shirt.

— Mindy McGinnis

Where you go, he'll go," St ebbs said." I know it."" Tough caring about people, isn't it?"... "Wouldn't trade it," she said.

— Mindy McGinnis

Why me, then?” I ask. “Why not Bradley? She’s way hotter and was just as drunk as I was.” Alex shakes her head as she sits back down. “Physical attractiveness has nothing to do with it. You were alone, isolated, and weak. The three of them had been watching girls all night, waiting for someone to separate from a group. It happened to be you, but it could’ve been anyone else. Opportunity is what matters, nothing else. […] I’m telling you, Claire. It doesn’t matter. What you were wearing. What you look like. Nothing. Watch the nature channel. Predators go for the easy prey.

— Mindy McGinnis

You can't change the things you've done. It's now and the here on out you've got control of.

— Mindy McGinnis

You see it in all animals - the female of the species is more deadly than the male.'' Except humans.

— Mindy McGinnis