Natalie Merchant quotes

" I grew up as a TV baby, with my TV babysitter, up until I was about 10. Then my mother just ripped the thing out of the wall and put it in a closet, and we didn't watch it. I have that sort of ability to become addicted to it. And I'm just so fascinated by it once I turn it on, I'm not even that aware what's there. I'm just watching it. So I don't ever turn it on. I get my news from the newspaper. I don't want to watch the Hollywood news product on TV... There's no other piece of furniture in my home I'd stare at for three hours at a time, so I try not to do it to the TV. " # Hollywood # Love # Books - Reading

" I don't want to live in a culture of despair. I'd like to live in a culture of hope. " # Hope # Culture # Despair

" There is one tradition in America I am proud to inherit. It is our first freedom and the truest expression of our Americanism: the ability to dissent without fear. It is our right to utter the words, "I disagree." We must feel at liberty to speak those words to our neighbors, our clergy, our educators, our news media, our lawmakers and, above all, to the one among us we elect President. " # Myth # America # Freedom

" My drug period was between the age of 17 and 18. That was a time when I was experimenting with a lot of things, I was experimenting with sleep deprivation, fasting. The longest fast I ever did was 12 days. You go that long without food and you hallucinate. I would take this powder made out of guarana seed, my friend Mary would bake it up like cocoa in muffins and leave them on my doorstep. My drinking period was when I was 13, 14. Drugs fascinated me for a short period of time but not any more. A glass of wine puts me in a weird enough state. " # Critics and Criticism # Friends and Friendship # Age and Aging

" if I could calm or restrain you for the sake of pity save the pistol save the cynic's tongue save the cool white stare treat me to an honest face sometime " # Cynics and Cynicism # Honesty # Age and Aging

" I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses he's their kid I stay out of it, but who gave you the right to do this? " # Excuses # Love # Children

" threats like, "if you don't mind I will beat on your behind" "slap you, slap you silly" made me say, "o, what's the matter here?" " # World Affairs # Mind # Love

" heaven, is this heaven where we are? " # Heaven

" see them walking, if you dare if you call that walking stumble, stagger, fall and drag themselves along the streets of heaven " # Faith # Love # Adversity

" where is the halo that should glow 'round your face and where are the wings that should grow from your shoulder blades? " # Adversity # Happiness # Love