Quotes from Gina Barreca

Heaven makes you family, but a new generation of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can make you friends.

What doesn't polite society, in all seriousness, want to discuss? Sex, money, political corruption, bodily functions, religion, loss and despair? These have been the very subjects attracting writers of comedy since Aristophanes penned "Lysistrata" as a vehicle for the young Joan Rivers.

Recognizing not only intellectually but psychologically and physically, through laughter, that we are not the only ones feeling such a range of emotions makes us feel less alone, provides a renewed sense of perspective, allows us to hit an emotional "reset" button and can relieve stress.

Boys are rewarded for playing games where they line up by height and then run into walls. Perhaps I'm making that up--or perhaps you should do a Google search for "Guy Runs into Wall for Fun.

When someone genuinely laughs with you, it's proof that you share a certain internal space. And that's not so lonely after all.

Ever have a day when you wonder what, if anything, is worth doing? Forget about doing anything well: I'm talking about simply meeting basic standards.

Every potato chip I've have ever eaten has added another chip to my shoulder. They're a lot heavier to carry around than the pounds, somehow.

In short, immaturity is spoiled. And what is spoiled doesn't ripen. It goes bad early, gets bitter and withers on the vine.

Words can be as irrevocable as an action. They can cut as deeply as a surgeon's scalpel.

Maturity understands that there's darkness in the world but that there's no need to dwell in it: we can lighten up and offer illumination to others.

Once we hit forty, women only have about four taste buds left: one for vodka, one for wine, one for cheese, and one for chocolate.

It's hard to talk about love because most of the time, we have no idea what we're talking about.

It's not that diamonds are a girl's best friend, but it's your best friends who are your diamonds.

The people I work with are like family. I don't mean this in a nice way.

If anger were mileage, I'd be a very frequent flyer, right up there in First Class.

Sometimes things can take a very long time and still not be very good. It took us all of evolutionary history just to get where we are today, for instance, and mostly where we are today is on the couch.

My longing to improve my looks via The Body Shop is being replaced by my longing to improve my looks via Photoshop.

The '60s had edge; the '70s had embroidery.

Until we're pushing up daisies, it might be good to remind ourselves daily that everything's coming up roses — for me and for you.

If you know you can do it - if you can already chart every day in your future - then why bother? Choose to do something you have more trouble imagining. Take a chance.