American Quotes

Every time I get through the work on a book of nonfiction, I say I'll never do it again; it takes so much out of you.

But you know, there's something about the kids finishing their homework in a given day, working one-on-one, getting all this attention - they go home, they're finished. They don't stall, they don't do their homework in front of the TV.

But while mum and dad were incredibly caring, it was also a very chaotic household where everyone fought about everything. So I know what it's like to internalize all that chaos.

But there was something psychological happening there that was just a little bit different. And the other thing was, there was no stigma. Kids weren't going into the 'Center-for-Kids-That-Need-More-Help' or something like that. It was 826 Valencia.

But Saudi Arabia is surprising in a lot of ways. Like any place, or any people, it relentlessly defies easy categorization.

But I'm thinking about 12 things at once, a hundred thousand times a day. Most people do, I would imagine.

Because I grew up with this naive expectation of people doing right, I get shocked by every little violation.

And what we were trying to offer every day was one-on-one attention. The goal was to have a one-to-one ratio with every one of these students.

Also, I need deadlines, just like everybody else, especially coming from magazines, newspapers, and stuff like that. I need daily or weekly deadlines to get stuff done, or I continue to do things and not go off on a year of unproductivity.

Some of these kids just don't plain know how good they are: how smart and how much they have to say. You can tell them. You can shine that light on them, one human interaction at a time.

And that's actually the brunt of what we do is, people going straight from their workplace, straight from home, straight into the classroom and working directly with the students. So then we're able to work with thousands and thousands more students.

It's not that our family has no taste, it's just that our family's taste is inconsistent.

So this is the space during tutoring hours. It's very busy. Same principles: one-on-one attention, complete devotion to the students' work and a boundless optimism and sort of a possibility of creativity and ideas.

People are strange, but more than that, they're good. They're good first, then strange.

Are you happy to be living back in Fairbanks again?

High School Musical has been a blessing and a gift.

From day one, I got addicted to being on stage and getting the applause and laughter.

Every time I go to big events, it's a trip. I feel like that kid who shouldn't really be there.

Dating is kind of hard. Like dinner or something like that. Like a forced awkward situation is very strange. Especially for me, for some reason.

Being known for musicals is a great thing.

Amanda Bynes and I have become close since filming 'Hairspray.' It's so weird because I grew up watching her.

Working out is my biggest hobby. It's my Zen hour. I just zone out.

It's weird, but I don't feel like think I deserve any of the attention. There's really nothing but one audition for a Disney Channel movie that separates me from 2,000 other brown-haired, blue-eyed guys in L.A., you know?

If I splurge on anything, it's cologne. I love smelling good.

I like to go and do something adventurous. I like to go out and do some sort of crazy activity.

Honestly, if the worst these people can say about me is that I'm gay, then I think I'll be fine. I can handle it.

Every day is a new experience and I take it as it comes.

Don't get me wrong - I've gone to a club. But I'd much rather be with my close friends at home or a concert, or on a trip. I'll go dancing with my grandma. She likes to cut a rug!

The fans make the person a star.

A fan sent me a letter and a $10 bill. It's a short letter - all she said was, 'Hey, since it's harder for you to go out these days without getting photographed, here $10 for a pizza.' I was like, 'Aww, she sent me money for a pizza so I could eat at home!'