I. LOVE. QUOTATIONS.
You should know this. I use them all the time.
And to be honest, I probably use them far, far more often than you realize. For you see, I have a large portion of my brain that is dedicated to remembering both quotations and useless trivia. I feel that it’s an adequate use of my brain space, but I realize that many people may not agree. Some feel that your brain should be used for thinking, figuring out the age-old riddles – you know, the meaning of life….how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop…but instead, I choose to spend a large quantity of my available mental resources on my own selfish pleasures.
I remember quotes from pop culture – from television and movies and music. And I also remember quotes from books – classic, modern, and children’s. No mental quote collection would be complete without a fair serving of political statements, as well, and I have those floating around in my head, too. So you see, while you – as a normal person – may have only movie quotes floating around in your head, and therefore only notice when I use those, you don’t realize that I’m also using other quotes nonstop. I swear, some days half of what I say has already been said by someone much more famous than I.
I digress. Let’s focus on why quotations make me smile.
I feel that there is a reason that these quotations have become quotations. It may be because they are incredibly entertaining or incredibly deep and meaningful. Possibly even symbolic. And in my opinion, any time that someone makes that much of an impact, they deserve recognition.
I have found that many people who scoff at quotations are very prideful people. The type of people who do not like to admit when they are wrong, or that others know more than them. I’m often one of those types of people. Yet I find my redemption in the fact that I value others’ wisdom, even if it’s in catchy snippets. For years, I’ve had a screen name inspired by nonsensical quotations.
“We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a gloworm.” -Winston Churchill
“His socks compelled one’s attention without losing one’s respect.” – H. H. Munro
I read into these quotations too much, I realize. But I find that they are quite humorous while also hiding a deeper meaning. I do love the duality of this position. And no, I’m not going to tell you what I read in these, you’ll just have to form your own opinion. I’ll also drop a random assortment down here below for your enjoyment. I hope you’ll find one to light your face, and if not, search for one. It is quite a relief to have a quotation to turn to on the dark days.
“There will always be people telling you what to do and how to think.” – Thank You For Smoking
“You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus.” – Mark Twain
“On a scale of one to awesome, I’m the shit.” -Gym Class Heroes (‘New Friend Request’)
“It doesn’t make sense. It isn’t even good grammar. What the hell does it mean to disappear somebody?” – Catch-22
“Isn’t it pretty to think so.” –The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway
“My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.” –Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
“Whenever we’re about to do something truly horrible, we always say that the French have been doing it for years.” –Stage Beauty
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” –Harry Potter
“Old women love grammar, that’s why they’re called grammas.” -Kyle Cease
“Some of us have great stories, pretty stories that take place at lakes with boats and friends and noodle salad. Just no one in this car. But, a lot of people, that’s their story. Good times, noodle salad. What makes it so hard is not that you had it bad, but that you’re that pissed that so many others had it good.” –As Good As It Gets
“We may not be the best people, but we’re not the worst. Graduate students are the worst.” -30 Rock
“I’m a paranoid schizophrenic. I am my own entourage.” –America’s Sweethearts
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” -Albert Einstein
“This is public school. If I can keep the girls off the pole and the boys off the pipe, I get a bonus.” – Easy A
“I like your verbs that are things. I think I’m gonna sandwich before I sofa.” –My Boys
“Everyone I know is getting married or pregnant. I just keep getting more awesome.” – How I Met Your Mother
“Don’t tease me about my hobbies. I don’t tease you about being an asshole.” –Garden State
Yeah, some of these are deep and others are so shallow that I could put a baby in them without water wings. But all in all, they’re fabulous and they brighten my day. Never underestimate the power of words. The greatest of these powers is to cause a smile. 🙂
365 Smiles 