Quotations

I simply adore quotations. All those innumerable apps offering to enlighten my dimmish brain on the great’s clever ideas seldom pass me by, so those smart folks streamlining them can rest assured they’ll always get a slice of lemon to go with their tequila as long as there are not smart folks like me.

Well, it’s not that I see in them an opportunity to brush up on my mental abilities, to get smarter or more broad-minded (a hateful adjective, by the by, the word “broad” just asks me to use it in “broad shoulders” or “broad avenue”, and I’m not at all sure I want my mind to get that extended; in the light of this “Man’s mind stretched by a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions” by O.W.Holmes sounds threatening, noted, probably should cut down on thinking), or to get some inspiration to put my ass together and go into a daily battle (a good hearty kick is much more effective here), or things of that nature, no.

I guess, I take these quotes as an incentive. To think, to speculate, to ponder;  many to’s.

To disagree.

It’s always so much more exciting than agreeing, - you get a sort of dignified as the words this or that person said seem to be absolutely out of tune with what you wholeheartedly believe is true, you  put forward an opposing variant, think up some examples to prove yourself right (to your own self merely, sure), thus exercising your brain and having just a marvelous time.

Say, “Whatever life takes from you, let it go” (Don Miguel Ruiz) makes me not merely dignified, it turns me into one big fury! What?? Just to lay indifferently on your back, helplessly cross your paws, make sure you have six buckets handy to pour tears into, make a sour face, swallow your tongue, and wistfully watch this fucking life, no matter  whom impersonated by, depriving you of something yours? Anything – starting with your loved ones, and finishing with the used tires you’ve gone through hell to get? (Tires are truly versatile objects at dacha, mind you, I’d skin anyone trying to snatch them; ok, except for kids, - they might need them for making swings).

To get truly impressed.

Impressed by the concise and straightforward way even the most obscure and complicated ideas can be formulated, ideas that have been perturbing your restless mind, have been living somewhere deep in your sub consciousness, but have never got a chance to turn into something close to expressible, and now you see this quote and there this snap in your head “There. At last. Now I see. Now I understand.”

This one is a great example to illustrate that – “Life is like photography. You need negatives to develop” (Unknown). It’s a crime for such utterances to have no owner, at least, not an official one.

To feel amused.

For someone partial to words can there be anything more amusing than plays on them? Hardly. Well, apart form coining new ones, which is thrilling.

 “The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle” (Unknown – again? Grrr).

To laugh.

Winston Churchill ranks first here for me; he’s just inimitable at his sophisticated humour and subtle sarcasm. “Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip”.

Ok, ok, I guess the thing I envy most about the above ones, as well as tons of others, is somebody’s ability to be laconic, - to me it’s a virtue I’m afraid I’ll never master. I seriously think there must be the eighth sin put on the list – excessive wordiness.  Besides, it does good to neither party – the ones who write or talk rubs away their fingertips or tongue accordingly, the ones at the other end, recipients that is, lose the precious life moments soaking that all up.

Erm, where was I? Oh. I said I simply adore quotations, didn’t I?

P.S. “This is a wonderful day, I have never seen this one before” (Maya Angelou) is just perfect for alarm-clock purposes, isn’t it?