Are We There Yet?

Where?  Middle age: the period of age beyond young adulthood  (around the third quarter of the average life span of human beings) but before the onset of old age (nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle).  Judging by this definition, I’m not even close to middle age yet (I probably have at least ten more years to go, if not more).  Here are a few quotations on the topic . . . the first one is on the more serious side, the ones following it are a bit more sarcastic opr cynical.

“A person taking stock in middle age is like an artist or composer looking at an unfinished work; but whereas the composer and the painter can erase some of their past efforts, we cannot. We are stuck with what we have lived through. The trick is to finish it with a sense of design and a flourish rather than to patch up the holes or merely to add new patches to it.” (Harry S. Broudy)

“The time of life when the most fun you have is talking about the most fun you used to have.”  (Gene Perret)

“The time of your life when, instead of combing your hair, you start arranging it.”  (Herbert Kavet)

“When your weightlifting consists of merely standing up.”  (Bob Hope)

“When you begin to exchange your emotions for symptoms.”  (Irvin Cobb)

“Middle age is when you age starts to show around your middle.”  (Bob Hope) — Hmm, by this definition . . .

“When you’re too young to take up golf, and too old to rush up to the net at tennis.”  (F.P. Adams)

“When your medicine chest is better stocked than your drinks cabinet.”  (Pam Brown)

“When a man is always thinking that in a week or two he will feel as good as ever.”  (Don Marquis)

“Having the choice of two temptations and choosing the one that will get you home earlier.”  (Dan Bennett)

Source: The Cynic’s Dictionary by Aubrey Dillon-Malone.

Living Versus Working!

Here’s a brilliant quotation on “life” and “work.”

“Don’t ever confuse the two, your life and your work. That’s what I have to say. The second is only part of the first.” — Anna Quindlen

Since I exhibit workaholic tendencies (from time to time), I must constantly remind myself of this and learn to just enjoy life every now and then.  Well, yesterday I did!  I spent the entire day sharing time, conversation, and memories with some friends from out of town.  We shared meals; we went for a walk; we ran errands; we experienced culture by touring studios and talking with artists about their work, talents, and passions; we even caught a movie before our day was through.  All in all, a most enjoyable day; a day full of life!  Here are some more interesting definitions/quotations on life and work from my copy of The Cynic’s Dictionary (by Aubrey Dillon Malone).  Enjoy!

Life
“Something you do when you can’t get to sleep.”  — Fran Lebowitz
“A bad dream between two awakenings.”  — Eugene O’Neill
“A game at which everybody loses.”  — Leo Sarkadi-Schuller
“The art of drawing sufficient conclusions fron insufficient premises.” — Samuel Butler
“For most men, a search for the proper manilla envelope in which to get themselves filed.”  — Clifton Fadiman
“Not having been told that the man has just waxed the floor.  — Ogden Nash
“A steady walk with a hidden precipice at the end.  — Lambert Jeffries
“Post-natal depression.”  — Nigel Rees
“A funny thing that occurs on the way to the grave.”  — Quentin Crisp
“Sobs, sniffles, and smiles — with sniffles predominating.”  — O. Henry
“A cheap table d’ hote in a rather dirty restaurant, with time changing the plates before you’ve had enough of anything.” — Thomas Kettle
“A tragedy when seen up close, but a comedy in long shot.”  — Charlie Chaplin
“A sexually transmitted disease — and the mortality rate is 100 percent.” — R.D. Laing
“A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”  — William Shakespeare
“Much too important a thing to ever talk seriously about it.”  Oscar Wilde
“A maze in which we take the wrong turning before we have learned to walk.”  — Cyril Connolly
“A long rehearsal for a play that’s never produced.”  — Micheal Mac Liammoir

Living
“A very time-consuming activity.”  — Irene Peter

Work
“The refuge of those who have nothing better to do.”  — Oscar Wilde
“The province of cattle.”  — Dorothy Parker
“What expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.”  — C. Northcote Parkinson
“The only really dirty four-lettered word in the language.”  — Abbie Hoffman
“The curse of the drinking classes.”  — Oscar Wilde

Mihi Ignoscere?

The language: Latin, the loose translation (according to anwers.com): “forgive me!”  I’m not posting this because I’ve done anything in particular to be forgiven for, but rather, because I’ve encountered a really interesting quotation (anonymous) about forgiveness.

“Forgiveness does not always lead to a healed relationship. Some people are not capable of love, and it might be wise to let them go, along with your anger. Wish them well, and let them go their way.”  (Anonymous)

And, to add another layer to this post, here is the definition of “forgiveness” from The Cynic’s Dictionary by Aubrey Dillon-Malone:

“A strategem to throw an offender off his guard and catch him red-handed in his next offense.”   (Ambrose Bierce)

What Would You Call It?

Humility (the ability to be modest as well as respectful) is a wonderful virtue to possess.   Is it possible to be competent and possess/exhibit confidence, self-assuredness, self-esteem, or some sense of ego and still be considered humble?  Hmm, I doubt it.  Pride is the antonym of humility.   At what point do you cross the line from humility to pride and into the realm of conceit and/or arrogance?  This wonderful demotivator from www.despair.com certainly has a humorous opinion on this distinction.  Is it merely a matter of degree?  Probably not.  Oh well, when in doubt, keep your mouth shut and try not to swagger (or be condescending, or rub people’s noses in it) — humility is all about your attitude (or better yet, your lack of an attitude).

And to continue in a humorous vein, here are a couple of definitions from The Cynic’s Dictionary (by Aubrey Dillon-Malone).

Conceit: “God’s gift to little men.”  (Bruce Barton)
Egotist: “Somebody whose best quality is the fact that he doesn’t talk about others.” (Lucille Harper)

Happy Wednesday!

Writers and Writing!

Or, bloggers and blogging?  While many of us don’t consider ourselves “writers” (and by this I mean we don’t consider writing our profession), we find ourselves writing all the time.  We write or compose everyday: reports, letters, emails, text messages, blogs, etc.  But what about those days when you lack inspiration or ideas?  Those days when you can’t seem to form a coherent sentence?  Does writer’s block strike us all at some point in time?  Or is it reserved strictly for those creative writiers who consider writing their profession?   I’m convinced that it hits us all at some point and I even found a quotation in support of this notion. 

“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” (Joseph Heller)

And, while we’re on the topic, here are some other humerous quotations (definitions) from my Cynic’s Dictionary on writers and writing.

Writer
“Someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” (Thomas Mann)
“Someone who can make a riddle out of an answer.” (Karl Kraus)
“Someone a little below a clown, and a little above a trained seal.” (John Steinbeck)
“A frustrated actor who recites his lines in the hidden auditorium of his skull.” (Rod Sterling)

Writing
“Busy idleness.” (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
“The hardest work in the world not involving heavy lifting.” (Pete Hamill)
“The only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.” (Jules Renard)
“The process of starting at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your forehead.” (Gene Fowler)
“Not a profession, but a vocation of unhappiness.” (Georges Simenon)

Some Quotations on Life!

I’m hesitant to classify these first two quotations as opposing views, but the first one is definitely more on the optimistic side.  Following these first two are several that I was able to pull from my Cynic’s Dictionary . . . a much more pessimistic view (hmm, cynicism vs. pessimism, not much of a stretch).

 

“Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars.”   — Henry Van Dyke

“It’s not true that life is one damn thing after another; it’s one damn thing over and over.”  — Edna St. Vincent Millay

 “A bad dream between two awakenings.”  –Eugene O’Neill

 

“A game at which everybody loses.”  — Leo Sarkadi-Schuller

 

“A steady walk with a hidden precipice at the end.”  –Lambert Jeffries

 

“Post-natal depression.”  –Nigel Rees

 

“A funny thing that occurs on the way to the grave.”  –Quentin Crisp

 

“A tragedy when seen up close, but a comedy in long shot.”  –Charlie Chaplin

 

“A sexually transmitted disease — and the mortality rate is one hundred percent.”  –J.D. Laing

 

“A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”  –William Shakespeare

 

“Much too important a thing to ever talk seriously about.”  –Oscar Wilde

 

“A long rehearsal for a play that’s never produced.”  –Micheal Mac Liammoir

Go Forth and Be Happy!

Every now and then, it is always a good idea to remind ourselves of certain principles.  Happiness is the one that I will focus on today and I will use a few quotations to help.  I firmly believe that happiness can be a state of mind so seize the day, and enjoy every moment.

“But what is happiness except the simple harmony between a man and the life he leads?” — Albert Camus

“The happiest people don’t have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything they have.”  — Anonymous

And, of course, a couple of humorous entries from  The Cynic’s Dictionary:

“Knowing that you don’t require happiness.”  — William Saroyan
“The interval between periods of unhappiness.”  — Don Marquis

The Fox Hunt!

Here is a wonderful photo that was forwarded to me.  The title: The Fox Hunt, the caption: “Rule #1: when you are in deep s**t, look straight ahead, keep your mouth shut, and say nothing.”  I find this to be good advice for just about any situation.  Here are a couple of quotations  that further highlight the importance of knowing when to keep your mouth shut.  (I’ve posted the one from Abraham Lincoln before, but sometimes a good thing bears repeating.)

“Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”  (Abraham Lincoln).

“Have more than thou showest, speak less than thou knowest.”  (William Shakespeare)

And, here are a  couple of definitions of “silence” from my Cynic’s Dictionary . . .

“One of the hardest arguments to refute.”  (Josh Billings)

“The most precious thing in a speech.”  (Ralph Richardson)

The Priceless Commodity!

Earlier this week I ran across this wonderful quotation about time and I’ve been pondering its message ever since. We never know when our time will run out. Am I appreciative of mine? Am I being a good steward of the time I’ve been allotted?  How am I spending my “dash?”  Only time will tell.

“Time is free, but it’s priceless.
You can’t own it, but you can use it.
You can’t keep it, but you can spend it.
Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back.”  
(Harvey MacKay)

And according to the Cynic’s Dictionary, time is “what a man is always trying to kill, but which ends in killing him.” (Herbert Spencer)

“Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’, slippin’ . . . into the future.” (from the Steve Miller Band’s Fly Like an Eagle)

Research and Knowledge!

Here’s a wonderful quotation that I ran across on the SLA (Special Libraries Association) Future Ready 365 blog (courtesy of Ian Palmer of the European Chapter).

“What is research, but a blind date with knowledge.”  (William J. Henry)

Read Ian’s entire post here.

And, according to my Cynic’s Dictionary, research is . . .
“What I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.”  (Wernher von Braun)

Or,
“The process of going up alleys to see if they’re blind.” (Marston Bates)

Knowledge is . . .
“Power . . . if you know it about the right person.” (Ethel Watts Mumford)