Every man desires to live long, but no man would be old.
-Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745, English satirist and author
My take: why can’t we have our cake and eat it too. Eternal youth, I’d vote for that.
Archive for June, 2008
Old age
Posted in Quotation, tagged eternal, Jonathan Swift, long life, old age, Swift, youth on June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Backwards in life
Posted in Quotation, tagged backward, forward, Jean Jacques Rousseau, life, regression, Rousseau on June 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
There is a period of life when we go backwards as we advance.
- Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1712-1778, French philosopher
My take, for me I think the period started sometime right after 3rd grade.
Constancy
Posted in Quotation, tagged consistency, constancy, inconsistency, Jonathan Swift, Swift on June 25, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
There is nothing in this world constant but inconstancy.
-Jonathan Swift, 1669-1745, English author
My take: and we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Diet
Posted in Quotation, tagged Bombeck, diet, Erma Bombeck, weight on June 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve been on a constant diet for the last two decades. I’ve lost a total of 789 pounds. By all accounts, I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.
Erma Bombeck, 1927-1996, American humorist writer
My take: of course, forgot to mention, during the same time also gained 989 pounds. Those chocolate chip cookies add up over [...]
Regrets
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged follies, Helen Rowland, inaction, regrets, Rowland on June 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The follies which a man regrets most in his life are those which he didn’t commit when he had the opportunity.
-Helen Rowland, 1876-1950 , American author and humorous columnist.
My take: seems to be a universal truth, people regret mostly what they didn’t do, not what they did. Get busy and tear a wide swath.
Rest
Posted in Quotation, tagged Laurence Sterne, relaxation, rest, Sterne, vacation, work. on June 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Men tire themselves in the pursuit of rest.
-Laurence Sterne, 1713-1768, English novelist and clergyman.
No man needs a vacation so much as the person who has just had one.
Elbert Hubbard, 1856-1915, American author.
My take: Those lazy vacation days can be exhausting. Fun is often hard work.
Good actions
Posted in Quotation, tagged benefactor, Charles Lamb, good deeds, Lamb, stealth on June 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth and have it found out by accident.
-Charles Lamb, 1775-1834, English author.
My take: three cheers for anonymous benefactors.
Expectations
Posted in Quotation, tagged expectation, Jonathan Swift, Swift on June 18, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
-Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745, Anglo Irish author.
My take: Its so easy to excel when you have low expectations.
Egotism
Posted in Quotation, tagged anesthetic, egotism, Frank Leahy, Leahy, stupidity on June 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.
-Frank Leahy, 1908-1973, American collegiate football coach.
My take: Some people are too stupid to know that they are stupid.
Wit
Posted in Quotation, tagged Jean de La Bruyere, judgement, La Bruyere, misfortune, silence, talk, wit on June 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
It is a great misfortune neither to have enough wit to talk well nor enough judgement to be silent.
- Jean de La Bruyere, 1645-1696, French write.
My take: often, the most judicious response is no response at all.
