living

Living is like licking honey . . . licking honey off a thorn.

Louis Adamic, The Native’s Return (1934)

(Note: this appears to be based on an medieval proverb: “Honey is dear bought if licked off thorns.”)

the sword

I shall constantly bear in mind that as the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firmly established.

George Washington, letter to Congress (1776)

perpetuate and transmit

While fully appreciating the vastness and importance of our material inheritance, let us not fail to foster and increase the spiritual inheritance. It is the sacred duty of the young men and women, especially those of this University, and of the University itself, to perpetuate this inheritance of broad thinking and generous ideals, and to transmit it with large increase to succeeding generations.

David Franklin Houston, “Bulletin of The University of Texas” (1906)

exquisite

…the exquisite art of idleness, one of the most important things that any University can teach.

Oscar Wilde, “Primavera,” Pall Mall Gazette (1890)

lead

A people unused to restraint must be led, they will not be drove.

George Washington, in a letter, quoted in David McCullough’s 1776. (1776)

creativity

When we’re children, we think we can do anything. Especially in terms of creativity, we don’t think about our skill set as being limited. Why does that stop at a certain age?

Jocelyn K. Glei, Talent Isn’t Fixed and Other Mindsets That Lead to Greatness (2013)

impossible to define

In the field of group endeavor, you will see incredible events in which the group performs far beyond the sum of its individual talents. It happens in the symphony, in the ballet, in the theater, in sports, and equally in business. It is easy to recongize and impossible to define. It is a mystique. It cannot be achieved without immense effort, training, and cooperation, but effort, training, and cooperation alone rarely create it.

Dee Hock, quoted in Schlesinger, Eccles, and Gabarro, Managerial Behavior in Organizations (1983)

locks

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler, unsourced

happily ever after

It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.

Margaret Bonnano, A Certain Slant of Light (1979)

writing

[Writing] is like wrestling; you are wrestling with ideas and with the story. There is a lot of energy required. At the same time, it is exciting. So it is both difficult and easy. What you must accept is that your life is not going to be the same while you are writing. I have said in the kind of exaggerated manner of writers and prophets that writing, for me, is like receiving a term of imprisonment — you know that’s what you’re in for, for whatever time it takes.

Chinua Achebe, “The Art of Fiction, No. 139” The Paris Review (1994)

refuse

They failed because, as Americans, we refuse to be terrorized.  

President Barack Obama, press conference after the Boston Marathon bombing supect was apprehended (2013)

forward

All in all, this has been a tough week, but we’ve seen the character of our country once more, and as president I’m confident that we have the courage and the resilience and the spirit to overcome these challenges, and to go forward as one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

President Barack Obama, press conference after the Boston Marathon bombing supect was apprehended (2013)

boston

The third Monday in April is Patriots Day to celebrate the battles of Lexington and Concord, and the start of the Revolution. I hope the defiant spirit continues to thrive in Boston and demonstrates that no deranged person or group can act so mercilessly as to extinguish a unified spirit.

Joel Sherman, 1UP: Thoughts On Boston (2013)

hiatus

Brief personal hiatus. Back soon!