Selection of the Month Archives

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Month / 2002 Title Author February Rasselas Imlac, by Samuel Johnson March Quote George Burns April Quote William James May Quote Muhammad Ali June Quote Unconfirmed July Quote Henry David Thoreau

Month / 2001 Title Author January Second Annual Message to Congress Abraham Lincoln February The Decent of Man, Chapter 21 Charles Darwin March Quote Judith Viorst April The Road Not Taken Robert Frost May Know the Difference  Anon. June Quote William Lyon Phelps  July Quote W.H. Murray

Month / 2000 Title Author July Purple Cow Gelett Burgess August The Black Riders-XX Stephen Crane  September Beau James Stewart  October Eagle Jesse November Lotus Basho December Dialogue xiv. Le Chapon et la Poularde (1763). Francis M. Voltaire

May 2004

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein (Thanks Trevor!)

November 2003

Madam, what is the use of a newborn baby? -Michael Faraday (When asked of the use of discoveries in electromagnetic induction)

June 2003

Self-sacrifice enables us to sacrifice other people without blushing. -George Bernard Shaw

April 2003

Anti-wrinkle cream there may be, but anti- fat-bastard cream there is not. -Dave (The Full Monty)

December 2002

"In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. And you may quote me. - Elfwood P Dowd (Harvey)

November 2002

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain. - Bene Gesserit Littainy (Pg 19 of Dune)

October 2002

I can picture in my mind a world without war, and a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it. - Jack Handey

September 2002

You don't love a woman because she's beautiful. She is beautiful because you love her. -Unknown

August 2002

Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. The consciousness of loving and being loved brings a warmth and richness to life that nothing else can bring. -Oscar Wilde

July 2002

Quote Why should we be in such desperate haste to succeed, and in such desperate enterprises? If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. -Henry David Thoreau

June 2002

Quote It is better to live one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep. -Unconfirmed (Saw it in the Red Wings locker room)

May 2002

Quote Destiny is not what is already made; Destiny is what we are making. Many people think that we are in the hands of destiny, driven in whatever direction life desires or wills, but really, we are the masters of our destiny, especially from the moment we realize this fact. Man is responsible for his rise and fall. -Muhammad Ali

April 2002

Quote The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives. -William James

March 2002

Quote Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair. -George Burns

February 2002

Rasselas Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance; yonder palace was raised by single stones, yet you see its height and spaciousness. He that shall walk with vigor three hours a day, will pass in seven years a space equal to the circumference of the globe.  -Imlac, by Samuel Johnson

July 2001

Quote Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative - and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. I have learned a deep respect of one of Goethe's couplets: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." -- W.H. Murray

June 2001

Quote This is the final test of the gentleman: his respect for those who can be of no possible service to him.  -William Lyon Phelps

May 2001

Know the Difference Work hard when it truly matters;  unplug and let go when it doesn't.  Become an expert at knowing the difference. -- Anon.

April 2001

The Road Not Taken Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that. the passing there Had worn them really about the same; And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I --- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference -- Robert Frost

March 2001

Quote Infatuation is when you think he's as sexy as Robert Redford, as smart as Henry Kissinger, as noble as Ralph Nader, as funny as Woody Allen, and as athletic as Jimmy Connors. Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic as Henry Kissinger and nothing like Robert Redford -but you'll take him anyway. -- Judith Viorst

February 2001

The Decent of Man, Chapter 21 Man scans with scrupulous care the character and pedigree of his horses, cattle, and dogs before he matches them; but when he comes to his own marriage he rarely, or never, takes any such care. -- Charles Darwin

January 2001

Second Annual Message to Congress, Dec. 1, 1862 In giving freedom to the slave we assure freedom to the free, --honorable alike in what we give and what we preserve. -- Abraham Lincoln

December 2000

Le Chapon et la Pourlade-- Dialogue XIV Men use thought only as authority for their injustice, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts. -- Francis M. Voltaire

November 2000

Lotus (A Haiku) Benath the bright moon I walked round and round the lake All night Long -- Matsuo Munefusa (Basho)

October 2000

Eagle (A Haiku) The great Eagle flew He is here for no longer The future is dim -- Jesse

September 2000

Beau He never came to me when I would call Unless I had a tennis ball, Or he felt like it, But mostly he didn't come at all. When he was young He never learned to heel Or sit or stay, He did things his way. Discipline was not his bag But when you were with him things sure didn't drag. He'd dig up a rosebush just to spite me, And when I'd grab him, he'd turn and bite me. He bit lots of folks from day to day, The delivery boy was his favorite prey. The gas man wouldn't read our meter, He said we owned a real man-eater. He set the house on fire But the story's long to tell. Suffice it to say that he survived And the house survived as well. On the evening walks, and Gloria took him, He was always first out the door. The Old One and I brought up the rear Because our bones were sore. He would charge up the street with Mom hanging on, What a beautiful pair they were! And if it was still light and the tourists were out, They created a bit of a stir. But every once in a while, he would stop in his tracks And with a frown on his face look around. It was just to make sure that the Old One was there And would follow him where he was bound. We are early-to-bedders at our house- I guess I'm the first to retire. And as I'd leave the room he'd look at me And get up from his place by the fire. He knew where the tennis balls were upstairs, And I'd give him one for a while. He would push it under the bed with his nose And I'd fish it out with a smile. And before very long He'd tire of the ball And be asleep in his corner In no time at all. And there were nights when I'd feel him Climb upon our bed And lie between us, And I'd pat his head. And there were nights when I'd feel this stare And I'd wake up and he'd be sitting there And I reach out my hand and stroke his hair. And sometimes I'd feel him sigh and I think I know the reason why. He would wake up at night And he would have this fear Of the dark, of life, of lots of things, And he'd be glad to have me near. And now he's dead. And there are nights when I think I feel him Climb upon our bed and lie between us, And I pat his head. And there are nights when I think I feel that stare And I reach out my hand to stroke his hair, But he's not there. Oh, how I wish that wasn't so, I'll always love a dog named Beau.   -- James Stewart

The Black Riders---XX A learned man came to me once. He said, "I know the way, -- come." And I was overjoyed at this. Together we hastened. Soon, too soon, were we Where my eyes were useless, And I knew not the ways of my feet. I clung to the hand of my friend; But at last he cried, "I am lost." -- Stephen Crane

Purple Cow I've never seen a purple cow, I never hope to see one; but I can tell you, anyhow, I'd rather see than be one. -- Gelett Burgess