Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Quoth This

I’ve been given an assignment by one of my favorite bloggers out there, Jennifer of Balance, whose many professional blogging endeavors—and yes, professional blogging does exist—is Offbeat Homes, a blog dedicated to architectural eccentricity. I have to say I was quite honored by Jennifer’s reference to me as “my oldest most likeable blog buddy Benny.” Is that sweet or what? Well, I’m still going to fulfill that assignment, Jennifer, but first I’m going to do something that requires even less creativity on my part. I’ve been thinking that an easy way to post more frequently (but with less stress) would be to start sharing book quotes that I have enjoyed over the years. I haven’t always been diligent about keeping a record of enjoyable book quotes, so I can’t guarantee these will always be the absolute cream of the crop. Nevertheless, I’ve managed to rack up a decent list of quotables that I think are worth sharing.

To begin, I will start with the current novel I am reading, Thief of Time by Terry Pratchett. I haven’t read a Pratchett novel before, but my little sister was quite a fan of Good Omens and so while aimlessly wandering through my local library branch one day, I ended up perusing what books of Pratchett’s happened to be on the shelf. Thief of Time promised to be a philosophical satire of sorts, so naturally I had to pick it up. So far I think I’m reading it too sporadically to keep track of things as well as I should, but that hasn’t prevented me from finding some decent quotations. Here is one of the more recent gems I’ve stumbled upon, and one which I think is probably more true than we’d sometimes like to believe:

“Well?” said Lu-Tze.
“The Way has an answer for everything, does it?”
“Yes.”
“Then …” Lobsang nodded at the little volcano, which was gently smoking, “… how does that work? It is on a saucer!”
Lu-Tze stared straight ahead, his lips moving.
“Page seventy-six, I think,” he said.
Lobsang turned to the page.
“‘Because,’” he read.
“Good answer,” said Lu-Tze, gently caressing a minute crag with a camel-hair brush.
“Just ‘Because,’ master? No reason?”
“Reason? What reason can a mountain have? And, as you accumulate years, you will learn that most answers boil down, eventually, to ‘Because.’”

6 comments:

  1. This quote reminds me of a story mom and dad have both told me. Dad was 7 years old when his dad died. Some time later in his life, he and his two brothers were questioning why their dad died that early- what purpose in the grand scheme of things did it fulfill? Their mother eventually broke in with "or maybe it's because he had a heart attack."

    I think we look for all kinds of reasons and answers and some guiding force in our lives. We WANT (maybe need?) to believe that things happen for a reason. But maybe that's not always true. Maybe it's just life. Maybe things just happen.

    I don't think this discounts God, his existence or even his role in our creation and life. Following my religous beliefs, it makes sense that, in some ways, he's left us to experience things and make choices on our own. It's a growing process, not a neglect. And all these things we want to know the reason behind are just an extension of what we're here doing and learning.

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  2. I'd like to see whose gonna come on here and say you're not the most likable fellow ever. It comes across pretty strongly, I think to people, who even just know you from the internet like me. Although, if I ever go to Georgia to see my friends Bob & Jyl I'm calling you up :)

    You're never answering the phone again now huh.

    I like the idea of having a semi-hook. Like the book quote. That's my lyric game (sadly a hook that I keep forgetting to play). I've never read Pratchett; but maybe I'll look into it. You always have books on your sidebar that I like. I LOVED the Time Travelers Wife. Here's a good one for if you ever have time to read a new book, The Dogs of Babel -- it's one of my favorites. AND short so people low on time can enjoy. Looking forward to your 8 random things.

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  3. Awe..wisdom of the ages. And what is the most enduring thing of all time??? Mountains, I dare say.

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  4. Yay, Good Omens!
    Anyway I had a thought the other day that I think is actually pretty smart:
    If something is fate it will definitely happen, but if something happens, it's not definitely fate.

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  5. let me start with jak: i love what you said and i forgot about that statement although it is quite profound. so i'm going to throw in my two cents.
    that would be the freedom of choice factor i think. and that in itself kindof hits on what damsel said bout fate. ..(which by her interpretation, is something we have talked about before i believe eg matrix, immortal)..but mine is
    you must ask for intervention because god has given us freewill. there fore he can't intervien without being asked, but just be cause you ask, doesn't mean he'll interviene.
    last off, mudder, i agree, if we come back as rocks, mountains would probably be the best option.

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  6. okay book quotes, i'd love to do that actually but none come to mind right now so i'll be arogant and leave two of my favorite quotes:

    No-one morns their own death more than the one who survives it..
    written by Karen Kelsey

    Life is a shit sandwhich. the bread you have, the less shit you taste..
    stephen kelsy family motto

    seems between the two of them, it pretty much sums up existence.

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