Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Miscellaneous Quotations

QUOTATION: Now wait a minute. You listen to me. I’m an advertising man, not a red herring. I’ve got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex- wives, and several bartenders dependent on me. And I don’t intend to disappoint them all by getting myself slightly killed.
ATTRIBUTION: Ernest Lehman (b.1920), U.S. screenwriter. Alfred Hitchcock. Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), North by Northwest, Thornhill protests when the Professor (Leo G. Carroll) asks him to continue posing as the fictitious George Kaplan. (1959).

QUOTATION: The family is constantly changing, as each member changes. Some changes we recognize as developments, and the pleasure they bring usually makes us more adaptable. Some changes threaten, or disappoint other members, who may try to resist the change, or punish someone for changing.
ATTRIBUTION: Terri Apter (20th century), British psychologist. Altered Loves, ch. 4 (1990).

When they discover the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to discover they are not it.
Bernard Bailey

The simple solution for disappointment depression: Get up and get moving. Physically move. Do. Act. Get going.
Peter McWilliams, Life 101

Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.
Jane Austen (1775 - 1817), Northanger Abbey

We shall find no fiend in hell can match the fury of a disappointed woman,—scorned, slighted, dismissed without a parting pang.
Colley Cibber (1671 - 1757), Love's Last Shift, Act 2

Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command.
Alan Watts

Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.
Matt Groening (1954 - ), "Life in Hell"

Love is an irresistable desire to be irresistably desired.
Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is to try to please everyone." -Bill Cosby

Quote: Rough spots sharpen our performance. And more often than not, obstacles can be turned into advantages. You just can't let your disappointment get in the way.
Author: Harvey Mackay

Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.
Charles M. Schulz

I know the answer! The answer lies within the heart of all mankind! The answer is twelve? I think I'm in the wrong building.
Charles M. Schulz

My life has no purpose, no direction, no aim, no meaning, and yet I'm happy. I can't figure it out. What am I doing right?
Charles M. Schulz

No problem is so formidable that you can't walk away from it.
Charles M. Schulz

There's a difference between a philosophy and a bumper sticker.
Charles M. Schulz

Yesterday I was a dog. Today I'm a dog. Tomorrow I'll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There's so little hope for advancement.
Charles M. Schulz, (Snoopy)

That's the secret to life... replace one worry with another....
Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown

- More quotations on: [Worries]
I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"

Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.
Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"

Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?"Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."
Charles M. Schulz, Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will stay awake just to watch you sleep.

Wait for the guy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in your sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends.

Wait for the one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares about you and how lucky he is to have you.

Wait for the one who turns to his friends and says, ...that's her.

There is a theory which states that if anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. Douglas Adams

"For better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
Teddy Roosevelt, 1899

"You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it come true. You may have to work for it, however." - From Illusions by Richard Bach

"When the chips are down, and you're at the end of your rope, you need someone that you can count on. And that's what you'll find here... someone that will go all the way, no matter what. So don't lose hope. Come on over to our offices and you'll see that there's still heroes in this world. ... Is that it? Am I done?" --Allen Francis Doyle, from Angel—

"Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth." --Sherlock Holmes--

"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters." --Frank Lloyd Wright--

"Maybe this world is another planet's hell." --Aldous Huxley--

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." --Martin Luther King Jr.--

"Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens." --Jimi Hendrix--

"You must feel fear in your whole body right now and how powerless you are. Become strong. Crying over reality won't change anything. You understand don't you? Dying is not an easy thing to do." --Cho Hakkai, from Saiyuki--

"There's many a bestseller that could have been prevented by a good teacher." --Flannery O'Connor--

"Being a hero is about the shortest-lived profession on Earth." --Will Rogers--

"There's a time and a place for everything and I believe it's called fanfiction." --Joss Whedon--

"History will be kind to me for I intend to write it." --Winston Churchill--

"When the universe collapses and dies, there will be three survivors: Tyr Anasazi, the cockroaches, and Dylan Hunt trying to save the cockroaches." --Tyr Anasazi, from Andromeda--

"God gave men both a penis and a brain, but unfortunately not enough blood supply to run both at the same time." --Robin Williams--

"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." --James Dean--

"In any contest between power and patience, bet on patience." --W.B. Prescott--

"Fate protects fools, little children and ships named Enterprise." --Will Riker, from TNG--

"The writer's mind, when it works, is like Alice's rabbit, leading quickly, almost recklessly, to mysterious, yet attractive, places." --Roger Rosenblatt--

"Nothing is wrong with California that a rise in the ocean level wouldn't cure." --Ross MacDonald--

"You were working for her, Seska was working for them, was anyone on that ship working for me?" --Chakotay, from Voyager--

"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them." --Mark Twain--

"I prefer to follow the uncomplicated advice of Jiminy Cricket who said, 'Let your conscience be your guide.'" --Willard Scott--

"Lying is a skill like any other, and if you want to maintain a level of excellence, you have to practice constantly." --Elim Garak, from DS9--

"Reality is something you rise above." --Liza Minnelli--

"Computers can sense fear." --Abby Scuito, from Navy NCIS--

"An intellectual is a person who has discovered something more interesting than sex." --Aldous Huxley--

"Life is precious, whether it's one or many." --Albert--

"Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others." --Groucho Marx--

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names." --John F. Kennedy--

"Laws change depending on who's making them, but justice is justice." --Odo, from DS9--

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." --Walt Disney--

"Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." --Scott Adams--

"The difference between fiction and reality? Fiction has to make sense." --Tom Clancy--

"You know, if you think sort of sideways, sometimes you can actually figure out how to make things work." --Neil Gaiman--

"Nine times out of ten a hero is someone who is tired enough, cold enough, and hungry enough not to give a damn. I don't give a damn!" --Hawkeye Pierce, from M*A*S*H--

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying." --Woody Allen--

"To know that we know what we know, and to know that we do not know what we do not know, that is true knowledge." --Nicholas Copernicus--

"A man can't be too careful in the choice of his enemies." --Oscar Wilde--

"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." --Napoleon Bonaparte--

"Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." --Charlotte Whitton--

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -- Albert Einstein--

"Oh, well, let's see: killed Simon and River, stole a bunch of medicine, and now the captain and Zoe are off springing the others got snatched by the Feds. Oh, and here they are now." --Kaylee Frye, from Firefly--

"If you meet Buddha, kill Buddha. If you meet your ancestor, kill your ancestor. Attached to nothing, bound by nothing. Live life for the sake of life itself." --Genjo Sanzo, from Saiyuki--

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau--

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup." --Unknown--

"Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there. I did not die." --Robert Hepburn--

"There's no rest for the wicked, and the righteous don't need any." --Faye Bradford--

Writing Prompts #3

What are three favorite things you own?

List the three things that you like to do best and that give you the most pleasure.

List the three places that you like best.

List the three things you know a lot about or that you know how to do really well, that interest you the most.

List at least three people who mean the most to you or who you think are really interesting or important.

List at least three ideas or beliefs that you value the most (religious, philosophical, etc.)

Put all these together into a short story or essay.

Glossary of Bureaucracy

Glossary of Bureaucracy

“It’s being evaluated.” We forgot all about it.
“Project” A word that makes a minor job seem major.
“Program” A project requiring a telephone call.
“Under Consideration” Never heard about it until now.
“Under Active Consideration” We’re trying to locate the correspondence.
“We’re making a survey.” We need more time to think up an answer.
“Let’s get together on this.” You’re probably as mixed up as I am.
“We’ll advise you in due course.” If we figure it out, we’ll let you know.
“We can go over this at lunch.” It’s time we ate on your expense account.
“Reliable source” The person you just met.
“Informed source” The person who told the person you just met.
“Unimpeachable source” The fellow who really started the rumor.
“Channels” The trail left by inter-office memos.
“To negotiate” To seek a meeting of minds without the knocking together of heads.
“Re-orientation” Getting used to working again.
“Give us the benefit of your present thinking.” We’ll listen to what you have to
say as long as it doesn’t interfere with what we
have already decided to do.
“Activate” Make more copies and add names to the memo.
“Implement” Hire more people and expand the office.
“Forwarded for your consideration” You hold the bag for a while.
“Expediter” End man in game of Pass-the-Buck.
“Coordinator” The guy who has a desk between two expediters.
“Note and Initial” Let’s spread the responsibility.

Writing Prompts #2

Prisoner's Dilemma

(Names have been changed to protect the innocent)

"Aimee" and "Lou" have been arrested for robbing Berenger’s Farm Market and placed in separate isolation cells. Both care much more about their personal freedom than about the welfare of their accomplice. A clever prosecutor makes the following offer to each.

"You may choose to confess or remain silent. If you confess and your accomplice remains silent I will drop all charges against you and use your testimony to ensure that your accomplice does serious time. Likewise, if your accomplice confesses while you remain silent, they will go free while you do the time. If you both confess I get two convictions, but I'll see to it that you both get early parole. If you both remain silent, I'll have to settle for token sentences on firearms possession charges. If you wish to confess, you must leave a note with the jailer before my return tomorrow morning."

What do you do in this situation? Explore all avenues and decide upon a course of action.

Writing Prompts

Every Picture Tells a Story

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to collect at least 4 or 5 interesting pictures from magazines or from the internet. These pictures will be the inspiration for your story.

After picking out your pictures, brainstorm - quickly write down all the great ideas that come to your mind about possible situations or scenarios those pictures might represent. Do this for all the pictures. Keep in mind that these pictures will have to flow together into one coherent story.

Once you have finished brainstorming, organize the brainstormed ideas into a logical sequence of events.

Once your sequence of events is established, create a fabulous rough copy, edit it, and finally submit a final product.

How to Write Tips

All-genre plot:
Abducted from a safe territory by (renegades, outlaws, Indians, aliens, ghosts, witches, vampires, robbers, spies, villains, Iraqis), s/he was dragged into the middle of enemy territory. S/he suddenly had to interact with people and systems that challenged every fiber of his/her being and his/her very bliefs were questioned. Escape was impossible, so s/he made the best of his/her captivity. S/he maintained his/her morals and religious beliefs and through God changed the lives of his/her former enemies. S/he was the forerunner to a great revival.
S/he was uprooted from his/her home, family, friends, and entire way of life. S/he was forced to adopt her conqueror’s culture. S/he employed herself/himself to learn their language and their culture. God opened the doors to her supernatural wisdom and charisma and gave her/him great influence with two of the land’s most powerful kings.
S/he studied the literature, science and religion of her/his captors. Her/his name was replaced with one from their culture.
Instead of regarding these people as enemy agents sent to undermine her/his faith, s/he saw them as people to whom God wanted to reveal the substance of his/her faith.

Short Stories: Characteristics

•Short - Can usually be read in one sitting.
•Concise: Information offered in the story is relevant to the tale being told. This is unlike a novel, where the story can diverge from the main plot
•Usually tries to leave behind a single impression or effect. Usually, though not always built around one character, place, idea, or act.
•Because they are concise, writers depend on the reader bringing personal experiences and prior knowledge to the story.

Four Major components of the Short Story

•PLOT
•SETTING
•CHARACTERS
•THEME
#1 PLOT
•The action that takes place in the story. It is a series of connected happenings and their result. In order to have a result, we must have an initial event, or conflict.

Stages of a Plot
•Introduction of characters
• The situation: Initial conflict
•The generating circumstances, which create a
•Rising action – heightened anticipation for the reader
•Climax
•falling action and Conclusion. These two are also known as a denouement.

Short stories usually have:
•Dramatic conflict. Usually the basis of the story. Source of the problems which may or may not be overcome in the climax.
•Foreshadowing. Many stories, despite their surprise ending, have left clues through the story.
•Repetition. Helps drive home a point.
•Suspense. Draws readers to the work.
•Repetition. Helps drive home a point.

#2 SETTING
The background against which the incidents of the story take place. Not merely a place, it includes the place where, the time when, and social conditions under which the story moves along.
This can include atmosphere , the tone and feeling of a story, i.e. gloomy, cheery, etc.
In one form or another, setting is essential to the story. Often, the relevance of the story is lost in another setting.

#3 CHARACTERS
There must be living beings in the story that think or act in order to keep the story going. They must seem like living and feeling individuals in order for us to feel strongly about them
The worst thing that could happen for is writer is that you feel indifferent toward the characters.If we don’t care for the characters, we are not inclined to keep reading.

FOUR METHODS OF PRESENTING A CHARACTER:

•Actions or thoughts of the character.
•Conversations the character engages in.
•conversations of other characters about a third character.
•Author’s own opinion. This might be overt, or may be implied.

Points of View: Presentation of a Story
•Author Omniscient (all knowing, all seeing). This is a third person point of view. The omniscient author, writing in third person, sees whatever he wants to see, inside or outside his character, in privacy or public, and interprets as he chooses.
•Author participant (first person). The author may be the main character, or could be a secondary character.
•Author as an observer (3rd, person). Involves objective treatment, as though the story teller had no inner sight into the character’s thinking or behaviour.
•Multiple story tellers (3rd. Person).

#4 Theme
The total meaning of the story. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE TIED UP IN A SIMPLE MORAL. Without it, the story lacks meaning or purpose.
Sometimes the theme is stated, sometimes it is only implied. In other stories, the theme may be a direct refutation of a traditional theme.

Literary Devices
Literary devices are tools a skilful writer uses to improve the reading experience. These include:
5-way sentence. An effective start to a story.
The 5-Way Sentence
The goal of the 5-way sentence is to hook readers inside the first couple of sentences of a story. This is acheived by providing a lot of essential information, a glimpse of action, and a lot of anticipation for the reader. A successful 5-way sentence creates the feeling that the story has already started and the reader has been dragged along for the ride. Alert readers must figure out what has already happened while also keeping up with the story as it unfolds. It is not an easy task to create, but when done properly the 5-way sentence is a very effective writing device.
Students were asked to create three 5-way sentences, pick one, then develop the characters and plot around the beginning of their story. Students were expected to pass in their good copy, rough copy, character development page, and plot development page.

The Five Way Sentence - Is an effective way to get stories started.
Found at the start of a story.
Can be two sentences, but should not be three or more
Creates a situation where the reader feels the story has started without them - the reader has to catch up.
5-WAY SENTENCES CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
Who
"What like" (describing word or phrase)
Suggestion of when (not necessarily specific time)
Suggestion of where
What he/she is doing - start in the middle of the story
Irony. Writers use irony to keep readers alert - helps avoid predictability, and often leaves an impression on the reader.
Foreshadowing. Many stories, despite an ending that may surprise some, have left clues through the story.
Repetition. Helps drive home a point.
Symbolism and metaphor. By drawing parallels between smaller objects and larger concepts, writers can create stories that others can relate to.
Every protag. Has a question (needs and desires) reflecting their motivation. E.g. “Why me?” “Will I ever be happy?” “Why am I alone?” “Why did she have to die?” “Why go on living?” etc. Answer this question by the story’s end (denouement).
Desire + need – aspiration
(wants) (destiny) (the turning point)
What’s at stake?
Describe sight, smell, sound, feel, touch, taste
Emotions
Smell the blood
Hear the screams
Shouting
Feel the fear
Sick to stomach
Wetness of the blood
Labored breathing
Biting
aggression
boil and spill over
taste the blood
feel the pain of a broken bone
hear the whistling of the blade
swoosh of the arrow
smell sweat
see eyes wide with shock
beads of sweat on upper lip

to slow a scene – costuming, terrain details, weather

Ending – protagonist has changed. The world is restored to some kind of order or show the new order.
Resolution of what was left unresolved by the climax
Climax usually resolves external conflict and plot. Resolution can resolve the internal psychological plot or romantic plot.
Faith-challenged (will s/he regain his/her faith?) = regained faith or know the loss is permanent (cynical)
Guilt-ridden and confession
Protag’s courage has prevented a cataclysm in the world order
Protag returns to equilibrium
The resolution is a scene that shows how the climax changed the protag’s understanding of faith, love, guilt, or his/her world, etc.
Romance = fulfilled love and how it changed the protag.
End might parallel the beginning.
Close the story with emotion: peace, understanding, empowerment, sadness, anger.
In a serial or soap, the resolution will only open up another story.

Witnesses
Physical evidence
Hold back
Fingerprints
weapon
Confession (need first two for this)

The rule of three: three questions, three daughters, trouble comes in threes (so do deaths of celebrities). If something is mentioned three times, it is of great importance. (compare the bible, trinity, man’s soul ego and body, etc.)

Formula fiction – stock characters and devices
A predictable plot and consistency
Lack or originality
Predictable plot patterns or archetypes
The perennially understaffed forces of good triumphing over monolithic evil
Absence of aesthetic significance
Self reflection
Playfulness

The seven basic plots (or 9)
1. overcoming the monster – hero’s ordeals to find and destroy monster, finally bring peace to the land
2. rags to riches – modest downtrodden character whose special talents or beauty is at last revealed for a happy ending
3. the quest – a hero and sidekicks travel the world, fight to overcome evil and secure a priceless treasure. Hero gets the treasure and the girl.
4. voyage and return – hero leaves normal experience to enter an alien world, returning after what amounts to a thrilling escape
5. comedy – confusion reigns until at last hero and heroine are united in love
6. tragedy – portrays human overreaching and its terrible consequences
7. rebirth – a change of heart, attitude and actions for the hero
8. rebellion – hero rebels against authority
9. mystery – detective sleuths for clues

The protag’s greatest strength becomes his/her heroic flaw – that which makes him/her great brings him/her down. The quality that provides the greatest power poses the greatest danger. The internal conflict gets in the way of solving the external problem. Your most valued asset is going to get you hurt.

What is character’s instinctive first step to dealing with a problem?
1. curious person – investigates
2. recklessly courageous person – plunges in
3. caretaking person – looks around for someone else to help
4. ambitious person – takes advantage to further his/her goals
5. leader person – takes charge
6. cautious person – researches and prepares

Story issues:
1. resist temptation
2. find your way home again
3. pick your battles
4. restore love
5. restore family
6. deception
7. hidden identity
8. accept responsibility
9. past trauma
10. friendship
11. ambition
12. freedom
13. parental abandonment
14. parental overprotectiveness
15. loss of self or loss of identity
16. forgiveness
17. divinely-ordained fate
18. defiance and rebellion
19. war
20. competition
21. self-discovery
22. horror
23. divided loyalties
24. family
25. religion
26. politics
27. self-deception
28. death
29. birth
30. betrayal
31. trust
32. vengeance
33. disappointment and shattered illusions