This is my homepage but most of my web presence is on my blog, Book Reviews and More. It is a collection of my published and unpublished writing, mostly book reviews, with a few articles and reflection's.  If you want to poke around here the key sections are Poetry, Artwork, and Lists or return Home.

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(I have  often been asked for old quotations that I have used in e-mails, or as my sig file, or just said to someone. I have collected quotes for many years. I write them in my journals, from Movies, books, TV... So I decided to build a collection of them on my website. The Quotes are currently spread across three pages.  Quotes Quotes 2 Quotes 3

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"It’s interesting how things happen sometimes. If I line up ten dominoes and I push over the first one, the others will fall one by one. But if I leave the first one alone, the other dominoes remain standing.
Life is like that. The way your life plays out depends on which dominoes you choose to push over and which ones you leave alone. In this case, we pushed over the wrong domino."

         -Dan Gutman - The Homework Machine (p. 6). 

"Anyone who listens to Christ's words may adopt either of two possible attitudes towards them. First, he may be consistent with what he hears and put them into practice. That is to say, he may orient his entire life according to the doctrine taught by Jesus Christ, allowing it to penetrate his very being to the point that it becomes the main criterion by which all his actions are guided. Or, second, he may prefer to be inconsistent, and be reluctant and unwilling to put them into practice. He will believe in Christ's words but only with the intellect, as if they were merely the object of a purely intellectual knowledge that will not in any way be allowed to influence his life In fact, he may actually be guided in his behaviour by criteria that are independent of Christ's words. or that are sometimes even directly contrary to his teachings."
         -Federico Suarez
         - The Afterlife - Death, Judgement, Heaven, Hell p.6

"Among all the aims of our lives, there is only one which is truly necessary: it is to reach the goal which God has set for us; to attain to heaven, by living our own individual vocation to the full. In order to achieve this we have to be ready to lose everything else, to clear away anything which would obstruct our way. Everything must be a means for reaching God, and if anything whatever proves not to be a means but an obstacle, then we must put it right or give it up in sacrifice."
        -Francis Fernandez
        -In Conversation With God Vol #1 p.121

"The only reason for being a professional writer is that you can't help it."
         - Leo Rosten

"Friendship has to be recprocal for the life of the friendship, this ongoing participation in the friendship's good, to be possible.."
         -Paul J. Wadell C.P.
         -Friendship and the moral life p.130

"All friendship is love, but not all love is friendship."
         -Paul J. Wadell C.P.
         -Friendship and the moral life p.130

"In this sense, charity, and all the cirtues born from charity, are nothing more than grace expressed in activity, for they accomplish day-by-day the transformation of our self unto God which grace enables and always intends."
         -Paul J. Wadell C.P.
         -Friendship and the moral life p.127

"Help me to cry: Jesus, souls! Apostolic souls! They are for you, for your glory.
    You'll see how in the end he will hear us."
         -St. Josemaria Escriva
         -The Way #804

"Daily Decalogue of Pope John XXIII".

1) Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
2) Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.
3) Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.
4) Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.
5) Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.
6) Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.
7) Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.
8) Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.
9) Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.
10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life"
         -Pope John XXIII

Be firm in your resolutions; stay in the ship in which I placed you and let the storm come. Long live Jesus. You will not perish. Walk the way of the Lord in simplicity; do not torment your spirit. Say the truth, always the truth.
        -Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
 

"Since you want to acquire a Catholic or universal mentality, here are some characteristics you should aim at:

—a breadth of vision and a deepening insight into the things that remain alive and unchanged in Catholic orthodoxy;
—a proper and healthy desire, which should never be frivolous, to present anew the standard teachings of traditional thought in philosophy and the interpretation of history;
—a careful awareness of trends in science and contemporary thought;
—and a positive and open attitude towards the current changes in society and in ways of living."

          -Josemaria Escriva
         -Furrow #428

"What is it you said to the kid? The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very rough, mean place... and no matter how tough you think you are, it'll always bring you to your knees and keep you there, permanently... if you let it. You or nobody ain't never gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit... it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward... how much you can take, and keep moving forward. If you know what you're worth, go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit."
         - Rocky in Rocky Balboa (Rocky VI) from the Trailer

"Jesus for you I live,
for you I die;
I am yours,
in life and in death. Amen."
         -Prayer of Pope Benedict XV

"God's man cannot win his battles without boundaries. A specific plan needs to be drawn up and pursued. This means laying out, in advance, those actions that will preserve your commitment, help you practice your faith, and allow you to produce the desired results you are seeking as God's man.
    What could some of those boundaries be? Consider:

•          places you will or will not go
•          things you will or will not place before your eyes
•          friendships you will or will not keep
•          situations you will embrace or avoid
•          disciplines you will or will not pursue
•          words you will or will not use
•          conversations you will or will not participate in
•          relationships you will or will not pursue
•          thoughts you will or will not allow yourself to feed upon
•          values you will or will not teach to your kids"

           -Every Man, God's Man, pages 197-98
          -Stephen Arterburn

"This is the most important moment in your life... Commit to it"
        -V for Vendetta

"I, like god, do not play with dice and do not believe in coincidence"
        -V for Vendeta

"Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."
        -V for Vendetta

"There is no certainty, only opportunity"
        -V for Vendetta

"A revolution without dancing...is a revolution not worth having!"
         -V for Vendetta

"There is no such thing as coincidence, just the illusion of coincidence"
        -V for Vendetta

"Behind this mask... is more flesh. Behind this mask... is an idea... and ideas are bulletproof."
        -V for Vendetta

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
        -V for Vendetta

"Words and concepts can only point to the Mystery of God; they cannot express it, explain it or prove hat it exists."
        -Irma Zaleski
        -Who is God  p.37

"If we really want to pray
we must first learn to listen.
For in silence of the heart
God speaks."
        -T.S. Eliot

"In God there is a dimension of wordlessness, silence and mystery that the liturgy should reflect."
        -Enzo Bianchi

"God our father, help us to hear your son. Enlighten us with your word, that we may find the way to your glory."
        -Opening Prayer Mass March 12th 2006

"Sanctify work. Sanctify oneself through work. Sanctify others through work. If we are to transform society there is a need for people who are holy."
        -Francis Fernandez
        -In Conversation With God Vol #2 p.63

"Stand at the crossroads, and look and ask for the ancient paths where the good way lies; and walk in it, and find restfor your souls."
        -Jeremiah 6:16

“As soon as you willfully allow a dialogue with temptation to begin, the soul is robbed of its peace, just as consent to impurity destroys grace.”
      -Furrow #836
       -Josemaria Escriva

“Fight against the softness that makes you lazy and careless in your spiritual life. Remember that it might well be the beginning of tepidity … and, in the words of the scriptures, God will vomit out the lukewarm.”
      -The Way #325
       -Josemaria Escriva

“When I made you a present of that life of Jesus, I wrote in it this inscription: ‘May you seek Christ, may you find Christ, may you love Christ. These are three very distinct steps. Have you at least tried to live the first?”
      -The Way #382
       -Josemaria Escriva

“Make an effort to respond at each moment to what God is asking of you: have the will to love him with deeds. They may be little deeds, but do not leave any out.”
      -The Forge #82
       -Josemaria Escriva

“Anything that doesn’t lead us to that – to better know and serve God – is a waste of time.”
      -Charles de Foucauld

"Each day be consciousof your duty to be a saint. A saint! And that doesn't mean doing strange things. It means a daily struggle in the interior life and in heroically fulfilling your duty right through to the end."
         Josemaria Escriva
         The Forge #60

"We have a duty to rest. Resting in order to serve God and other people better.
    We should learn to rest. If we can avoid becoming totally exhausted we should not fail to do so. God wants us to look after our health, and to know how to recover ou strenght. It is part of the fifth commandment. We need to rest in order to be fit, to restore lost energy, and so that our work may be all the more effective. Above all, we need it so as to serve God and other people better."
         Francais Fernandez
         In Conversation With God Volume #3 p.217

"I have a need
of such a clearance
as the savior effected in the temple of Jerusalem
a riddance of the clutter
of what is secondary
that blocks the way
to the all-important central emptiness
which is filled
with the presence of God alone."
         Jean Panielon

"We do not think ourseles into new ways of living. We live ourselves into new ways of thinking."
         Richard Rohr

"For this reason asking advice about reading is an important part of the virtue of prudence, very especially if it is a question of theological or philosophical books, which can radically affect our formation and even our faith itself. How important it is to be right aboutbooks! It is still more important to consult our spiritual director about books specifically destined to aid the formation of our soul."
         Francis Fernandez
         In Conversation With God - Volume #3 p.117

"Should you eat only once a week? How could you live? The same goes for your soul. Nourish it with the Holy Eucharist if you want to live."
         Brother Andre

"What do I want?
What do I desire?
What do I burn for?
Why do I live?
There is only one reason: so that together we might live with Christ."
         Augustine of Hippo

"Prayer begets faith,
faith begets love,
and love begets
service on behalf of the poor."
         Mother Teresa of Calcutta

"The wish to pray is prayer itself."
         Georges Bernanos

"In all my travels, I've found no finer people than the Scots. Despite their reputation for thriftiness, they're generous in a host of ways. Try and buy a Scot a drink. His cash is in the bartender's hand before your fingers touch your wallet. If you're cold they'll give you the coats off their backs. Courteous, considerate, no favor goes ignored.
    They're a tough and hardy people. My dadused to tell a story about the Scots when he served in the German army in WWI. ... Anyway, dad used to describe the French as mediocre fighters, the British as tenacious bulldogs, the Americans as real scrappers. But my German comrads took anything they could dish out. It was only when we heard the bagpipes from the 'Laddies from Hell' that we oozed cold sweat and knew a lot of us wouldn't be goin home for Christmas."
         Clive Cussler
         The Sea Hunters

"The witness of Eberhard Arnold is a much-needed corrective to today's church, which has lost the vital connection between belief and obedience. Arnold's vision shows us what true discipleship might look like in the modern world."
         Jim Wallis

"Arnold's writing has all the simple, luminous, direct vision into things that I have come to associate with his name. Is has an authentic ring. It stirs to repentance and renewal, and I am deeply grateful for it."
         Thomas Merton

Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.
         Wendell Berry

No one wants to have a sore spot touched, and likewise a society with many sores will twitch when someone has the courage to touch one and say: “You have to treat that. You have to get rid of that.”
         Oscar Romero

"Providence watches over each of us as we journey through life, providing us with two guides: repentance and remorse. The one calls us forward. The other calls us back. Yet they do not contradict each other, nor do they leave the traveler in doubt or confusion. For the one calls forward to the Good, the other back from the evil. And there are two of them, because in order to make our journey secure we must look ahead as well as back.
         Kierkegaard

"Locked inside each of us is the person we want to be. Others might not recognize it yet, but I'm telling you, it's in there. The passion shouldn't die before we do. Even against rediculous odds, what propels you forward and seperates you from the rest? P.R.I.D.E., which stands for perseverance, Responsibility, integrity, determination, and excitement. If you have these five elements in your life, you can accomplish almost anything."
         Sylvester Stallone - Sly Moves p. 201

"Sly's Top Ten Tips for Life
10. Believe it! Truly, it can be done and it will.
9. Every day - every few hours - see your vision materializing.
8. Don't discuss your dreams. Pursue Them!
7. If other people can steal your ideal, most likely they will. (not so fond of this one)
6. Don't be afraid of embarrassment while pursuing your goal. It's all part of being committed.
5. Being naive is business and in understanding human nature is a recipe for disaster.
4. Study people's success stories hard. Study their failures even harder.
3. Enthusiasm is like a wonderful disease -keep spreading it until everyone's infected.
2. Only choose a goal that - if you had to - you'd gladly pursue for free.
     In order to achieve success, you've got to follow your passion.
1. Most Important: If it's not broken, break it. That's how new discoveries are made.
    That's why everything that changes life is called a breakthrough."
         Sylvester Stallone - Sly Moves p.186

"Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement. He is a rebel who must lay down his arms. Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realizing that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor - that is the only way out of a hole. This process of surrender - this movement full speed astern - is repentance"
         C.S. Lewis

"Discipleship means complete dedication. It demands everything - the whole heart, the whole mind, and the whole of life, including one's time, energy, and property - for the cause of love. Half-hearted Christianity is worse than no Christianity."
         J. Heinrich Arnold

"Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you."
         Chuck Palahniuk - Fight Club

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
         Albert Einstein

"Your heart is good; your heart matters to God!"
         John Eldredge - Waking the Dead

"Is the image of God reflected in you that so enrages hell; it is this at which the demons hurl their mightiest weapons."
         William Gurnall

"Just as bees are driven out by smoke and their honey taken away from them, so a life of ease drives out the fear of the lord from a man's soul and takes away his good works."
         The Desert Fathers

"Live to learn, and you will really learn to live."
         John C. Maxwell

"To gain 'heat' for growth, we need to get close to those who are already hot. Here's how:
    1. Spend time with great people.
    2. Learn their great ideas through tapes, Cd's and DVD's.
    3. Visit great places that will inspire you.
    4. Attend great events that will prompt you to pursue change.
    5. Read great books."
         -John C. Maxwell
         -The Choice is Yours

"Eight Principles to Live Your Life by:
    1. I will do all things as unto the lord.
    2. I will live in the light of the judgment seat of Christ.
    3. I will consider my weaker brother in all I do.
    4. I will do nothing unless I'm sure that it's right to do.
    5. I will do all things to the glory of my God.
    6. I will avoid what may appear wrong even if I know it's not.
    7. I will abstain from things which culd enslave me.
    8. I will seek always to do what I believe Jesus would do."
        Dr. James MacDonald
 

We are called to be fruitful - not successful, not productive, not accomplished. Success comes from strength, stress, and human effort. Fruitfulness comes from vulnerability and the admission of our own weakness."
        Henri J.M. Nouwen

"If you are curious about what lies beyond the visible, first tune in to the physical world. Get out more, even in the cold or wet. Walk. Watch. Stop and listen. Notice how you feel. The Otherworld may have opened its gates."
          Lyn Webster Wilde - Celtic Inspirations

"Before, I always lived in anticipation...that it was all a preparation for something else, something “greater,” more “genuine.” But that feeling has dropped away from me completely. I live here and now, this minute, this day, to the full, and the life is worth living."
         Etty Hillesum  - An Interrupted Life

"Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms.  Laying down your arms, surrendering, saying you are sorry, realizing that you have been on the wrong track and getting ready to start life over again from the ground floor - that is the only way out of a "hole."  This process of surrender - this movement full speed astern - is repentance."
          C.S. Lewis

"The great silences of the desert are not void of sound, but void of distractions."
         Terry Tempes Williams - Red

"One day, this landscape will take the language out of me."
         Terry Tempes Williams - Red

"Now -- here is my secret:
  I tell it to you with an openness of heart I doubt I shall ever achieve again, so I pray that you are in a quiet room as you hear these words. My secret is that I need God - that I am sick and can no longer make it alone. I need God to help me give, because I no longer seem capable of giving; to help me to be kind, as I no longer seem capable of kindness; to help me love, as I seem beyond able to love."
         Douglas Coupland - Life After God

"We are not creatures of circumstance; we are creators of circumstance."
         Benjamin Disraeli

There is nothing so constant as change. Meet it. Embrace it. Enjoy it. Learn from it.
    The one thing you can be absolutely sure of in your life is change. It’s the only thing that never changes. The law of nature is that you either grow or you die; there’s no in-between. So, what have you chosen so far? Are you growing in every area of your life? Hey, it’s not enough to be growing and looking great just because you work out. That’s only a small part of your life. What about your emotions, spiritual life, family, friends, career, hobbies? Are they growing as your body does? Become a complete person and not an in-shape and great-looking version of an incomplete person. There’s way more to life than just working out. Go with the flow and embrace changes in all areas of your life. The change will do you good.
           Robert Wolff, PH.D.  Bodybuilding 101

"To strengthen the mind you must harden the muscles."
         Montaigne

"Thy will be done," in its full extent, must be the guideline for the Christian life. It must regulate the day from morning to evening, the course of the year, and the entire of life. Only then will it be the sole concern of the Christian. All other concerns the Lord takes over. This one alone, however, remains ours as long as we live. And, sooner or later, we begin to realize this. In the childhood of the spiritual life, when we have just begun to allow ourselves to be directed by God, we feel his guiding hand quite firmly and surely. But it doesn’t always stay that way. Whoever belongs to Christ must go the whole way with him. He must mature to adulthood: he must one day or other walk the way of the cross to Gethsemane and Golgotha."
         Edith Stein
   
"The glory of God is man fully alive!"
         Saint Irenaeus

"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
         John C. Maxwell

"When we undestand the other fellow's viewpoint -- understand what he is trying to do -- nine times out of ten he is trying to do right."
         Harry Truman

"If you treat every person you meet as if he or she were the most important person in the world, you'll communicate that he or she is somebody -- to you."
         Unknown

"There are o hopeless situations; there are only men and women who have grown hopeless about them."
         Marshal Ferdinand Foch

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