When I think back to some of the things that I miss from before the internet, magazines come to mind as something I'd love to have back in my life. Yes, I can still subscribe to Rolling Stone or Wired if I want, but it feels like that era has passed.
One of the pivotal publications of my early years was a stocky little magazine called Reader's Digest. Now, I'm sure my only reader is aware that Reader's Digest was less about putting together a collection of new articles than it was more of a soup of articles from other magazines all over the world. It made the Reader's Digest a delightful view into a million subjects. Perfect for a polymath like me.
One of the recurring features in the Reader's Digest was "Quotable Quotes", a page of quotes from famous or notable people. It was my least favourite of the recurring Digest pages. I much preferred "Humour in Uniform" or "Laughter in Medicine".
I've always felt that way about quotes. We've all seen those Facebook posts from some Karen telling us to "Believe in urself" superimposed on a picture of a creek. Or like "Where's my wine" and it's just women laughing. Truly the very dregs of modern culture.
I think it's why I love Disappointing Affirmations on Instagram so much
So it's in that context that I find myself quite confused about my recent obsession with quotes.
I think it's coming from all of the self-help books I've been reading lately. If the information in a self-help book is the tile that builds the floor, quotes are the grout that keeps them together.
I've found myself writing these quotes into my journals and copying them onto my studio whiteboard on a regular basis. I don't think they're changing my behaviour or making my life any clearer. But I'm copying them. And this isn't me copying quotes from the books I'm reading. They're quotes I'm hearing out in the world, stuff I'm hearing people say.
Stuff like:
"Money is the result of investing in hard work" - Susan Sneath
"Always move on. Take the next step forward" - Elder Harry Francis - Piapot First Nation
"You are playing the game of becoming more yourself every day" - Designing Your Life
Ok well that last one was from one of my books. But it's not a quote of a quote - it's right from the book.
Maybe it's helping me to put all of these new ideas I'm grinding on into context. Or maybe knowing someone else said this stuff gives it more legitimacy.
I dunno. But I'm pretty into quotes lately.
Share your favourite quote in the comments. Or better yet- write me your own quote that I can put in my journal and write on my whiteboard!
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"Never taste a running belt sander." - Andrew Pilon
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