A tale of two cities

[Canticle]

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

:(

[MarieDelta]

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine...

[WntsAdvntr]

Charley, I coudda been somebody, I coudda been a champ

[Canticle]

LOL....Thank you for replying to the thread. I was in sombre mood when I typed the words and I am not even sure, why I typed those words, in particular.

However, it appears that this could turn into one of those off beat threads. So may the games begin......Play on!

[Realist]

Hey! I taut I thaw a Puddy Tat!

Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!

[Pasadenacpl2]

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?

Pasa

[allbimyself]

A recently uncovered working manuscript of A Tale of Two Cities revealed that the original opening was NOT "It was the best of times. It was the worst of times." Rather it read "Good times, bad times, you know I've had my share.."

[MarieDelta]

Persons attempting to find a motive in this narrative will be prosecuted; persons attempting to find a moral in it will be banished; persons attempting to find a plot in it will be shot.

[Canticle]

They're selling razor blades and whisky, in the streets

[Lady_Passion]

Nuns are kicking ninjas asses.

[Daviecurious]

Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? No!

[Annika L]

...there began Nirnaeth Arnoediad, "Unnumbered Tears", for no song or tale can contain all its grief.

[Lady_Passion]

The Very Secret Diaries (http://www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/)

(seriously, there's some funny stuff there!)

[Vikkster230]

Get your damn hands off me you filthy ape...

[csrakate]

"As God is my witness, as God is my witness, they're not going to lick me! I'm going to live through this, and when it's all over, I'll never be hungry again - no, nor any of my folks! If I have to lie, steal, cheat, or kill, as God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

[WntsAdvntr]

Q: What are you rebelling against?

A: Whadda ya got ? ( Marlon Brando }

[Doggie_Wood]

"I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya punk?"

Doggie :doggie:

[Lady_Passion]

"THAT'S a knife" - Paul Hogan

[Canticle]

"You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!"

Michael Caine - The Italian Job

[MarieDelta]

God moves in extremely mysterious, not to say, circuitous ways. God does not play dice with the universe; He plays an ineffable game of His own devising, which might be compared, from the perspective of any of the other players*, to being involved in an obscure and complex version of poker in a pitch-dark room, with blank cards, for infinite stakes, with a Dealer who won't tell you the rules, and who smiles all the time.

Footnote to above: * ie., everybody.

[Vikkster230]

Help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope...

[baachus]

There was a desert wind blowing that night. It was one of those hot dry Santa Anas that come down through the mountain passes and curl your hair and make your nerves jump and your skin itch. On nights like that every booze party ends in a fight. Meek little wives feel the edge of the carving knife and study their husbands' necks. Anything can happen. You can even get a full glass of beer at a cocktail lounge.

Raymond Chandler "Red Wind" (short story, 1938)

[MarieDelta]

"Repent, Harlequin," said the Ticktockman. "Get stuffed," the Harlequin replied.

[tenni]

I don't have a witty comment. I just want to post that I am enjoying this thread. Thanks

[allbimyself]

Understand something, mister. Anything goes wrong, anything at all, your fault, my fault, nobody's fault, it don't matter, I'm gonna blow your head off. It's as simple as that.

[allbimyself]

"All that hate is gonna burn you up, kid."

<smiles>"It keeps me warm."

[MarieDelta]

The way your dad looked at it, this watch was your birthright. He'd be damned if any slopes gonna put their greasy yellow hands on his boy's birthright, so he hid it, in the one place he knew he could hide something: his ass. Five long years, he wore this watch up his ass. Then when he died of dysentery, he gave me the watch. I hid this uncomfortable piece of metal up my ass for two years. Then, after seven years, I was sent home to my family. And now, little man, I give the watch to you.

[Canticle]

Love in light
And light is love
Tho' heavy the burden be.
To carry such
Does tax the soul
Tis sent to weary me.
Yet weariness, is my reward
In loving, so am I loved.
Love found, be as love won
Thru trial and adversity.

Me - 2006

[TwylaTwobits]

What does THIS button do?

[Realist]

There's a law of nature I'd like to veto............
It's the life and love of the (blank) mosquito!

[Nadir]

"I know now why you cry, but it's something I can never do"

[MarieDelta]

"Did you have one of those days today, like a nail in the foot? Did the pterodactyl corpse dropped by the ghost of your mother from the spectral Hindenburg forever circling the Earth come smashing through the lid of your glass coffin? Did the New York strip steak you attacked at dinner suddenly show a mouth filled with needle-sharp teeth, and did it snap off the end of your fork, the last solid-gold fork from the set Anastasia pressed into your hands as they took her away to be shot? Is the slab under your apartment building moaning that it cannot stand the weight on its back a moment longer, and is the building stretching and creaking? Did a good friend betray you today, or did that good friend merely keep silent and fail to come to your aid? Are you holding the razor at your throat this very instant? Take heart, comfort is at hand. This is the hour that stretches. Djan karet. We are the cavalry. We're here. Put away the pills. We'll get you through this bloody night. Next time, it'll be your turn to help us."

[Long Duck Dong]

According to Cocteau's plan, I'm the enemy, 'cause I like to think, I like to read. I'm into freedom of speech, and freedom of choice. I'm the kinda guy that likes to sit in a greasy spoon and wonder, "Gee, should I have the T-bone steak or the jumbo rack of barbecue ribs with the side-order of gravy fries?" I want high cholesterol! I wanna eat bacon, and butter, and buckets of cheese, okay?! I wanna smoke a Cuban cigar the size of Cincinnati in the non-smoking section! I wanna run naked through the street, with green Jell-O all over my body, reading Playboy magazine. Why? Because I suddenly may feel the need to, okay, pal?

[TwylaTwobits]

Evade and Survive, do whatever it takes.

[darkeyes]

Today it happened.. and it was awful.. what a fucking mess.

[zanybrainy]

It's an important and popular fact that things are not always what they seem. For instance, on the planet Earth, Man had always assumed that he was the most intelligent species occupying the planet, instead of the *third* most intelligent. The second most intelligent creatures were of course dolphins who, curiously enough, had long known of the impending destruction of the planet earth. They had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger, but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for titbits. So they eventually decided they would leave earth by their own means. The last ever dolphin message was misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double backward somersault through a hoop while whistling the star-spangled banner, but in fact the message was this: So long and thanks for all the fish.

[johnnyeasy]

.....any of you fucking homos touch my stuff......I will fucking kill you!

LIGHTEN UP, Francis!

[MarieDelta]

And crawling, on the planet's face, some insects, called the human race. Lost in time, and lost in space... and meaning.

[Canticle]

The ring so worn, as you behold,
So thin, so pale, is yet of gold:
The passion such it was to prove;
Worn with life's cares, love yet was love.


His late Wife's Wedding Ring - George Crabbe (1754 - 1832)

[Canticle]

''Have you broken it, yet? Is it still working?''

My son, on a the 'phone, a few hours ago, about two hours after leaving me to ''play'' with my new computer, after my other one, just died on me.

He's expecting an emergency call...I know he is!

[Pasadenacpl2]

“Did I request thee, Maker from my clay
to mould me man?
Did I solicit thee,
from darkness to promote me?”

~~~~

Destiny! Destiny!
No Escaping That For Me!

[Gay2Bi]

She had buried three husbands, and at least two of them had been already dead.

Never trust a dog with orange eyebrows.

"Blessings be on this house," Granny said, perfunctorily. It was always a good opening remark for a witch. It concentrated people's minds on what other things might be on this house.

Vampires have risen from the dead, the grave, and the crypt, but have never managed it from the cat.

And my favorite...

Granny Weatherwax had never turned anyone into a frog. The way she saw it, there was a technically less cruel but cheaper and much more satisfying thing you could do. You could leave them human and make them think they were a frog, which also provided much innocent entertainment for passersby.

-Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad.

[Canticle]

I don't drink coffee I take tea my dear
I like my toast done on the side
And you can hear it in my accent when I talk
I'm an Englishman in New York

See me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane here at my side
I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York

I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

If "manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say

I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
You could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun

Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than license for a gun
Confront your enemies, avoid them when you can
A gentleman will walk but never run

If "manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself no matter what they say

I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien
I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

[MarieDelta]

riverrun, past Eve and Adam's, from swerve of shore to bend of bay, brings us by a commodius vicus of recirculation back to Howth Castle and Environs.

[Canticle]

You remind me of a man

Who do?

You do

What?

You remind me of a man

Who do?

You do

What?

You remind me of a man......


Cary Grant and another actor...but can't remember which film.

[FalconAngel]

Far off in the un-fashionable end of the spiral arm of the milky way gallaxy, there is, or rather, was an insignificant little blue-green planet who's ape descended life forms were so amazingly primitive that they still thought that digital watches were a neat idea.........

[MarieDelta]

Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: But it ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flyin' is? Well I suppose you do, since you already know what I'm about to say.
River Tam: I do. But I like to hear you say it.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Love. You can know all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as a turn in the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells ya she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

[FalconAngel]

Commander Sulu: Heading, Sir?

Admiral Kirk: Out there......Thataway.

[FalconAngel]

Ben Gates: Of all the ideas that became the United States, there's a line here that's at the heart of all the others. "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and provide new Guards for their future security."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ben Gates: If there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.

[Dorian Earnest]

The books that the world calls immoral are books that show the world its own shame. That is all. (Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Grey, p 250)

Also,

Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.
They are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only beauty.
There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. (Preface to Dorian)

[Gay2Bi]

All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible.

-T.E. Lawrence

But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

- W. B. Yeats.

[Wrenn]

Open the pod bay doors, HAL

[BiBedBud]

My father taught me many things in this room.
He taught me...
Keep your friends close... and your enemies closer.

Michael Corleone
The Godfather II

[Canticle]

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.”
- Oscar Wilde

[MarieDelta]

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 Litany Against Fear, Dune , Frank Herbert
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/community4art/LadyJessicaAtreides.jpg

[paukenplayer]

Of course, we must follow WRENN's post with......

"I'm sorry, Dave; I'm afraid I can't do that."

[Canticle]

''There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question.''


Opening lines......Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

[darkeyes]

It all happened because John Rebus was in his favourite massage parlour without reading the bible.

Ian Rankin - The Black Book

[csreef]

Luke...Use the Force

[FalconAngel]

"I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate." - Dark Helmet


Bart: Are we awake?
Jim: We're not sure. Are we... black?
Bart: Yes, we are.
Jim: Then we're awake... but we're very puzzled.


Taggart: I got it! I got it!
Hedley Lamarr: You do?
Taggart: We'll work up a Number 6 on 'em.
Hedley Lamarr: [frowns] "Number 6"? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that one.
Taggart: Well, that's where we go a-ridin' into town, a-whompin' and a-whumpin' every livin' thing that moves within an inch of its life. Except the women folks, of course.
Hedley Lamarr: You spare the women?
Taggart: Naw, we rape the shit out of them at the Number Six Dance later on.
Hedley Lamarr: Marvelous!


"That's bull-shit MacCawley........ but it's very, very good bull-shit." - Col. Jimmy Doolittle to Lt. MacCawley

[Canticle]

Edgar Allan Poe

Yes, I now feel that it was then on that evening of sweet dreams - that the very first dawn of human love burst upon the icy night of my spirit. Since that period I have never seen nor heard your name without a shiver half of delight, half of anxiety.... For years your name never passed my lips, while my soul drank in, with a delirious thirst, all that was uttered in my presence respecting you.

~ Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)


and.....


James Joyce

You are my only love. You have me completely in your power. I know and feel that if I am to write anything fine or noble in the future I shall do so only by listening to the doors of your heart. ... I love you deeply and truly, Nora. ... There is not a particle of my love that is not yours. ... If you would only let me I would speak to you of everything in my mind but sometimes I fancy from your look that you would only be bored by me. Anyhow, Nora, I love you. I cannot live without you. I would like to give you everything that is mine, any knowledge I have (little as it is) any emotions I myself feel or have felt, any likes or dislikes I have, any hopes I have or remorse. I would like to go through life side by side with you, telling you more and more until we grew to be one being together until the hour should come for us to die. Even now the tears rush to my eyes and sobs choke my throat as I write this. Nora, we have only one short life in which to love. O my darling be only a little kinder to me, bear with me a little even if I am inconsiderate and unmanageable and believe me we will be happy together. Let me love you in my own way. Let me have your heart always close to mine to hear every throb of my life, every sorrow, every joy.

~ James Joyce (1882-1941). Written for Nora Barnacle on 25 October 1909.





Mon cher, je t'adore pour toujour