Quote of the Day: 31 December 2023 #QotD

“Here is the great news of God’s plan: the very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be!” -Russell M. Nelson

Quote of the Day: 30 December 2023 #QotD

“Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” -Nick Carraway’s Father, The Great Gatsby
[Always something worth remembering. But then there are those people who have had those advantages. Sometimes they need to be put on blast.]

Quote of the Day: 29 December 2023 #QotD

“[S]tepping outside the scope of one’s expertise can be like stepping off a cliff.” -Thomas Sowell
[Some people seem intent on leaping away from their mountain of expertise. And insisting they're still standing on firm ground while zipping toward the ground.]

Quote of the Day: 28 December 2023 #QotD

“[T]hose who were most haunted by their old mistakes were the least likely to make new ones.” -Andaman Vane (attributed), Tower of Silence
[Here's something to remember as we enter a period of reflection and goal setting coming into the new year.]

Quote of the Day: 27 December 2023 #QotD

“Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind.” -G. K. Chesterton
[Love is entered into blindly, at least often, but as love matures, it comes to see so clearly that nothing can be withheld from view.]

Quote of the Day: 26 December 2023 #QotD

“Wrong is wrong, even when you really, really want it not to be. I learned that one the hard way. It’s easy to do the right thing when it doesn’t cost you. Not as easy to do the right thing when your back is to the wall.” -Harry Dresden, Ghost Story
[Yes. Sometimes it costs us a bit to maintain our principles. Other times is costs us a lot. About the only thing that doesn't is adherence to in-group vs. out-group dynamics, or self-serving impulses as a way of life.]

Quote of the Day: 25 December 2023 #QotD

“Jesus Christ was and is our first and forever gift of Christmas.” -Bonnie H. Cordon
[Merry Christmas!

I hope yours is enjoyable and spent with all the people you love the most.]

Quote of the Day: 24 December 2023 #QotD

“Isn’t it interesting that the miraculous event of the birth of Christ and something of the significance of that event was made known only to the very humble, the very holy, and the very wise?” -Dallin H. Oaks
[Happy Christmas Eve!]

Quote of the Day: 23 December 2023 #QotD

“Basic truths cannot change and once a man of insight expresses one of them it is never necessary, no matter how much the world changes, to reformulate them.” -Lt.-Col. Jean V. Dubois, Starship Troopers
[Some people just seem immune to a basic truth simply expressed. Their ability to withstand reason is titanic.]

Quote of the Day: 22 December 2023 #QotD

“Curiosity is not a sin. But we should exercise caution with our curiosity … yes, indeed…” -Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
[It's always wise to be cautious when getting out beyond the limits of our knowledge.]

Quote of the Day: 21 December 2023 #QotD

“Music, like truth, is often felt before it is understood.” -Sharlene Habermeyer
[And often, it isn't understood at all.]

Quote of the Day: 20 December 2023 #QotD

“They say the world is a stage. But obviously the play is unrehearsed and everybody is ad-libbing his lines.” -Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes 
[Nevermind that the audience is sparsely populated, when it's even there at all.]

Quote of the Day: 19 December 2023 #QotD

“[O]ne thing that makes humans different from animals is that they run toward a distress call rather than away from it.” -Terry Pratchett
[A trait usually seen in predators pursuing prey. What we tend to see in humans is a protector seeking to save an imperiled follow member of humanity.]

Quote of the Day: 18 December 2023 #QotD

“Don’t force people to live up to your dreams of who they might be.” -Hoid, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
[It will only hurt your relationship.]

Quote of the Day: 17 December 2023 #QotD

“When we let Him, Jesus Christ helps us speak His love here.” -Gerrit W. Gong

Quote of the Day: 16 December 2023 #QotD

“There is no moment more precious than the exact moment they are living.” -Obert Skye
[You are you now, not sometime in the past or future. Live your life, and enjoy the moments that make it up.]

Quote of the Day: 15 December 2023 #QotD

“People can be very sincere when presupposing their own superiority.” -Thomas Sowell
[This is probably something to which I am myself susceptible. Though I try to counter it when I think about it. I know for sure that I notice it in others.]

Quote of the Day: 14 December 2023 #QotD

“You see, the law itself is not capable of stopping evil from happening. It is only there to punish the perpetrator after the crime has gone down—which means that the victims are already dead, or raped, or had their life and property destroyed, et cetera, and it is too late to save them.” -Larry Correia
[But people who fail to engage with actual thought keep insisting that if we just outlaw everything conditions will simply have to improve. After all, they assert, it's illegal.]

Quote of the Day: 13 December 2023 #QotD

“All moral reform must start in the active not the passive will.” -G. K. Chesterton

[If you aim to see a reform accomplished, you can't sit bac and wait for it to appear. You must engage with the world and seek to have it changed.]

Quote of the Day: 12 December 2023 #QotD

“The distinction between good and evil is meaningless if one does not have the freedom to choose between them.” -Uriel, Ghost Story
[This works from more than one perspective. People deprived of the opportunity to exercise agency are not blamable for their actions, and entities that are incapable of choice are likewise blameless.]

Quote of the Day: 11 December 2023 #QotD

“A mind of moderate capacity, which closely pursues one study, must infallibly arrive at great proficiency in that study[.]” -Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein
[A thought that will either give solace or cause opprobrium to certain individuals. For me, it is a matter of hope. I look forward to the further knowledge and skills I will continue to acquire despite my advancing age.]

Quote of the Day: 10 December 2023 #QotD

“He is our mark. If we incorrectly imagine that there is a need for something beyond what He offers, we deny or diminish the scope and power He can have in our lives.” -Dale G. Renlund

Quote of the Day: 9 December 2023 #QotD

“I am free, no matter what rules surround me. If I find them tolerable, I tolerate them; if I find them too obnoxious, I break them. I am free because I know that I alone am morally responsible for everything I do.” -Bernardo de la Paz, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
[Ultimately, this is the truth. For everyone, whether they are willing to admit it or not. Most will default to standards of societal behavior, but they could just as easily choose differently.]

Quote of the Day: 8 December 2023 #QotD

“[W]hat’s the point of moaning?” -Fred Weasley, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
[Well, it kind of feels a bit cathartic in the moment. But ultimately, it's either useless or counterproductive. So, I guess there's only the brief catharsis that remains as the point.]

Quote of the Day: 7 December 2023 #QotD

 

“[S]peaking as a parent and educator, I believe the first place for music and arts exposure is in the home.” -Sharlene Habermeyer

[This is really true of almost everything. If you aren't introducing your children to all kinds of domains of knowledge and experience, you are failing as a parent.]

Quote of the Day: 6 December 2023 #QotD

“Friendship is the greatest thing ever.” -Pig, Pearls Before Swine
[I can't disagree. I only wish I were better at being a good friend.]

Quote of the Day: 5 December 2023 #QotD

“Everybody was good at something. The only wicked thing was not finding out what it was in time.” -Tiffany Aching (thought), I Shall Wear Midnight
[But being good at something is, at least partially, a product of caring enough about it to be bad at it for a while first.]

Quote of the Day: 4 December 2023 #QotD

“It feels normal to you. It sometimes takes an outsider to point out how broken something is.” -Nikaro, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
[The perspective of someone outside the situation can be invaluable. You don't know what you don't know, until you are made aware of what you might know.]

Quote of the Day: 3 December 2023 #QotD

“Though choices may have taken you far away from the Savior and His Church, the Master Healer stands at the road that leads home, welcoming you.” -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Quote of the Day: 2 December 2023 #QotD

“I think geniuses should be given special considerations.” -Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes 
[Don't we all. Of course, we also all tend to consider ourselves among those genii to whom special consideration ought to be extended.]

Quote of the Day: 1 December 2023 #QotD

“Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!” -Ebenezer Scrooge, A Christmas Carol

[As we enter the Christmas season, this is a good thing to remember. It is something we should be mindful year round, but I would prefer any improvement to no improvement any time.]

Quote of the Day: 30 November 2023 #QotD

“It is my experience that there is a certain malady that powerful men often fall victim to, where they think their being clever about one subject makes them an expert on all the other many things in the world. They declare all their thoughts correct, merely by wishing them to be so. Then the masses must force false smiles onto their faces and cheer on their betters, even as those elites vomit up ignorance and proclaim it as truth.” -Guru Dondrub, Tower of Silence
[It's the power that does it. Without the power, they'd have to face up to their foolishness as those around them wouldn't put up with it.]

Quote of the Day: 29 November 2023 #QotD

“Stated baldly, charity certainly means one of two things—pardoning unpardonable acts, or loving unlovable people.” -G. K. Chesterton
[I lean more to the latter than the former meaning. Since I am not the arbiter of who gets redemption, I'm also not responsible for pardoning anyone. But I have been asked to love everyone, including my enemies.]

Quote of the Day: 28 November 2023 #QotD

“[W]ords mean what they mean, even if everyone thinks they ought to mean something else.” -Harry Dresden, Ghost Story
[Sometimes I wonder if they don't actually understand, or if their ignorance is feigned that they might have a plausible excuse for their behavior.]

Quote of the Day: 27 November 2023 #QotD

“We learn from failure, not from success!” -Dr. Van Helsing, Dracula
[Not sure this is entirely true. But, diagnosing a particular failure is more valuable than analyzing a particular success. In aggregate successes can tell us quite a lot, but a single failure can yield many insights.]

Quote of the Day: 26 November 2023 #QotD

“It is clear we have a Father in Heaven who knows and loves us personally and understands our suffering perfectly. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our Savior and Redeemer.” -Quentin L. Cook

Quote of the Day: 25 November 2023 #QotD

“[T]he universe is what it is, not what we want it to be.” -Maj. Reid, Starship Troopers

[Much to the chagrin of many people, who would far rather be able to dictate to the universe what it ought to be.]

Quote of the Day: 24 November 2023 #QotD

“When you run out of hope, everything is backward. Your heart wants the opposite of what it needs.” -Kalmar Wingfeather, The Warden and the Wolf King
[Recognizing the problem is a good step toward fixing the problem. Since you can't fix a problem you aren't aware of.]

Quote of the Day: 23 November 2023 #QotD

“True gratitude goes far beyond saying thank you. In fact, thank you is easier to teach than the appreciation behind it, but they go hand in hand, and both are within your grasp.” -Amy McCready
[Happy Thanksgiving!]

Quote of the Day: 22 November 2023 #QotD

“Don’t let the Muggles get you down!” -Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
[Really something that you can apply to any detractor. Don't let them get you down, and work to achieve your goals.]

Quote of the Day: 21 November 2023 #QotD

“[T]here has to be some justice in the world, you see, not necessarily law justice, but justice justice[.]” -Willikins, Snuff
[Sometimes we have to bring it into the world ourselves. It's that or languish in despair. I'd rather strive than give in, personally.]

Quote of the Day: 20 November 2023 #QotD

“While a healthy measure of foolhardiness drove our ancestors toward discovery, fear kept them alive.” -Hoid, Tress of the Emerald Sea
[We live in the area of tension. Seeking novelty, and loving the comfort of familiarity.]

Quote of the Day: 19 November 2023 #QotD

“We’re in the process of trying to prepare ourselves, a day at a time, to be a little better, be a little kinder, be a little more prepared for that day, which will surely come, when we shall pass back into the presence of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” -M. Russell Ballard

Quote of the Day: 18 November 2023 #QotD

“American and Canadian universities are hardly bastions of free speech. Instead, they are echo chambers for the left. Deviate from the herd at your peril.” -Gad Saad
[This has been readily apparent over the past month and a half. I would not have been able to identify just how depraved these people are when it comes to denying the humanity of their fellow men. Particularly of Jews. It is not really surprising, just disheartening. I don't see how we endure as a society with that kind of hatred festering in the populace.]

Quote of the Day: 17 November 2023 #QotD

“Each man lived his own life and paid his own price for living it. The only pity was one had to pay so often for a single fault. One had to pay over and over again, indeed. In her dealings with man, destiny never closed her accounts.” -Oscar Wilde

[Fate and humanity are both cruel. But can we afford not to be so? How many people have been hurt by a person who has claimed to have changed only to reveal later on that they have not? No, sadly, you must protect yourself from those who have caused harm in the past, even if that means they suffer the consequences repeatedly.]

Quote of the Day: 16 November 2023 #QotD

“That No Guns Allowed sign is not a cross that wards off vampires. It is wishful thinking, and really pathetic wishful thinking at that.” -Larry Correia
[We have to wake up and face reality. And in the real world the bad guys are already committed to heinous acts. So, why would you possibly believe that a sign is going to give them pause?]

Quote of the Day: 15 November 2023 #QotD

“Complete self-confidence is not merely a sin; complete self-confidence is a weakness.” -G. K. Chesterton
[I might have reversed those descriptions myself. Especially since I see sin as more detrimental than weakness. But both are true and accurate.]

Quote of the Day: 14 November 2023 #QotD

“Guys who get their name splashed all over history and folklore don’t tend to be Boy Scout troop leaders.” -Harry Dresden, Changes
[Nope. Sometimes what you need isn't a Boy Scout Troop leader, though.]

Quote of the Day: 13 November 2023 #QotD

“It’s always shocking to see one’s existence reduced to a blurb.” -Calvin, Calvin and Hobbes
[Shocking, and humbling. Something that, for some, intensifies the shock.]

Quote of the Day: 12 November 2023 #QotD

“[T]here is no place for prejudiced thoughts or actions in the community of Saints.” -Ulisses Soares

Quote of the Day: 11 November 2023 #QotD

“Of all the so-called natural human rights that have ever been invented, liberty is least likely to be cheap and is never free of cost.” -Lt.-Col. Jean V. Dubois, Starship Troopers
[Thank you to all the veterans who have offered to pay that price. And a special thank you to all the veterans who have been and continue to be faithful to their oath.]

Quote of the Day: 10 November 2023 #QotD

“It’s a strange place, The Imagination. A lot of fun by day, when there are all sorts of reassuring and familiar sights and people around. But it’s scary, and cold at night, and places you knew perfectly well by daylight aren’t the same after the sun’s gone down.” -Neil Gaiman
[I've known my imagination to go to far at times. Particularly when I didn't really want it to. Thankfully, I've got most of the fear provoking responses under control. Most of the time, anyway.]

Quote of the Day: 9 November 2023 #QotD

“We all forget from time to time, and so we need one another to tell us our stories. Sometimes a story is the only way back from the darkness.” -Arundelle, The Warden and the Wolf King
[Make sure you're feeding the world around you good stories. Forestall the darkness as long as you are able.]

Quote of the Day: 8 November 2023 #QotD

“[Y]ou sometimes have to join forces with those you’d rather avoid.” -Arthur Weasley, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 
[This may be true, however, there is never a need to associate with terrorists and barbarians.]

Quote of the Day: 7 November 2023 #QotD

“They’ve got on well for years without ever having to think differently, and now they don’t know how!” -Sybil Vimes (née Ramkin), Snuff
[If you don't ever think, really think, you won't be able to when the time comes that you really need to.]

Quote of the Day: 6 November 2023 #QotD

“Answers are not simple. They never were.” -Yumi, Yumi and the Nightmare Painter
[At least to the questions that matter, they never have been.]

Quote of the Day: 5 November 2023 #QotD

“If you have felt the influence of the Holy Ghost today, you may take it as a sweet evidence that the Atonement is working in your life.” -Henry B. Eyring

Quote of the Day: 4 November 2023 #QotD

“[I]t’s still ultimately our responsibility to take care of our kids and train them in positive behavior—which means watching out for them even in cyberspace.” -Amy McCready
[Considering the deleterious effect social media is having on our society, it is important that we teach our children how to interact with it as safely as we are able to.]

Quote of the Day: 3 November 2023 #QotD

“As for omens, there is no such thing as an omen. Destiny does not send us heralds. She is too wise or too cruel for that.” -Lord Henry Wotton, The Picture of Dorian Gray
[Wisdom or cruelty. A sobering thought. And why not both?]