Still Speaking with the Stars

By Bob Benson

Theyre back and theyre sharing! Now the second verbal
dance with the stars features over 1250 of the best sounding
quotes of all time. These are chosen with the ear in mind
and designed to bridge the wide gap between yawn and
smile or knowing nod. So talk on!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Dec 27, 2011
• ISBN: 9781469138633

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by Bob Benson.

Library of Congress Control Number:          2011962848

ISBN:                      Hardcover                      978-1-4691-3862-6

                                 Softcover                      978-1-4691-3861-9

                                 Ebook                            978-1-4691-3863-3

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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109672

Contents

INTRODUCTION

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

Whoops , I did it again. I just can’t stop quotin’. This is the second edition of a book that probably didn’t even need a first one. The new and improved version contains over 350 new quotes and not just benchwarmers but new and newly discovered old quotes. New quotes are in bold for the tens of readers who have first edition. (BTW I did remove, reluctantly about 50)

Some things did not change. The quotes are chosen for the ear—the sense an oral presentation caters to. Writers also should find they are pithy—in most cases—and even look and read great for use on the printed page.

I mentioned in my earlier edition the internet is an amazing tool to search for an incredible amount of quotes (most give too many mediocre ones in my humble opinion) on virtually any topic and for ‘free.’ The beauty of the ‘chosen few’ in this book should be in the ears of the beholders. My only test is do they sound good. I always hope they are not just sound and humor or fury that signifies nothing. I am confident that they say a lot without saying a lot. So nutrition conscious consumers not just empty calories.

Great quotes do not have an expiration date as we find even those from the ancients (pre 1970 for some of my audience) still ring loudly today. But since the supposed target audience would be 2012 speech students there are a goodly number of their ‘generation" around as well. I have tried to increase the description of the person quoted in these new additions as well

As I said the definition of star has changed as with ‘Reality TV shows almost anyone can make it big today. A few of the entries come from the especially brilliant and pithy Facebook posts of some of my so called ‘friends.’

The difficulties of arranging the topic inclusion remain. The lack of money is the root of all evil. (Mark Twain, his prolific insights still relevant over 100 years after his death) I suppose one could put this under ‘evil’ or ‘money’ or lack thereof ‘poverty’. I suppose there must be some rule on this somewhere and if I was in the on-line mode I could put them in all three categories. If I did that more trees would have to die. So this humble observer tried to determine the key message of the quote and I chose money for this one. I hope I have chosen intuitively. (BTW if you are concerned about trees several digital versions of this for electronic readers will be out there at an on-line retailer near you.)

The quote parade starts in a turn of the page or two.

Bob Benson

But first a word from the editing sponsor: Unbeknownst to most of us, Ronald Reagan was a prolific collector of handwritten quotes (stories of wisdom) which he kept on several rolodexes in his office. The acclaimed Rice University history professor Douglas Brinkley has compiled them in his latest book Ronald Reagan: The Notes.(2011) I also found gold in Dr. Mardy Grothe’s two books: I Never Met a Metaphor I didn’t Like and Ifferisms a collection of aphorisms that begin with the words ‘if’. I would agree that Dr. Grothe should be America’s Top Quote Star/ Anthologist, if they even have such as job.

Dr. Amber Johnson of Prairie View A&M University made a photographic contribution to the back cover.

A

ABILITY

Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. (John Wooden—legendary UCLA basketball)

Ability is the art of getting credit for all the home runs somebody else hits (Casey Stengel—New York Mets legendary manager)

He’s learning you can’t be 100% all the time but you have to give 100% (Los Angeles Angels baseball pitcher Bill Lee on prospect Freddie Lynn)

ABORTION

If men could get pregnant abortion would be a sacrament. (Flo Kennedy—feminist, 1973)

Seventy-seven percent of anti-abortion leaders are men. 100% of them will never be pregnant. (Planned Parenthood advertisement)

I’ve noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born. (Ronald Reagan, quoted in New York Times, 22 September 1980)

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Katie used to play sports. Then she realized you can buy trophies. Now she is good at everything. (Funny FaceBook status)

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. (President Harry S. Truman)

God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now I am so far behind I will never die. (Bill Watterson—cartoonist—Calvin and Hobbs)

Everything I did in my life that was worthwhile I caught hell for. (Chief Justice Earl Warren)

ACCOUNTANTS

If you are truly serious about preparing your child for the future, don’t teach him how to subtract—teach him how to deduct. (Fran Lebowitz—Metropolitan Life)

When I asked my accountant if anything could get me out of the mess I am in now, he thought for a long time…yes he said. Death would help." (Robert Morley—Actor—pompous buffoon)

ACTION

You can’t leave footprints in the sands of time if you’re sitting on your butt. And who wants to leave butt prints in the sands of time? (Nicholas Sparks—The Notebook)

After all is said and done, a lot more will have been said than done. (Author Unknown)

Shall I after tea and cake have the strength to force the situation to its crisis? (T.S. Eliot The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock)

Do not go gentle into that good night. (Poet Dylan Thomas)

Action is the antidote to despair. (Joan Baez—60’s folk rock singer)

Either move or be moved. (General Colin Powell)

ADVERTISING

In our factory we make lipstick. In our advertising we sell dreams. (Charles Revlon)

A viewer who skips the advertising is the moral equivalent of a shoplifter. (Nicholas Johnson-former FCC chairman)

I know about half of the money we spend advertising is wasted. I never find out which half. (Department store manager early 1900’s John Wanamaker)

Personal ads are dangerous. You have to separate the ones who are lying from the ones who are hallucinating. (Comedienne Rita Rudner, 1994)

ADVICE

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t. (Erica Jong)

Never play cards with a man named Doc. Never eat in a place called Mom’s. Never sleep with a woman whose troubles are worse than your own. (Nelson Algren-novelist)

If you want to advise me, do it on Saturday afternoon between 1 and 4 o’clock. And you’ve got 30 seconds to do it in between plays. Not on Monday. I know the right thing to do on Monday. (Alex Agase—former Notre Dame football coach)

Why did you change to try to please me? You shouldn’t have listened to me. I was wrong. (Billy Joel—pop singer)

No one wants advice, only corroboration. (John Steinbeck—Novelist)

AGE

I disregard time. You don’t see me wear a watch. I don’t have birthdays. (Pop Diva Mariah Carey on her 42nd birthday)

Today is the oldest you have ever been, yet the youngest you’ll ever be, so enjoy the day.

Listen, I don’t give a fuck if you forget my birthday. I don’t need people reminding me I’m closer to death. But your mom, she still enjoys counting them down, so cancel your fucking plans and drive down here for her birthday party. I’ll let you know if she changes her mind and ceases to care about meaningless milestones. (Justin Halperin Sh*t My Father Said)

Middle Age: When you are home on Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it is not for you. (Ogden Nash-simple poet)

Descriptions an actors’ career (1) Who is ?? (2) Get me (3) Get me a*** type (4) get me a young*** (5) Who is ???

Those little lines around your mouth, those crow’s feet around your eyes, the millimeter your derriere has slipped in the last decade—they’re just nature’s way of telling you’ve got nine holes left to play. So go out there and have a good time. (Bruce Willis in TV’s Moonlighting)

The tragedy of an aging woman is she loses her power over men, often the only power she has ever had, (Joyce Power)

I look as young as a person can look given how old I am. (Author/Director Nora Ephron (68) in her book I Remember Nothing)

ANGER

I love you and the last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it is still on my list. (Internet posting JellyX 2009)

Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re in the right. (Ricky Gervais—comedian/host)

Speak when you are angry and you’ll make the best speech you’ll ever