Here comes a little “Cathy Chat.” My inspiration came after finding quotations from some of my books online. How endearing to find people are reading and being inspired. Some were about life lessons; others about how we relate to people. I especially like words that make me think… or make me smile!
I simply love a crack I saw on television a while ago. In a sportscast, a particular on-air talent always features a bit of wit in a chalkboard displayed over his shoulder. On one segment I laughed out loud, because the quote, attributed to Abraham Lincoln, was something like, “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that you never know if they are real.” Gooooood wit and irony, since there were no computers, never mind the World Wide Web in Lincoln’s day.
Superb reading for me comes from books with quotes that set a mood or reflect a particular theme. It matters little whether they come from famous people or unknowns, whether they are words of wisdom or generate laughter. One great example shines in my 2014 book, “Champagne! Facts, Fizz, Food & Fun.” Whether genuine or not, many quotes end up attributed to Mark Twain, including. “Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.” That reminded me of a favorite Mae West quotation, “Too much of a good thing… is wonderful.”
Some quotes give a glimpse into history, such as this one attributed to Winston Churchill. “Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it.”
Enough about bubbly for now. Collecting quotes since I was a child, I originally found them in the back of a huge family dictionary. I also jotted them down from a book or magazine I may have been reading. Since the 1960’s I have continued to glean some favorites from literature, theatrical works, movies, or speeches. I sometimes capture great quips when I hear them on television or the radio.
Sometimes these gems strike me as frivolous… sometimes wise… usually reflecting both wit and wisdom. Sometimes reflecting someone I sense is out of touch; other times they seem to reveal tremendous insight.
I plan to share, post, and distribute some simple thoughts and quotations. In doing so, if I didn’t say it, hear it, or read the quote firsthand, I will try to validate its legitimacy. If I misquote or misattribute, I apologize in advance. I will only offer them to you with the best intentions to provide a smile, provoke a thought, or simply share some wit and wisdom.
That said, I close for now with a quote from that great source we call ‘Unknown.’ Unknown simply said, “If you have trouble getting the cork out, drink champagne.”
