Quotes about doing
page 61

“Sometimes you dont even want to think aout what people are doing with their groceries.”

Sarah Dessen (1970) American writer

Source: Someone Like You

“Life is like a fruit basket. You can eat some of it or wast it and throw some of it out. Only you can chose on wat to do with that fruit basket.”

Natsuki Takaya (1973) Manga artist

Source: Fruits Basket, Vol. 23

Life

“I can't eat and I can't sleep. I'm not doing well in terms of being a functional human, you know?”

Ned Vizzini book It's Kind of a Funny Story

Variant: I'm not doing well in terms of being a functional human.
Source: It's Kind of a Funny Story

Sad, Sleep

“What people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can.”

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) 1817-1862 American poet, essayist, naturalist, and abolitionist

Variant: What people say you cannot do, you try and find that you can.

People

“We do not escape into philosophy, psychology, and art--we go there to restore our shattered selves into whole ones.”

Anaïs Nin (1903–1977) writer of novels, short stories, and erotica

Source: In Favor of the Sensitive Man and Other Essays

Art

“Everything we do in life is based on fear, especially love.”

Mel Brooks (1926) American director, writer, actor, and producer

Love, Life, Fear

“Do you know why the Indian rain dances always worked? Because the Indians would keep dancing until it rained.”

Sherman Alexie (1966) Native American author and filmmaker

Dance

“Most of those we call heroes only did what they had to do.”

Robert Jordan (1948–2007) American writer

Siuan Sanche
(15 October 1991)

“There's a certain class of people who will do you in and then remain completely mystified by the depth of your pain.”

Sue Grafton (1940–2017) American writer

Source: E is for Evidence

Pain, People

“Multiculturalism should not mean that we tolerate another culture’s intolerance. If we do in fact support diversity, women’s rights, and gay rights, then we cannot in good conscience give Islam a free pass on the grounds of multicultural sensitivity.”

Ayaan Hirsi Ali book Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now

Source: Heretic: Why Islam Needs a Reformation Now

Women, Support

“The proud person always wants to do the right thing, the great thing. But because he wants to do it in his own strength, he is fighting not with man, but with God.”

Sören Kierkegaard (1813–1855) Danish philosopher and theologian, founder of Existentialism

God, Fight, Personality

“The next minute or so was spent howling on the ceiling. Imp No.1 joined in, but he wasn't really feeling it. It shouldn't be "Who do we hate?", he thought, it really should be "whom", but this probably wasn't a good time to bring that up.”

Eoin Colfer (1965) Irish author of children's books

Hate, Feeling, Time

“The problem isn't finding out where you are gonna go-its figuring out what you are gonna do once you get there that is! (Jamie Sullivan)”

Nicholas Sparks book A Walk to Remember

Source: A Walk to Remember

Problem

“I'm having the weirdest sense of deja vu right now," said the green caterpiller.
Duh!" said the blue caterpiller. "Do you think, just maybe, that's because you predicted this?"
Oh, yeah."
--The Looking Glass Wars”

Frank Beddor American skier and writer

War, Thinking, Sense

“Shakespeare said it best,' Tamaru said quietly as he gazed at that lumpish, misshapen head. 'Something along these lines: if we die today, we do not have to die tomorrow, so let us look to the best in each other”

Haruki Murakami book 1Q84

Source: 1Q84

“The Element is about discovering your self, and you can't do this if you're trapped in a compulsion to conform. You can't be yourself in a swarm.”

Ken Robinson (1950) UK writer

Source: The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything

“So tell me, Mr. Science Journalist, do you still doubt the existence of miracles?""

""I just tole you. You're my miracle.”

Nicholas Sparks book True Believer

True Believer

Science

“Magnus, we’re going down to the lake," he said. "Do you want to come?"
“Why?” Magnus inquired.
Alec shrugged, “Clary says it’s pretty,” he said. “I mean, I’ve seen it before, but there was a huge angel rising out of it, and that was distracting.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Heavenly Fire

Source: City of Heavenly Fire

Angels

“I do not think it worth while to wait for enjoyment until there is some real opportunity for it.”

Jane Austen (1775–1817) English novelist

Thinking, Waiting

“Mornings are pure evil from the pits of hell, which is why I don't do them anymore." Eve”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Bite Club

Hell, Evil

“Being a hero doesn’t mean you’re invincible. It just means that you’re brave enough to stand up and do what’s needed.”

Rick Riordan The Mark of Athena

Source: The Mark of Athena

“I'm young as morning
and fresh as dew.
Everybody loves me
and so do you.”

Maya Angelou book I Shall Not Be Moved

Source: I Shall Not Be Moved

Love

“One question," I said. "Did you tell me all that because you think I'm going to die?"
"No," he said. "It's because you're doing something brave, and I felt I should too."
"I'll take that as a yes," I said.”

Maureen Johnson (1973) writer from the USA

Source: The Name of the Star

Question, Thinking

“The day is made up of 24 hours and an infinite number of moments. We need to be aware of those moments and make the most of them regardless of whether we're busy doing something or contemplating life.”

Paulo Coelho (1947) Brazilian lyricist and novelist

Source: The Witch Of Portobello

Life, Business

“I wanted to quit and to do this forever, sleep in a bed and in a tent, see what was over the next hill and never see a hill again. All of this all at once, every moment, on the trail or off.”

Bill Bryson A Walk in the Woods

Source: A Walk in the Woods

Sleep

“Bathroom, maybe? Which is where I need to go."
"Ooh, me, too," Eve said.
The boys rolled their eyes, like they'd planned it.
"What? It's what girls do. Get over it.”

Rachel Caine (1962) American writer

Source: Ghost Town

Girl, Boy

“Watcha gonna do when I'm gone, Maggie? I'll do macrame, punk”

Lucia Berlin (1936–2004) American writer

A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories
Variant: Watcha gonna do when I'm gone, Maggie?

I'll do macrame, punk

“Do for yourself, for no one else will.”

Johanna Lindsey (1952–2019) American writer

Source: A Heart So Wild

Motivational, Attitude, Success, For women

“I think you can do whatever you want. In the end, we all live the life we choose for ourselves.”

Nicholas Sparks book See Me

Source: See Me

Life, Thinking

“The first duty of a human being is to assume the right relationship to society -- more briefly, to find your real job, and do it.”

Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) American feminist, writer, commercial artist, lecturer and social reformer

“Atticus---"… said Jem bleakly. "How could they do it, how could they?"
"I don't know, but they did it. They've done it before & they did it tonight & they'll do it again & when they do it--- seems that only children weep.”

Harper Lee book To Kill a Mockingbird

Source: To Kill a Mockingbird

Children

“Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.”

Robert A. Heinlein (1907–1988) American science fiction author

“Hey, ah, does anyone want a cookie or something? Oh yeah. A cookie. That would make everything better. Dunked in a shot of tequila, maybe? Or better yet, just the bottle? Yeah, that ought to do it.”

Kim Harrison (1966) Pseudonym

Source: Every Which Way But Dead

“Hell, yes," Dev says, sitting up now. "Don't get me wrong - we're totally going to make the beast with two backs tonight. But if we do it right, it's going to feel like holding hands.”

David Levithan (1972) American author and editor

Source: Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

Feeling, Hell

“There's release in knowing the truth no matter how anguishing it is. You come finally to the irreducible thing, and there's nothing left to do but pick it up and hold it. Then, at last, you can enter the severe mercy of acceptance.”

Sue Monk Kidd book The Mermaid Chair

Source: The Mermaid Chair

Truth

“We're paying the highest tribute you can pay a man. We trust him to do right. It's that simple.”

Harper Lee book To Kill a Mockingbird

Source: To Kill a Mockingbird

“I told you to wait,” he snapped at Alec.
“Don’t you ever do anything I tell you to?”
“Technically you didn’t actually say anything,”
Clary said. “You just gestured.”
“Gesturing counts,” Jace said. “I gesture
very expressively.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Heavenly Fire

Source: City of Heavenly Fire

Waiting

“I may do some good before I am dead--be a sort of success as a frightful example of what not to do; and so illustrate a moral story.”

Thomas Hardy book Jude the Obscure

Source: Jude the Obscure

Success, Dead

“To a Young Poet

Time cannot break the bird's wing from the bird.
Bird and wing together
Go down, one feather.

No thing that ever flew,
Not the lark, not you,
Can die as others do.”

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892–1950) American poet

Source: Collected Poems

Bird, Time

“So in sum, what are we? We are the creatures that know and know too much. That leaves us with such a burden again we have a choice, to laugh or cry. No other animal does either. We do, depending on the season and the need.”

Ray Bradbury book Something Wicked This Way Comes

Source: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Animals, Dependency, Cry, Season

“Believe with all your heart that you will do what you were made to do.”

Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American writer

Heart

“It's just that I'm fifteen, and I have this crazy idea I might actually have a life in front of me. I don't see how it's going to do me much good to believe that the world is over and this is just an epilogue.”

Jonathan Maberry book Rot & Ruin

Source: Rot & Ruin

Life, World, Idea

“Smiling, I cut across the quadrangle toward the commons. I felt better about life than I had in a very long time. We could do this, Lissa and me. We could do this together.”

Richelle Mead Vampire Academy

Source: Vampire Academy

Life, Smile, Time

“Self-sufficiency is the enemy of salvation. If you are self-sufficient, you have no need of God. If you have no need of God, you do not seek Him. If you do not seek Him, you will not find Him.”

William Nicholson movie Shadowlands

Source: Shadowlands (1993)

God

“Treat everyone you meet as if they have infinite value because in God’s eyes they do”

Joyce Meyer (1943) American author and speaker

God

“Okay," Annabeth said. "What exactly do you smell?"
"Something bad," Tyson answered.
"Great," Annabeth grumbled. "That clears it up.”

Rick Riordan book The Sea of Monsters

Source: The Sea of Monsters

“You see, in this country are a number of youths who do not like to work, and the college is an excellent place for them.”

L. Frank Baum book Ozma of Oz

Source: Ozma of Oz

Youth, Country

“Live a good long life. Grow old and die after I do. And if you can, die laughing.”

Tite Kubo (1977) Japanese manga artist

Life

“Is it important to be right or is it important to do what’s right? That’s one of the hardest lessons to learn.”

James Patterson (1947) American author

Source: The Angel Experiment

Learning

“You know," I told him,"if you don't know how to eat a cupcake, that's nothing to be ashamed of."
Now he did smile. "I know how to eat a cupcake."
"Sure you do."
"I do," he said. "I just don't want one of those."
"Yeah? Prove it.”

Sarah Dessen book Along for the Ride

Source: Along for the Ride

Smile

“I don't understand you. You don't understand me. What else do we have in common?”

Ashleigh Brilliant (1933) American author and cartoonist

Understanding

“I know we loved each other, but distance can do strange things to people and before I was willing to tell you about it, I wanted to be certain that it would last”

Nicholas Sparks book Nights in Rodanthe

Source: Nights in Rodanthe

Love, People

“Nine times out of ten, talking is a way of avoiding doing things.”

Patricia C. Wrede Dealing with Dragons

Source: Dealing with Dragons

Way, Time

“Zerbrowski said, "Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try."
It took me a second to realize that he had just quoted Star Wars to me. It made me smile, and in that moment I loved him, just for that.”

Laurell K. Hamilton book Kiss the Dead

Source: Kiss the Dead

Love, War, Smile, Quotes

“What hath night to do with sleep?”

John Milton book Paradise Lost

Source: Paradise Lost

Sleep, Night

“Thy friendship oft has made my heart to ache: do be my enemy for friendship's sake.”

William Blake (1757–1827) English Romantic poet and artist

Friendship, Heart

“Do those people who hold up the Bible as an inspiration to
moral rectitude have the slightest notion of what is actually written
in it?”

Richard Dawkins book The God Delusion

Source: The God Delusion

People

“Hey," said Jace. who was sitting on an overturned speaker, looking at his cellphone, "do you want to see a photo of Alec and Magnus in Berlin?"
"Not really," said Simon.
"Magnus is wearing lederhosen."
"And yet, still no.”

Cassandra Clare book City of Fallen Angels

Source: City of Fallen Angels

Photo

“If only we could see in advance all the harm that can come from the good we think we are doing.”

Luigi Pirandello Six Characters in Search of an Author

Source: Six Characters in Search of an Author

Thinking

“I do want your happiness. But the absence of fighting or hatred or desire also means the opposites do not exist either. No joy, no communion, no love. Only where there is disillusionment and depression and sorrow does happiness arise; without the despair of loss, there is no hope.”

Haruki Murakami book Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World

Source: Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World (1985), Chapter 32, Shadow in the Throes of Death
Source: Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World
Context: First, about the mind. You tell me there is no fighting or hatred or desire in the Town. That this is a beautiful dream, and I do want your happiness. But the absence of fighting or hatred or desire also means the opposites do not exist either. No joy, no communion, no love. Only where there is disillusionment and depression and sorrow does happiness arise; without the despair of loss, there is no hope.

Love, Hope, Loss, Joy

“It is after all so easy to shatter a story. To break a chain of thought. To ruin a fragment of a dream being carried around carefully like a piece of porcelain. To let it be, to travel with it, as Velutha did, is much the harder thing to do.”

Arundhati Roy book The God of Small Things

Source: The God of Small Things

Dreams, Travel

“Changing is what people do when they have no options left.”

Holly Black book Red Glove

Source: Red Glove

People, Change

“Three o'clock is always too late or too early for anything you want to do.”

Jean Paul Sartre book Nausea

Nausea (1938)

“The Feast of Fortuna had nothing to do with tuna, which was fine with Percy.”

Rick Riordan book The Son of Neptune

Source: The Son of Neptune

“When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty.”

George Bernard Shaw Caesar and Cleopatra

Act III http://books.google.com/books?id=3wAOAQAAMAAJ <br class="br">Source: 1890s, Caesar and Cleopatra (1898)

Stupidity

“No matter what you do, someone always knew you would.”

Ami McKay (1968) Canadian writer

Source: The Birth House

“If the events of September 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American -- our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that.”

Jon Stewart (1962) American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian

Freedom

“There are many ways to be free. One of them is to transcend reality by imagination, as I try to do.”

Anaïs Nin (1903–1977) writer of novels, short stories, and erotica

Way, Imagination, Reality

“We can do anything. It’s not because
our hearts are large, they’re not, it’s what we
struggle with. The attempt to say Come over. Bring
your friends. It’s a potluck, I’m making pork chops, I’m making
those long noodles you love so much.”

Richard Siken (1967) American poet

Source: Crush

Love, Heart

“Oh, brothers and sisters, families can be forever! Do not let the lures [or the irritants] of the moment draw you away from them! Divinity, eternity, and family--they go together, hand in hand, and so must we!”

Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Family, Sister, Drawing

“Do you think I don't want him to be gone more than you do? I do. Because I need to know that I can still breathe properly when he's not around. If something happens to him, I have to know that I won't fall apart…”

Melina Marchetta book On the Jellicoe Road

Source: On the Jellicoe Road

Thinking

“Waiting is painful. Forgetting is painful. But not knowing which to do is the worst kind of suffering.”

Paulo Coelho book By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

By The River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept (1994)
Variant: Waiting Hurts. Forgetting Hurts. But not knowing which decision to take is the worst of suffering.
Source: By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Pain, Suffering, Waiting, Forgetting

“I wish I could stop being in love with Sam. I really do.”

Stephen Chbosky book The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Source: The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Love

“As one, the shapechangers turned and looked at me. I wondered what they'd do if I asked to borrow a cup of sugar.”

Ilona Andrews American husband-and-wife novelist duo

Source: Magic Bites

“Never risking anything meant never having or doing or being anything either. Life is risk, it turned out.”

Lev Grossman book The Magician's Land

Source: The Magician's Land

Life

“When people have a hard task to do - one which stretches them - they become less concerned with trivial matters.”

Idries Shah (1924–1996) writer and Sufi teacher

People

“Everything's a scandal. Dying's a scandal. But we all do it.”

Don DeLillo book Cosmopolis

Source: Cosmopolis

“Break the glass, please, and free us from all these damned rules, from needing to find an explanation for everything, from doing only what others approve of.”

Paulo Coelho book By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

Source: By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept

“I am very tired of this Government, which I have never seen, and which is always insisting that I must do disagreeable things, and does no good to anybody.”

Naomi Novik book Throne of Jade

Source: Throne of Jade

“If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do.”

Joss Whedon (1964) American director, writer, and producer for television and film

Tim Minear, in Epiphany", episode 16 of season 2 of Angel; also mentioned in the DVD commentary for the Firefly episode, "Objects in Space".
Misattributed

“I’ll give you a choice. Kill me.”
“By definition ‘choice’ mandates a minimum of two possible avenues of action.”
“I wasn’t done. Or kiss me. But do one or the other. Before I do one or the other to you.”

Karen Marie Moning (1964) author

Source: Burned

Kiss

“Church was doing what he often did when dropped - lying on his back with all four legs in the air, pretending to be dead in order to induce guilt in his owners.”

Cassandra Clare The City of Lost Souls

Source: City of Lost Souls

Lying, Dead

“Sometimes you’re loved because of your weaknesses. What you can’t do is sometimes more compelling than what you can.”

Melissa Bank book The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

Source: The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing

Love

“Why do they not teach you that time is a finger snap and an eye blink, and that you should not allow a moment to pass you by without taking joyous, ecstatic note of it, not wasting a single moment of its swift, breakneck circuit?”

Pat Conroy (1945–2016) American novelist

Time

“I got a new shadow. I had to get rid of the other one – it wasn’t doing what I was doing.”

Steven Wright (1955) American actor and author

“How do you know about Boy George? (Jesse)
I was in hell, Jesse. What do you think they used to torture me with? Bad pop songs. (Xypher)”

Sherrilyn Kenyon (1965) Novelist

Source: Dream Chaser

Boy, Hell, Thinking

“There will be guards,” Bast said. “And traps. And alarms. You can bet the house is heavily charmed to keep out gods.”
“Magicians can do that?” I asked. I imagined a big can of pesticide labeled God-Away.”

Rick Riordan book The Red Pyramid

Source: The Red Pyramid

God, Imagination, Housing

“So do you think it's true what they say? About girls liking bastards?'
'He's not a bastard. He's an idiot.'
'Do girls like idiots then?”

David Nicholls book One Day

Source: One Day

Girl, Thinking

“His Grace was at her side, and lifted her down from the chair.
"My enfant," he said, "duchesses do not dance on chairs, nor do they call their brothers 'imbécile'."
Léonie's twinkled irrepressibly.
"I do," she said firmly.”

Georgette Heyer book These Old Shades

Source: These Old Shades

Dance

“How do you get off a non-stop flight?”

Steven Wright (1955) American actor and author

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

Jane Austen (1775–1817) English novelist

Variant: In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will no longer be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.
Source: Pride And Prejudice

love, Relationship, Romantic, Wedding