Why do you work so hard to make yourself disliked? I should think you'd find it happens enough on its own without putting yourself to any extra trouble.

Steven Brust

Categorized in : Thinking Enough Trouble

A stupid person can make only certain, limited types of errors; the mistakes open to a clever fellow are far broader. But to the one who knows how smart he is compared to everyone else, the possibilities for true idiocy are boundless.

smart clever mistake

A young man without ambition is an old man waiting to be. by Steven Brust

A young man without ambition is an old man waiting to be.

ambition waiting men

It's just that no one wants to be the one being rescued, we all w... by Steven Brust

It's just that no one wants to be the one being rescued, we all want to do the rescuing.

want

I’ve heard it said: ‘By his home you shall know him’; and we all know that we must pay attention to anyone who reverses the subject and auxiliary verb in his sentence.

verbs home attention

Staring into the dragon's maw, one quickly learns wisdom. by Steven Brust

Staring into the dragon's maw, one quickly learns wisdom.

staring dragons

What's the point of having weak enemies? They just waste your tim... by Steven Brust

What's the point of having weak enemies? They just waste your time.

waste weak enemy

He got up and walked out, so I missed seeing the powerful sorcerer doing his powerful sorcery, which would have involved him closing his eyes and then, I don't know, maybe taking a deep breath or something.

sorcery powerful eye

Everybody generalizes from one example. At least, I do. by Steven Brust

Everybody generalizes from one example. At least, I do.

example

Can you be serious for two words?" "Not without effort. by Steven Brust

Can you be serious for two words?" "Not without effort.

effort serious two

There was a sergeant at a desk. I knew he was a sergeant because I recognized the marks on his uniform, and I knew it was a desk because it's always a desk. There's always someone at a desk, except when it's a table that functions as a desk. You sit behind a desk, and everyone knows you're supposed to be there, and that you're doing something that involves your brain. It's an odd, special kind of importance. I think everyone should get a desk; you can sit behind it when you feel like you don't matter.

special brain thinking

One man's mistake is another man's opportunity. by Steven Brust

One man's mistake is another man's opportunity.

mistake opportunity men

I'd rather be running the game than playing it. by Steven Brust

I'd rather be running the game than playing it.

games running

That's what does it-- that moment where you think you're lost, and then discover that you're not, that you've never really left. There's something that happens in that incredible tiny no-time, and that something is like the revelation of learning.

tiny doe thinking

I tend to close my eyes when I look at people anymore. by Steven Brust

I tend to close my eyes when I look at people anymore.

eye people looks

I have something to tell you." "How, you have something to tell me?" "You have understood me exactly." "Well, I am listening." "Listening? Then, you wish me to tell you?" "Yes, that is it. I am listening, and therefore I wish you to tell me." "Shall I tell you now?" "No.

wells wish listening

The tools are real. The viewer is real, you, the artist, is real and a part of everything you paint. You connect yourself to the viewer by sharing something that is inside of you that connects with something inside of him. All you have as your guide is that you know what moves you. All you have to do it with is a brush, some chemical and canvas, and technique.

artist real moving

The novel should be understood as a structure built to accommodate the greatest possible amount of cool stuff.

structure should stuff

You can't put something together again unless you've torn it apar... by Steven Brust

You can't put something together again unless you've torn it apart first.

together-again together firsts

There are millions of ways for people to die, if you number each vital organ, each ways it can fail, all the poisons from the earth and the sea which can cause these failures.

sea numbers people

Do you think it's possible to discuss politics without preaching? by Steven Brust

Do you think it's possible to discuss politics without preaching?

preaching thinking