Saturday, January 2, 2010

Meandering here and there . . .

Today is the birthday William Lyon Phelps (January 2, 1865 - August 21, 1943), author, critic and scholar.

"One of the secrets of life is to keep our intellectual curiosity acute." - William Lyon Phelps

"There is a strange reluctance on the part of most people to admit they enjoy life." - William Lyon Phelps

"If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible." - William Lyon Phelps

"The happiest people are those who think the most interesting thoughts. Those who decide to use leisure as a means of mental development, who love good music, good books, good pictures, good company, good conversation, are the happiest people in the world. And they are not only happy in themselves, they are the cause of happiness in others." - William Lyon Phelps

"I divide all readers into two classes: those who read to remember and those who read to forget." - William Lyon Phelps

"The fear of life is the favorite disease of the twentieth century." - William Lyon Phelps

Phelps image source (1)



Happy Birthday salute to Isaac Yudovich Ozimov (c. January 2, 1920[1] – April 6, 1992), author and professor of biochemistry. He is best known as Isaac Asimov and for his science fiction and popular science books.

"The date of my birth, as I celebrate it, was January 2, 1920. It could not have been later than that. It might, however, have been earlier. Allowing for the uncertainties of the times, of the lack of records, of the Jewish and Julian calendars, it might have been as early as October 4, 1919. There is, however, no way of finding out. My parents were always uncertain and it really doesn't matter. I celebrate January 2, 1920, so let it be." - Isaac Asimov

"And above all things, never think that you're not good enough yourself. A man should never think that. My belief is that in life people will take you at your own reckoning." - Isaac Asimov

"It is change, continuing change, inevitable change, that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be." - Isaac Asimov

"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom." - Isaac Asimov

"The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing." - Isaac Asimov

Asimov image source (1)

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