The words slipped out from between my teeth.

oops there goes another quoting queer

― Geoff, Thursday, 26 July 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've done that with Momus and quite frequently the Velvet Underground. Momus is terribly clever, and everything anyone said reminded me of the Velvet Underground for some time.

I'm much more likely to quote authors though. "C.S. Lewis says...." "Ayn Rand says...." I've been told to go read Plato so I can quote someone people will listen to.

Yeah, definitely don't go quoting Ayn Rand. Please.

I'll admit to stealing Bragg's bon mots constantly. He's just damn good at it, particularly when it comes to turning famous pop lyrics into sociopolitical slogans:

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to sell." "War; what is it good for? It's good for business!"

I love Ayn Rand though. She's funny, and always good for an argument with either rabid Objectivists or rabid liberals.

I ofen find myself quoting aesop and me.

Wait: how does quoting Ayn Rand help you argue with objectivists? Wouldn't that be sort of like preaching Marx to Marxists?

She's essentially a reactionary, a sort of twisted mirror-image of John Birch Society types in the U.S. So much of her thinking hinges on the very limiting assumption that the errors of communism necessarily make capitalist libertarianism not just preferable, but right. She reminds me of a 15 year old boy defending his love of Korn by saying "The Backstreet Boys suck."

Plus she's an awful writer.

"preaching Marx to Marxists" = absolutely sure-and-certain way to start an argument!!

It's easier to argue with Objectivists if you know what she said. Besides, there are some internal inconsistencies. I enjoy her writing, though. Well, not the Fountainhead; I wanted to kill most of the characters. Other than THAT, I enjoy her writing.

Ahh, now I see what you meant. Always a lot more fun to clobber people with their own sacred texts ...

So, back on topic -- who else is quotable? The Trash Can Sinatras have always been a favorite of mine when it comes to classic turns of phrase ... and I keep coming across fabulous lines in Bright Eyes songs, even the wretched ones.

I always quote the most banal & artless lyrics, because they fit into my regular conversations without seeming arch or forced. And, god, if I EVER start a sentence with, "As so-and-so once said...," I'm heading straight for the paint thinner.

That said, Franklin Bruno always comes up with great couplets. I always end up using "You fucking die!" once in a while. (Does it count as quoting if the quote is out of context of anything occuring during the quoting?)

And I'm always looking for an excuse to impress the ladies with my rendition of LL Cool J's "Round the Way Girl". Hells yeah. Invite me to a party so I can drop some phat up jimmy jams, yo. Word. I'm fly like Ben Stiller, wha?

I usually end ALL sentences or declarations I make by adding:

"...in accordance with THE PROPHECY..."

W. S. GIlbert has a quotation for every occasion; he should have gone into the greeting-card business.