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And I’m Not Confused About The Lack Of, Or The Need For, Imagination In Low Or High Places. We Could Do Better We Must Do Better. There Are Far Worse Things To Drop On People Than Crayolas.
-Robert Fulghum
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And I’m Not Confused

Robert Fulghum
And I’m Not Confused About The Lack Of, Or The Need For, Imagination In Low Or High Places. We Could Do Better We Must Do Better. There Are Far Worse Things To Drop On People Than Crayolas.
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Confused
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Imagination
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About Winning And Losing: It Isn't Important, What Really Counts Is How You Play The Game. About Playing The Game: Play To Win!
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Hide-and-seek, Grown-up Style. Wanting To Hide. Needing To Be Sought. Confused About Being Found.
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Bed
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Important
May
I'm Good At Doing The Laundry. At Least That. And It's A Religious Experience...water, Earth, Fire-polarities Of Wet And Dry, Hot And Cold, Dirty And Clean. The Great Cycles-round And Round-beginning And End-alpha And Omega, Amen.
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Work
Dirty
This Is An Exercise In Power - The Power Of Mind Over Matter. If You Don't Mind Being Inadequate, It Doesn't Matter.
Exercise
Power
Mind
And I’m Not Confused About The Lack Of, Or The Need For, Imagination In Low Or High Places. We Could Do Better We Must Do Better. There Are Far Worse Things To Drop On People Than Crayolas.
Confused
People
Imagination
I Believe That Imagination Is Stronger Than Knowledge.
Hope
Laughter
Grief
It's Just This: That There Are Places We All Come From-deep-rooty-common Places- That Makes Us Who We Are. And We Disdain Them Or Treat Them Lightly At Our Peril. We Turn Our Backs On Them At The Risk Of Self-contempt. There Is A Sense In Which We Need To Go Home Again-and Can Go Home Again. Not To Recover Home, No. But To Sanctify Memory.
Memories
Home
Self
Speed And Efficiency Do Not Always Increase The Quality Of Life.
Quality
Speed
Efficiency
My Secret Agenda Is To Convey My Values To My Kids.
Kids
Secret
Agendas
It's Not That I'm Not Grateful For All This Attention. It's Just That Fame And Fortune Ought To Add Up To More Than Fame And Fortune.
Success
Grateful
Add
Ignorance And Power And Pride Are A Deadly Mixture, You Know.
Ignorance
Pride
Mixtures
Wherever And However Any One Of Us May Be Conceived, It Is The Same. We Come Into Being In The Arms Of God.
May
Arms
Public Lives Are Lived Out On The Job And In The Marketplace, Where Certain Rules, Conventions, Laws, And Social Customs Keep Most Of Us In Line. Private Lives Are Lived Out In The Presence Of Family, Friends, And Neighbors Who Must Be Considered And Respected Even Though The Rules And Proscriptions Are Looser Than What's Allowed In Public. But In Our Secret Lives, Inside Our Own Heads, Almost Anything Goes.
Jobs
Law
Secret
Anything Not Worth Doing Is Worth Not Doing Well.
Wells
An Artists Job Is To See. And To Go Out In The World And See It Firsthand, Just As It Is; To Report With Line And Words What Is Seen. To Be In The World, Not Just Study About The World, That Is The Artists Task
Jobs
Artist
Tasks
I Don't Think There Is A Hidden Purpose To The Universe That You Have To Puzzle Out.
Thinking
Purpose
Puzzles
Love Is The Grand Prize And The Garbage Heap. Love Is A Spiritual Root Canal And The Only Thing That Makes Life Worth Living. Love Is A Little Taste Of Always And A Big Bite Of Nothing. And Love Is Everything In Between These Extremes.
Spiritual
Love Is
Roots
Life Is Lumpy. And A Lump In The Oatmeal, A Lump In The Throat, And A Lump In A Breast Are Not The Same Lump. One Should Learn The Difference.
Differences
Oatmeal
Life Is
Instructions For Wayfarers They Will Declare: Every Journey Has Been Taken. You Shall Respond: I Have Not Been To See Myself. They Will Insist: Everything Has Been Spoken. You Shall Reply: I Have Not Had My Say. They Will Tell You: Everything Has Been Done. You Shall Reply: My Way Is Not Complete. You Are Warned: Any Way Is Long, Any Way Is Hard. Fear Not. You Are The Gate - You, The Gatekeeper. And You Shall Go Through And On . . . —alexandros Evangelou Xenopouloudakis, Third Wish
Taken
Journey
Long
And Sure, I Know If You Eat This Way You'll Die. So? If You Don't Eat This Way You're Still Going To Die. Why Not Die Happy?
Why Not
Way
Stills
You Will Continue To Read Stories Of Crookedness And Corruption - Of Policemen Who Lie And Steal, Doctors Who Reap Where They Do Not Sew, Politicians On The Take. Don't Be Misled. They Are News Because They Are The Exceptions.
Lying
Doctors
News
Always Trust Your Fellow Man. And Always Cut The Cards. Always Trust God. And Always Build Your House On High Ground. Always Love Thy Neighbor. And Always Pick A Good Neighborhood To Live In.
Cutting
Men
House
Just When You Thought That You Already Learned The Way How To Live, Life Changes - And You're Left The Same As You Begun.
Life Changing
Live Life
Way
If Only The Scientific Experts Could Come Up With Something To Get It Out Of Our Minds. One Cup Of Fixit Fizzle That Will Lift The Dirt From Our Lives, Soften Our Hardness, Protect Our Inner Parts, Improve Our Processing, Reduce Our Yellowing And Wrinkling, Improve Our Natural Color, And Make Us Sweet And Good.
Sweet
Color
Mind
I And You-we Are Infinate, Rich, Large, Contradictory, Living, Breathing Miracles-free Human Beings, Children Of God And The Everlasting Universe. That's What We Do.
Children
Breathing
Miracle
We Even Make Ourselves Up, Fusing What We Are With What We Wish Into What We Must Become. I'm Not Sure Why It Must Be So, But It Is.
Wish
Not Sure
The Indian Danced On Alone. The Crowd Clapped Up The Beat. The Indian Danced With A Chair. The Crowd Went Crazy. The Band Faded. The Crowd Cheered. The Indian Held Up His Hands For Silence As If To Make A Speech. Looking At The Band And Then The Crowd, The Indian Said, "well, What're You Waiting For? Let's Dance.
Crazy
Hands
Waiting
The Best Feelings In Your Life Come When You Start Feeling Good After You've Been Feeling Just Awful
Feel Good
Feelings
Awful
The Leaves Let Go, The Seeds Let Go, And I Must Let Go Sometimes, Too, And Cast My Lot With Another Of Nature’s Imperfect But Tenacious Survivors.
Letting Go
Survivor
Imperfect
I Believe In Dancing.
Believe
Dancing
I Believe
To Look This Way Is To See. To See Is To Have Vision. To Have Vision Is To Understand. To Understand Is To Know. To Know Is To Become. To Become Is To Live Fully. To Live Fully Is To Matter. And To Matter Is To Become Light. And To Become Light Is To Be Loved. And To Be Loved Is To Burn. And To Burn Is To Exist. Off And On.
Love
Light
Understanding
And Good Neighbors Make A Huge Difference In The Quality Of Life. I Agree.
Differences
Quality
Neighbor
The Winding Down Of Summer Puts Me In A Heavy Philosophical Mood.
Summer
Philosophical
Mood
Dreams Are More Powerful Than Facts.
Hope
Dream
Powerful
Why Is Love Easy? I Don’t Know. And The Raccoons Don’t Say.
Easy
Raccoons
Knows
For All My Good Intentions, There Are Days When Things Go Wrong Or I Fall Into Old Habits. When Things Are Not Going Well, When I'm Grumpy Or Mad, I'll Realize That I've Not Been Paying Attention To My Soul And I've Not Been Following My Best Routine.
Fall
Old Habits
Mad
You Can't Always Explain Everything You Do To Everybody, You Know.
Explanation
Knows
If I Don't Have Time To Live My Life Well The First Time, When Am I Going To Find The Time To Go Back And Live It Over?
Firsts
Living My Life
First Time
Sometimes, When Asked The What-do-you-do Question, It Occurs To Me To Say That I Work For The Government. I Have A Government Job, Essential To National Security. I Am A Citizen. Like The Supreme Court Judges, My Job Is For Life, And The Well-being Of My Country Depends On Me. It Seems Fair To Think That I Should Be Held Accountable For My Record In The Same Way I Expect Accountability From Those Who Seek Elected Office. I Would Like To Be Able To Say That I Can Stand On My Record And Am Proud Of It.
Country
Jobs
Thinking
If You Want An Interesting Party Sometime, Combine Cocktails And A Fresh Box Of Crayons For Everyone.
New Year
Party
Color
Clean Up Your Own Mess.
Cleaning
Clean
Mess
It’s The Spirit Here That Counts. The Time May Be Long, The Vehicle May Be Strange Or Unexpected. But If The Dream Is Held Close To The Heart, And Imagination Is Applied To What There Is Close At Hand, Everything Is Still Possible.
Dream
Heart
Hands
Doing A Straight-forward, Clear-cut Task That Has A Beginning And An End Balances Out The Complexity-without-end That Often Vexes The Rest Of My Life. Sacred Simplicity.
Life
Work
Cutting
Understanding Quotes: Their Essence and Application

Quotes, or quotations, are powerful tools in communication, encapsulating ideas, emotions, and wisdom in concise expressions. They serve various purposes across different contexts, from academic writing to everyday conversation.

1. Defining Quotes

A quote is a repetition of someone else's statement or thoughts. It can be a direct replication of words spoken or written by another individual, often used to support arguments, provide evidence, or convey profound insights.


2. The Importance of Quotes

2.1. Enhancing Credibility

Incorporating quotes from authoritative sources can bolster the credibility of your work. By referencing experts or primary sources, you demonstrate thorough research and a solid foundation for your arguments.


2.2. Providing Evidence

Quotes serve as concrete evidence to support claims. In academic and professional writing, they validate points made, offering readers a basis to trust the information presented.


2.3. Conveying Emotions and Perspectives

Quotes can encapsulate emotions and perspectives succinctly. They allow writers to express complex feelings or viewpoints through the words of others, often more eloquently than paraphrasing.


3. Types of Quotes

3.1. Direct Quotes

Direct quotes involve copying the exact words from a source, enclosed in quotation marks. They are used when the original wording is significant or particularly well-expressed.


3.2. Indirect Quotes (Paraphrasing)

Indirect quotes restate the original message in your own words. While not enclosed in quotation marks, they still require proper attribution to the original source.


3.3. Block Quotes

Block quotes are lengthy direct quotations, formatted as a separate block of text. They are typically used for quotes exceeding a certain length, varying by citation style. For instance, in APA style, quotes longer than 40 words are formatted as block quotes.



4. Proper Usage of Quotes


4.1. Contextual Relevance

Ensure that the quote you choose is relevant to the topic and adds value to your content. Avoid inserting quotes solely for decorative purposes.


4.2. Integration into Your Writing

Seamlessly integrate quotes into your writing. Introduce them appropriately and follow up with analysis or commentary to connect them to your main points.


4.3. Attribution and Citation

Always attribute quotes to their original authors and provide proper citations according to the required style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).


5. Common Mistakes to Avoid


5.1. Overusing Quotes

Relying too heavily on quotes can overshadow your voice. Use them sparingly to support your arguments, not replace them.


5.2. Lack of Analysis

Presenting a quote without analysis or explanation can leave readers questioning its relevance. Always follow up with your interpretation or discussion.


5.3. Misquoting or Taking Out of Context

Ensure that quotes are accurate and not taken out of context, as this can mislead readers and undermine your credibility.



6. Quotes in Different Contexts


6.1. Academic Writing

In academic writing, quotes are used to support arguments, provide evidence, and engage with existing literature. Proper citation is crucial to avoid plagiarism.


6.2. Journalism

Journalists use quotes to provide firsthand accounts, add authenticity, and present multiple perspectives within a story.


6.3. Literature and Creative Writing

In literature, quotes can be used to convey character voices, themes, and stylistic elements. They enrich narratives and provide depth to storytelling.



7. Punctuation and Formatting


Understanding the correct punctuation and formatting of quotes is essential:


Quotation Marks: Always enclose direct quotes within quotation marks.


Punctuation Placement: In American English, periods and commas are placed inside quotation marks, while colons and semicolons are placed outside.


Block Quotes: For longer quotes, format them as block quotes without quotation marks, and indent the entire block.



8. Ethical Considerations


Ethical use of quotes involves accurate representation, proper attribution, and respect for intellectual property. Misuse can lead to plagiarism, which carries serious academic and professional consequences.

9. Tools for Managing Quotes


Utilize tools like citation generators and plagiarism checkers to manage quotes effectively. These tools help ensure proper formatting and originality in your writing.



Conclusion


Quotes are invaluable in enriching content, providing evidence, and conveying complex ideas succinctly. When used appropriately, they enhance the quality and credibility of your writing. Always ensure relevance, proper integration, and ethical usage to maximize their impact.


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