The absent are never without fault. Nor the present without excuse.

And such is your definition of matrimony and dancing. Taken in that light, certainly their resemblance is not striking; but I think I could place them in such a view. You will allow that in both man has the advantage of choice, woman only the power of refusal; that in both it is an engagement between man and woman, formed for the advantage of each; and that when once entered into, they belong exclusively to each other till the moment of its dissolution; that it is their duty each to endeavor to give the other no cause for wishing that he or she had bestowed themselves elsewhere, and their best interest to keep their own imaginations from wandering towards the perfections of their neighbors, or fancying that they should have been better off with any one else.

Jane Austen

Difficulties increase the nearer we get to the goal.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The process of writing has something infinite about it. Even though it is interrupted each night, it is one single notation.

Elias Canetti

We need to understand that we are not each others' enemies in this country. And it is only the political class that derives its power by creating friction. It is only the media that derives its importance by creating friction... that uses every little thing to create this chasm between people. This is not who we are.

Benjamin Carson

Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you don't let other people spend it for you.

John Dryden

I did a women's movie, and I'm not a woman. I did a gay movie, and I'm not gay. I learned as I went along.

Ang Lee

It is more important to be of service than successful.

Robert Kennedy Jr.

Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.

Jack Welch

Is art really the priesthood that demands the pure in heart who belong to it wholly?

Paul Cezanne

I think there is a heritage which I'm proud of, which is a fight for democracy, a fight for social justice, a fight for freedom. My grandfather went to jail or exile six times in his life, fighting for his principles for democracy, or for his country. And my father twice.

George Papandreou

If you can't get people to listen to you any other way, tell them it's confidential.

Proverb

Truth is, you make albums, and some of those songs are hits, and some of the greatest hits albums have songs that weren't hits. You have a career, the reason why we're still around 10 years is that we do have successful songs.

Adam Duritz