Search quotes

Link	Quote	Tags	Author
fd8e5cb	If you want me to treat your ideas with more respect, get some better ideas.		John Scalzi
4b8adef	1. Everyone is entitled to their opinion about the things they read (or watch, or listen to, or taste, or whatever). They're also entitled to express them online. 2. Sometimes those opinions will be ones you don't like. 3. Sometimes those opinions won't be very nice. 4. The people expressing those may be (but are not always) assholes. 5. However, if your solution to this "problem" is to vex, annoy, threaten or harrass them, you are a bigg..	criticism freedom-of-opinion reviewers reviewing opinions freedom-of-expression freedom-of-speech reviews bullying readers censorship	John Scalzi
16ef79a	For as much as I hate the cemetery, I've been grateful it's here, too. I miss my wife. It's easier to miss her at a cemetery, where she's never been anything but dead, than to miss her in all the places where she was alive.	mourning loss death	John Scalzi
a60f2a1	Now, you may think that this is some sort of generalized hatred that I will carry for the lot of you. Let me assure you that this is not the case. Each of you will fail, but you will fail in your own unique way, and therefore I will dislike each of you on an individual basis.		John Scalzi
2ebb680	I'm not insane, sir. I have a finely calibrated sense of acceptable risk.		John Scalzi
2067336	Damn real live people, getting in the way of peaceful ideals.	live people peaceful ideals real way	John Scalzi
a20a0f1	I failed angst in high school. They let me graduate anyway.	high-school teens	John Scalzi
087bca4	Making people change because you can't deal with who they are isn't how it's supposed to be done. What needs to be done is for people to pull their heads out of their asses. You say 'cure.' I hear 'you're not human enough.	mutants being-human intolerance	John Scalzi
379c829	I did two things on my seventy-fifth birthday. I visited my wife's grave. Then I joined the army. Visiting Kathy's grave was the less dramatic of the two.	joined birthday dramatic wife grave	John Scalzi
d94923f	We've already established whoever is writing us is an asshole.		John Scalzi
0d08324	You would rather face a life without me than to have me choose a life I would not choose for myself.	love separation	John Scalzi
a3a8751	Get off my planet, you son of a bitch.		John Scalzi
654ec10	What is it like when you lose someone you love?" Jane asked. "You die, too. And you wait around for your body to catch up."	mourning love jane sad	John Scalzi
10c4657	I don't care whether I really exist or don't, whether I'm real or fictional. What I want right now is to be the person who decides my own fate.		John Scalzi
2996e16	The problem with aging is not that it's one damn thing after another--it's every damn thing, all at once, all the time.	elderly seniors old	John Scalzi
8a89997	The story of how I left Huckleberry begins -- as do all worthy stories -- with a goat	sci-fi	John Scalzi
bd90589	In other words, crew deaths are a feature, not a bug," Cassaway said, dryly."		John Scalzi
777ac3a	Who are you and what medications aren't you taking?" Finn said."		John Scalzi
85ced0f	When you're a teenager and you're in love, it's obvious to everyone but you and the person you're in love with.		John Scalzi
26fbc20	Sooner or later the Narrative will come for each of us.		John Scalzi
3d7a335	Guns don't kill people. The aliens behind the triggers do.		John Scalzi
da0bffb	I despise you and I love you, you who are my damnation and salvation both.		John Scalzi
5238402	But define 'completely ridiculous shit,'" Duvall said. "Does space travel count? Contact with alien races? Does quantum physics count? Because I don't understand that crap at all. As far as I'm concerned, quantum physics could have been written by a hack."		John Scalzi
d12409a	You do what you have to do to give people closure; it makes them feel better and it doesn't cost you much to do it. I'd rather apologize for something I didn't really care about, and leave someone on Earth wishing me well, than to be stubborn and have that someone hoping that some alien would slurp out my brains. Call it karmic insurance.	apologize karmic earth people care feel closure well cost stubborn insurance	John Scalzi
1883497	I'll say it: I want to see an ugly woman as a spokeswoman for a women's network. Ugly men are out there all the time - look at Larry King, for God's sake. He looks like someone's talking underwear. Why not give America a spokeswoman who ain't much to look at but is competent as Hell? If accomplishments actually count for women, this ought to be a no-brainer.	women underwear	John Scalzi
5a898cb	It's hard to sell the official story to people who can see things for themselves.		John Scalzi
10afbb7	The man reached into his coat and pulled out a wallet containing an ID card. "Agent Dwight, FBI. Miss Baker, I need you to come with me. You're in danger here." "In danger?" Robin said. "In danger from what?" "Not from what. From who," Agent Dwight said, and glanced over at Creek. "You're in danger from him. He's going to kill you, Miss Baker. At least he is going to try."		John Scalzi
f267dd4	The good news is I peed before going to sleep.		John Scalzi
366888a	There has never been a military in the entire history of the human race that has gone to war equipped with more than the least that it needs to fight its enemy. War is expensive. It costs money and it costs lives and no civilization has an infinite amount of either. So when you fight, you conserve. You use and equip only as much as you have to, never more.		John Scalzi
5f7fd94	I thought I saw him once, but it turned out to be a yeti		John Scalzi
29c6c68	To everyone who thinks writing a sequel should be easy because you've already clreated the universe: Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha! Heh. No.	writing sequels	John Scalzi
975c7aa	The universe is a big place. Maybe we're not in the best neighborhood.	universe neighborhood big place	John Scalzi
2ca23e6	I'm continually confronted with the human tendency to ignore or deny facts until the last possible instant. And then for several days after that, too." Attavio"		John Scalzi
be04f63	You threw him into space?" "Yup." "And he didn't die?" "We only threw him out a little bit." Marce"		John Scalzi
a917416	Jesus," Kerensky said, looking around. "You people. I have one of the most incredible experiences I'll have, talking with the one person who really gets me - who really me - and you're all down here thinking I'm performing some sort of time-travelling incestuous masturbation thing."		John Scalzi
76768c2	I've always liked swimming, so long as my head's above water.		John Scalzi
30a3f33	I think back to the day I stood before my wife's grave for the final time, and turned away from it without regret, because I knew that what she was was not contained in that hole in the ground. I entered a new life and found her again, in a woman who was entirely her own person. When this life is done, I'll turn away from it without regret as well, because I know she waits for me, in another, different life.	metaphor love death-of-a-loved-one	John Scalzi
03bbef5	Rich people show their appreciation through favors. When everyone you know has more money than they know what to do with, money stops being a useful transactional tool. So instead you offer favors. Deals. Quid pro quos. Things that involve personal involvement rather than money. Because when you're that rich, your personal time is your limiting factor.	wealth socioeconomics upper-class quid-pro-quo rich-people	John Scalzi
cf0a6db	Colonel, I'm giving you a direct order. Eat the fucking cookie.		John Scalzi
14abf36	Fear is a scavenger who feeds on the future; on what may be and what is possible, extending down the line of our lives.		John Scalzi
a6dafa1	Many BrainPal users find it useful to give their BrainPal a name other than BrainPal. Would you like to name your BrainPal at this time? "Yes," I said. Please speak the name you would like to give your BrainPal. "Asshole," I said. You have selected "Asshole," the BrainPal wrote, and to its credit it spelled the word correctly. Be aware that many recruits have selected this name for their BrainPal. Would you like to chose a different name? "..		John Scalzi
5d5932c	For all we know, this"--he scrolled up on the phone screen to find a label--"this Wikipedia information database here is compiled by complete idiots."		John Scalzi
c734c96	You'll notice that the Intrepid's inertial dampeners don't work as well in crisis situations, Dahl remembered Jenkins telling them. The ship could do hairpin turns and loop-de-loops any other time and you'd never notice. But whenever there's a dramatic event, there goes your footing.		John Scalzi
66b50a3	Captain, the problem is not that I'm paranoid. The problem is that the universe keeps justifying my paranoia.		John Scalzi

If you want me to treat your ideas with more respect, get some better ideas.

John Scalzi

4b8adef

1. Everyone is entitled to their opinion about the things they read (or watch, or listen to, or taste, or whatever). They're also entitled to express them online. 2. Sometimes those opinions will be ones you don't like. 3. Sometimes those opinions won't be very nice. 4. The people expressing those may be (but are not always) assholes. 5. However, if your solution to this "problem" is to vex, annoy, threaten or harrass them, you are a bigg..

criticism freedom-of-opinion reviewers reviewing opinions freedom-of-expression freedom-of-speech reviews bullying readers censorship

John Scalzi

16ef79a

For as much as I hate the cemetery, I've been grateful it's here, too. I miss my wife. It's easier to miss her at a cemetery, where she's never been anything but dead, than to miss her in all the places where she was alive.

mourning loss death

John Scalzi

a60f2a1

Now, you may think that this is some sort of generalized hatred that I will carry for the lot of you. Let me assure you that this is not the case. Each of you will fail, but you will fail in your own unique way, and therefore I will dislike each of you on an individual basis.

John Scalzi

2ebb680

I'm not insane, sir. I have a finely calibrated sense of acceptable risk.

John Scalzi

2067336

Damn real live people, getting in the way of peaceful ideals.

live people peaceful ideals real way

John Scalzi

a20a0f1

I failed angst in high school. They let me graduate anyway.

high-school teens

John Scalzi

087bca4

Making people change because you can't deal with who they are isn't how it's supposed to be done. What needs to be done is for people to pull their heads out of their asses. You say 'cure.' I hear 'you're not human enough.

mutants being-human intolerance

John Scalzi

379c829

I did two things on my seventy-fifth birthday. I visited my wife's grave. Then I joined the army. Visiting Kathy's grave was the less dramatic of the two.

joined birthday dramatic wife grave

John Scalzi

d94923f

We've already established whoever is writing us is an asshole.

John Scalzi

0d08324

You would rather face a life without me than to have me choose a life I would not choose for myself.

love separation

John Scalzi

a3a8751

Get off my planet, you son of a bitch.

John Scalzi

654ec10

What is it like when you lose someone you love?" Jane asked. "You die, too. And you wait around for your body to catch up."

mourning love jane sad

John Scalzi

10c4657

I don't care whether I really exist or don't, whether I'm real or fictional. What I want right now is to be the person who decides my own fate.

John Scalzi

2996e16

The problem with aging is not that it's one damn thing after another--it's every damn thing, all at once, all the time.

elderly seniors old

John Scalzi

8a89997

The story of how I left Huckleberry begins -- as do all worthy stories -- with a goat

sci-fi

John Scalzi

bd90589

In other words, crew deaths are a feature, not a bug," Cassaway said, dryly."

John Scalzi

777ac3a

Who are you and what medications aren't you taking?" Finn said."

John Scalzi

85ced0f

When you're a teenager and you're in love, it's obvious to everyone but you and the person you're in love with.

John Scalzi

26fbc20

Sooner or later the Narrative will come for each of us.

John Scalzi

3d7a335

Guns don't kill people. The aliens behind the triggers do.

John Scalzi

da0bffb

I despise you and I love you, you who are my damnation and salvation both.

John Scalzi

5238402

But define 'completely ridiculous shit,'" Duvall said. "Does space travel count? Contact with alien races? Does quantum physics count? Because I don't understand that crap at all. As far as I'm concerned, quantum physics could have been written by a hack."

John Scalzi

d12409a

You do what you have to do to give people closure; it makes them feel better and it doesn't cost you much to do it. I'd rather apologize for something I didn't really care about, and leave someone on Earth wishing me well, than to be stubborn and have that someone hoping that some alien would slurp out my brains. Call it karmic insurance.

apologize karmic earth people care feel closure well cost stubborn insurance

John Scalzi

1883497

I'll say it: I want to see an ugly woman as a spokeswoman for a women's network. Ugly men are out there all the time - look at Larry King, for God's sake. He looks like someone's talking underwear. Why not give America a spokeswoman who ain't much to look at but is competent as Hell? If accomplishments actually count for women, this ought to be a no-brainer.

women underwear

John Scalzi

5a898cb

It's hard to sell the official story to people who can see things for themselves.

John Scalzi

10afbb7

The man reached into his coat and pulled out a wallet containing an ID card. "Agent Dwight, FBI. Miss Baker, I need you to come with me. You're in danger here." "In danger?" Robin said. "In danger from what?" "Not from what. From who," Agent Dwight said, and glanced over at Creek. "You're in danger from him. He's going to kill you, Miss Baker. At least he is going to try."

John Scalzi

f267dd4

The good news is I peed before going to sleep.

John Scalzi

366888a

There has never been a military in the entire history of the human race that has gone to war equipped with more than the least that it needs to fight its enemy. War is expensive. It costs money and it costs lives and no civilization has an infinite amount of either. So when you fight, you conserve. You use and equip only as much as you have to, never more.

John Scalzi

5f7fd94

I thought I saw him once, but it turned out to be a yeti

John Scalzi

29c6c68

To everyone who thinks writing a sequel should be easy because you've already clreated the universe: Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha! Heh. No.

writing sequels

John Scalzi

975c7aa

The universe is a big place. Maybe we're not in the best neighborhood.

universe neighborhood big place

John Scalzi

2ca23e6

I'm continually confronted with the human tendency to ignore or deny facts until the last possible instant. And then for several days after that, too." Attavio"

John Scalzi

be04f63

You threw him into space?" "Yup." "And he didn't die?" "We only threw him out a little bit." Marce"

John Scalzi

a917416

Jesus," Kerensky said, looking around. "You people. I have one of the most incredible experiences I'll have, talking with the one person who really gets me - who really me - and you're all down here thinking I'm performing some sort of time-travelling incestuous masturbation thing."

John Scalzi

76768c2

I've always liked swimming, so long as my head's above water.

John Scalzi

30a3f33

I think back to the day I stood before my wife's grave for the final time, and turned away from it without regret, because I knew that what she was was not contained in that hole in the ground. I entered a new life and found her again, in a woman who was entirely her own person. When this life is done, I'll turn away from it without regret as well, because I know she waits for me, in another, different life.

metaphor love death-of-a-loved-one

John Scalzi

03bbef5

Rich people show their appreciation through favors. When everyone you know has more money than they know what to do with, money stops being a useful transactional tool. So instead you offer favors. Deals. Quid pro quos. Things that involve personal involvement rather than money. Because when you're that rich, your personal time is your limiting factor.

wealth socioeconomics upper-class quid-pro-quo rich-people

John Scalzi

cf0a6db

Colonel, I'm giving you a direct order. Eat the fucking cookie.

John Scalzi

14abf36

Fear is a scavenger who feeds on the future; on what may be and what is possible, extending down the line of our lives.

John Scalzi

a6dafa1

Many BrainPal users find it useful to give their BrainPal a name other than BrainPal. Would you like to name your BrainPal at this time? "Yes," I said. Please speak the name you would like to give your BrainPal. "Asshole," I said. You have selected "Asshole," the BrainPal wrote, and to its credit it spelled the word correctly. Be aware that many recruits have selected this name for their BrainPal. Would you like to chose a different name? "..

John Scalzi

5d5932c

For all we know, this"--he scrolled up on the phone screen to find a label--"this Wikipedia information database here is compiled by complete idiots."

John Scalzi

c734c96

You'll notice that the Intrepid's inertial dampeners don't work as well in crisis situations, Dahl remembered Jenkins telling them. The ship could do hairpin turns and loop-de-loops any other time and you'd never notice. But whenever there's a dramatic event, there goes your footing.

John Scalzi

66b50a3

Captain, the problem is not that I'm paranoid. The problem is that the universe keeps justifying my paranoia.

John Scalzi