1
So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.E.a. Bucchianeri
2
Falling in love is very real, but I used to shake my head when people talked about soul mates, poor deluded individuals grasping at some supernatural ideal not intended for mortals but sounded pretty in a poetry book. Then, we met, and everything changed, the cynic has become the converted, the sceptic, an ardent zealot.E.a. Bucchianeri
3
Love, like everything else in life, should be a discovery, an adventure, and like most adventures, you don’t know you’re having one until you’re right in the middle of it.E.a. Bucchianeri
4
... it’s a blessed thing to love and feel loved in return.E.a. Bucchianeri
5
Well, if it can be thought, it can be done, a problem can be overcome,E.a. Bucchianeri
6
No one messes around with a nerd’s computer and escapes unscathed.E.a. Bucchianeri
7
Socrates: Have you noticed on our journey how often the citizens of this new land remind each other it is a free country? Plato: I have, and think it odd they do this. Socrates: How so, Plato?Plato: It is like reminding a baker he is a baker, or a sculptor he is asculptor. Socrates: You mean to say if someone is convinced of their trade, they haveno need to be reminded. Plato: That is correct. Socrates: I agree. If these citizens were convinced of their freedom, they would not need reminders.E.a. Bucchianeri
8
There are times when wisdom cannot be found in the chambers of parliament or the halls of academia but at the unpretentious setting of the kitchen table.E.a. Bucchianeri
9
To be, or not to be: what a question!E.a. Bucchianeri
10
There may be some truth (atheists) do not need to believe in a god to be good, but then if they do not believe in a god, who do they believe gives the Universal Law of following good and shunning evil? Obviously, mankind. But then that is a dangerous thing, for if a man does not believe in a god capable of giving perfect laws, he is in the position of declaring all laws come from man, and as man is imperfect, he can declare that as fallible men make imperfect laws, he can pick and choose what he wishes to follow, that which, in his own mind seems good. He does not believe in divine retribution, therefore he can also declare his own morality contrary to what the divine may decree simply because he believes there is no divine decree. He may follow his every whim and passion, declaring it to be good when it may be very evil, for he like all men is imperfect, so how can he tell what is verily good? The atheist is in danger of mistaking vice for good and consequently follow another slave master and tyrant, his own physical and mental weakness. Evil would be wittingly or unwittingly perpetrated, therefore, to recognise the existence of a perfect divine being that gives perfect Universal Laws is much better than not to believe in a god, for if there is a perfect god, they will not allow their laws to be broken with impunity as in the case with many corrupt judges on earth, but will punish accordingly in due time. Therefore, to be pious and reverent is the surest path to true freedom as a perfect god will give perfect laws to prevent all manner of slavery, tyranny and moral wantonness, even if we do not understand why they are good laws at times.E.a. Bucchianeri
11
We are the sum total of the decisions we have made.E.a. Bucchianeri
12
I mean really, how could an artistic individual stay grounded in the nitty-gritty of how many minutes per pound meat has to stay in the oven when trying to fathom the creative philosophy behind the greatest artistic minds of the world?E.a. Bucchianeri
13
An acquaintance merely enjoys your company, a fair-weather companion flatters when all is well, a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.E.a. Bucchianeri
14
Errors do not cease to be errors simply because they’re ratified into law.E.a. Bucchianeri
15
It’s not unpatriotic to denounce an injustice committed on our behalf, perhaps it’s the most patriotic thing we can do.E.a. Bucchianeri
16
Be wise today so you don't cry tomorrow.E.a. Bucchianeri
17
Could mankind declare it was truly wise? Did man know everything on earth, or would he ever? Certainly not!E.a. Bucchianeri
18
God Is, Lucifer is a devil, and there is a Hell.E.a. Bucchianeri
19
The devil has not vanished simply because people refuse to believe he exists, no more than God has...E.a. Bucchianeri
20
... true evil needs no reason to exist, it simply is and feeds upon itself.E.a. Bucchianeri
21
Poor God, how often He is blamed for all the suffering in theworld. It’s like praising Satan for allowing all the good that happens.E.a. Bucchianeri
22
If Christ is God, He cannot sin, and if suffering was a sin in and by itself, He could not have suffered and died for us. However, since He took the most horrific death to redeem us, He showed us in fact that suffering and pain have great power.E.a. Bucchianeri
23
It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse to forgive and forget and heap past wrongs upon innocent generations.E.a. Bucchianeri
24
If a man cannot serve two masters, neither can Christianity, or several thousand of them as the case may be.E.a. Bucchianeri
25
You cannot hinder someone’s free will, that’s the first law of the Universe, no matter what the decision.E.a. Bucchianeri
26
It was not curiosity that killed the goose who laid the golden egg, but an insatiable greed that devoured common sense.E.a. Bucchianeri
27
Sometimes, the simple things are more fun and meaningful than all the banquets in the world ...E.a. Bucchianeri
28
If you are what you eat, you are what you see and hear.E.a. Bucchianeri
29
... what you think is right isn't the same as knowing what is right.E.a. Bucchianeri
30
Make your lives a masterpiece, you only get one canvas.E.a. Bucchianeri
31
If you boil it down, just because someone else does the wrong thing we are not exempt from doing what’s right.E.a. Bucchianeri
32
Sweetheart, darling, dearest, it was funny to think that these endearments, which used to sound exceedingly sentimental in movies and books, now held great importance, simple but true verbal affirmations of how they felt for each other. They were words only the heart could hear and understand, words that could impart entire pentameter sonnets in their few, short syllables.E.a. Bucchianeri
33
While she could hardly fathom what had just happened to her that night, she reached some conclusions before she fell asleep, certain things now made perfect sense; Moon River didn’t sound so syrupy, mistletoe wasn’t such a bad idea, and perhaps dating was not such a frivolous waste of time after all.E.a. Bucchianeri
34
Love is supposed to be based on trust, and trust on love, it's something rare and beautiful when people can confide in each other without fearing what the other person will think.E.a. Bucchianeri
35
... you’ll have to fall in love at least once in your life, or Paris has failed to rub off on you.E.a. Bucchianeri
36
Love, like Fortune, favours the bold.E.a. Bucchianeri
37
Finally, Charlie gave up the hunt and placed (the puppy) back on the floor, dispatching fleas was not his idea of a romantic evening, unless you happened to be a twisted exterminator, he thought.E.a. Bucchianeri
38
When Hitler marched across the RhineTo take the land of France, La dame de fer decided, ‘ Let’s make the tyrant dance.’ Let him take the land and city, The hills and every flower, One thing he will never have, The elegant Eiffel Tower.The French cut the cables, The elevators stood still, ‘ If he wants to reach the top, Let him walk it, if he will.’ The invaders hung a swastika The largest ever seen. But a fresh breeze blew And away it flew, Never more to be seen. They hung up a second mark, Smaller than the first, But a patriot climbed With a thought in mind:‘ Never your duty shirk.’ Up the iron lady He stealthily made his way, Hanging the bright tricolour, He heroically saved the day. Then, for some strange reason, A mystery to this day, Hitler never climbed the tower, On the ground he had to stay. At last he ordered she be razed Down to a twisted pile. A futile attack, for still she stands Beaming her metallic smile.E.a. Bucchianeri
39
All trademarks, company names, registered names, products, characters, mottos, logos, jingles and catchphrases used or cited in this work are the property of their respective owners and have only been mentioned and or used as cultural references to enhance the narrative and in no way were used to disparage or harm the owners and their companies. It is the author's sincerest wish the owners of the cited trademarks, company names, etc. appreciate the success they have achieved in making their products household names and appreciate the free plug.E.a. Bucchianeri
40
... The Book is more important than your plans for it. You have to go with what works for The Book ~ if your ideas appear hollow or forced when they are put on paper, chop them, erase them, pulverise them and start again. Don't whine when things are not going your way, because they are going the right way for The Book, which is more important. The show must go on, and so must The Book.E.a. Bucchianeri
41
Editors can be stupid at times. They just ignore that author’s intention. I always try to read unabridged editions, so much is lost with cut versions of classic literature, even movies don’t make sense when they are edited too much. I love the longueurs of a book even if they seem pointless because you can get a peek into the author’s mind, a glimpse of their creative soul. I mean, how would people like it if editors came along and said to an artist, ‘Whoops, you left just a tad too much space around that lily pad there, lets crop that a bit, shall we?’. Monet would be ripping his hair out.E.a. Bucchianeri
42
Speed is not always a constituent to great work, the process of creation should be given time and thought.E.a. Bucchianeri
43
She preferred the quiet solitary atmosphere, to create in her own world of paint and colour, the thrill of anticipating how her works would turn out as she eyed the blank sheets of paper or canvas before starting her next masterpiece. How satisfying it was to mess around in paint gear, without having to worry about spills, starch or frills, that was the life!E.a. Bucchianeri
44
When in doubt, throw doubt out and have a little faith....E.a. Bucchianeri
45
Let's always try to paint the truth ... our art must be made to mean something.E.a. Bucchianeri
46
You can’t enjoy art or books in a hurry.E.a. Bucchianeri
47
I am an artist you know ... it is my right to be odd.E.a. Bucchianeri
48
Weirdism is definitely the cornerstone of many an artist's career.E.a. Bucchianeri
49
Pops added, "you know, they say if you don't vote, you get the government you deserve."" And if you do, you never get the results you expected, " (Katherine) replied.E.a. Bucchianeri
50
It was exciting to be off on a journey she had looked forward to for months. Oddly, the billowing diesel fumes of the airport did not smell like suffocating effluence, it assumed a peculiar pungent scent that morning, like the beginning of a new adventure, if an adventure could exude a fragrance.E.a. Bucchianeri
51
...it’s just another one of those things I don’t understand: everyone impresses upon you how unique you are, encouraging you to cultivate your individuality while at the same time trying to squish you and everyone else into the same ridiculous mould. It’s an artist’s right to rebel against the world’s stupidity.E.a. Bucchianeri
52
... an artist should paint from the heart, and not always what people expect. Predictability often leads to the dullest work, in my opinion, and we have been bored stiff long enough I think.E.a. Bucchianeri
53
Theatres are curious places, magician's trick-boxes where the golden memories of dramtic triumphs linger like nostalgic ghosts, and where the unexplainable, the fantastic, the tragic, the comic and the absurd are routine occurences on and off the stage. Murders, mayhem, politcal intrigue, lucrative business, secret assignations, and of course, dinner.E.a. Bucchianeri
54
While you’re singing something romantic, I can’t get the lyrics to ‘Love and Marriage’ out of my head, and that tune always reminds me of the jingle from Jeopardy.E.a. Bucchianeri
55
Liberace was certainly master and commander of the ivories ~ he is the only pianist I can watch or listen to without suffering a case of 'Stagefright Sympathy Sickness'.E.a. Bucchianeri
56
Evil influence is like a nicotine patch, you cannot help but absorb what sticks to you.E.a. Bucchianeri
57
Ah college years, those were the days. Pure freedom ... leaving home for the first time…the parties…”" What about the tutorials, the lectures, the large building with all the books called the ‘library’?”“Is that what those were?” Gerry blithely replied.E.a. Bucchianeri
58
(The Mona Lisa), that really is the ugliest portrait I’ve seen, the only thing that supposedly makes it famous is the mystery behind it, ” Katherine admitted as she remembered her trips to the Louvre and how she shook her head at the poor tourists crowding around to see a jaundiced, eyebrow-less lady that reminded her of tight-lipped Washington on the dollar bill. Surely, they could have chosen a better portrait of the First President for their currency? .E.a. Bucchianeri
59
.. there was one new metallic monstrosity stacked in one corner that she hadn’t seen the last time she was a visitor to his strange chamber, it appeared to be a mass of hard drives all fused together, but they looked too sophisticated to be merely hard drives.“ What on earth is that?” “That’s my Kung Fu, ” he said proudly, patting the top of the futuristic-looking stack.“ Is that what you wanted to show me?”“ No, but it’s impressive, isn’t it?”“ If you say so.” Steves sighed and shook his head, so few people could appreciate the intellectual complexity of an almost untraceable hacking device.E.a. Bucchianeri
60
That´s the problem with planning a late night supper after the opera, not only does the hero or the heroine die singing, but you end up famished after the last notes of the finale.E.a. Bucchianeri
61
...Come on let’s see the degree.” Katherine unrolled her scroll displaying a long declaration in Latin affixed with a red seal proclaiming her a Master of Art. “Imagine working for years to obtain a piece of paper we can hardly read ” Katherine joked. “And to officially declare you have talent ” Suzy returned.E.a. Bucchianeri
62
While art thrives on the blazing colours of scandal, literature blossoms on the dark soil of tragedy.E.a. Bucchianeri
63
It’s the unknown that draws people.E.a. Bucchianeri
64
Righteous, I like that. Kinda fitting when you think about it. If we danced and shared music, we'd be too busy en-joy-in' life to start a war.E.a. Bucchianeri
65
I dispute the point that nuclear energy is 'clean' and 'cost-effective'. As I recall, when we first harnessed nuclear power it was to drop an atom bomb on a civilian population, not to save the environment. However, you must admit, the victors are never tried for war crimes.E.a. Bucchianeri
66
... how terrible is the pain of the mind and heart when the freedom of mankind is suppressed!E.a. Bucchianeri
67
There has to be a cut-off somewhere between the freedom of expression and a graphically explicit free-for-all.E.a. Bucchianeri
68
If you want to find out if someone is a true bookworm or not, give them a thousand page novel and see what happens.E.a. Bucchianeri
69
If typos are God's way of keeping a writer humble, plot holes certainly keeps one on their knees.E.a. Bucchianeri
70
They lived off each other's hypocrisy, fuelling a worthless market of trash.E.a. Bucchianeri
71
Since art is considered a noble field, art should be used to promote all that is good and noble, and in a noble fashion.E.a. Bucchianeri
72
... food is not simply organic fuel to keep body and soul together, it is a perishable art that must be savoured at the peak of perfection.E.a. Bucchianeri
73
.. the reader is probably wondering that if Tolkien did indeed fashion two of his heroic characters from Catholic prophecies, what about the evil protagonists? Were any of them inspired by these little-known revelations concerning future times? The answer is yes, but to discover the links between the myth and the prophecies, we must venture not only into the realm of unnerving revelations, but also into the murky world of secret sects, dark plots, occult signs, bloody revolutions and conspiracy theories ~ we must probe deep into the burning Eye of Sauron.E.a. Bucchianeri
74
Tolkien did admit that, 'As a guide, I had only my own feelings for what is appealing or moving.' In other words ~ he wrote about what interested him ~ and despite his protestation of including anything allegorical into his tale, Catholic history and mystic prophecy obviously received its fair share of attention ...E.a. Bucchianeri
75
Have you ever felt you were born in the wrong decade, or came just a bit too late and missed out on all the good stuff when it was in its heyday?E.a. Bucchianeri
76
If we danced and shared music, we'd be too busy en-joy-in' life to start a war.E.a. Bucchianeri
77
Ah, the magic of music, with it, all things are possible.E.a. Bucchianeri
78
A new challenge keeps the brain kicking and the heart ticking.E.a. Bucchianeri
79
What was that? Valentine's Day? Her heart gave a little skip at the thought, she had never spent it in a romantic way before, usually the day meant sending and receiving cute Cupid cards and heart shaped sugar candies, but it was all in a platonic celebration of friendship. This time, it would not be like that, it would be ... special.E.a. Bucchianeri
80
That's it. Love makes us all strong.E.a. Bucchianeri
81
... a true friend has your best interests at heart and the pluck to tell you what you need to hear.E.a. Bucchianeri
82
Abortion should be listed as a weapon of mass destruction against the voiceless.E.a. Bucchianeri
83
Faustus, who embraced evil and shunned righteousness, became the foremost symbol of the misuse of free will, that sublime gift from God with its inherent opportunity to choose virtue and reject iniquity. “What shall a man gain if he has the whole world and lose his soul, ” (Matt. 16: v. 26) - but for a notorious name, the ethereal shadow of a career, and a brief life of fleeting pleasure with no true peace? This was the blackest and most captivating tragedy of all, few could have remained indifferent to the growing intrigue of this individual who apparently shook hands with the devil and freely chose to descend to the molten, sulphuric chasm of Hell for all eternity for so little in exchange. It is a drama that continues to fascinate today as powerfully as when Faustus first disseminated his infamous card in the Heidelberg locale to the scandal of his generation. In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the choice between these two absolutes also falls to us.E.a. Bucchianeri
84
If there are damned souls in Hell, it is because men blind themselves.E.a. Bucchianeri
85
In fine, a life of good or evil, the hope of Heaven or the despair of Hell, Faustus stands as a reminder that the choice between these two absolutes also falls to us.E.a. Bucchianeri
86
... love for our neighbours does not die the minute we enter heaven, it intensifies.E.a. Bucchianeri
87
The gates of Hell are terrible to behold, are they not?E.a. Bucchianeri
88
There are many forms of tyrants, but there are none so terrible as those stifling their own people in the name of freedom.E.a. Bucchianeri
89
Heaven is not a republic.E.a. Bucchianeri
90
Free time is a terrible thing to waste. Read a book.E.a. Bucchianeri
91
I know, not everyone will like what I write, but writing is not about trying to please everybody.E.a. Bucchianeri
92
It’s an artist’s right to rebel against the world’s stupidity.E.a. Bucchianeri
93
I love the longueurs of a book even if they seem pointless because you can get a peek into the author’s mind, a glimpse of their creative soul.E.a. Bucchianeri
94
Art is in the eye of the beholder, and everyone will have their own interpretation.E.a. Bucchianeri
95
The show must go on, and so must The Book.E.a. Bucchianeri
96
How often have the greatest thoughts and ideas come to light during conversations with the family over the evening dinner?E.a. Bucchianeri
97
The simple everyday experiences become the doorway to new thoughts and inspirations.E.a. Bucchianeri
98
You know how creative people are, we have to try everything until we find our niche.E.a. Bucchianeri
99
There is much to discover that's not on the back cover!E.a. Bucchianeri
100
If you cannot judge a book by its cover, surely we should not judge an author by one book alone?E.a. Bucchianeri