# Words to laugh by **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 22, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244 "2007-02-22T17:13:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/1 "2007-02-22T17:13:44Z")
Many years ago a buddy of mine who was accomplished in calligraphy made an ornate plaque for me to hang on my office wall. It bore this quotation: **If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he next comes to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.** – _Thomas De Quincey, Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts - 1827_ Do you have a proverb or quotation that you like to call up when the occasion is right? Which reminds me of a “Polish Proverb” I saw somewhere: **Rise to the occasion and the occasion will surely come up** ---
**Author:** ![AHoosierMama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@AHoosierMama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHoosierMama)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/2 "2007-02-22T17:38:11Z")
Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/3 "2007-02-22T17:52:04Z")
“Never assume what you’re trying to prove. Unless you’re trying to prove you’re a bonehead.” ([Despair.com](http://Despair.com)) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/4 "2007-02-22T17:52:59Z")
Life exists because we couildn’t make it up. ---
**Author:** ![leo\_rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@leo\_rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leo_rider)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/5 "2007-02-22T18:53:03Z")
**Patience comes to those who wait** ~ Confucius ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/6 "2007-02-22T19:00:07Z")
**Hoc volo, sic jubeo, sit pro rationes voluntas.** This comes in very handy in the classroom, believe me! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/7 "2007-02-22T19:12:59Z")
“Fool me seven times, shame on you. Fool me eight or more times…” (_Futurama_) ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/8 "2007-02-22T20:29:33Z")
We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/9 "2007-02-22T20:31:53Z")
[QUOTE=Paintcharge] We’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. [/QUOTE] And then there’s the Teddy Kennedy version… ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/10 "2007-02-22T20:40:16Z")
**These are my friends, I do not need to be afraid** Usually chanted while my friends are doing something odd and geeky. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/11 "2007-02-22T20:51:05Z")
**These are my friends, be very afraid.** Usually chanted while my friends are doing something involving fire and beer. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/12 "2007-02-22T20:55:27Z")
My mom has this embroidered on a pillow: _May those who love us love us, and those who do not love us, may God turn their hearts, and if He cannot turn their hearts may He turn their ankles that we may know them by their limping._ -Irish Prayer ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/13 "2007-02-22T21:28:51Z")
If you don’t know the facts, bang the law. If you don’t know the law, bang the facts. If you don’t know the facts or the law, bang the table. ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/14 "2007-02-22T21:55:13Z")
**Non illegitimi carborundum** or my other favourite (thanks to Terry Pratchet) **Fabricati Diem, pvnc** Si ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/15 "2007-02-22T22:29:25Z")
[QUOTE=Winston Smith] “Never assume what you’re trying to prove. Unless you’re trying to prove you’re a bonehead.” ([Despair.com](http://Despair.com)) [/QUOTE] “It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/16 "2007-02-22T23:17:11Z")
**You can’t make an omellete without breaking a few legs.** Rarely is the occasion right for these words. ---
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/17 "2007-02-22T23:28:49Z")
If you can keep your head while all about you are losing theirs, you clearly have not understood the situation. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/18 "2007-02-23T01:02:16Z")
[QUOTE=olivesmarch4th] “Fool me seven times, shame on you. Fool me eight or more times…” (_Futurama_) [/QUOTE] “When push comes to shove, you gotta do what you love- even if it’s not a good idea.” Also from Futurama. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/19 "2007-02-23T01:09:34Z")
Build a man a fire, and he’s warm for a night. Set fire to him, and he’s warm for the rest of his life. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244/20 "2007-02-23T03:02:23Z")
What do we want? **Patience!** When do we want it? **Now!** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/words-to-laugh-by/393244.md?page=2)