What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over. Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss. Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?

Rob (<3 John Cusack), "High Fidelity"

"You must keep writing so we can take back words like 'gay,' 'retarded,' and 'faggot,' and teach people that they are not confetti."

Mike Rossi, in his letter to the cast of the Monologue Show, some of the most beautiful words I have ever received

What I mean is, would you like to go out to dinner?

Scary scary scary.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 10 percent of teenagers report being hit or slapped by a boyfriend of girlfriend."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/fashion/19brown.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2
This article mentions using Othello in the classroom to open up discussion about these very current issues.

80s Movie Glory.

"I just want them to know that they didn't break me."
-Andie, Pretty in Pink

"If you put out signals that you don't want to belong, people will make sure that you don't."
-the Principal

"I was born in 1971, so I was 12 or 13 when this movie came out. I think I built myself around this movie in a lot of ways, and I think it kind of ruined me!"
-my professor's intro to this movie

In twenty years, you'll be more disappointed by what you didn't do than by what you did.
-Mark Twain

We need more good crazy.
It'd be nice to watch the news and think, "that's fucking insane,"
but feel a little jealous,
instead of just alone.

j. comeau