Barbara Quotes

A lady cannot be blamed if a master criminal takes a fancy to her.

It is much more sensible to be an optimist instead of a pessimist, for if one is doomed to disappointment, why experience it in advance?

I sometimes wonder what it would be like to be the respected patriarch of an ordinary English family." "Very boring, Emerson.

The opportunity to lecture had restored my good humor.

The trouble with unknown enemies is that they are so difficult to identify.

When men start talking about 'honor', there is sure to be trouble ahead.

Many persons lead lives of crushing boredom.

I have no writing habit. I work when I feel like it, and I work when I have to - mostly the latter.

Superstition has its practical uses.

Spring is always cruel, with its false promise of resurrection.

There is nothing sadder than the cheerful letters of the dead, expressing hopes that were never fulfilled, ambitions that were never achieved, dreams cut off before they could come to fruition.

Getting an idea for a book is not the problem, but you need 300 ideas - an idea a page.

It is easier to counterfeit old age than youth.

I can do a book in three months if I spend all day, seven days a week at it and, in fact, I work better that way.

I do, however, think it would be difficult to write books I don't like to read.

I've been reading ghost stories ever since I could read. I'm immensely curious about ghosts and UFOs and all that stuff, but I'm a very hard-headed person.

Giving other people advice is one of the most irritating and useless activities known to man.

Nothing looks as self-satisfied as a contented cat.

Children, I feel, are as much entitled to privacy as human beings.

Husbands do not care to be contradicted. Indeed, I do not know anyone who does.

Writing is like a bird-watcher watching for birds: the stories are there: you just have to train yourself to look for them.

I think, though, with that whole sense of integrity and a lot of things that have been going on, the shared leadership rather than the titular head.

I didn't know how we were going to get jobs out of NAFTA, but I tend to be suspicious of these things, like NAFTAs and WTOs and so on.

When you're up in Maine, there is Canada, I mean it's looking right at you; it's a different viewpoint.

I think George Mitchell was good for Maryland in the sense that he helped me get elected. It doesn't get any better than that from here on.

George Mitchell was a very good leader, and we were more than satisfied with his leadership. And I know the guys were jealous.

His great passion for education and [making sure] people have an opportunity. Of course that's what came out of the George Mitchell Institute and his scholarships in those high schools.

People had so much respect for George Mitchell. They wanted to cooperate with him. I think that's a hallmark of a very good leader.

My own father had died of Alzheimer's. George [Mitchell] had been also, I think, deeply moved by a similar tragedy.

Look how Bill Cohen and George Mitchell worked together. It's the stuff of legends. And now it's the stuff of almost ancient history, regrettably, but the way those two really worked together.

[During] the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter [Fair Pay Act], equal pay for equal work, the women led that fight.

I think George Mitchell believed in promoting women.

Nothing really happened - I was elected in '86 - until 1992, and that's when the Anita Hill debacle happened.

Senator [George] Mitchell is a man of many talents and he's swift on his feet, but one would not think of him as 'dancing with the stars.' And we had this great rock 'n' roll fund raiser.

I knew of Senator [George] Mitchell because he was very close friends with who was soon to be the senior senator, Paul Sarbanes. Paul Sarbanes and George Mitchell were kind of pals together.

I wanted to [share] what a gracious kind of guy George Mitchell was.

Martha Pope herself is a legend within the institution, and he was enormously supportive. And me and the women candidates.

Every vote counts and every vote must be counted

I'm shocked at the sexism and double standard coming out of the far right.

I truly believe that before I retire from public office, I'll be voting for a woman for president.

When we stand up for America, we stand up for what America stands for, which is a safety net for our seniors and really helping our families be able to help themselves

People aren't for hitting.

I think leadership is creating a state of mind in others.

We must be careful that the people who make $5,000 a year are not pitted against those that make $25,000 a year by those who make $900,000.

There is one question that I don't think Gary Condit can answer, and that I think is why we all aimed at Gary Condit, besides the fact that he has a relationship.

We all want to inspire! As we go on our life's journey, some people inspire us and in turn, we would like to do something to inspire other people.

When God gives you some opportunities, it is almost like a process that you do not even realize what is recurring at the moment.

Never say "NO" to yourself, just try. You will never know what could happen.

The upside to grief is it takes away your appetite. When people say you look good they really mean it. Nature's thoughtful that way.

Moving makes you feel all alone inside.