Seems like street lights glowing
Happen to be just like moments passing in front of me
So I hopped in the cab and I paid my fare
See, I know my destination, but I’m just not there
- Kanye West (“Street Lights”)

No matter how wide you stretch your fingers, your hands will always be too small to catch all the pain you want to heal. Believe me, I’ve tried.
- Sarah Kay (from her poem, “B”)

It’s taking quite a bit of willpower to not turn this site into Sarah Kay’s Daily Quotable blog. Watch her on Def Poetry (at age 18).

The system ain’t for us, it’s for rich people.
- Saul Williams (“Telegram”)

I have two quick stories.

first

Roy Brown, a 54-year-old homeless man robbed a bank in Louisiana. The teller handed him three stacks of cash, but he took a single $100 bill, saying he was homeless and hungry. Feeling remorseful, he voluntarily surrendered to the police the next day, saying his mother didn’t raise him that way. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

second

Christian Milton of Pennsylvania, an AIG executive was convicted of conspiracy, securities fraud, mail fraud and making false statements to the Securities and Exchange Commission in a $500,000,000+ fraud case. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison and fined $200,000. His lawyers are preparing an appeal.

Bunk: You could go a long way in this country killing black folk. Young males, especially. Misdemeanor homicides.
McNulty: If Marlo was killing white women—
Freamon: White children—
Bunk: Tourists—
McNulty: One white, ex-cheerleader tourist missing in Aruba.
Bunk: Trouble is, this ain’t Aruba, bitch.
Freamon: You think that if 300 white people were killed in this city every year, they wouldn’t send the 82nd Airborne?
-From an episode of The Wire (“Unconfirmed Reports”)

We are fifteen days into the new year and there have been 13 murders in Baltimore, Maryland. The city’s homicides are covered in the weekly column, Murder Ink. A fucking weekly column for an American city with less than 640,000 people — dedicated solely to those who have had their lives shortened at the hand of a fellow human being.

Murders in other cities last year: 344 in Detroit, 332 in Philadelphia, 124 in Oakland. These are improved numbers — All these cities had more homicides the previous year.

I don’t like mondays.
- Brenda Ann Spencer

The quote above is 16-year-old Brenda’s answer to why she shot and killed Cleveland Elementary School’s principal and head custodian, while injuring 8 children and a police officer. Her remorseless response & lack of serious explanation for the attack inspired the song I Don’t Like Mondays. Listen to Tori Amos’ haunting cover rendition.

There’s an unfortunately long list of school shootings, with a tiny silver lining: A local community college (that I eventually attended for a quarter) is omitted from this list, thanks to Kelly Bennett, who helped prevent a tragedy in January 2001.

From an online chat with my friend, William:
William: My wife is trying to think of present ideas for the kids. I suggested an air hocky table. She said ‘No’
Chris: Why not?
William: I don’t ask why anymore dude, it doesn’t matter

I was sitting in a public bookstore/cafe (as opposed to a private bookstore/cafe) while having this online conversation with William.

Ignoring every cautionary voice in my head, I started laughing out loud — causing a nearby patron to get up and leave. Which I found hilarious, making it even harder to be a responsible member of society. I apologize to everyone involved.

Fish don’t fry in the kitchen
Beans don’t burn on the grill
Took a whole lotta tryin’
Just to get up that hill
Now we’re up in the big leagues
Gettin’ our turn at bat
As long as we live, it’s you and me baby
There ain’t nothin wrong with that

Well we’re movin on up
To the east side
To a deluxe apartment in the sky
Movin on up
To the east side
We finally got a piece of the pie
-From ‘The Jeffersons’ theme song

I’ve refined the look of this site, once again. The style is very similar to what it was before, but most of the design elements have been retouched or redone. The previous version of been said was produced two years ago (read), on my 13” MacBook. This latest version was done on my Mac Pro, with dual 30” monitors. Moving on up!

CJ: Everybody’s stupid in an election year, Charlie.
Charlie: No, everybody gets treated stupid in an election year.
-From an episode of The West Wing (“Galileo”)

Dear Mr. Garvey,
I’m grateful to you, for referring me to your case. The subject of animal captivity has been of interest to me for quite a while. And my secretary has prepared research material that I think you will find illuminating. If you would be so kind as to send me the June 5th letter of which we spoke, my associates and I will review it immediately. Please feel free to call me at your earliest convenience.

Yours sincerely,
E. Edward Grey
-From the movie, Secretary (2002).

You’ve just read the dialogue from one of the hottest movie scenes I’ve ever watched. “Read it again.”

[Vitus, a 12-year-old child prodigy & genius tries persuading his 19-year-old babysitter, Isabel to marry him…]

Vitus: Well, statistically, women are usually seven years younger than their partners, but that’s really stupid because men die seven years earlier. So women are widows for 14 years. Isabel: You’re a real genius at math. Vitus: We would die at the same time. Besides, a woman’s libido is at its peak 10 years later than a man’s. Isabel: The libido? Vitus: Exactly. That’s why so many relationships fail. Women should be older than their men. We would make the perfect couple. -From the movie, Vitus (2006)

Chris Rhee, a 22-year-old non-genius, fondly dedicates this quote to Maura Tierney, Tina Fey, Patricia Heaton, Diane Lane, Rachael Ray, Jane Leeves, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mary-Louise Parker, Marisa Tomei, Jodie Foster, Gina Bellman, Jane Krakowski, and Marissa Mayer.