Quotes About Observation

Other people's devotions embarrassed me, perhaps because, like other people's kisses, they rarely looked genuine when viewed too closely.

Who were all these people, so many of them so brown? What was this ritual unfolding around him? I've never seen a German look as German as Clark did when he assessed his likely assessors. His eyes were like small blue coins behind his glasses.

I find books in used-book stores, chain and independent stores, on friends' shelves and being read by some woman sitting opposite me on the subway. I find books the way a cow finds a new pasture, by looking to see where the other cows are headed.

Kit [Carson Kitteridge] watched me for a few moments before saying, That was some impressive killing you did. Naked too. I hope I didn't embarrass Office Palmer. She said that after all she heard about you she thought your johnson would be bigger. Tell her that the air conditioner was on.

I seen it all," old Coydog used to say, "but that don't mean I seen everything.

You could see New Jersey out of Mardi's window. From the seventy-second floor it looked like a scale model of Purgatory.

Every time he slammed his body against the wire fence the jay started as if he were about to fly off, but he didn't. He just kept staring down into those deadly jaws, mesmerized by the spectacle there.

There is no true event only a series of occurrences open to interpretation. -Mosley-

America was changing at a snail's pace in a high wind, but until that gastropod mollusk reached its destination I had a .45 in my pocket and eyes on all four corners at once.

We still know so little about the nature of dreams that the observation comes to a stop once it has been made.

Female forms of exquisite grace and beauty began to mingle in his mental adventures; nor was he long without looking abroad to compare the creatures of his own imagination with the females of actual life.

You remind me at this moment," said the young lady, resuming her lively and indifferent manner, "of the fairy tale, where the man finds all the money which he had carried to market suddenly changed into pieces of slate. I have cried down and ruined your whole stock of complimentary discourse by one unlucky observation.

by profession an observer of tones and gestures

But there was in these eyes an expression of art and design, and, on provocation, a ferocity tempered by caution

It is only when taught deceit by the commerce of the world, that we learn to shroud our character from observation, and to disguise our real sentiments from those with whom we are placed in communion.

Of this disposition, to see as much of the supernatural as is seen by others around, or, in other words, to trust to the eyes of others rather than to our own

It is the pest of our profession that we seldom see the best side of human nature.

Thus, in regard to the ear, the next organ in importance to the eye, we are repeatedly deceived by such sounds as are imperfectly gathered up and erroneously apprehended. From the false impressions received from this organ also arise consequences similar to those derived from erroneous reports made by the organs of sight. A whole class of superstitious observances arise, and are grounded upon inaccurate and imperfect hearing.

If you've been playing poker for half an hour and you still don't know who the patsy is, you're the patsy.

You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with magic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.

A horse that can count to ten is a remarkable horse—not a remarkable mathematician.

It's good to learn from your mistakes. It's better to learn from other people's mistakes.

I'm sorry. Is that too harsh an observation for you? Does that sound too much like the Truth? Fuck you. If anyone in this shithole city gave two tugs of a dead dog's cock about Truth, this wouldn't be happening.

I partnered you with Jim all those years ago because you were complimentary kinds of crazy. You kept each other in check. I need you to not crawl back inside your own skull and watch the world with binoculars from deep cover.