Agnes Franz, Editor
Here''s a book with a sense of humor. Smirk is a casual compilation of quotes, cliches and off-the-top-of-the-head wit, wisdom and fun to put a smile on your face. Let it amuse and inspire. You know how some clever ideas begin with "They say..." There''s that kind of humor here, as well. The editor works to move you from the day''s doldrums to a lighter level, escaping accountability.
There''s no formal correlation here. Some quotes are attributed to their producers; many come from the comics, classic literature, editorials, or bumper stickers. Some remain anonymous because the person who first said them wasn''t willing to own up to issuing the words.
Any morsel you find in this book might be snarky, smiley, sanctimonious, sentimental, sacred, irreverent, tender, cheeky, classic or even quite reasonable. Material has been researched in library stacks, in barrooms, in college classrooms, on the internet as well as at kitchen tables.
Brief quotes and adages and a few very short poems are selected for a quick read. Here and there you find material that goes back to once upon a time. This is a mixture of topics, visions and viewpoints. We can hardly call it an anthology— it is not at all scholarly. The objective is pure escapism.
About the editor, Agnes Franz
SMIRK is compiled and edited by Agnes Franz who brings to this book a love of brief, pithy phrases from her work in the advertising field.
Franz''s most recently writing is Historic Prescott, An Illustrated History of Prescott & Yavapai County, her first venture into the world of the historian. The book is in its second printing.
She was an advertising director at Rodale Press for many years, then ran her own publishers'' advertising representative business, based in Arizona. While at Rodale Press and later under the Agnes Franz Advertising business name she wrote, edited and published Classified Communication. This business-to-business newsletter addressed trends in advertising, supplied small budget advertising tips and sported a few pertinent quotes or quips in each issue. Those brief afterthoughts later became the grandparents of SMIRK.
Franz studied journalism at Charles Morris Price School of Journalism and Bethany College. She had a brief career as a newspaper reporter, was editor of a multi-language magazine and later turned to advertising. She has been a SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) business counselor. Agnes Franz has an intense interest in the many aspects of American communication.
The best things in life are free but no longer available.
If the worm turns—go fishing.
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.
Any idiot can face a crisis—it’s this day-to-day living that wears you out. —Anton Chekhov
Being happy is too important to be left to chance. —Robert Rodale
The first human being who hurled an insult instead of a stone was the founder of civilization. —Sigmund Freud
You can’t empty a wastebasket once and for all.
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which to keep. —Scott Adams
Nothing a magician does can’t be done by a 10-year-old—with 15 years of practice.
The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.
Earth laughs in flowers. —Ralph Waldo Emerson
Hospitality— The virtue which induces us to feed and lodge certain persons who are not in need of food and lodging.
The average person thinks he isn’t. —Father Lorenzoni
