Don't-Make-Me-Tell-Ya-Twice Rice

And they say chivalry is dead.

In other news, it's Leo Tolstoy's 186th birthday. Thanks, Google!

In his honor, here are some amazing quotes and peaceful photos to keep you focused on something other than elevator altercations.

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

"The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity."

"All, everything that I understand, I understand because I love."

"True life is lived when tiny changes occur."

"War is so unjust and ugly that all who wage it must try to stifle the voice of conscience within themselves."

"There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth."

"It is amazing how complete is the delusion that beauty is goodness." 

"In the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you. "

It took me a year to read Anna Karenina. When I had almost given up on my ability to read, they came out with a movie. Typical.

Still, I remember reading some amazing passages. I opened up my book this morning and this was the first one I saw. Here are some pretty powerful words on the institution of marriage:

"You may have known a greater number of women than I have, but I'm married, and believe me, knowing the one wife you love (as someone wrote), you know all the women better than if you'd known thousands of them.

And here is my opinion for you. Women are the main stumbling block in a man's activity. It's hard to love a woman and do anything. For this there exists one means of loving conveniently, without hindrance - that is marriage... it's as if you're carrying a burden and doing something with your hands is only possible if the burden is tied to your back - and that is marriage. And I felt it once I got married. I suddenly had my hands free. But dragging this burden around without marriage - that will make your hands so full that you won't be able to do anything. Look at Mazankov, at Krupov. They ruined their careers on the account of women." 

My Dad always said LEO stood for LOVE EACH OTHER. He probably came up with that off-the-cuff as my sister Julie and I were digging each other's skin out from underneath our fingernails. Now it's become a family name with the recent birth of my nephew, Donovan Leo

Our lessons for today?

1. Don't talk back.
2. L.E.O.stands for LOVE EACH OTHER
3. Leo Tolstoy is hot.

In Not Beating This Shit Out of Women We Trust,

Grace

P.S. Happy Birthday, Leo.