J.C. Patrick > Quotes

“Professional is an apt definition for me, professional slouch, that is. I can be very professional at seeming to do work, but the real work is trying to do as little as possible, without getting caught by Trip or any nosey busybodies.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“I took a couple steps away from him and stopped in front of a framed colored poster of Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable from the movie Gone with the Wind. I studied the pair, Gable with his mysterious mustache and Leigh in her red ball gown. I’d become a fan of the classic, partially because of my mother’s suggestion that I looked a lot like a younger Vivien Leigh, with my dark wavy hair and sea green eyes. And as usual, I’d believed her for a little while.”
― J.C. Patrick, A Hollywood Classic

“She had requested my presence for a reason, but I wasn’t certain if her intent was to warn me away from her family or warn me from my own actions and where they might take me. (Carlotta DuBois, Gossip Columnist)”
― J.C. Patrick, How to Disappear

“Now, it’s your turn to decide whether or not to betray me. (Alison Abbot, Movie Star)”
― J.C. Patrick, How to Disappear

“My life was full of drama, with the highs and lows of Tyler’s daily mood swings and my private innuendos with Vandenberg. There’d never been a movie made that could permanently shift my mood away from my disappointment with myself.”
― J.C. Patrick, A Hollywood Classic

“I could feel the spring in my step as I walked up one flight of stairs from the parking garage into the company’s lobby. Although I wore my old blue suit, a remnant of all my previous job interviews, I felt the day had new possibilities. After all, I was interviewing at a company that made something I loved – movies!”
― J.C. Patrick, A Hollywood Classic

“I couldn’t rid myself of the uncomfortable feeling that someone had targeted me, someone bad, and it had not been Alison. It was easy to believe I had enemies. After all, I reported gossip, which did not always present others in their best light. (Carlotta DuBois, Gossip Columnist)”
― J.C. Patrick, How to Disappear

“Unforgettable…that’s who you are... I have always loved this song. But I am forgettable to anyone - I even try to forget myself, at times. But I have hope that the new Janey will become more beautiful,motivated, and intellectually stimulating. Need I go on? My wish list of attributes is so long that it would qualify for a Guinness World Record, if they have a category for number of fanciful ideas about oneself.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“He stares at me, not saying a word. I stare right back, lost in his eyes and determined to get my point across. If he wants to have a staring contest, he’ll lose, hands down. I know a good thing when I see it.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“My mother had tried to fool me into thinking I was a natural beauty, and I’d believed her for a little while, that is, until I moved to the land of beautiful people.”
― J.C. Patrick, A Hollywood Classic

“I got home a little after seven, but didn’t feel hungry. Instead, I crawled into my pajamas and pulled out my Jimmy Stewart movie It’s a Wonderful Life. I fixed myself a cup of herbal tea and settled in for the night. Normally, I’d save such a classic movie for the holidays, when I tended to feel sorry for myself, but today’s need felt urgent. If Jimmy was able to accept that he had a wonderful life, maybe I could, too.”
― J.C. Patrick, A Hollywood Classic

“I'm overweight, despise change, and rarely, if ever, initiate anything. Unlike my friends, I’ve had no drama in my life which might qualify as box office material. If a little more drama came my way, however, I would probably need to purchase some courage in order to withstand it. Oh well, if a bit of change equals a bit of drama, I’m willing to risk it.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“After a few more minutes of daydreaming about how fabulous I could become, I look down at the heading on my paper: Janey's Reinvention Plan. It appears lonely at the top of the page. I should probably add some bullets beneath, but I've never been much of a list maker.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“I notice being noticed immediately – I’m a freeway goddess! In the past five minutes of gridlock, I have been checked out by a bald man in convertible Mustang, a cowboy in an F-150, and a body-builder in a Lincoln Navigator. Watch out road warriors! I don’t want to be responsible for any accidents. If only I had a car decal that advertised: Available – if you meet my eligibility criteria!”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“The old Janey only drank cheap wine and light beer. The new Janey is classy, prefers cocktails, and even drinks alone.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“I sneak quietly up the stairs and toward my door. It’s not very late, but I don’t want to arouse Cyclops Eye next door. I’ve stopped looking as I walk past, but it’s difficult not to notice her window open just a few inches and her sitting right next to it, ready at a moment’s notice to give me her big one-eyed look. Maybe I should get her a monocle for Christmas, so she can make more of a statement.”
― J.C. Patrick, The Reinvention of Janey

“I like to think of myself as an artist - one who adds a dash of fame, a touch of dirt, a pinch of stardust, and a moral to every little story I report. (Carlotta DuBois, Gossip Columnist)”
― J.C. Patrick, How to Disappear