To iterate is human, to recurse divine. -- L. Peter Deutsch

To follow the path: look to the master, follow the master, walk with the master, see through the master, become the master. -- Modern zen Poem

In general, we can think of data as defined by some collection of selectors and constructors, together with specified conditions that these procedures must fulfill in order to be a valid representation. -- SICP, What is meant by data?

I think the root of your mistake is saying that macros don't scale to larger groups. The real truth is that macros don't scale to stupider groups. -- Paul Graham, on the Lightweight Languages mailing list.

This challenge, viz. the confrontation with the programming task, is so unique that this novel experience can teach us a lot about ourselves. It should deepen our understanding of the processes of design and creation, it should give us better control over the task of organizing our thoughts. If it did not do so, to my taste we should no deserve the computer at all! It has allready taught us a few lessons, and the one I have chosen to stress in this talk is the following. We shall do a much better programming job, provided that we approach the task with a full appreciation of its tremenduous difficulty, provided that we stick to modest and elegant programming languages, provided that we respect the intrinsec limitations of the human mind and approach the task as Very Humble Programmers. -- E. W. Dijkstra, The humble programmer

All non-trivial abstractions, to some degree, are leaky. -- Joel Spolsky (The Law of Leaky Abstractions)

Eighty percent of success is showing up. –Woody Allen

Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. ~Winston Churchill

The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it. –Chinese Proverb

It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. –Mae Jemison