I wrote this post for work (it has absolutely nothing to do with my job, just an assignment to get people to socialize more internally), and it was so much fun to write I thought I’d share it here. I posted it about a week ago, and since then I’ve had new quotes that pop into my head (or rather, come out of my mouth unconsciously) that I totally should have added. These were just top of mind when I was writing.

Are you a movie quoter, too?

I grew up in the dawning age of movie rentals. I’m talking the way back in the great debate of VHS vs Beta times. The mom and pop video rental stores. After my parents hooked us up with a VCR (VHS won out in our house) my younger brother and I would spend what felt like hours every Friday night in the local video store debating our choices.

We had a few rules. We could rent one movie. We had to agree on it. It had to be PG or less. Sometimes my dad would tell us it had to be something we hadn’t seen before. More often than not, after standing there in disagreement for so long – me holding one tape, and my brother defiantly holding another – he’d throw his hands up and let us rent something we’d seen before, just because we agreed on it. (Let’s face it. In those early mom and pop video store times, there was a limited selection available on Friday nights in the first place.)

We’d bring the movie home and have it for 48 hours. Of course, we had to get our money’s worth and we would watch that movie as many times as we could before we returned it two days later. These early rental experiences set my brother and I up to be repetitive movie watchers and therefore movie quoters. Many decades later of course, my brother and I remain movie (and TV) quoting machines.  We can’t help it. It’s in our blood. A relic of our childhood.

We all know the classics – “Bueller? Bueller?” In fact, I just used that at work last week. Here’s a little guide to help add more movie fun into your life.

• Giving someone a little encouragement? “Goonies never say die!” Alternatively, throw a little Happy Gilmore their way – “Tap it in, just tap it in.”
• Sharing food? “Gummy bear? They’ve been in my pocket. They’re real warm and soft.”
• When my kids say “bye!” I automatically reply, “Bye bye boys! Have fun storming the castle! (Think it will work? It would take a miracle.)”
• Something seems a little off? “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
• Have some news? “Tell him about the twinkie.” (And if someone says this to you reply back with, “What about the twinkie?”)
• Answering the phone? “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?”
• Frustrated? Throw a little George Banks at them. “I want to buy eight hot dogs and eight hot dog buns to go with them. But no one sells eight hot dog buns. They only sell twelve hot dog buns. So I end up paying for four buns I don’t need. So I am removing the superfluous buns!”
• (And if George Banks is a little long for you, just go with a classic Seinfeld “Serenity Now!”)

My kids are a chip off the old block. They’ve got some movie responses they’ve picked up over the years, but quoting TV shows is their specialty. Specifically The Office and Brooklyn 99. My poor husband.

Are you a movie (or TV) quoter? What memorable lines stick with you?