--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I texted Nightingale to let him know our…" description: "\"“I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in disposition and then I picked up my Pliny, because nothing says stuck all alone in your flat like a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg" --- # I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in… ![“I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in disposition and then I picked up my Pliny, because nothing says stuck all alone in your flat like a Roman know-it-all” quote by Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg) > ““I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in disposition and then I picked up my Pliny, because nothing says stuck all alone in your flat like a Roman know-it-all”” [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous juxtaposition of modern texting with classical literature highlights loneliness and intellectual comfort. **In simple terms:** Mixing old and new comforts loneliness. Key Takeaway Embrace humor in solitude. Themes loneliness humor literature modernity Mood wry lighthearted reflective Type anecdotal conversational When to use this quote - working from home - reading for comfort - writing jokes - social media - personal coping Key Concepts cultural reference self‑care irony Questions to Reflect On - How does referencing classics affect your mood? - Can jokes replace real connection? A Different Perspective Humor may mask deeper isolation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightingale/) [Nightingale Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nightingale-let-2933953/) [Picked Pliny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picked-pliny-3469745/) [Pliny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pliny-145575/) [Pliny Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pliny-says-3469744/) [Texted Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/texted-nightingale-3469743/) ## Related quotes > [Earl Nightingale never let a day go by that he didn't learn something new and, in turn, pass it on to others. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/earl-nightingale-never-let-a-day-go-by-that-he-didn-t-learn-something/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [ He \[Pliny the Elder\] used to say that 'no book \[etc\] was so bad but some good might be got out of it'. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-younger/he-pliny-the-elder-used-to-say-that-no-book-etc-was-so-bad-but-some/) [Pliny the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-younger/) > [“Apparebat eidolon senex. —Pliny”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/apparebat-eidolon-senex-pliny/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Pliny the Elder, who when Rome was burning requested Nero to play You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me, Lucille. Never got a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/pliny-the-elder-who-when-rome-was-burning-requested-nero-to-play-you/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [A bronze plaque read: GAIUS PLINIUS CAECILIUS SECUNDUS Dan made a face. "Get a load of the guy with the funny name." "I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-korman/a-bronze-plaque-read-gaius-plinius-caecilius-secundus-dan-made-a-face/) [Gordon Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-korman/) > [“There's more to life than just London," said Nightingale. "People keep saying that," I said. "But I've never actually seen any proof.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/there-s-more-to-life-than-just-london-said-nightingale-people-keep/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Pliny the Elder perished in 79 A.D. when he refused to flee from the great eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, insisting that everything would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-cuppy/pliny-the-elder-perished-in-79-a-d-when-he-refused-to-flee-from-the/) [Will Cuppy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-cuppy/) > [Conflict resolution,' said Nightingale. 'Is this what they teach at Hendon these days?' 'Yes, sir,' I said. 'But don't worry, they also teach us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/conflict-resolution-said-nightingale-is-this-what-they-teach-at/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [ “\[Pliny the Elder\] used to say that “no book was so bad but some good might be got out of it.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pliny-the-younger/pliny-the-elder-used-to-say-that-no-book-was-so-bad-but-some-good/) [Pliny the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pliny-the-younger/) > [Pliny... makes the statement, and for untrustworthiness of statement he cannot easily be surpassed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-henry-lewes/pliny-makes-the-statement-and-for-untrustworthiness-of-statement-he/) [George Henry Lewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-henry-lewes/) > [“... Mother Nature is punishing us, ..., for our greed and selfishness. We torture her at all hours by iron and wood, fire and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/mother-nature-is-punishing-us-for-our-greed-and-selfishness-we/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“I looked into the literature on this," said Nightingale, "and it wasn't very helpful." "There's a literature about this?" "You'd be amazed, Constable, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-looked-into-the-literature-on-this-said-nightingale-and-it-wasn-t/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Something round and dirty and white was resting near my foot. It was a skull. I picked it up. ‘Is that you, Nicholas?’ I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/something-round-and-dirty-and-white-was-resting-near-my-foot-it-was-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Fare thee well my nightingale, I lived but to be near you. Thow you are singing somewhere still I can no longer hear you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/fare-thee-well-my-nightingale-i-lived-but-to-be-near-you-thow-you-are/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [O nightingale, that on yon bloomy spray Warblest at eve, when all the woods are still; Thou with fresh hope the lover's heart dost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/o-nightingale-that-on-yon-bloomy-spray-warblest-at-eve-when-all-the/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) ## More by Ben Aaronovitch > [“He was from Yorkshire, or somewhere like that, and like many Northerners with issues, he'd moved to London as a cheap alternative to psychotherapy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/he-was-from-yorkshire-or-somewhere-like-that-and-like-many/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“I left in a hurry before he could change his mind, but I want to make it clear that at no point did I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-left-in-a-hurry-before-he-could-change-his-mind-but-i-want-to-make/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [The general public have a warped view of the speed at which an investigation proceeds. They like to imagine tense conversations going on behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-general-public-have-a-warped-view-of-the-speed-at-which-an/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Something round and dirty and white was resting near my foot. It was a skull. I picked it up. ‘Is that you, Nicholas?’ I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/something-round-and-dirty-and-white-was-resting-near-my-foot-it-was-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [Coffee arrived and the espresso was excellent, like an aromatic electric fence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/coffee-arrived-and-the-espresso-was-excellent-like-an-aromatic/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Fuck me,' I said to Toby. 'We're living in Isengard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/fuck-me-i-said-to-toby-we-re-living-in-isengard/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Peter Grant,’ I said. ‘Recent arrival, slacker and man of very little fame.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/peter-grant-i-said-recent-arrival-slacker-and-man-of-very-little-fame/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [What do you think you're doing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/what-do-you-think-you-re-doing/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“My mum translated this in her head to "witchfinder," which was good because like most West Africans, she considered witchfinding a more respectable profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/my-mum-translated-this-in-her-head-to-witchfinder-which-was-good/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“Right from the start Abigail used to moan and fidget as her hair was relaxed or braided or thermally reconditioned, but her dad was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/right-from-the-start-abigail-used-to-moan-and-fidget-as-her-hair-was/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“The mark was from the glue that once held a folder into which a library card would have fitted back in the day when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/the-mark-was-from-the-glue-that-once-held-a-folder-into-which-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [It's a sad fact of modern life that if you drive long enough, sooner or later you must leave London behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/it-s-a-sad-fact-of-modern-life-that-if-you-drive-long-enough-sooner/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [This I know for a fact: the reason African women have children is so that there's someone else to do the housework.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/this-i-know-for-a-fact-the-reason-african-women-have-children-is-so/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [“There’s always a secret door,” I said. “That’s why you always need a thief in your party.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/there-s-always-a-secret-door-i-said-that-s-why-you-always-need-a/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) > [ You know, your species \[humans\] has the most amazing capacity for self-deception, matched only by its ingenuity in trying to destroy itself. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/you-know-your-species-humans-has-the-most-amazing-capacity-for-self/) [Ben Aaronovitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) [Explore all 134 Ben Aaronovitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in disposition and then I picked up my Pliny, because nothing says stuck all alone in your flat like a Roman know-it-all”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Aaronovitch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our-change-in-disposition-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our-change-in-disposition-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e72/ben-aaronovitch-3199_change_i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our_1181827.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I texted Nightingale to let him know our change in disposition and then I picked up my Pliny, because…” — Ben Aaronovitch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Aaronovitch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-aaronovitch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I texted Nightingale to let him...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our-change-in-disposition-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-aaronovitch/i-texted-nightingale-to-let-him-know-our-change-in-disposition-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```