--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am a practical girl, and a life is only…" description: "\"I am a practical girl, and a life is only so long. It should be spent in as much peace and good eating and good reading as possible and no undue excite..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/catherynne-m-valente-375_eating_i-am-a-practical-girl-and-a-life-is-only_359471.jpg" --- # I am a practical girl, and a life is only so long. It… ![“I am a practical girl, and a life is only so long. It should be spent in as much peace and good eating and good reading as possible and no undue excitement. That is all I am after.” quote by Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/catherynne-m-valente-375_eating_i-am-a-practical-girl-and-a-life-is-only_359471.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/catherynne-m-valente-375_eating_i-am-a-practical-girl-and-a-life-is-only_359471.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/catherynne-m-valente-375_eating_i-am-a-practical-girl-and-a-life-is-only_359471.jpg) > “I am a practical girl, and a life is only so long. It should be spent in as much peace and good eating and good reading as possible and no undue excitement. That is all I am after.” [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live simply, savor peace, good food, and reading, avoiding unnecessary drama. **In simple terms:** Seek calm and simple pleasures. Key Takeaway Prioritize peace and modest joys. Themes simplicity contentment mindfulness Mood calm reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routine - leisure reading - healthy meals - stress reduction Key Concepts hedonism stoicism literary Questions to Reflect On - What simple habit brings you the most peace? - How can you balance calm with personal development? A Different Perspective Neglecting growth or challenge can lead to stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Excitement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excitement/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Good reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-reading/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) ## Related quotes > [I am a practical girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divyanka-tripathi/i-am-a-practical-girl/) [Divyanka Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divyanka-tripathi/) > [A practical girl never pines; she takes action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adriana-trigiani/a-practical-girl-never-pines-she-takes-action/) [Adriana Trigiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adriana-trigiani/) > [At the bottom of philosophy something very true and very desperate whispers: Everyone is hungry all the time. Everyone is starving. Everyone wants so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/at-the-bottom-of-philosophy-something-very-true-and-very-desperate/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [I'm good at reading people. If I wasn't an actor, I would be a psychologist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/i-m-good-at-reading-people-if-i-wasn-t-an-actor-i-would-be-a/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [“If you don't find any good reading out there, you make one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/if-you-don-t-find-any-good-reading-out-there-you-make-one/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [I think, basically, what I'm good for is reading - a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-oyeyemi/i-think-basically-what-i-m-good-for-is-reading-a-lot/) [Helen Oyeyemi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-oyeyemi/) > [That's what a writer does; they make things up and that makes for good reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/that-s-what-a-writer-does-they-make-things-up-and-that-makes-for-good/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [“I need a Good Reading book! for a Broken Soul ;(”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/broken-souls/i-need-a-good-reading-book-for-a-broken-soul/) Broken Souls > [“How are you so good at reading me when you can't read anyone else around you?" He sighed, and as he climbed out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brodi-ashton/how-are-you-so-good-at-reading-me-when-you-can-t-read-anyone-else/) [Brodi Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brodi-ashton/) > [Yes, I was good at reading people. I studied them so I could put them in my novels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-echols/yes-i-was-good-at-reading-people-i-studied-them-so-i-could-put-them/) [Jennifer Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-echols/) > [Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/most-of-what-makes-a-book-good-is-that-we-are-reading-it-at-the-right/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [“I am aware of many things being quite as important as good writing and good reading; but in all things it is wiser to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/i-am-aware-of-many-things-being-quite-as-important-as-good-writing/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [As long as you notice, and have to count the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/as-long-as-you-notice-and-have-to-count-the-steps-you-are-not-yet/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A lot of religious texts make for good reading. That's why they hold up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-mccombs/a-lot-of-religious-texts-make-for-good-reading-that-s-why-they-hold-up/) [Cass McCombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cass-mccombs/) > [“She'd always been good at reading people, but she couldn't read him. And holy fuck, did she want to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/she-d-always-been-good-at-reading-people-but-she-couldn-t-read-him/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) ## More by Catherynne M. Valente > [When I saw him I thought I could curl up inside him and go to sleep and never wake up." "Men are no good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/when-i-saw-him-i-thought-i-could-curl-up-inside-him-and-go-to-sleep/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all just keep moving, September. We keep moving until we stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-just-keep-moving-september-we-keep-moving-until-we-stop/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“He considers it for a moment and spits out the seeds, which sprout, quickly, into tiny junkblossoms sizzling with recursive algorithms. The algorithms wriggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/he-considers-it-for-a-moment-and-spits-out-the-seeds-which-sprout/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“Truly, Mallow yearned to know everything. Curiosity was part of her, like her short blond hair and bitten fingernails.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/truly-mallow-yearned-to-know-everything-curiosity-was-part-of-her/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“The cicada lies in the earth for seventeen years. It is warm and dark there, it is soft and wet. Its little legs curl…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/the-cicada-lies-in-the-earth-for-seventeen-years-it-is-warm-and-dark/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [We all live inside the terrible engine of authority, and it grinds and shrieks and burns so that no one will say: lines on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/we-all-live-inside-the-terrible-engine-of-authority-and-it-grinds-and/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Her heart was bruised by the kiss, smashed and surprised and unsettled by it. September thought kisses were all nice, sweet things asked for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/her-heart-was-bruised-by-the-kiss-smashed-and-surprised-and-unsettled/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“September put her hand on the grip of the Rivet Gun. She’d only just gotten it, and she’d promised to take copious notes for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/september-put-her-hand-on-the-grip-of-the-rivet-gun-she-d-only-just/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Just tell yourself a story that'll satisfy you and pretend he told it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/just-tell-yourself-a-story-that-ll-satisfy-you-and-pretend-he-told-it/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“You see, the future is a kind of stew, a soup, a vichyssoise of the present and the past. That's how you get the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-see-the-future-is-a-kind-of-stew-a-soup-a-vichyssoise-of-the/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Fairy tales have always been about getting through the worst of everything, the darkest and the deepest and the bloodiest of events. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/fairy-tales-have-always-been-about-getting-through-the-worst-of/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“There is a place, September, oh, very far from Pandemonium. A place where it is always autumn, where there is always cider and pumpkin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/there-is-a-place-september-oh-very-far-from-pandemonium-a-place-where/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“I was happy, the sun was high. I had enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/i-was-happy-the-sun-was-high-i-had-enough/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Who are you?" "I am Death," said the creature. "I thought that was obvious." "But you're so small!" "Only because you are small. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/who-are-you-i-am-death-said-the-creature-i-thought-that-was-obvious/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) [Explore all 621 Catherynne M. Valente quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) ## More Eating quotes > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [I don't wear a watch because I want my arms to weigh the same. So if somebody asks me what time it is, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/i-don-t-wear-a-watch-because-i-want-my-arms-to-weigh-the-same-so-if/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [Most people are sensitized to animals through their cats and dogs, but for me it was a flounder. I used to go fishing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mathews/most-people-are-sensitized-to-animals-through-their-cats-and-dogs-but/) [Dan Mathews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-mathews/) > [I have my meals delivered... you know what I like? Chicken and rice... But the problem with being a defensive lineman is, if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-douglas/i-have-my-meals-delivered-you-know-what-i-like-chicken-and-rice-but/) [Hugh Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-douglas/) > [I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-zakarian/i-do-not-believe-in-eating-fish-hot-people-always-insist-on-hot-fish/) [Geoffrey Zakarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-zakarian/) > [One things guys have to remember is consistency... You can't make up for three years of eating poorly in just one workout.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/one-things-guys-have-to-remember-is-consistency-you-can-t-make-up-for/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [My mom cares that I tweeted a picture of my breakfast. She's knows I'm eating and I'm safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-dorsey/my-mom-cares-that-i-tweeted-a-picture-of-my-breakfast-she-s-knows-i-m/) [Jack Dorsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-dorsey/) > [There is an idea that you can take the spiritual teachings of a religion outside of a religion and practice them; these ideas are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-is-an-idea-that-you-can-take-the-spiritual-teachings-of-a/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [I have an intense dislike of doctrines, because you will always end up eating your words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yotam-ottolenghi/i-have-an-intense-dislike-of-doctrines-because-you-will-always-end-up/) [Yotam Ottolenghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yotam-ottolenghi/) > [The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-robuchon/the-worst-thing-for-me-is-to-not-taste-what-i-m-eating-to-not-know/) [Joel Robuchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-robuchon/) > [The heaviest I've ever been is 65 kilos. That was during my Leaving Cert when I was just studying and eating chocolate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-taylor/the-heaviest-i-ve-ever-been-is-65-kilos-that-was-during-my-leaving/) [Katie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-taylor/) > [For fear of causing terror to living beings, Mahamati, let the Bodhisattva who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/for-fear-of-causing-terror-to-living-beings-mahamati-let-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [The good Bishop of Assisi expressed a sort of horror at the hard life which the Little Brothers lived at the Portiuncula, without comforts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-good-bishop-of-assisi-expressed-a-sort-of-horror-at-the-hard-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think the best Thanksgiving we ever had was one where we didn't even have a turkey. Mom and Dad sat us kids down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/i-think-the-best-thanksgiving-we-ever-had-was-one-where-we-didn-t/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [I have a great time cooking and eating Thai green chicken curry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-have-a-great-time-cooking-and-eating-thai-green-chicken-curry/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) [Browse all 4,153 Eating quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I am a practical girl, and a life is only so long. It should be spent in as much peace and good eating and good reading as possible and no undue excitement. That is all I am after.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Catherynne M. 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