--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've always thought academics should get…" description: "\"“I've always thought academics should get a little slurry on their boots from time to time.”\" — Karen Lord" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg" --- # I've always thought academics should get a little slurry… ![“I've always thought academics should get a little slurry on their boots from time to time.” quote by Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg) > ““I've always thought academics should get a little slurry on their boots from time to time.”” [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Academic work sometimes requires getting messy or dealing with unexpected challenges, symbolized by slurry on boots. **In simple terms:** Academics must accept occasional messiness. Key Takeaway Accept and learn from messy situations. Themes adaptability resilience learning messiness Mood pragmatic lighthearted Type advice humorous When to use this quote - research projects - fieldwork - lab experiments - teaching Key Concepts metaphor work ethic Questions to Reflect On - When does mess become counterproductive? - How to keep work clean while staying flexible? A Different Perspective Too much mess can hinder clarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ivory tower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ivory-tower/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [There's an interesting book about that called The Third Reich and the Ivory Tower, written by Stephen H. Norwood. It has a long discussion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/there-s-an-interesting-book-about-that-called-the-third-reich-and-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Language evolves and moves on. It is an organic thing. It is not stuck in an ivory tower, hung with expensive works of art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james-2/language-evolves-and-moves-on-it-is-an-organic-thing-it-is-not-stuck/) [E. L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james-2/) > [Maybe what I admired most about John Steinbeck is that he never mortgaged his 45-acre heart for a suite in an ivory tower.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/maybe-what-i-admired-most-about-john-steinbeck-is-that-he-never/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [For me or a Bruce Springsteen to sit up in our ivory towers and make comments about racism, well, were not really in it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mellencamp/for-me-or-a-bruce-springsteen-to-sit-up-in-our-ivory-towers-and-make/) [John Mellencamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mellencamp/) > [I don't ascribe to the idea of the ivory tower composer who sits alone in a room composing his masterpieces and then comes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zorn/i-don-t-ascribe-to-the-idea-of-the-ivory-tower-composer-who-sits/) [John Zorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zorn/) > [Great question in science - questions like the ones Herschel raised about the structure of the universe - are seldom answered by ivory-tower types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-trefil/great-question-in-science-questions-like-the-ones-herschel-raised/) James Trefil > [If you shut yourself up disdainfully in your ivory tower and insist that you have your own conscience and are satisfied with its approval,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luigi-pirandello/if-you-shut-yourself-up-disdainfully-in-your-ivory-tower-and-insist/) [Luigi Pirandello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luigi-pirandello/) > [I make friends easily. I'm a gregarious guy, I'm open, I'm easy to get to know - I don't lock myself in an ivory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-weintraub/i-make-friends-easily-i-m-a-gregarious-guy-i-m-open-i-m-easy-to-get/) [Jerry Weintraub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-weintraub/) > [“What I mean is something like a closed circuit. Everybody on the same frequency. And after a while you forget about the rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/what-i-mean-is-something-like-a-closed-circuit-everybody-on-the-same/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [I am an idealist. I often feel I would like to be an artist in an ivory tower. Yet it is imperative that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-eugene-smith/i-am-an-idealist-i-often-feel-i-would-like-to-be-an-artist-in-an/) [W. Eugene Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-eugene-smith/) > [“I'm reminded of a conversation I had with your father when you wanted to go to Arrida to ransom Erak. I told him, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/i-m-reminded-of-a-conversation-i-had-with-your-father-when-you-wanted/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [The ivory tower of the artist may be the only stronghold left for human values, cultural treasures, man’s cult of beauty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/the-ivory-tower-of-the-artist-may-be-the-only-stronghold-left-for/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [As for mathematicians themselves: don't expect too much help. Most of them are too far removed in their ivory towers to take up such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apostolos-doxiadis/as-for-mathematicians-themselves-don-t-expect-too-much-help-most-of/) [Apostolos Doxiadis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apostolos-doxiadis/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Friedmans influence reaches far beyond the academic community and the world of economics. Rather than lock himself in an ivory tower, he has joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-simon/friedmans-influence-reaches-far-beyond-the-academic-community-and-the/) [William E. Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-e-simon/) ## More by Karen Lord > [I think if a story has a message it should be incidental and accidental, otherwise it leans too close to indoctrination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-think-if-a-story-has-a-message-it-should-be-incidental-and/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“Everything teaches, everyone preaches, all have a gospel to sell! Better the one who is honest and open in declaring an agenda than the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/everything-teaches-everyone-preaches-all-have-a-gospel-to-sell-better/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“This is my universe, my time, my world. There is no going back to what was. There is only the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/this-is-my-universe-my-time-my-world-there-is-no-going-back-to-what/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [Names are very important for humans, aren't they? How do I translate for you the name of this town as it seems to me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/names-are-very-important-for-humans-aren-t-they-how-do-i-translate/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [All my tales are true, drawn from life, and a life story is not a tidy thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/all-my-tales-are-true-drawn-from-life-and-a-life-story-is-not-a-tidy/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“Ever wonder if you've done the right thing?" I asked him finally. "Frequently," he replied. "Legalities notwithstanding, to not wonder indicates a dangerous lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/ever-wonder-if-you-ve-done-the-right-thing-i-asked-him-finally/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“I was still excited. Big or small, elephants are elephants, after all. Just before we mounted, when I was sure no one could see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-was-still-excited-big-or-small-elephants-are-elephants-after-all/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [Remember your ancestors, dream of your descendants and work hard while you're living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/remember-your-ancestors-dream-of-your-descendants-and-work-hard-while/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“Indigo,’ his mother clarified. ‘Yes, I bet you would.’ He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/indigo-his-mother-clarified-yes-i-bet-you-would-he/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“She had imagined her mind would be bare before his, naked under a scorching desert sun, with neither shelter nor refuge. Instead, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/she-had-imagined-her-mind-would-be-bare-before-his-naked-under-a/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“Do I have any recommendations for a Sadiri boys' night out?" I shrugged, smiled, and allowed myself a laugh. "I can come up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/do-i-have-any-recommendations-for-a-sadiri-boys-night-out-i-shrugged/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [In the beginning, God created human beings, which is to say God put the ingredients together, embedded the instructions for building on the template,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/in-the-beginning-god-created-human-beings-which-is-to-say-god-put-the/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [I find that sometimes if you just sit still, things have a way of finding you before you can find them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-find-that-sometimes-if-you-just-sit-still-things-have-a-way-of/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“Let me tell you, there's no long-distance relationship like an interstellar one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/let-me-tell-you-there-s-no-long-distance-relationship-like-an/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) > [“You must never tell people their own stories. They have no interest in them, or they think they can tell them better themselves. Give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/you-must-never-tell-people-their-own-stories-they-have-no-interest-in/) [Karen Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) [Explore all 27 Karen Lord quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/) ## More Boots quotes > [“I hate the way you talk to me And the way you cut your hair I hate the way you drive my car I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/i-hate-the-way-you-talk-to-me-and-the-way-you-cut-your-hair-i-hate/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Personally, I don't really have a set style or look. It's pretty much what I feel like wearing that day, from a floral-print dress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay-mitchell/personally-i-don-t-really-have-a-set-style-or-look-it-s-pretty-much/) [Shay Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay-mitchell/) > [“The hiking boots the outdoor adventure magazine sent me to buy - large, ungainly potato like things that I have been trying to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/the-hiking-boots-the-outdoor-adventure-magazine-sent-me-to-buy-large/) [david rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [Stop trying to treat music like it's a tennis shoe, something to be branded. If the music industry wants to save money, they should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/stop-trying-to-treat-music-like-it-s-a-tennis-shoe-something-to-be/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [We did rent some houses in different hub cities which made it that we weren't in hotels all the time. But we're on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-fisher/we-did-rent-some-houses-in-different-hub-cities-which-made-it-that-we/) [Mike Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-fisher/) > [He won't, won't he? Then bring me my boots.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-harris-barham/he-won-t-won-t-he-then-bring-me-my-boots/) [Richard Harris Barham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-harris-barham/) > [I've always got such high expectations for myself. I'm aware of them, but I can't relax them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-decker/i-ve-always-got-such-high-expectations-for-myself-i-m-aware-of-them/) [Mary Decker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-decker/) > [“You can't judge a book by its steel-toed combat boots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/you-can-t-judge-a-book-by-its-steel-toed-combat-boots/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“He felt more human with his boots on. A man can face the world with something on his feet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/he-felt-more-human-with-his-boots-on-a-man-can-face-the-world-with/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [Iron and coal dominated everywhere, from grey to black: the black boots, the black stove-pipe hat, the black coach or carriage, the black iron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/iron-and-coal-dominated-everywhere-from-grey-to-black-the-black-boots/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [I have crooked toes from wearing boots that didn't fit me because that's all I could afford as a kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonah-lomu/i-have-crooked-toes-from-wearing-boots-that-didn-t-fit-me-because/) [Jonah Lomu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonah-lomu/) > [I always felt so much more comfortable in the Western. The minute I got a horse and a hat and a pair of boots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-mccrea/i-always-felt-so-much-more-comfortable-in-the-western-the-minute-i/) [Joel McCrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-mccrea/) > [I love vintage cowboy boots, and some days I'm into platform stilettos encrusted in jewels. It's really all over the place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kacey-musgraves/i-love-vintage-cowboy-boots-and-some-days-i-m-into-platform-stilettos/) [Kacey Musgraves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kacey-musgraves/) > [What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place...The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/what-we-suffer-from-today-is-humility-in-the-wrong-place-the-old/) [Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/) > [I wore hot pants and cowboy boots and I thought, 'What have I gotten myself into?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alek-wek/i-wore-hot-pants-and-cowboy-boots-and-i-thought-what-have-i-gotten/) [Alek Wek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alek-wek/) Browse all 1,025 Boots quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I've always thought academics should get a little slurry on their boots from time to time.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Lord" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get-a-little-slurry-on-their/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Boots" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get-a-little-slurry-on-their/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/823/karen-lord-21941_boots_i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get_619662.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've always thought academics should get a little slurry on their boots from time to time.” — Karen Lord", "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": "Karen Lord", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lord/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I've always thought academics should get...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get-a-little-slurry-on-their/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lord/i-ve-always-thought-academics-should-get-a-little-slurry-on-their/#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 } } ] } ```