--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one…" description: "\"“Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one sticks under their nose and plenty of self-possession, one can get through, Especially a woman. Sometimes I tak..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/kate-quinn-15879_alice_oh-pfft-i-manage-with-any-paper-one-stic_1502448.jpg" --- # Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one sticks under their… ![“Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one sticks under their nose and plenty of self-possession, one can get through, Especially a woman. Sometimes I take an armload of parcels and bags and drop every single one as I try to find my identity cards, chatting all the while, and they wave me through out…” quote by Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/kate-quinn-15879_alice_oh-pfft-i-manage-with-any-paper-one-stic_1502448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/kate-quinn-15879_alice_oh-pfft-i-manage-with-any-paper-one-stic_1502448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a06/kate-quinn-15879_alice_oh-pfft-i-manage-with-any-paper-one-stic_1502448.jpg) > ““Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one sticks under their nose and plenty of self-possession, one can get through, Especially a woman. Sometimes I take an armload of parcels and bags and drop every single one as I try to find my identity cards, chatting all the while, and they wave me through out of sheer irritation.' Lili exhaled a long steam of smoke. 'To tell the truth, much of this special work we do is quite boring. I think that's why women are good as it. Our lives are already boring. We jump an Uncle Edward's offer because we can't stand the thought of working in a file room anymore, or teaching a class full of runny-nosed children their letters. Then we discover this job is deadly dull as well, but at least there's the enlivening thought that someone might put a Luger to the back of our necks. It's still better than shooting ourselves, which we know we're going to do if we have to type one more letter or pound one more Latin verb into a child's ivory skull.”” [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker describes a monotonous, oppressive job that feels unbearable, yet she prefers it over the extreme despair of suicide, highlighting how boredom and dread can coexist with a grim sense of purpose. **In simple terms:** A boring job feels worse than suicide, but she still chooses it. Key Takeaway Find meaning even in drudgery. Themes boredom despair resilience Mood frustrated grim defiant Type literary existential dark humor When to use this quote - teaching - office work - career change - mental health crisis Key Concepts existential dread workplace oppression psychological coping Questions to Reflect On - What makes a job feel unbearable? - How can one find purpose in monotonous work? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize self-harm as a coping mechanism, which is dangerous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [Some people are talking about you just because their lives are too boring. Don't respond. Keep living your life, and keep smiling about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-people-are-talking-about-you-just-because-their-lives-are-too/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“but things change once you've been together for 10 years. They rarely make movies about long-term couples and for good reason. Our lives are boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/but-things-change-once-you-ve-been-together-for-10-years-they-rarely/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [“Old people always exaggerate the danger and lawlessness of their youth, thought Cam, because their adult lives have become so boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-wunder/old-people-always-exaggerate-the-danger-and-lawlessness-of-their/) [Wendy Wunder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-wunder/) > [“One of these days, our lives will become boring. We’re going to be sitting on a couch together, asking each other repeatedly, ‘What’s for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aly-martinez/one-of-these-days-our-lives-will-become-boring-we-re-going-to-be/) [Aly Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aly-martinez/) > [It really flatters me that some peoples lives are SO boring, they actually sit around & talk about mine. I didn't realize anything was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-h/it-really-flatters-me-that-some-peoples-lives-are-so-boring-they/) [Miranda H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-h/) > [The showbiz world has to be manipulated to make it more interesting because most people's lives are boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-blunt/the-showbiz-world-has-to-be-manipulated-to-make-it-more-interesting/) [James Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-blunt/) > [People's lives are boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-kimmel/people-s-lives-are-boring/) [Jimmy Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-kimmel/) > [“How do I know what I'm up for if you won't tell me what this is about?' 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I think it's me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/somebody-s-boring-me-i-think-it-s-me/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [The work which is manipulated looks a little boring to me. I think life is pretty strange anyway. It is wooo, wooo, wooo!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/the-work-which-is-manipulated-looks-a-little-boring-to-me-i-think/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [I grew up in Le Mars, Iowa, and even though it's a great place to grow up and be raised as a kid, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rust/i-grew-up-in-le-mars-iowa-and-even-though-it-s-a-great-place-to-grow/) [Paul Rust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rust/) > [“was boring to think of books as something you should read just because others had, and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katarina-bivald/was-boring-to-think-of-books-as-something-you-should-read-just/) [Katarina Bivald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katarina-bivald/) ## More by Kate Quinn > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“Katkad prešuti koju istinu. Najbolje je lagati, a da zapravo ne lažeš.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/katkad-pre-uti-koju-istinu-najbolje-je-lagati-a-da-zapravo-ne-la-e/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“Paulinus, everyone knows. Say the word, and I'll run the bitch over with my chariot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/paulinus-everyone-knows-say-the-word-and-i-ll-run-the-bitch-over-with/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“did tell him. I suppose he thought it wasn’t suitable for your ears.” I swallowed. “What happened then?” “Rose’s boy got caught with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/did-tell-him-i-suppose-he-thought-it-wasn-t-suitable-for-your-ears-i/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“What did it matter if something scared you, when it simply had to be done?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/what-did-it-matter-if-something-scared-you-when-it-simply-had-to-be/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“Have you ever been - well, i mean, have you ever - really wanted someone ? Wanted them like water in the desert -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/have-you-ever-been-well-i-mean-have-you-ever-really-wanted-someone/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“What kind of moron wants to be a gladiator?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/what-kind-of-moron-wants-to-be-a-gladiator/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“Facing a pistol-wielding murderer does tend to put parents further down the list of things to be intimidated by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/facing-a-pistol-wielding-murderer-does-tend-to-put-parents-further/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“want to do something different.” And she’d had it in her—of course she’d be striding through the Paris nights breaking windows and kicking Brownshirts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/want-to-do-something-different-and-she-d-had-it-in-her-of-course-she/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“I am telling you that order is absurd. You think there are no idiots in the intelligence business, that your superiors are all brilliant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/i-am-telling-you-that-order-is-absurd-you-think-there-are-no-idiots/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“finally turned away. My aunt stood watching from the back door, frail and hunched. “Tell me the rest,” I said, and she did, her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/finally-turned-away-my-aunt-stood-watching-from-the-back-door-frail/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“Nisu uvijek najljepše djevojke one koje nas uspiju zadržati, već žene poput gospođe Kalpurnije, poput moje majke. Kada se jednom neka od tih toplih,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/nisu-uvijek-najljep-e-djevojke-one-koje-nas-uspiju-zadr-ati-ve-ene/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“I will not tell you one single solitary fact about my work, my friends, or the woman I was arrested with. But I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/i-will-not-tell-you-one-single-solitary-fact-about-my-work-my-friends/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“I love you. I love the way you rub the scar on the back of your hand when you're nervous. I love the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/i-love-you-i-love-the-way-you-rub-the-scar-on-the-back-of-your-hand/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [“How do I know what I'm up for if you won't tell me what this is about?' 'It's about a friend,' she said simply.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/how-do-i-know-what-i-m-up-for-if-you-won-t-tell-me-what-this-is-about/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) [Explore all 37 Kate Quinn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) ## More Alice quotes > [“How was she supposed to bear the prospect of never seeing him again? Never seeing his face light up simply because she had walked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/how-was-she-supposed-to-bear-the-prospect-of-never-seeing-him-again/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [Every day, I hear a song and I think, 'This would be great to cover on Glee.' I like Led Zeppelin, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-salling/every-day-i-hear-a-song-and-i-think-this-would-be-great-to-cover-on/) [Mark Salling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-salling/) > ['Muppets' is incredibly analog, 'Alice' is very digital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bobin/muppets-is-incredibly-analog-alice-is-very-digital/) [James Bobin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bobin/) > [My kitchen looks like the one from my childhood - very homey, with a little bit of Alice in Wonderland!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/my-kitchen-looks-like-the-one-from-my-childhood-very-homey-with-a/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [There was a period of time when I thought I had to be Alice Cooper all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/there-was-a-period-of-time-when-i-thought-i-had-to-be-alice-cooper/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) > [I'm sure I've been influenced by every fine writer I've ever read, from Dickens and Austen to Auden and Jane Hirshfield. And also, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-bloom/i-m-sure-i-ve-been-influenced-by-every-fine-writer-i-ve-ever-read/) [Amy Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-bloom/) > [Three of my heroes that have gotten clean and sober that I got to ask for advice were Alice Cooper, Nikki Sixx and Zakk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-strauss/three-of-my-heroes-that-have-gotten-clean-and-sober-that-i-got-to-ask/) [Nita Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-strauss/) > [“Do we have a hand mirror?' I asked from the kitchen doorway. 'Never use one,' said Lester, examining the date on a carton of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/do-we-have-a-hand-mirror-i-asked-from-the-kitchen-doorway-never-use/) [Phyllis Reynolds Naylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-reynolds-naylor/) > [“I wish I could concentrate on dancing Instead of spending so much time pretending I am still in junior high But with Rem, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stasia-ward-kehoe/i-wish-i-could-concentrate-on-dancing-instead-of-spending-so-much/) [Stasia Ward Kehoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stasia-ward-kehoe/) > [“Are you afraid of your own shadow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/are-you-afraid-of-your-own-shadow/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) > [“I don't know what you mean by 'glory,'" Alice said. Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't---till I tell you. I meant 'there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/i-don-t-know-what-you-mean-by-glory-alice-said-humpty-dumpty-smiled/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) > [I really understand where Alice is coming from - I've been in exactly the same place coming from a small town and knowing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-parker/i-really-understand-where-alice-is-coming-from-i-ve-been-in-exactly/) [Molly Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-parker/) > [“the hinder portion scalding-house good eating Curve B in addition to the usual baths and ablutions military police sumptuousness of the washhouse risking misstatements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-barthelme/the-hinder-portion-scalding-house-good-eating-curve-b-in-addition-to/) [Donald Barthelme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-barthelme/) > [“She knew what he offered. He would kill her first, with the gun or the knife or his fists if he had to, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-henry/she-knew-what-he-offered-he-would-kill-her-first-with-the-gun-or-the/) [Christina Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-henry/) > [Speak in French when you can’t think of the English for a thing-- turn your toes out when you walk--- And remember who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-carroll/speak-in-french-when-you-can-t-think-of-the-english-for-a-thing-turn/) [Lewis Carroll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-carroll/) Browse all 106 Alice quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh, pfft. I manage. With any paper one sticks under their nose and plenty of self-possession, one can get through, Especially a woman. 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