--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We couldn’t stop following the news…" description: "\"“We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we refreshed our browsers and gawked at the headlines. Dully we read blogs of friends of friend..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg" --- # We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we… ![“We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we refreshed our browsers and gawked at the headlines. Dully we read blogs of friends of friends of friends who had started an organic farm out on the Wichita River. They were out there pickling and canning and brewing things in the goodness…” quote by Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg) > ““We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we refreshed our browsers and gawked at the headlines. Dully we read blogs of friends of friends of friends who had started an organic farm out on the Wichita River. They were out there pickling and canning and brewing things in the goodness of nature. And soon we’d worry it was time for us to leave the city and go. Go! To Uruguay or Morocco or Connecticut? To the Plains or the Mountains or the Bay? But we’d bide our time and after some months or years, our farmer friends would give up the farm and begin studying for the LSATs. We felt lousy about this, and wonderful. We missed getting mail. We wondered why we even kept those tiny keys on our crowded rings. Sometimes we would send ourselves things from the office. Sometimes we would handwrite long letters to old loved ones and not send them. We never knew their new address. We never knew anyone’s address, just their cross streets and what their doors looked like. Which button to buzz, and if the buzzers even worked. How many flights to climb, and which way to turn off the stairs. Sometimes we missed those who hadn’t come to the city with us— or those who had gone to other, different cities. Sometimes we journeyed to see them, and sometimes they ventured to see us. Those were the best of times, for we were all at home and not at once. Those were the worst of times, for we inevitably longed to all move here or there, yet no one ever came— somehow everyone only left. Soon we were practically all alone. Soon we began to hate the forever cramping of our lives. Sleeping on top of strangers and sipping coffee with people we knew we knew but couldn’t remember where from. Living out of boxes we had no space to unpack. Soon we named the pigeons roosting in our windowsills; we worried they looked mangier than the week before. We heard bellowing in the apartments below us and bedsprings creaking in the ones above. Everywhere we saw people with dogs and wodnered how they managed it. Did they work form home?Did they not work? Had they gone to the right schools? Did they have connections? We had no connections. Our parents were our guarantors in name only; they called us from their jobs in distant, colorless, suburban office parks and told us we could come home anytime, and this terrified us always. But then came those nights, creeping up on us while we worked busily in dark offices, like submariners lost at sea, sailing through the dark stratosphere in our cement towers. We’d call each other to report: a good thing happened, a compliment had been paid, a favor had been appreciated, an inch of ground had been gained. We wouldn’t trade those nights for anything or anywhere. Those nights, we remembered why we came to the city. Because if we were really living, then we wanted to hear the cracking in our throats and feel the trembling in our extremities. And if our apartments were coffins and our desks headstones and our dreams infections— if we were all slowly dying — then at least we were going about that great and terrible business together.”” [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explores restless yearning for change, the paradox of connection and isolation, and the fleeting nature of urban life. **In simple terms:** Describes longing for movement and the bittersweet of transient connections. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence while seeking meaningful ties. Themes wanderlust loneliness urban life Mood nostalgic contemplative Type literary personal When to use this quote - remote work - travel - urban housing - friendship maintenance Key Concepts transience community identity Questions to Reflect On - What anchors you amid constant change? - How can fleeting connections become lasting? 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It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-thompson/a-couple-of-friends-and-i-started-a-sketch-comedy-group-when-we-were/) [Reece Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-thompson/) > [I was never a part of the Actor's Studio, because two friends of mine started it in 1947 and by that time I'd gone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-widmark/i-was-never-a-part-of-the-actor-s-studio-because-two-friends-of-mine/) [Richard Widmark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-widmark/) > [Me and my friends started playing because we loved the game and the social aspect of it. We weren't dreaming of playing for England.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-james/me-and-my-friends-started-playing-because-we-loved-the-game-and-the/) [David James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-james/) ## More by Kristopher Jansma > [“The best thing to do—usually—was to let him play these things out. Who was I to tell a genius it was time to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/the-best-thing-to-do-usually-was-to-let-him-play-these-things-out-who/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“Each time it goes around a little bit, a second goes away.” “Where?” I asked, as the pendulum swung again. And again. He winked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/each-time-it-goes-around-a-little-bit-a-second-goes-away-where-i/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“After I charge their brains with my own brand of skeptical electricity, I unleash them—the New Cynics—upon a world that is slowly and happily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/after-i-charge-their-brains-with-my-own-brand-of-skeptical/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“Does it sting like this because I've been robbed or because it was never mine to steal? ... 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I think I can feel my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/he-extends-a-hand-larger-than-a-dinner-plate-and-i-have-no-choice-but/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“We came to the city because we wished to live haphazardly, to reach for only the least realistic of our desires, and to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/we-came-to-the-city-because-we-wished-to-live-haphazardly-to-reach/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“She’s just this character to you. Both of us are! And we always have been. You don’t know what goes on in our heads.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/she-s-just-this-character-to-you-both-of-us-are-and-we-always-have/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“the world.” Jeffrey just shakes his head. “You don’t know what it was like. You weren’t there when things got really bad. That Haslett…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/the-world-jeffrey-just-shakes-his-head-you-don-t-know-what-it-was/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“Evelyn was followed in by a sour-faced woman with long, glamorous dark hair and a stern-looking gentleman in a tuxedo who looked just like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/evelyn-was-followed-in-by-a-sour-faced-woman-with-long-glamorous-dark/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) > [“And for this imperfect immortality, what prices have been paid? How many livers, lungs, and veins? Shredded, polluted, shot? How many children deserted, family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/and-for-this-imperfect-immortality-what-prices-have-been-paid-how/) [Kristopher Jansma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) [Explore all 14 Kristopher Jansma quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristopher-jansma/) ## More Friendship quotes > [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 never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We couldn’t stop following the news. Every ten seconds we refreshed our browsers and gawked at the headlines. Dully we read blogs of friends of friends of friends who had started an organic farm out on the Wichita River. They were out there pickling and canning and brewing things in the goodness of nature. And soon we’d worry it was time for us to leave the city and go. Go! To Uruguay or Morocco or Connecticut? To the Plains or the Mountains or the Bay? But we’d bide our time and after some months or years, our farmer friends would give up the farm and begin studying for the LSATs. We felt lousy about this, and wonderful. We missed getting mail. We wondered why we even kept those tiny keys on our crowded rings. Sometimes we would send ourselves things from the office. Sometimes we would handwrite long letters to old loved ones and not send them. We never knew their new address. We never knew anyone’s address, just their cross streets and what their doors looked like. Which button to buzz, and if the buzzers even worked. How many flights to climb, and which way to turn off the stairs. Sometimes we missed those who hadn’t come to the city with us— or those who had gone to other, different cities. Sometimes we journeyed to see them, and sometimes they ventured to see us. Those were the best of times, for we were all at home and not at once. Those were the worst of times, for we inevitably longed to all move here or there, yet no one ever came— somehow everyone only left. Soon we were practically all alone. Soon we began to hate the forever cramping of our lives. Sleeping on top of strangers and sipping coffee with people we knew we knew but couldn’t remember where from. Living out of boxes we had no space to unpack. Soon we named the pigeons roosting in our windowsills; we worried they looked mangier than the week before. We heard bellowing in the apartments below us and bedsprings creaking in the ones above. Everywhere we saw people with dogs and wodnered how they managed it. Did they work form home?Did they not work? Had they gone to the right schools? Did they have connections? We had no connections. Our parents were our guarantors in name only; they called us from their jobs in distant, colorless, suburban office parks and told us we could come home anytime, and this terrified us always. But then came those nights, creeping up on us while we worked busily in dark offices, like submariners lost at sea, sailing through the dark stratosphere in our cement towers. We’d call each other to report: a good thing happened, a compliment had been paid, a favor had been appreciated, an inch of ground had been gained. We wouldn’t trade those nights for anything or anywhere. Those nights, we remembered why we came to the city. Because if we were really living, then we wanted to hear the cracking in our throats and feel the trembling in our extremities. And if our apartments were coffins and our desks headstones and our dreams infections— if we were all slowly dying — then at least we were going about that great and terrible business together.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kristopher Jansma" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-every-ten-seconds-we-refreshed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristopher-jansma/we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-every-ten-seconds-we-refreshed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c0/kristopher-jansma-34482_friendship_we-couldn-t-stop-following-the-news-ever_382515.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We couldn’t stop following the news. 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