---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Being a spy was something like standing…"
description: "\"“Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an umbrella.”\" — Lynn Blackmar"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg"
---

#  Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore…

![“Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an umbrella.” quote by Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg)

> ““Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an umbrella.””

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Being a spy feels like confronting overwhelming challenges with inadequate protection.

**In simple terms:** Spy work is risky with poor gear.

Key Takeaway

Seek better resources before tackling big threats.

Themes

risk resource scarcity resilience

Mood

cautious realistic

Type

cautionary analytical

When to use this quote

- covert operations
- field work
- crisis management

Key Concepts

survival improvisation

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you compensate for lack of resources?
- When is it wiser to wait for better equipment?

A Different Perspective

Limited tools increase danger and stress.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Espionage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/espionage/) [Spies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies/) [Spy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spy/) [Surfing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surfing/) [Young adult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-adult/)

## Related quotes

> [A spy, like a writer, lives outside the mainstream population. He steals his experience through bribes and reconstructs it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/a-spy-like-a-writer-lives-outside-the-mainstream-population-he-steals/)

[John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [“Being shaken to death by a Hawaiian tourist look-alike was not how Arena imagined her death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-shaken-to-death-by-a-hawaiian-tourist-look-alike-was-not-how/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“People who are different are considered ineffective. People who can’t hide their shortcomings are not considered a threat. A lot of spies rely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/people-who-are-different-are-considered-ineffective-people-who-can-t/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“Nobody understood why opposites attracted, and anybody who said they did was probably selling a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/nobody-understood-why-opposites-attracted-and-anybody-who-said-they/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“Langley bred a certain type of person with great intention. The human resources department required nearly as sophisticated of analysts as the foreign intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/langley-bred-a-certain-type-of-person-with-great-intention-the-human/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“espionage—against countries as diverse as Belgium, Japan, Brazil, and Germany—in stark terms:”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/espionage-against-countries-as-diverse-as-belgium-japan-brazil-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The majority of terrorist attacks that have been disrupted in the United States have been disrupted due to things like the Time Square bomber,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/the-majority-of-terrorist-attacks-that-have-been-disrupted-in-the/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [“Believing in a conspiracy theory is one strategy people use to regain a sense of control, even if the conspiracy theory is unrelated to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice-junior/believing-in-a-conspiracy-theory-is-one-strategy-people-use-to-regain/)

Oscar Auliq-Ice Junior

> [“The Intelligence Services of East and West have given Europe over fifty years of peace - the longest the Continent has ever known. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-wolf/the-intelligence-services-of-east-and-west-have-given-europe-over/)

[Markus Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-wolf/)

> [“We have to live without sympathy, don't we? That's impossible of course. We act it to one another, all this hardness; but we aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/we-have-to-live-without-sympathy-don-t-we-that-s-impossible-of-course/)

[John le Carré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/)

> [There was an intervention of the foreign states in the Russian Far East, Archangel of the West border of Russia. The foreign troops were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-semichastny/there-was-an-intervention-of-the-foreign-states-in-the-russian-far/)

Vladimir Semichastny

> [The neighbourhood is a place of...intrigue and emotional espionage, where when two people stop to talk on the street their tongues are like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadeem-aslam/the-neighbourhood-is-a-place-of-intrigue-and-emotional-espionage/)

[Nadeem Aslam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadeem-aslam/)

> [There are serious and legitimate concerns about academic espionage at our universities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikie-sherrill/there-are-serious-and-legitimate-concerns-about-academic-espionage-at/)

[Mikie Sherrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikie-sherrill/)

> [“Havens turned again. Someone else passed between the trucks. That someone walked with less purpose than the other workers near the stalls. To Havens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-patten/havens-turned-again-someone-else-passed-between-the-trucks-that/)

J.T. Patten

> [If it comes to a question of law, the charges they brought against me - the Espionage Act - is called the quintessential political…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-it-comes-to-a-question-of-law-the-charges-they-brought-against-me/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

## More by Lynn Blackmar

> [“Langley bred a certain type of person with great intention. The human resources department required nearly as sophisticated of analysts as the foreign intelligence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/langley-bred-a-certain-type-of-person-with-great-intention-the-human/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“Nobody understood why opposites attracted, and anybody who said they did was probably selling a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/nobody-understood-why-opposites-attracted-and-anybody-who-said-they/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“People who are different are considered ineffective. People who can’t hide their shortcomings are not considered a threat. A lot of spies rely on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/people-who-are-different-are-considered-ineffective-people-who-can-t/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

> [“Being shaken to death by a Hawaiian tourist look-alike was not how Arena imagined her death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-shaken-to-death-by-a-hawaiian-tourist-look-alike-was-not-how/)

[Lynn Blackmar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

[Explore all 5 Lynn Blackmar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/)

## More Action quotes

> [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/)

[Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/)

> [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/)

[Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/)

> [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/)

[Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/)

> [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/)

[William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/)

> [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/)

[Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/)

> [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/)

[Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/)

> [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/)

[Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/)

> [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/)

[Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/)

> [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/)

[Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/)

> [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/)

[Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/)

> [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/)

[Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/)

> [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/)

[Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/)

[Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an umbrella.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Lynn Blackmar"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing-on-the-south-shore-fending/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Action"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing-on-the-south-shore-fending/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/lynn-blackmar-62018_action_being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing_411391.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Being a spy was something like standing on the south shore fending off a hurricane with a $2 poncho and an…” — Lynn Blackmar",
                "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": "Lynn Blackmar",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-blackmar/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Being a spy was something like...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing-on-the-south-shore-fending/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-blackmar/being-a-spy-was-something-like-standing-on-the-south-shore-fending/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
