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Franzi Schneider-Krumpus is the creator of The Thinking Muse. She is an inquisitive and straight-talking homemaker. Her favorite things include museums, astronomy, dance team, and food -both making and eating it. She is a lyrics search engine and is often baited by her family with lines from a song to get her to sing and dance around the house.

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Predicting the future series: Future forecasts and you

It’s coming, are you ready? What are the future forecasts for the world? What can you do about it? Read on and find out.

Welcome back to my Predicting the future series. This is the second article of the series and talks more specifically about future forecasts or insights.

For background on the topic, please read the first article: Predicting the future series: Who are futurists and is it a hoax? It covers futures studies as a field, the issues and different approaches for modeling, and information on organizations practicing future studies today.

Now, on to the good stuff. What we really want to know is…what can we expect in the future, right? We want information. Then we can make the smartest decisions today for the best possible tomorrow.

Let’s begin with how some of the predictions or future forecasts come about. This can inform us on how seriously you want to take the predictions.

What tools or processes are used for future forecasts?

There are different tools and processes used in the study of the future. Depending on the philosophies driving the approach, certain factors may weigh more heavily or not at all.

However, a major element in most approaches is the human reaction to the changing future. One that is particularly hard to anticipate.

A significant force in people’s actions are their values. Any tool that allows you to see trends on changing values would be of great value to futurists. For that reason, I found the results of the “World Values Survey” to be particularly interesting. Look at the video below as is displays the trend of various countries over the last 34 years.

Elsewhere, a group process has proved to be quite successful in the Good Judgement Project. The Good Judgement Project has boasted impressive future forecasts in a forecasting tournament.

How did they do that? First, they assessed how open-minded participants were. Apparently, the more open-minded you are the better forecaster you will make. It has also been found that groups perform better than individuals. Practiced forecasters also perform more accurately. Not surprisingly, intelligence and issue expertise also improved accuracy. The process had group participants focus on:

alternating between the inside and outside view of a topic
turning instincts into probabilities (those trained in probabilities performed better)
looking at the more broadly than deeply (from many different perspectives versus greatly detailed information)
weighing the previously successful forecasters opinions heavier
not rushing the process
being able to change probabilities throughout the process

You can learn more about The Good Judgement Project at their website.

By and large, futurists organizations use a lot of data analysis. Techniques such as linear regression, multiple regression, factor analysis and econometrics are used. They perform analysis of the issues and trends. Then they interpret the system as a whole and the interrelationships between the issues. Lastly, they prospect different scenarios or visions. How each of these steps are completed accounts for different opinions for the outlook.

H.G.Wells is considered the founder of the future studies field. He wrote and spoke about future forecasts in the early 1900s. He stressed the importance of using scientific method over mere speculation for future forecasts. He did provide successful predictions in his work. Unfortunately if you are a futurist you aren’t often around to see the fruits of your labor.

One thing that he stressed that resonates even stronger today is the impact of science and technology. Science is likely the number one influence on all issues. It will drive therapies in health issues. It will drive processes in environmental issues. It will drive tools in military and industrial issues. All those together will drive economic issues.

That is why our society is stresses STEM (science technology engineering and math) education for kids. STEM is our future. And future forecasts depend on understanding that trajectory. So take heed of the technology visionaries of today. They know what they speak of.

What are some future forecasts?

I have included predictions from several sources for you to ponder.

From the Millennium Project:

The Millennium Project is an independent, non-profit global participatory futures research think tank. That is a mouthful!

It publishes a State of the Future report every year. In it, they include a ‘Where are we winning’ and ‘Where are we losing’ grid. It lists human conditions issues that are showing improvement or little-to-no improvement. The State of the Future executive summary for 2015-2016 included the lists as follows:

Winners. Issues with a positive trend (looking back to 20 years ago forecasted to 10 years in the future).

• GNI per capita

• Poverty

• Foreign direct investment, net inflows

• Freedom

• Women in national parliaments

• Share of high skilled employment

• School enrollment, secondary

• Literacy rate, adult total

• Electricity from renewables, excl. hydro

• Energy-Efficiency

• Improved water sources

• Physicians per 1,000 people

• Health expenditure per capita

• Prevalence of undernourishment

• Mortality rate, infant

• Life expectancy at birth

• population growth

• Internet users

Losers. Issues with a flat or negative trend (looking back to 20 years ago forecasted to 10 years in the future).

• Unemployment

• Fossil fuel and cement production emissions

• Renewable internal freshwater resources

• Forest area

• Biocapacity per capita

• F&D Expenditures

• Terrorism incidents

• Income inequality

• Number of wars and serious arm conflicts

• Corruption in the public sector

From the World Futurist Society:

A December 2014 outlook accumulated future forecasts from numerous sources. Here are selected highlights below:

• Computers will perfectly understand our words—and may use them against us. (World Trends & Forecasts, Nov-Dec 2013, p. 8)

• Computer chips will shrink to the size of dust—and become just as ubiquitous. (Richard Yonck, “Connecting with Our Connected World,” Nov-Dec 2013, p. 17)

• Hybrid materials will blend the properties of living and nonliving things. (Tomorrow in Brief, July-Aug 2014, p. 2)

• Drones will become vital tools for environmental management and protection. (Tomorrow in Brief, Mar-Apr 2014, p. 2; Princess Aliyah Pandolfi, “Robotic Technology to Preserve Wildlife: A Scenario,” Mar-Apr 2014, p. 35)

• Plants that “talk” to us could become our allies in ecosystem monitoring. (Tomorrow in Brief, May-June 2014, p. 2)

• Smarter sex toys: The technologies of intimacy will become more interactive—and more intimate. (Karen Moloney, “Euphoric, Harmless, and Affordable: A Trend Analysis of Sex,” May-June 2014, p. 22)

• If extraterrestrial life is out there, we will develop the tools to find it. (World Trends & Forecasts, Jan-Feb 2014, p. 10) (See Related: Do you wonder if there is life beyond Earth? Consider the Drake equation)

• Plants will offset some climate change by ingesting more carbon dioxide. (World Trends & Forecasts, Jan-Feb 2014, p. 11)

• Mega-fires in forests around the world will become more frequent. (David Bengston and Michael J. Dockry, “Forest Futures in the Anthropocene: Can Trees and Humans Survive Together?” July-Aug 2014, p. 36)

• Small-scale energy for households could one day come from rainwater. (Tomorrow in Brief, July-Aug 2014, p. 2)

• The rodents will rise! Rats could play a more-prominent role in Earth’s ecosystems. (Tomorrow in Brief, May-June 2014, p. 2)

• Wise local gardeners will feed the world. (John Michael Greer, author of Green Wizardry, reviewed by Rick Docksai, Jan-Feb 2014, p. 52)

• Swallow that sensor! Better health through big data. (Bertalan Meskó,“Rx Disruption: Technology Trends in Medicine and Health Care,” May-June 2014, p. 31)

• Plasma will offer a new weapon against antibiotic-resistant bugs. (Tomorrow in Brief, Jan-Feb 2014, p. 2)

• Liar, liar, brain waves on fire! Brain scanning could one day replace jurors as finders of facts. (Clay Rawlings and Rob Bencini, “What Does Moore’s Law Mean for the Rest of Society?” July-Aug 2014, p. 41)

• Science collaborations may bring distrustful nations closer together. (World Trends & Forecasts, Mar-Apr 2014, p. 13)

• Religious values may become a key consideration for developing policies on such issues as water management. (Syeda Mariya Absar, “Water Futures: An Islamic Perspective,” Jan-Feb 2014, p. 19)

From Ray Kurzweil:

An article from Singularity Hub summarized a few of Ray’s past and future forecasts. Ray Kurzweil is co-founder of Singularity Hub and an all-around genius guy with notable credentials. His past predictions have been impressively accurate. Here are 5 of his future predictions.

• By the late 2010s, glasses will beam images directly onto the retina.

• By the 2020s, most diseases will go away as nanobots become smarter than current medical technology. Normal human eating can be replaced by nanosystems.

• By the 2030s, virtual reality will begin to feel 100% real. We will be able to upload our mind/consciousness by the end of the decade.

• By the 2040s, non-biological intelligence will be a billion times more capable than biological intelligence (a.k.a. us). Nanotech foglets will be able to make food out of thin air and create any object in physical world at a whim.

• By 2045, we will multiply our intelligence a billionfold by linking wirelessly from our neocortex to a synthetic neocortex in the cloud.

What can I do to prepare for the future?

The first thing you can do is raise your awareness. The world is changing faster and faster. Humans tend to think linearly. It is what we often experience and it makes sense to us. However, technology is changing exponentially. This can leave us feeling overwhelmed.

To overcome that, we need to change the way we think. Here is a short video to further explain why we need to do that.

To start yourself on this journey, give yourself an education. Visit the organizations I listed in the Predicting the future series: Who are futurists and is it a hoax? article. They are filled with enough information and publications to last you to the future, ha!

The next step is to engage. Here is a list of fun ways to do that.

Play a game: The world game.
Read up and make a long bet at Long Now. An organization that “…hopes to provide a counterpoint to today’s accelerating culture and help make long-term thinking more common.”
Browse articles from across the internet about the future sorted by year and category on Future Scanner.
Subscribe to a magazine by a future organization such as the free one from The Club of Amsterdam Journal or a newsletter at Singularity Hub.
Watch ‘What if?’ videos from BBC. These videos play with the idea of different future forecasts and what that may be like.
Watch a documentary on the future at topdocumentaryfilms.com. Suggestions include (listed in order of User Rating from highest to lowest):
1. Future by Design
2. The Sustainable City
3. The Cleantech Future
4. Beyond Human
5. Future Life on Earth
6. Earth 2100
7. Visions of the Future
8. Future Life on Earth
Learn how by being comforted by your past allows you to move on in the future by reading How nostalgia actually helps you move forward in life.
Join one of the many futurists societies based on your approach mentality. (See list in Predicting the future series: Who are futurists and is it a hoax?)
Share your awareness with others. Anyone and everyone. This is a cause that impacts us all.

Do you see foresee your future?

This all makes so much sense. Why are we all so stressed and overwhelmed? We just are woefully unprepared for the speed of how fast change is occurring.

Humans on a large scale have never had to deal with the constant change we have seen in our lifetimes.

I would image the same skills identified as making you a good forecaster would enable you to handle the changes better. Namely, being open-minded by considering different perspectives, be willing to adjust your stance, and thinking realistically about the likelihood of events transpiring.

Challenging? Yes. Can you do it? Absolutely.

Just take a deep breath and relax. We are all in it together.

Did this Predicting the future series give you a little food for thought? I was introduced to a lot of neat resources I never knew existed.

How about you? Let me know in the comments.

If you liked this article, consider subscribing for free weekly issues of The Thinking Muse delivered to your inbox.

Resources

2015-16 State of the Future from the Millennium Project

A generic foresight process framework by Joseph Voros from Foresight

Association of Professional Futurists

Cornish, Edward. Futuring. Bethesda, Md.: World Future Society, 2004. Print.

Forecasting Fox from The New York Times

Futures Studies: Theories and Methods by Sohail Inayatullah from World Futures Studies Federation

Gidley, Jennifer M. “Global Knowledge Futures: Articulating the Emergence of a New Meta-level Field.” A Transdisciplinary and Transcultural Journal for New Thought, January (2013): 145-72. Research Gate. Web. <http://www.researchgate.net/publication/248976218_Global_Knowledge_Futures_Articulating_the_Emergence_of_a_New_Meta-level_Field>.

Great Transition The Promise and Lure of the Times Ahead from Tellus Institute

Introduction to Exponential Thinking with Salim Ismail from YouTube

Kaku, Michio. Physics Of The Future. New York: Doubleday, 2011. Print.

Outline of Future Studies from Wikipedia

Ray Kurzweil’s Mind-Boggling Predictions for the Next 25 Years from Singularity Hub

Sardar, Ziauddin. Future. London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 2013. Print.

The Club of Rome

What Research Tells Us About Making Accurate Predictions from Harvard Business Review

Who’s Best at Predicting the Future? (and How to Get Better) from Psychology Today

Wikipedia contributors. “Futures studies.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 24 Nov. 2015. Web. 24 Nov. 2015.

World Future Society

World Future Studies Federation

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

Possible etymology

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

Discover the Possibilities

“There is some homework.”

That is how this article started, as a homework assignment for my youngest child.

It was said to me by my kid’s music teacher as we chatted after a lesson in the hallway. He always assigns some fun or interesting videos to watch and lets me know about it too, as a reminder.

The assignment: Watch Herbie Hancock’s Possibilities movie. If that wasn’t possible, try to at least watch some of the songs from the album on YouTube.

Herbie Hancock? The first thought that went through my head was “Rockit” from the 1980s.

What a throwback! The “Rockit” video was also popular, but I included the performance because Herbie has mentioned that it was one of the greatest nights of his life with the exhilarating performance. It is also how I remember it, by watching it as a teeny-bopper on tv. Check out the famous faces in the front row at the end. Awesome!

Ah the memories of the early 80s, the rap and rollerskating. If you are a kid of the 80s, here is a YouTube mix of early hip hop and rap that will bring you back. I have to say that the breakdancing and the movie Flashdance really helped form my lifelong appreciation of dance. Anyway, I digress.

I am embarrassed to say that not much else came to mind about Herbie Hancock. I knew he was a musician, but that was pretty much it. My musical tastes are varied. I prefer upbeat dance-worthy music for listening. For background music, I am open to jazz, world, instrumental, or whatever. I do try to steer clear of music that is too melancholy. Life can be hard enough sometimes and I like to use music to bring me up or relax me. I don’t want to have to analyze it or it to bum me out. So, that is the extent of my music preferences.

I looked up the movie when we got home and I put it on my movie queue. When it arrived in the mail a few days later, we made it a family viewing event. Wow. I know I am a little late to the party because I hadn’t heard of Possibilities until it was recommended to me and it was released years ago. I guess it is better late than never.

I was so inspired by it that I had to read the book and listen to the album by the same name. That is why I want to share my thoughts with you. Thus, the topic of this review article is Herbie Hancock: Possibilities.

Who is Herbie Hancock?

Herbie Hancock at 2013 Kennedy Center Honor Awards

Herbie Hancock is a jazz musician and icon.

He was born in Chicago, IL in 1940. He started playing classical piano at a young age and performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra when he was 11. He became interested in jazz in high school.

Because of his technical nature and curiosity, when he attended college he initially studied electrical engineering. He couldn’t let go of his love for music and eventually double-majored in engineering and music.

His love of science drove his innovation in music by incorporating the newest technology into his music making. To me, this really displays the connection between music and math. Of course, being an engineer myself this leaves a little bit of a soft spot in my heart for him. *smile*

Over his long and prolific career in music he has worked with countless talents. He has produced at least 53 albums. He also has written jingles and movie scores, one of which won an oscar. He musical accomplishments are so vast and wide-ranging that I couldn’t possibly list them all here. If you want to learn more about them, visit the Herbie Hancock website.

He is a Nichiren Buddhist, which he initially took up to help him perform better musically. It is now a heavy influence on his entire life.

He has been appointed a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. If you don’t know about UNESCO, you should look it up. It is an international organization based on bringing peace through education, science, and culture. Everything I love!

He also uses his talent to work with the UCLA Music department and Harvard University spreading his wisdom and expertise. Neat!

Awards (too many to list so just some highlights)

Jazz Foundation of America Lifetime Achievement Award
SF Jazz Lifetime Achievement Award
2013 Kennedy Center Honors
Miles Davis Award
NEA Jazz Masters Award
14 Grammy awards
1 Academy awards
5 MTV awards
many, many, many more

All the Possibilities

This is where it gets confusing. Herbie has an album, a movie, and a book all with the name of Possibilities.

At the beginning of the movie, he touches on the meaning of the word possibilities to him. He speaks of the childlike wonder where anything can happen. He doesn’t want people to get scared or set in their ways as they turn into adults, but to be open to all possibilities in life.

He has demonstrated this curiosity and openness through his musical career. He has never wanted to repeat something that has been done before. He always pushes himself to do something fresh and to be influenced by other people, the environment, and the times. I now understand his connection to the word, but still am confused about the album, movie, and book of the same name.

I will present all 3 Possibilities chronologically as they were released.

2005: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (album)

The album was released in August of 2005. It is an album of collaborations with a range of artists from different genres.

Herbie’s intention was to take the artists out of their comfort zones. He pushed to free them from the genre with which they are typically associated. This apparently is not the norm, as musicians are often pressured to stay true to the style they originally were discovered on. He really wanted the music to grow organically.

The tracks include:

• “Stitched Up” featuring John Mayer

• “Safiatou” featuring Santana and Angelique Kidjo

• “A Song For You” featuring Christina Aguilera

• “Hush, Hush, Hush” with Annie Lennox

• “I Do It For Your Love” with Paul Simon

• “Sister Moon” featuring Sting

• “When Love Comes To Town” with Jonny Lang and Joss Stone

• “Don’t Explain” with Damien Rice and Lisa Hannigan

• “I Just Called To Say I Love You” with Raul Midon and Stevie Wonder

• “Gelo No Montana” with Trey Anastasio

Here is a link to the songs at YouTube: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities at YouTube

2006: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (movie)

The movie was released in April of 2006. As I mentioned previously, this was my introduction to Possibilities and my favorite. As I mentioned previously, it inspired me to look into the album and book.

It is a documentary of making the Possibilities album, so there is a connection with the name. It is mostly a look at the creative process and action. There are also some shots of Herbie talking about his musical career and his philosophy of making music.

It is interesting to see how the different artists like to work and how they work together.

2014: Herbie Hancock: Possibilities (book).

The book was released in October 2014. This is where I get confused with the names. This book is a memoir of his life and was released quite a number of years after the album and movie. It covers his personal life as well as his musical career. It doesn’t really seem to be tied to the album and movie.

If you are a huge fan of jazz and want to know the nuances of his career, then this book is for you. It details all the bands and musicians he has worked with, which is a lot. It goes on about a lot of his songs, of which I am unfamiliar so I had no point of reference.

What I think of the Possibilities

Should you partake in the Possibilities trio? Yes and no.

Book. It depends on your love and knowledge of jazz. If you know the many names in jazz and many of Herbie’s songs, then you would enjoy the book. It has a lot of that detail in there. If you are more on the jazz-naive side like myself, you have no point of reference to work with, so I would say skip it.

I wanted to learn more about his passion and insights on music . I also wanted to learn more about his philosophy and how it affects his life. That is what is most interesting to me. It touches briefly on his Buddhism and the lessons he learned, but not as much as I would have liked. I feel he has so much to contribute and I didn’t get what I was looking for. I ended up skimming the rest of the book to finish it.

The book just seemed very flat and fact oriented and you know I love facts. When you are covering passion, music, and the human spirit it needs more of a human element. His essence comes through much more vibrantly on the movie where you can see it.

Album. I am luke warm. Listen to some songs on YouTube to see if you like it. Everyone has their own tastes in music.

While I do appreciate jazz, I am not a huge jazz fan. Some songs on the album I like, others not so much. My favorites are “Stitched Up” with John Mayer (I am not typically a big John Mayer fan, but I like this.) and “Safiatou” with Santana and Angelique Kidjo (They are both so cool on the movie.). Both songs have a quicker pace and are a little more fun. They may get you moving in your seat a little.

Movie. See it. I give it a strong recommendation for everyone. Here are the reasons why you should watch.

1. It is cool.

Professional music studios are not the offices/cubicles of my former working life. It is definitely a different environment than what I am familiar with. Surrounded by super creative people making music looks like so much fun. It makes me want to be a part of it.

2. It is inspirational.

Seeing a person with visible passion for anything is inspiring. To be able to take bits of wisdom from someone who is at the top of their game is a gift. They have a unique perspective.

Herbie has learned a lot through his experiences and Buddhism, especially of his work with Miles Davis. He has learned to take the lessons learned in music and apply it to all of life. Some of these are:

♦ Stand up for your beliefs.

♦ Listen.

♦ Most importantly, take the events of life and turn them into something of value. There are many ways of looking at things.

3. Herbie is amazing.

His creative energy, joy, and genius make him ageless. He shows no sign of stopping. He says that he learned from Miles that a master doesn’t teach you what to do, but lets you reveal yourself. He fits that description, as shown in the movie as he nurtures the artists so graciously. With humor and encouragement, he gets artists to safely explore outside their own genres and inspired me at the same time.

It’s a wrap

Are you a Herbie Hancock fan? Were you aware of any/all of the Possibilities? I feel a little dumb for not knowing more about Herbie Hancock and his innovative spirit, but what do you do? So much to know in this world, I am doing my best to expand my knowledge one article at a time. *wink*

Do you regularly listen to jazz? When? I listen to jazz as background music. When I am chatting with my husband or doing a puzzle.

Let me know in the poll or comments.

Resources

herbiehancock.com -Herbie Hancock’s website

“Herbie Hancock: Possibilities.” IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 05 May 2015. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0479409/>.

How music could make you a rocket scientist at ABCnews.com

“Magnolia Pictures: Possibilities.” Magnolia Pictures: Possibilities. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2015. <http://www.magpictures.com/profile.aspx?id=0e2645bb-ff22-4ab6-a605-3202b8855b6a>.

Wikipedia contributors. “Herbie Hancock.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 5 May. 2015. Web. 5 May. 2015.

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

Porcelain

About The Author

Franzi Schneider-Krumpus

25 popular movie quotes that perfectly depict family life

Part of the reason movies are so popular is because they are relatable to our lives. That is what makes the story meaningful to us. Here are some popular movie quotes to use when you are feeling the need to inject a little humor or sentiment into your everyday family life.

1. Movie quote: “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” Galadriel, The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

When to use it: When you discover you are going to have a baby or when a baby is born.

2. Movie quote: “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.” Don Corleone, The Godfather (1972)

When to use it: When you are going to bribe your child to go to bed or eat something they don’t want to eat.

3. Movie quote: “I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!” Buddy, Elf (2003)

When to use it: When you are trying to cuddle your kids and they are too cool or too preoccupied to reciprocate. I have learned the louder the better.

4. Movie quote: “We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

When to use it: When giving a pep-talk to your kids about having to make a hard decision.

5. Movie quote: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.” The Wizard of Oz, The Wizard of Oz (1939)

When to use it: When you are stealing a treat from the pantry shortly before dinner time.

6. Movie quote: “They’re the worst sort of Muggles imaginable.” Professor McGonagall, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

When to use it: Talking to your kids about bullies and trying to make them feel better.

7. Movie quote: “Have fun stormin’ da castle.” Miracle Max, The Princess Bride (1987)

When to use it: When your kids head out the door to school.

8. Movie quote: “If someone asks if you are a god, you say, ‘yes!’” Winston Zeddemore, Ghostbusters (1984)

When to use it: When you are at a school function with large lines and they are giving priority to some for no apparent reason.

9. Movie quote: “Well, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking don’t they?” Scarecrow, The Wizard of Oz (1939)

When to use it: When you are at a school function and someone is lecturing on something everyone already knows about.

10. Movie quote: “Do… or do not. There is no try.” Yoda, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

When to use it: When making scheduling arrangements for meetings, driving, or committee work with someone who is very non-committal.

11. Movie quote: “The force is strong with this one.” Darth Vader, Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

When to use it: When your kid does something awesome.

12. Movie quote: “A man can convince anyone he’s somebody else, but never himself.” Roger “Verbal” Kint, The Usual Suspects (1995)

When to use it: When discussing the pressures of fitting in and being true to yourself.

13. Movie quote: “A man who doesn’t spend time with his family can never be a real man.” Don Corleone, The Godfather (1972)

When to use it: When your spouse has been spending too much time with other activities. Warning: Use only when your spouse is in a lighthearted mood and you are using your best Don Corleone voice impression.

14. Movie quote: “I won’t consider myself to be in trouble until I start weeping blood.” James Bond, Casino Royale (2006)

When to use it: When you have completed a ton of housework and when you are nearly finished someone offers to help.

15. Movie quote: “May the odds be ever in your favor.” Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games (2012)

When to use it: When someone is heading to auditions, try-outs, or a big test.

16. Movie quote: “Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Her ongoing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life-forms and new civilizations; to boldly go where no one has gone before.” Spock Prime, Star Trek (2009)

When to use it: As you are heading out on a family road trip vacation.

17. Movie quote: “Bad dates.” Sallah, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

When to use it: When you try a new recipe and it doesn’t turn out how you had hoped.

18. Movie quote: “Don’t look at it, no matter what happens!” Indiana, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

When to use it: When someone has a terrible acne breakout.

19. Movie quote: “SON of a NUTcracker!” Buddy, Elf (2003)

When to use it: When you accidently hurt yourself and you don’t want to swear in front of the kids.

20. Movie quote: “I’m the king of the world!” Jack, Titanic (1997)

When to use it: When you finish cleaning the entire house and it is spotless.

21. Movie quote: “Oh, yes, my precious. Very nice, very nice.” Gollum, The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers (2002)

When to use it: When someone in the family earns an award or trophy.

22. Movie quote: “Beeeeeee…gooood.” E.T., E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

When to use it: When your kids are heading off to a sleepover party.

23. Movie quote: “I am the Gatekeeper.” Dana Barrett, Ghostbusters (1984)

When to use it: When you answer the door to your kid’s friend or date and you need to size them up to see if they are trouble. Okay, don’t do this or your kids will die of embarrassment, but you can threaten to do it.

24. Movie quote: “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders – the most famous of which is “never get involved in a land war in Asia” – but only slightly less well-known is this: ‘Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line’” Vizzini, The Princess Bride (1987)

When to use it: When you play a practical joke on someone. Warning: Do not use iocane powder.

25. Movie quote: “I’m sorry. That last hand…nearly killed me.” James Bond, Casino Royale (2006)

When to use it: When you are shocked by something someone casually mentions at the dinner table and they continue rambling like it was no big deal.