Why not? Via Code Blog by Kees Cook as seen on Planet Debian:
- Grab the nearest book.
- Open it to page 56.
- Find the fifth sentence.
- Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
- Don’t dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual one: pick the CLOSEST.
Problem is, I have two bookshelves directly behind me and so I have two that are equidistant. And arbitrarily I chose the closest books on the shelves that are arm-reach level where I sit.
1.
“Remember kids,” he tells them sternly.
— Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
Not my fault that the author chose to put a full stop there. Only because I am a nice guy will I give you the follow-up sentence at no charge:
“Don’t shoot each other. Aim at the fragile, expensive stuff.”
2.
The great hierophant, confronted with a thoroughly ambiguous symbol, is compelled, just because of his office as hierophant—that is, one who manifests the mystery—to “diminish the message to the dog”.
— The Master Therion (Aleister Crowley), The Book of Thoth
For that one, you are on your own.
That is all.