I love Independence Day.

The movie, not the holiday. The holiday is fine, but fireworks freak out my dogs. The best part about July 4 is that it gives me an excuse to watch ID4 again.

I’m not exactly sure where Independence Day falls in the cultural zeitgeist. It’s been my favorite movie since I was like nine (not counting the years where I pretended to be more sophisticated and like other movies better), but does anyone else really care?

All I really know for certain is that I love this dang movie and no matter how beloved it is by the world at large, I will persist in believing it is underrated. My husband also loves this movie and we quote it at each all the time for everyday situations. (Hot tip: Volunteering to drive? Say, “I can drive. I’m a pilot.” Whenever you get home from being out somewhere, say, “Hello boys, I’m baaaaack!”)

In honor of the recent holiday and the ridiculous status this movie has in my household, I’m serving up some fresh quotes that offer life lessons.

All you need is love. John Lennon. Smart man. Shot in the back. Very sad.

Julius Levinson, you wonderful weirdo.

Just to be clear, I’m not agreeing with the advice here. I don’t think all you need is love. There are very real obstacles that get in the way of love and those obstacles drive people apart and break up relationships all the time. David and Connie got divorced for a reason.

What I do support is spouting off quotes and aphorisms and then clarifying who said it and adding your own color commentary: “The early bird gets the worm. Ben Franklin. Invented bifocals. Had syphilis.”

Wouldn’t we all be better for this?

I’ve been sayin’ it. I’ve been sayin’ it for ten damn years! Ain’t I been sayin’ it, Miguel? I’ve been sayin’ it.

We use this one all the time in my house. Russell Casse has been telling everyone for ten (damn) years that he was abducted by aliens and he was a huge joke. Well, guess what? He was right!

The takeaway: Stick to your guns when you know you’re right. Even when people won’t listen. Maybe you can make some headway.

But if you’re driven to drink as a result, might I gently suggest therapy and other forms of help.

We got to work on our communication.

This is classic marriage advice. All married couples should have this embroidered on a pillow or tattooed on their persons or something. Work on your communication! All the time! And try not to withhold important information from your partner, like expecting the aliens to pull you in once you get close enough to the mother ship.

I could’ve been at a barbeque!

Have you been forced into some kind of obligation you would rather not do? (Like say, dragging an unconscious alien life form through the desert?) Unfair. Get mad about it if you want. You could have been doing something else! But now you have to be responsible.

This is why being an adult is not all it’s cracked up to be.

What is this? My God in heaven.

Really the follow up to this line, “So sue me, David!” cracks me up every time. Plus, David is delivering an important message about recycling. Let’s recycle, people.

You really think you can do all that bullshit you just said?

Great rejoinder. David asks Steve, “You really think you can fly that thing?” and then gets zinged back with the above. These characters are fully embodying “Fake it ’til you make it” here and I think that’s beautiful. Plus, both are able to pull off what they claim!

The lesson: Shed your imposter syndrome and embrace the uncomfortable. Make some bold claims and then try to fulfill them!

Well he just, um, did.

Another one said in my house constantly. This is after President Whitmore fires the Secretary of Defense who whines, “He can’t do that.” Well, bro, says Connie, he just did, so get over it.

People are gonna do stuff they aren’t supposed to do all the time. Sometimes it’s shocking and good. Sometimes it’s not as good. But what can you do but adapt?

He wants to impress me, he should get a job. Stop slobberin’ all over my shoes.

Boomer. You good boy. Your job is being a friendly, lovable doggo.

But Steve isn’t wrong. Dogs should get jobs. Freeloaders.

In conclusion

There are many many other quotes I could drop here, but writing this has made me want to go watch the movie again. So I’m afraid I’ll have to cut this short. Let me know if you learned any important life lessons from this classic summer blockbuster.

Nothin’ but love for ya.

PEACE.