There’s nothing so exciting to a reporter as getting a really great quote. They are a gift. They liven up a story. You don’t always get them.

I got a couple this week, which makes me come back to the newsroom and celebrate by doing a little dance (in my head).

Some of those quotes were from young mothers Monday calling a “nurse-in” to defend their right to breastfeed in public. They said they’re tired of scornful looks when they nurse. If someone is uncomfortable with that, “you’re obviously looking too long,” Lindsey Sawyer-Brown said.

There it is! Lively, short with a lot of punch.

On Wednesday night, Superintendent Bill Webster told the School Committee as it debated how to reduce spending to cut a classroom teacher or a high school dean. “There is no right or wrong here,” Webster said. “There’s no question we need it all. We can’t have it all.”

— Bonnie Washuk

Casual Thursday

At the start of Dixfield’s annual town meeting Thursday, Oxford County Commissioner Dave Duguay of Byron was unanimously voted moderator, the same way he has been for the last several years.

Normally dressed in a long-sleeve, button-down collared shirt or a dressy sweatshirt, Duguay was in a black-collared pullover and jeans, something he pointed out before beginning his moderating duties.

“I hope you don’t mind my attire,” he said. “Usually, I’m rushing here from my job at Hannaford, but I had today off. I’ve actually had every day off since Jan. 15. You see, after 42 years and 15 days of working for Hannaford’s, I’m retired.”

The residents laughed and gave him a round of applause.

Duguay smiled and said, “I dress like this as often as I can now.”

And to alleviate any worries that his casual look would translate to other parts of his life, Duguay quickly added, “Don’t worry. I won’t dress like this at my commissioner meetings.”

— Matthew Daigle

Not quite a dirty word

Admit it. You want one of these T-shirts.

At the start of the Emerge Film Festival on Thursday, there was excitement in many forms, but none quite as universal as the pure delight over a T-shirt with a simple, five-word message.

“This is my EFFin T-shirt” is that message and, while not poetic or completely safe for work, few actors or celebrity directors could stir this kind of glee among the film-goers.

“Oh, I have got to have one of those shirts,” said one young lady to another.

“Aren’t they great?”

“They sure are. I’m going to buy a whole bunch of them.”

Not everyone felt the same. On Friday, a man in his 80s examined the T-shirts on his way to watch a series of student films. Although he smiled a bit at the message, he wasn’t buying.

“I know a lot of people who would like one of these,” he said. “But I think it’s in bad taste.”

To be fair, the “EFF” in “Effin” stands for Emerge Film Festival, so it’s more than just a shortened version of a very dirty word.

The shirts were designed by Rinck Advertising, an Auburn company, and were being sold for $15. On Friday, it wasn’t clear how many of the white-on-black T-shirts had been sold.

“We still have lots of them,” said Melissa Simmons of Rinck, who was working a table at the Franco-American Heritage Center.

Indeed there were stacks of the T-shirts heaped around the table, but of course, the weekend was only just beginning.