As the week wore on, Ivan contemplated the merits of inertia as a problem-solving technique with growing favor - Lois McMaster Bujold

He must not be in one of his voluble moods. Either you can’t turn him on or can’t turn him off. Well, if there was a choice, taciturn was probably safer for the innocent bystanders than spring-wound.

"This is important! But you have to stay absolutely cool. I may be completely off-base, and panicking prematurely."
"I don't think so. I think you're panicking post-maturely. In fact, if you were panicking any later it would be practically posthumously. I've been panicking for days."

I am not a fate worse than death, dammit!