On Visiting England

Don't expect to understand every phrase or word just because the people share the same language.

(Flying across Greenland and the Atlantic Ocean)

On Plastic Bags

There is nothing beautiful nor sustainable about a world filled with floating bags and apathy.

(A random plastic bag stuck in a tree in Montreal)

On Eggcorns

They are substitutions of a new word/phrase for another that sounds similar, generally introducing a new meaning.

"You've got another think coming" is the original phrase which refers to a desire to change an individual's thought process.

"You've got another thing coming" is the title of a popular 1982 song by the British heavy metal band Judas Priest. It is the version most people use nowadays.

(A crowd getting ready for a show at the Montreal Hippodrome)

On Swimming Pools

They definitely come in handy on hot summer days but require constant cleaning and expensive maintenance for a relatively short period of pleasure.

(A friend's above-ground swimming pool in Montreal)

On Dating

As soon as I figure out the secret to doing this properly I will surely let you all know.

(A random couple chatting at a bar in Montreal)

On the Governor General

The representative of the Queen in Canada used to be an important job although these days the primary responsibility seems to be handing out various awards.

(GG David Johnston speaking at a volunteer benefit)

On Literary Devices

They are a necessary component to great literature as a technique in producing specific effects and/or desired outcomes.

1. Alliteration: The repetition of consonant letters and sounds in neighboring words in a sentence. (e.g. Weak and weary, Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright, Three grey geese in a green field grazing, etc.)
2. Assonance: The repetition of vowel sounds without repetitions of consonants. (e.g. The purple curtain, Don't pry in my lies, The sound of the hound pounding, etc.)
3. Hyperbole: Exaggeration is used deliberately for effect/emphasis. (e.g. An ocean of tears, Mountains of gold, Enough food to feed a whole army, etc.)
4. Imagery: Descriptions and figures of speech to create vivid mental pictures in the mind of the reader through various senses. (e.g. The room was bursting with people and champagne, The smell of banana bread filled the room, Her hands felt softer than a baby's behind, etc.)
5. Irony: A statement/situation that has an underlying meaning different from its literal one. (e.g. An English teacher who makes spelling mistakes, Getting sick by worrying about health, A divorced marriage counselor, etc.)
6. Metaphor: A word/phrase drawing comparisons without the use of the words "like" or "as". (e.g. Drowning in paperwork, Elephant in the room, Three sheets to the wind, etc.)
7. Onomatopoeia: A word that phonetically imitates the source of the sound it describes. (e.g. buzz, hiss, meow, etc.)
8. Personification: Attributing human qualities to animals or random objects. (e.g. the cat pranced around, the vase stood stoically, the car was showing off, etc.)
9. Simile: Figure of speech comparing two things usually with the use of "like" or "as". (e.g. Hungry like the wolf, She is as sweet as candy, Busy as a bee, etc.)
10. Symbolism: Attributing symbolic meaning to elements in a story. (e.g. Ring in Lord of the Rings, Conch shell in Lord of the Flies, Rosebud in Citizen Kane, etc.)

(The House of Jazz restaurant evokes auditory imagery in Montreal)