On Changing Careers

Just because one reaches a certain age it doesn't mean they can't change directions and have a great and meaningful career.

(Former actor/current teacher Crispin Bonham-Carter)

On Roses

A rose, perceived by the pessimist, may seem no different than a common cactus.

(A solitary rose at Kew Gardens in London)

On Poetry

Knowing different types of poems can significantly help in creating interesting and unique pieces of writing. 

1. Ballad: A poem or song which tells a story in a simple way. Often associated with anonymous folk tales.
2. Sonnet: A poem with 14 lines usually written in iambic pentameter.
3. Ode: Long poem dedicated to a (generally deceased) person or object.
4. Limerick: A five line comic verse which follows A, A, B, B, A syllable patterns and rhyming schemes.
5. Clerihew: A four line comic verse composed of two rhyming couplets. The first line generally refers to the name of the person about whom the poem is about.
6. Elegy: A poem of mourning or lamentation usually sad and reflective in nature.

(A "book rose" at a recycled book fair in Bath, England)

On Values

Wearing a hijab, turban, kippah, or any other "religious" headgear does not impede one from performing public sector jobs just as well as everyone else.

(Buddhist heads at the V&A museum in London) 

On Old Books

Aside from donating or discarding them, there is a lot more than can be done with old books.

(Porcupine at the Recycled Book Fair in Bath, England)

On Fear and Love

"There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life."

-John Lennon

(Love locks on a bridge over the Rideau Canal in Ottawa)

On Arguments

Just because the majority of people believe an argument/issue to be true, that doesn't necessarily make it so.

(Hitler's car in WWII at the War Museum in Ottawa)