A boat is the hardest think I know of to put into perspective. It is so much like a human figure, there is something alive about it.

There is a place where cerebral an corporeal meet: they call it rowing

The oars game me power but also taught me humility.

Ergometer is Greek for 'work meter'

In college, I was an editor on the student daily... To the extent that I noticed the existence of crew at all, I saw only what appeared to be big-boned acolytes who rose at dawn.

When you are on the erg your mind is too busy to pay attention to the sounds of the machine; you notice only that they are indeed loud.

The single sculler, alone on the river at dawn, or spotlighted in his lane during a race, is th emost romantic, the most quixotic figure in all rowing.

The greatest poet who ever wrote about rowing is Virgil, the greatest historian is Thucydides, but the greatest imagination ever to turn its attention to the sport is that of painter, Thomas Eakins.

Rowing was not simple for me. I nodded whenever the instructor made a point, as if I understood, but I could as easily have assembled the space shuttle as have repeated the moves she was explaining.

If rowing is a trial then the ergometer is the courtroom, the meter is the jury. And an honest jury at that, because the numbers do not lie.

Rowing it was pointed out, was a sport that risked few injuries. So it was, I ould discover, but only if you did it right.

I'm a big fan of the Queen. She carries herself well, as does the Prince of Wales, despite getting lots of stick.

For better or worse, there are few things so disarming as one who laughs well at her own expense.

Whatever you're thinking about, you will attract.

If people are informed they will do the right thing. It's when they are not informed that they become hostages to prejudice.

Dont run before you can walk

First, a poem must be magical, then musical as a sea-gull and it must hold fire as well.

It is the responsibility of every adult... to make sure that children hear what we have learned from the lessons of life and to hear over and over that we love them and that they are not alone.

I don't try to intimidate anybody before a fight. That's nonsense. I intimidate people by hitting them.

Science literacy is a vaccine against the charlatans of the world that would exploit your ignorance.

For Westlife, the music will never stop as long as our fans are around inspiring us to keep on making beautiful music together.