I will say that the food in both Japan and Italy was immaculate. I don't remember having bad food in either country.

New Zealanders have conventions and pleasantries, but we are direct. We are encouraged to be transparent with our behavior and not to employ passive aggression.

You're making a big mistake if you think that you can beat me.

Tell people you're a Canadian or a Kiwi when you travel and they'll adore you.

If you devote yourself entirely to a pursuit, there is no way you cannot find beauty and fulfillment.

Whatever you want is as elusive as you make it.

We are taught to want a thing. We are taught that having that thing will make us happy. We are taught that having it immediately is the answer. We are taught a corrupted version of success. And love.

As lovely as people are to me about my performance, I'm still a huge critic. I like very little of what I ever do.

If you do your work, eventually there will be a spark. A fire. A blaze.

We are not taught that hardship is the anvil upon which we are beaten into beauty. We are not taught that some of our greatest moments are some of our most difficult.

I'm not George Clooney, so I can't just pick and choose. I take roles where they occur.

You are the artist, and your days the canvas. Will you create an original masterpiece, or live a paint-by-numbers kind of life?

My loss may shine yet goodlier than your gain When Time and God give judgment.

If you want to help the poor, don't be poor

After a long day, my favorite way to unwind is by going running. Not exactly the most relaxing activity, granted, but I always imagine I'm sweating out all the things weighing on my mind.

We love the blather and boast, the charge and counter-charge of campaigning. Governing is a tougher deal.

But I love to be outdoors. I prefer being outdoors to, you know, being inside.

His mouth is on me, his hands, I can't wait and he's moving, already, love, it's been so long, I'm alive in my skin, again, arms around him, falling and water softly everywhere, never-ending.

It is a law of governance that democracies have to spend themselves dizzy. Citizens of democracies can, after all, tell their government to give them things.

He only who gave life has a power over it.