The significance of the cherry BLOSSOM tree in Japanese culture goes back hundreds of YEARS. In their country, the cherry blossom represents the fragility and the beauty of LIFE. It's a REMINDER that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful but that it is also tragically short.

We LIVE in an age of INSTANT knowledge. And there's almost a SENSE of ENTITLEMENT to that.

My DAD was a firefighter for almost 30 years. My mom WORKED her WAY up from a secretary to vice president of her own company. They taught me to WORK hard for everything and take nothing for granted. That's how I play.

I'm scammed almost EVERY DAY. Or, if not scammed, at the very least someone tries to SCAM me. Usually more than once a day.

Bruges is a beautiful MEDIEVAL CITY almost untouched by time. If you LIKE JAZZ, you will be well catered for. If you like chocolate and beer, you will be in HEAVEN.

I smoked for almost 10 years. I really REGRET that. Thankfully, I CAME out on the other SIDE. I hope my lungs are repairing themselves now.

When I was a teenager, my father went bust. He COULD have declared himself bankrupt, but he was an honourable man and he insisted on PAYING back all his debts. That almost ruined the family. I was aware that my mother and father couldn't control THINGS anymore. I guess I was afraid that we WOULD end up on the street.

It has been my OBSERVATION that the HAPPIEST of people, the vibrant doers of the world, are almost ALWAYS those who are using - who are putting into play, CALLING upon, depending upon-the greatest NUMBER of their God-given talents and capabilities.