"Life Shrinks Or Expands In Proportion To One's Courage." -Anais Nin

Copenhagen is amazing. I think this tops the captain's announcements-train conductor that we all love.

Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.

Anthony J. D'Angelo

The greatest happiness is to transform one's feelings into action.

- Madame de Stael

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me'.

Erma Bombeck

Determination, energy, and courage appear spontaneously when we care deeply about something. We take risks that are unimaginable in any other context.

Margaret J. Wheatley

I feel like this is such an important and yet rarely discussed social problem in Japan. As someone now working in Japan, who was raised in a culture which actively promotes tolerance and understanding, it can be really difficult to deal with a lack of recognition that this is not just a "foreign" problem, but that it happens in Japan on a daily basis. Change is slow in Japan, but issues like this need to be made a priority for Japan to become a better functioning member of the global community and just a better country. It's sad that despite its reputation for politeness and innovation, Japan has fallen far behind in certain social issues such as this one. Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there. 残念なことなのに人種差別は実際に日本にあると思います。日本で1年間留学した時もこの最近の2年間日本で働いている間にも、人種差別の件がよく気づいてしまいました。外国で育てきた私にはそれを見ると辛い気持ちがします。もちろん、母国はかんぺきではありません。国々の全部と同じように、自分の国の問題はたくさんあります。ですけど、この問題がどこにもあると言っても何もしなくてはいいとは限らないと思います。どこにもある問題だからこそ、自分の国でも日本でも、人種差別をなくすように働くべきです。 「日本には変更が遅い」とよく聞きます。でも、日本が世界の中では進むために、人種差別をなくすように優先しましょう。日本は礼節で有名なのに他の分野はまだまだでしょう。｢見えないからない」と言っている人がいるかもしれないが、そのわけではありません。

日本で働くこと、住むことが本当に大好きです。でも、眼下にある問題を無視しません。人間に愛情を込めて自分の人生の中に人種差別を気づいてなおしましょう！心からお願いします。

For there is no friend like a sister in calm or stormy weather; To cheer one on the tedious way, to fetch one if one goes astray, to lift one if one totters down, to strengthen whilst one stands.

- Christina Rossetti

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.

Albert Einstein

Dance dance dance to these stereotypes!

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.

Henry David Thoreau