My own being can be judged by the depths I reach in making these historical origins my own.
I put less stock in others' opinions than my own. No one else's opinions could derail me.
Since I was not able wholly to subscribe to any one set of beliefs advanced by any 'guru' I had to fall back on my own, however derivative.
O never give me over to my own heart's desires, nor let me follow my own imaginations!
It would be a most despicable thing to suggest I would exploit the poor for my own personal gain.
But the first published thing I did was a detective story, detective novel, and I did that on my own.
I'm the kindest, most supportive friend ever, probably to my own detriment, but I hope that I am toughening up a little bit.
My own interest developed because I thought it was a fascinating subject and something I wanted to pursue.
As a 13, - 14-year-old kid, I'd sit on my bed with a tape recorder and a newspaper. I would do my own newscast. I would practice my diction.
I can't tell a story just by deciding to tell a story, do it in a didactic way. I need to have my own emotion, to feel, 'Wow, there is something I can discover, I can create.'
Just so that we are clear on this, I am in favour of teaching children about different beliefs. I am not in favour of indoctrinating them in any particular belief, including my own: these issues should be presented as beliefs, not as fact.
Sometimes I write about my own life. And sometimes I write about situations I see my friends going through. Sometimes I write about a scene I saw in a movie. I take inspiration from all different places.
I started my own martial arts school at 16. And by the time I was 21, I had three different schools.
Love comes in all different shapes and forms - from friendship and sisters and mums - and as I've got older, I've definitely learned that some of my happiest times have been when I've been on my own.
I sing 'All Apologies' with my own lyrics. People want to sing along, but then, oops, they realize it's a different story.
There are many different styles of, and approaches to, tap. My own leans towards a more intellectual view: tap dancing not just for the sake of entertainment but to educate and spark emotion.
In my own personal career, I have felt almost the most difficult thing to deal with is someone who doesn't tell you what they are thinking.
The combination of pictures and words together can be really effective, and I began to realise in my career that unless I wrote my own words, then my message was diluted.
I was extremely lucky as I was in one of the last generations of British students who went to university and had my fees paid, and I had a grant as well. I also earned money from my waitressing and designing and selling my own range of dinosaur cards.
While I was into many different types of music, and played with many different local groups, I really didn't have a band to call my own until Dire Straits was formed in 1977.
