The hardest thing was learning to write. I was 13, and the only writing I had done was for Social Studies. It consisted of copying passages right out of the encyclopedia.

I saw why people died and how they died. I saw gunshot wounds and liver failure. It was a good learning experience, so I came regularly on weekends and holidays.

I think the biggest difficulty is that when I’m here in America, there’s a necessity of using English, so I really have a great sense of really wanting to learn, but unfortunately when I head back to Japan, the necessity vanishes and so does my enthusiasm about learning.

I’d think learning to play the guitar would be very confusing for sighted people.

I’m not a very good painter, but I’m learning a lot.

When house and land are gone and spent, then learning is most excellent.

All those years we’d spent learning these chops, and all those gigs in Germany where you’d play all night, and along comes punk. It has nothing to do with that. A lot of people went out of business.

Be curious, learn and read as much as you can about food. Don’t worry about making money. Focus on learning at various venues before you settle down for a steady position.