I know that sounds weird, but I always compete with myself. If I do something, I always look at a chart and say I can do better the next week.
You'll be able to find many unemployed actors, you know? I've been gifted a wonderful career, and to now be able to find myself in a place where someone can look at the course I've charted and say, 'I can do that,' or 'I can do even better!' is a privileged position to be in.
I don't have to compete in the charts. I can just be myself as a musician, a songwriter and play with the musicians that I really love.
I'm never the kind of person who's sitting at home reading the charts and basing how I feel about myself or even my career on stats. I've always based it on, 'Am I doing the best that I can do?'
I hear from all different people, not just people like me, or lesbians. It be straight people, it be grown men, it be grown women, people that have been sick or depressed that say, 'Oh, you made me want to go do what I want to do for myself and chase my dreams.' That's my purpose.
I think of myself not just as a dreamer, but as a dream chaser.
Sometimes when I write lyrics there are images in them, usually on a quite simplistic level, like colors. But most often music comes first and then later I sit down with visual people and we chat about what we want to do. I don't look at myself as a visual artist. I make music.
I don't immerse myself in the Internet chatter because it opens you up to a whole source of danger.
To be intimate with a married man, when my own father cheated on my mother, is not something I could forgive. I could not look at myself in the morning if I did that. I wouldn't be attracted to a man who would cheat on his wife.
I myself am frustrated in just where sports are at. It's a hard thing when you're out there working every day, and you know that someone else is cheating and they may not necessarily get caught.
I'm a vegan who cheats - that's what I call myself.
I'm very genetically blessed; I cannot deny it, but I work hard at keeping myself together. Yes, I have nice cheekbones and skinny legs, but I can't take any credit for it.
I'm not even a little bit talented at the red-carpet makeup thing, but recently I did learn how to give myself dramatic-looking eyes and how to contour my cheekbones.
But I think I can sincerely declare that I cheerfully submit myself to every odious name for conscience' sake; and from my soul I despise all those whose guilt, malice, or folly has made them my foes.
I was fine when it came to cheering up others, not so fine with myself.
I always had to prove myself through my actions. Be a cheerleader. Be class president. Be the editor of the newspaper.
When I was growing up, I didn't like cheese. I had to wean myself onto cheese.
Why do we get so angry at ourselves when we eat foods we love? Do you think guys walk around going, 'I just ate a cheeseburger and I'm so mad at myself?'
I make sure I eat well without depriving myself of the things that I love: a cheeseburger and fries, creamy white-truffle pasta, bowls of ice cream. Everything in moderation, but I indulge at least three times a week.
I can completely lose myself into just absolutely satisfying things - a really amazing cheeseburger, a pizza, good fries, a beer. I enjoy being comfortable and eating whatever the hell I like. It's a big thing for me, just having the freedom to be able to do that.
