I wanted to be a decorator. I wanted to interior design homes and do everything myself.
When I started in fashion, I had already adopted the sailor-striped sweater as my uniform; that way, I wouldn't have to drive myself crazy trying to figure out what to wear.
I think of myself as an actor.
I'm tired of the industry, tired of playing the whole game - the dressing up, the red carpet. I hate talking about myself.
I think of myself as a musician and not a celebrity. Celebrity status is something you have to deliberately pursue - I couldn't imagine myself seeking that.
I call myself a chameleon.
I'm self-entertaining. My dialogue is with myself.
I try to find different ways of expressing myself. Without that I will die.
I don't consider myself a comic but a performer. A comic tells bad jokes.
I never really saw myself as writing science fiction anyway.
In 10 years, I don't really know what I'll be, and I like not having any idea. I like the idea of being so passionate about everything I do and the fact that I might wake up tomorrow and say 'I want to be a chef,' and just pour myself into that.
When I started writing full time I had not long stopped being a teacher and when at last I had a full day to write, I would put music on and wonder to myself - am I allowed to do this? Then I thought: 'I am control of this and no one is telling me what I can do.'
Being deeply contented with God in my everyday life is a focused attitude. It is always available. It means practicing letting go of my obsession with how I'm doing. It means training myself to learn to actually be present with people, and seeking to love them.
I don't do any songs that I'm sick of now - sometimes even songs that I request. If I'm sick of 'em I don't do 'em even for myself.
As I've been acting since I was young it's taught me to give a good speech, and, though I say so myself, I did it pretty well.
I think for me to find that project is going to be something that I'm going to have to develop for myself.
I consider myself a composer.
Picasso's always been such a huge influence that I thought when I started the cartoon paintings that I was getting away from Picasso, and even my cartoons of Picasso were done almost to rid myself of his influence.
I am much more productive late at night because I have no one to look to for entertainment aside from myself.
I'm learning a lot about myself being alone, and doing what I'm doing.
I am a feminist, and what that means to me is much the same as the meaning of the fact that I am Black: it means that I must undertake to love myself and to respect myself as though my very life depends upon self-love and self-respect.
I've considered myself a writer since I was 7 years old, but I've done a lot of jobs along the way. I enjoyed waiting tables and tending bar during college, especially when it got busy, so I might like managing a big restaurant. In fact, I might like managing many kinds of businesses or organizations.
I need to work to support myself and my kids. No one pays for my support.
I'm not really a political satirist. I don't kid myself. I'm more interested in doing the mannerisms and the personality.
Here's another secret - I have really big feet. I'm a size ten, so every opportunity I get I buy myself shoes.
I never think of myself as any kind of sex symbol, but I get letters from all over, all sorts. It's really cool. I get a lot from inmates, which is kind of scary. But the best was the guy who wanted to send me a plane ticket to fly me to his prom.
When I was a kid, I would do stupid things on my bike. I'd jump any ramp, I'd jump over people, I'd jump over things - always crashing, never hurting myself badly but always wanting to take physical risks.
One of the things that's influenced me musically was my experience at Brown University. I was surrounded by musicians that I really admired, and felt challenged to come up with music, lyrics, and recordings that stood up to the expectations of those musicians and myself.
I used to weigh myself every day at a certain time of day. Then I would write down the number and measure my body fat. It wasn't a healthy way to live.
I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I'm going to learn, I must do it by listening.
I never had to say to myself, 'OK now, I've got to grow up and work for a bank, or go and sell real estate.' I never had to make that kind of break.
I actually carry a little picture of a wolf in my wallet, rather like people carry a picture of their kids. The reason I do that is to remind myself why I'm doing this, to remind myself of the story.
I don't see myself as a role model; people should look to mothers and sisters as role models.
I had to examine myself very thoroughly to find the right path personally.
I really believe in myself. I'm the hardest worker I know, and one of the best songwriters. There's a craft to it, and it takes a long time to hone it, and I work really hard at it.
The only real influence I've ever had was myself.
