The impetus behind going to graduate school was a year after graduating from college spent in Dallas working at the dog food factory and Bank America and not having met success in my chosen field which at that point was being an actress.

Music can also be a sensual pleasure like eating food or sex. But its highest vibration for me is that point of taking us to a real understanding of something in our nature which we can very rarely get at. It is a spiritual state of oneness.

Whatever I'm doing I'm in that moment and I'm doing it. The rest of the world's lost. If I'm cooking some food or making soup I want it to be lovely. If not what's the point of doing it?

I like doing food as a focal point on my table. It is not like going out and buying flowers or candles which are expensive.

Recipes are important but only to a point. What's more important than recipes is how we think about food and a good cookbook should open up a new way of doing just that.

At one point I had to shove as much food in my body as possible to pack on calories. My trainer wanted me to do six meals a day and not go two hours without eating. If I would cheat on eating one day I could tell - I'd drop a few pounds.

Food can become such a point of anxiety - not because it's food but just because you have anxiety. That's how eating disorders develop.

I've always believed fitness is an entry point to help you build that happier healthier life. When your health is strong you're capable of taking risks. You'll feel more confident to ask for the promotion. You'll have more energy to be a better mom. You'll feel more deserving of love.

I have come close to producing films. But generally by the time they hit the screen there's about 50 people with producer credits so what's the point. I usually find scripts I like with no money attached and take them to producers that I know and try to raise finance.

At this point I don't get hired a lot because people don't think I could finance a movie.

You don't have to do everything by the time you're 30. Or 40. All you need is a work ethic. It's what allows you to push through moments of disappointment and self-doubt and fear.

My greatest fear is disappointing the reader so each book has to be better than the one before.

There are no guarantees. From the viewpoint of fear none are strong enough. From the viewpoint of love none are necessary.

There's a confidence that comes from youth and not knowing better. But there comes a point as an actor when you do know better and that is when the fear starts.

I woke up full of hate and fear the day before the most recent peace march in San Francisco. This was disappointing: I'd hoped to wake up feeling somewhere between Virginia Woolf and Wavy Gravy.

Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment suffering pain fear and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He's sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life I found that my worrying stopped.

Well yeah. At a certain point you've got to be really honest with yourself. Like 'Why am I doing this? What are my motivations?' Like if you get into it because you want to be famous? Then you've got a long row to hoe. But if you really feel like it's a labour of love and it's something you're actually legitimately good at then it's not that hard to keep plugging away.

I'm not in the business of becoming famous. And that's the advice I give to younger aspiring actors. Work onstage and do the little roles. In the end it's not important to be seen. It's important to do. There's a lot of disappointment in this business but my family keeps me grounded.

Being famous was extremely disappointing for me. When I became famous it was a complete drag and it is still a complete drag.

I don't mean being famous is a perk because one knows that it's not necessarily a perk but there are certain perks to being well-known and respected in one's field. Public perks. Like I don't know general friendliness and willingness to please just to point out two.

Comedy has to be done en clair. You can't blunt the edge of wit or the point of satire with obscurity. Try to imagine a famous witty saying that is not immediately clear.

If I'm not writing well I'm not happy. If I'm not spending enough time with my family I'm not happy. If I'm not connecting to friends or if I don't work out enough... You get the point. Everything has to be balanced. Nothing should be an extreme.

At one point in my life I was very involved with social causes. I'm still involved but now I have a family and it's important to me.

I always wanted my music to influence the life you were living emotionally - with your family your lover your wife and at a certain point with your children.