I have a fine level of recognition in the business and among the acting community now so I consider myself one of the lucky ones. If I didn't think that there would be something wrong with me. I'm grateful and thankful for what I've got.

I still have a lot to learn - about the business about music and about myself. Its exciting.

I find myself going to places where I really have no business speaking to these people in a whole other field that I have no extensive knowledge of. But I do it very often because it scares me.

After hurting myself like that I could not go back immediately to racing. I was in no condition mentally or physically. That helped me to strengthen myself to go through the hard times that were ahead with my business and to be successful.

At the end of drama school I made a contract with myself: I'd try acting for five years. I was 26. I had already spent eight years working in restaurants and gas stations. So I had seen enough small businesses to understand that that's what acting is: a small business.

I'm not a kid. You don't get in this business for anonymity. It's not like I have posters of myself on the wall but at the same time I'm kind of ready for a little bit of it but I worry for my little one and my family - their privacy. That's what I'm more protective of.

I never hurt nobody but myself and that's nobody's business but my own.

I don't really count myself as a very sophisticated businessperson. I'm a creative artist. All I know from business I've picked up along the way.

When I jumped off a roof in Cannes in a bee costume I looked ridiculous. But this is my business I have to humiliate myself.

I can't tell anybody else how to run their life or their business but I really believe I've got a good bead on myself.

I started out mopping floors waiting tables and tending bar at my dad's tavern. I put myself through school working odd jobs and night shifts. I poured my heart and soul into a small business. And when I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation I put my name forward and ran for office.

I'm someone who loves to enjoy life and tries to focus on real things and real friendships. That's why I live very simply. I'm a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl. I don't spend much time fixing myself up or trying to look cool. I live like a normal person and even though I'm in a very high-profile business I really don't let it affect the way I live.

I think I could go away tomorrow. I've already accomplished something. It's such a selfish business that sometimes I get sick of myself.

Mickey Mouse popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad 20 years ago on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner.

If you aren't playing well the game isn't as much fun. When that happens I tell myself just to go out and play as I did when I was a kid.

When I was in elementary school I used to write letters to myself. I'd write letters and go 'Dear Kristen-at-16-years-old happy birthday. I hope you're doing something.'

Well I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday and I was living in San Francisco at the time and I started attending some of the concerts and then simply dropping hints.

I often buy myself presents. Sometimes I will spend $100 000 in one day in a posh boutique.

The best thing about acting is that I get to lose myself in another character and actually get paid for it... It's a great outlet. I'm not really sure who I am - it seems I change every day.

I have very high expectations of myself. I'm a very competitive person but competitive with myself. I want to be the best that I can be and if that means that I'm eventually better than everyone else then so be it.

I just need to know that I did the very best I could and that I was true to myself.

Where I am today... I still have my ups and downs but I take it one day at a time and I just hope that I can be the best that I can possibly be not only for myself but also young people that are out there today that need someone to look up to.

I'm human I'm not perfect. I make mistakes all the time but I guess my job is to keep those mistakes to myself which I'm already fine doing and just try to be the best I can be for those kids.

I find myself hoping a total end of all the unhappy divisions of mankind by party-spirit which at best is but the madness of many for the gain of a few.