Because I Was Starting Out

On The Plane, An Eight-year-old With An Excess Of Testosterone Keeps Running Across My Feet. Finally I Grab Him By His T-shirt And Say, Very Sweetly, 'listen, Darling, If You Don't Stop Trampling Me I'm Going To Make You Sit On My Lap While I Tell You My Entire Life Story. Including A Lot Of Details About Drug Rehab And My Divorce.' He Goes Back To His Seat.

The Religion I Have Is Music. Even The Times I Have Headaches, When I'm Singing, I Can't Feel Them. My Dad Used To Say That, Too, Especially Near The End Of His Life. He Would Be In Pain - A Lot Of Pain - And He Said The Only Time When He Didn't Feel Pain Was When He Performed And Sang.

While Visiting Places In The South With My Heart Really Open, I Realized How Important People In Certain Geographical Spots Were To Me, What They Symbolize, How I'm Still Connected To Them And How Much They Are A Part Of My Ancestry, Both Musical And Real.

I Have Learned To Be Steady In My Course Of Love, Or Fear, Or Loneliness, Rather Than Impulsive In Its Wasting, Either Lyrically Or Emotionally.

I Have A Real Worker-bee Mentality. Just Show Up, Just Do It. Even If You Feel Like S--t And You Think You're Terrible And You'll Never Get Better And It Will Never Go Anywhere, Just Show Up And Do It. And, Eventually, Something Happens.