I wanted to be the first female, young teenager producer, and it didn't happen. And when it finally did happen, I was shelved because I was signed to Warner Bros.

I used to read the criticism on blogs about other people - mostly female actresses and singers - and even when they are extremely perfect and harmless, people still go after them. So I figure, if I'm going to get negativity regardless, why do I have to worry about what somebody thinks of me?

The hardest thing as somebody who does both is - and I'm very serious as an actor, and I consider myself very serious as a musician, engineer, music artist - is learning that it's OK to be versatile.

I've always been involved with charities and things like that, but when I started communicating with the fans and hearing their stories about the lives they lead, it really made an impact on me.

You know, many people who become famous and enjoy great success when they're young disappear after that. Maybe I've lucked out because I came back and went to work.

I see nothing wrong with the human trait to desire. In fact, I consider it integral to our success mechanism. Becoming attached to what we desire is what causes the trouble. If you must have it in order to be happy, then you are denying the happiness of the here and now.

Massachusetts children cannot only lead the nation in test scores, they can be competitive with the best in the world. And the gap in achievement among races can virtually disappear.

I've spent a lot of time in L.A. and I love it. A lot of Brits can't stand the place, but I like the West Coast attitude and the way people celebrate success.