The aging process seems to strike first at the mechanism which warns that we have been talking too much and the listener is growing restless. The signal isn't perfect at any age - drink, for instance, throws it right out of kilter - but it is almost non-existent in old people.

Don't confuse being stimulating with being blunt.

I found it interesting that as people become more technically oriented all over the world, at the same time people are becoming increasingly spiritual. The success of the Da Vinci code - even though it was a great yawn - also showed people's interest in religion.

when your child is in trouble, the first thing you do is blame yourself.

And I really do believe that the most important thing is the way you live your life on earth. But I think it's enormously comforting to believe that you're going to see your loved ones.

To feel valued, to know, even if only once in a while, that you can do a job well is an absolutely marvelous feeling.

Celebrities used to be found in clusters, like oysters - and with much the same defensive mechanisms.