Love myself I do. Not everything, but I love the good as well as the bad. I love my crazy lifestyle, and I love my hard discipline. I love my freedom of speech and the way my eyes get dark when I'm tired. I love that I have learned to trust people with my heart, even if it will get broken. I am proud of everything that I am and will become.

We are each an army of one. March forward with your army, never let go of your future and never listen to idiots who tell you ‘no.’

Creating emotion was what my career was all about. I wanted people to laugh at me; I wanted people to cry with me. I wanted people to feel good or to think about something when they watched me. I think that's why, even not being an Olympic champion, I have such a huge following around the world.

Despite the usual idea of a figure skater, I have no rhythm when it comes to even walking off the ice. I fall off curbs all the time.

I wouldn't participate in 'Stars on Ice' if I were asked. I find it an amateurish tour in a way, the production quality.

Being in the public eye is part of what I do, and taking on a multitude of different projects - television, radio, fashion, writing or deep-sea diving - is a blessing. It is also how I pay my bills and fund my own skating, as I don't have a sponsor or financial help from my federation.

The gymnastic events are really what I tune into the Summer Olympics for.