Anytime I need any type of strength, the relationships that I have had with my closest friends for the majority of my life, is my home.

I understand that everyone around the world has the global economy crisis and the budgets on education are being cut and the first thing to go are the musical or arts programs and I definitely have to disagree with that.

Music education is very important. I think that for me growing up, I was disciplined very hard at home.

When I was fifteen or eighteen, I never even imagined I would be in a band, let alone being able to travel to places like Australia and New Zealand.

I don't know where the money would come from, I don't have that answer, but I've been wanting to do something for music education for a long time as it's a big part of not only our band but my whole life.

My Mom played violin and piano when she was growing up and she insisted, and I don't know if you can imagine how uncool it is to play the violin when you're eight and ten years old, but I told my Mom that I would quit every day until I went to high school and I met these other gentlemen who would become Yellowcard, and my friends, and I really fell in love with music and it wasn't just classical music, just submerged in the arts in the school I was in.

I would definitely write to the kid that I was before, to embrace the moment. I think that often times when you're coming of age or growing up you look forward and you work really hard instead of sitting back and relaxing and enjoying the moment.