I started out mopping floors waiting tables and tending bar at my dad's tavern. I put myself through school working odd jobs and night shifts. I poured my heart and soul into a small business. And when I saw how out-of-touch Washington had become with the core values of this great nation I put my name forward and ran for office.

When I started my last business I didn't receive a paycheck for 13 months. The average person can't handle that pressure.

That business we started with 10 people has now grown into a great American success story.

I know what it's like to start a business. I know how extra ordinarily difficult it is to build something from nothing. I know how government kills jobs and yes I know how it can help from time- to-time.

The leader who exercises power with honor will work from the inside out starting with himself.

Start with good people lay out the rules communicate with your employees motivate them and reward them. If you do all those things effectively you can't miss.

The turning point was when I hit my 30th birthday. I thought if really want to write it's time to start. I picked up the book How to Write a Novel in 90 Days. The author said to just write three pages a day and I figured I can do this. I never got past Page 3 of that book.

I've looked after my money. As I started working around my third birthday my first check went straight to the bank.

Well I started conducting kind of by accident. I wanted to give myself a special birthday present for my fortieth birthday and I was living in San Francisco at the time and I started attending some of the concerts and then simply dropping hints.

I started running around my 30th birthday. I wanted to lose weight I didn't anticipate the serenity. Being in motion suddenly my body was busy and so my head could work out some issues I had swept under a carpet of wine and cheese. Good therapy that's a good run.

I tend to foster drama via bleakness. If I want the reader to feel sympathy for a character I cleave the character in half on his birthday. And then it starts raining. And he's made of sugar.

I trained to be a priest - started to. I went to seminary school when I was 11. I wanted to be a priest but when they told me I could never have sex not even on my birthday I changed my mind.

Every year on your birthday you get a chance to start new.

What I love best in life is new starts.

I was in the bath at the time and my dad came running in and said 'Guess who they want to play Harry Potter!?' and I started to cry. It was probably the best moment of my life.

I think that from the time you start playing sports as a child you see that your responsibility to your team is to play the best that you can play as an individual... and yet not take anything away from being part of a team.

We must stop thinking of the individual and start thinking about what is best for society.