I can talk about humility, but I'm not humble. I mean, if you say, I'm humble, you've just contradicted yourself. But I'm trying to be, man, I'm trying so hard.
I'm one of those people who writes out words. All of my text messages? You can read them. Everyone would know what I'm trying to say. My sister will say 'BTW.' Do you mean 'by the way'? Is that what you're trying to say?
You can say we're trying too hard or that we didn't try hard enough, but we're not trying at all; we're just doing what we do.
I'm always trying to be nice to my fans, but sometimes it's hard because you're human, and sometimes you have a bad day. Like if you're getting into your car and you don't say hi, all of a sudden you're so mean. There is a balance, for sure.
What does it mean that social structures among young people are so often predicated upon trying really, really hard to appear to not-be-trying?
I never meet a church that wishes they didn't do it. I never meet a leader that wishes they didn't do it. They will all say, to the person, it's hard. It's difficult. It comes with complexities and confusion as you're trying to go across cultures, and you don't understand, you didn't mean to offend somebody but you've offended somebody. But they will all say it just does something.
I just want to say that we are going to hit ISIS hard, and I mean really hard, but I do think this.
I am human. I am messy. I'm not trying to be an example. I am not trying to be perfect. I am not trying to say I have all the answers. I am not trying to say I'm right. I am just trying - trying to support what I believe in, trying to do some good in this world, trying to make some noise with my writing while also being myself.
My books are not about how it feels to be a black man. My books are about how it feels to be a human being, and part of what I'm trying to sort out is what we mean - what I mean, what you mean, what everybody in the culture means - when they say 'black man,' or they say 'white person.'
A lot of the things I say I'm just trying to be funny... I don't really mean everything I say, because I'm not totally that airhead.
I'm not trying to say something super complicated. I allow myself to say certain things that mean a lot to me.
I think tennis is going towards the direction of powerful, hard hitters, and that's what us tall people are. We are trying to play very aggressive; we're trying to make a lot of winners, and, I mean, I don't know. That's what tall players kind of do.
People who know me know that I'm not going to open my mouth and say something if I don't mean it. I'm very short and sweet. I'm old-school when it comes to it: I say what I mean and mean what I say, and then get off of it. It's simple as that.
I mean what I say when i say it. After that, it's hard to say
I have people in my life who will say, 'Honey, you're trying too hard.' I like being saucy, but I'm 73 and a half. I'm still trying to find my way between matronly and coltishness.
When you’re in between dreams, you get to lean back and relax and stop trying so hard. Trying to be somebody, I mean. It’s not as exciting as being a television star, but it’s not that bad, either. You just have to learn to be satisfied with the way you are for a while. Not Forever. Just until you’re finished resting.