I have realized that I hate going to the premieres of the movies that I'm in. Because I feel this tension after the movie is over that everyone feels obligated to say something nice to you. It's so unnatural and uncomfortable.

I realized this is what God has dealt me and I should be thankful considering all that's happened to me in my life but MS caused the movies to stop - stop dead - and I miss it.

I woke up on the plane this morning and was turning on my phone and I had to put my pin number in. That's when I realized that since the age of 10 I've been using 2012 as my pin number. But now that I've won gold in the 2012 Olympics I've achieved that goal and for the first time in 14 years I'll have to change my pin.

If I'm coming in at 4:00 in the morning and my kids have been in bed since 8:00 9:00 that's not setting a good example. The responsibility that I have kids inside my household has made me realize now that I have to be an example.

I started writing morning pages just to keep my hand in you know just because I was a writer and I didn't know what else to do but write. And then one day as I was writing a character came sort of strolling in and I realized Oh my God I don't have to be just a screenwriter. I can write novels.

My salary situation at 'Morning Joe' wasn't right. I made five attempts to fix it then realized I'd made the same mistake every time: I apologised for asking.

You always say 'I'll quit when I start to slide' and then one morning you wake up and realize you've done slid.

This morning I went to wipe my hands on a tea towel and while I was using it it seemed like it felt a bit light. I unfolded it and realized my daughter had cut little bits out of it to make frocks for her dolls!

What most people don't seem to realize is that there is just as much money to be made out of the wreckage of a civilization as from the upbuilding of one.

As Americans we realize that there is no taxpayer money that wasn't first earned through the sweat and toil of one of our citizens.