To this day my mom's unsinkable spirit is an inspiration to me. For nearly thirty years she's worked at the Library of Congress. Everyone knows Sameha simply as 'Sami.' Along with 500 miles of shelved books her closest friendships are cataloged in that library. They are as much the value of work to my mom as is the work itself.

I have many valentines. My mom and my sister and my directors. I got calls from all of them. And my friends. I respect what Valentine's Day stands for because it is about love.

I prefer to imagine that my wife a few friends and occasionally my mom are the only ones who read what I do though I realize that this is somewhat unrealistic.

We didn't have a TV in the living room and all my friends thought we were kind of weird. When they'd come over my mom wanted to talk to them about current events.

Sinatra was just one of Mom's friends.

I grew up with just my mom. She and I were like best friends. She's a very independent woman and I admire that about her. In my life I've tried to be like that. To be okay with being on my own and being independent.

My friends and I would get up early and take our horses through the national forest. My mom was very free. It was always 'Out of the house!' There was no watching television on weekends.

I hear my friends and my mom tell me I'm special but honestly I still don't get it.

Thankfully I have my mom and a small group of close friends who are there for me 24/7 and whom I can trust and depend on.

When I was 5 some financial things happened and I moved seven times in a year. We moved from apartment to apartment sometimes living with friends. My mom would always say 'Don't get comfortable because we may not be here long.'