I was trying to make art that my son could look on in the future and would realize I was thinking about him very much during these times... that he can look and see my dad's thinking about me but to also embed in these things something that is bigger than all of us.
When I realized I was having trouble reading I was too embarrassed to ask for help. Some teachers believed in me but I just wasn't focused on school - I was into the music and trying to please my dad.
I used to listen to my dad a lot as a way of trying to be close to him as well because my parents were divorced and I didn't spend that much time with him. And I used to put headphones on and listen to my dad talk and sing and I found that quite... bonding with him in a weird way.
I'm trying to have my own thing and I don't know if it's even possible. I didn't realize so many people actually think I'm trying to be like my dad. I read comments like 'She's no Elvis.' I'm not trying to be. I never set out to be.
OK so my parents were married in 1955 and my mom knew my dad was gay and my dad knew he was gay and so I was like 'Why in the heck did you get married?' Like what was going on? What was that time? It's like this crazy paradox that my whole life is based on or my family's based on. So I spent a lot of time trying to understand '55.
I stayed in Baghdad every summer until I was 14. My dad's sister is still there but many of my relatives have managed to get out. People forget that there are still people there who are not radicalized in any particular direction trying to live normal lives in a very difficult situation.
I was always a kid trying to make a buck. I borrowed a dollar from my dad went to the penny candy store bought a dollar's worth of candy set up my booth and sold candy for five cents apiece. Ate half my inventory made $2.50 gave my dad back his dollar.
I think that people need to have the courage of their convictions and not be trying to fool people into thinking that they've changed overnight.
The people of South Carolina support conservatives who are trying to push real change and the people of South Carolina expect their presidential candidates to back them up when they show courage.
Courage and willingness to just go for it whether it is a conversation or a spontaneous trip or trying new things that are scary - it is a really attractive quality.