I came up poor. My mother only had a fourth-grade education. My dad didn't have any education at all. But they were very structured. They worked hard. You know they didn't complain. They didn't murmur. And they believe in the Christ.

Our last jam session was this past Christmas. Dad played his harmonica mom sang in English and Italian and I played guitar. I'm so happy that we could share that musical experience for one last time.

Like my dad I have a Christmas party most years. I like to celebrate and see as many people as possible.

My mum was raised Jewish my dad is very scientifically minded and my school was vaguely Christian. We sang hymns in school. I liked the hymns bit but apart from that I can take it or leave it. So I had lots of different influences when I was younger.

It was you know probably 80 degrees out in L.A. and my dad took me outside and there was snow. At the time I thought 'Every kid doesn't have snow in their backyard on Christmas?'

My parents were kind of over protective people. Me and my sister had to play in the backyard all the time. They bought us bikes for Christmas but wouldn't let us ride in the street we had to ride in the backyard. Another Christmas my dad got me a basketball hoop and put it in the middle of the lawn! You can't dribble on grass.

My dad is still Christian Scientist. My mom's not and I'm not. But I believe in God and that there's a higher power and an intelligence that's bigger than us and that we can rely on. It's not just us thinking we are the ones in control of everything. That idea gives me support.

Resignation is the courage of Christian sorrow.

Throughout the years many Christian women have told me of their great respect for the bravery and courage evident in my work perhaps even gesturing to their own Isis earrings or a Nile River Goddess pendants.

A Christian high school is just like any other high school in the sense of the politics and all of these levels of who's cool and what to wear.