I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work I really wanted more than anything else to contribute in some way to the culture that I was living in. It just seemed like a challenge to move it a little bit towards the way I thought it might be interesting to go.

My own image of my work is that I no sooner settle into something than a break occurs. These breaks are always painful and depressing but despite them I see that there's a consistency that holds out but is hard to define.

A women under stress is not immediately concerned with finding solutions to her problems but rather seeks relief by expressing herself and being understood.

I remember the '80s being about the Cold War and Reagan and the homeless problem and AIDS. To me it was kind of a dark depressing time.

To the scientist there is the joy in pursuing truth which nearly counteracts the depressing revelations of truth.

I just got tired of being sick and tired and feeling down. Unfortunately you don't realize this until you're getting sober but the reason why you're depressed all the time is it's the drugs that are depressing you.

But when I was a teenager the idea of spending the rest of my life in a factory was real depressing. So the idea that I could become a musician opened up some possibilities I didn't see otherwise.

I am in the process of trying to decide whether I can make a substantive and productive contribution to the policy-making process. I was always there because I wanted to work on the pressing issues of the day - I'm interested in energy I'm interested in the climate bill and technology policy.

Women face enough pressures and challenges in a workplace that is still depressingly biased against a female's success. Add to that the fact that the very thing many women I know find most rewarding (having kids) is now frowned upon.

Our society is run by insane people for insane objectives. I think we're being run by maniacs for maniacal ends and I think I'm liable to be put away as insane for expressing that. That's what's insane about it.