When you get in taekwondo, it teaches you the life skills of respect, self control, discipline-that's why I love it. I really attribute those skills to really getting over my dad's death. If I didn't have that, I would have lost it.
I mean, my dad's a television producer, and I knew I could get a job as an assistant or a reader with one of his friends, but it wasn't exactly what I wanted to do.
When a child is born, I once explained to the kids, some dads lay down bottles of wine for them that will mature when they grow up into ungrateful adults. Instead, what you're going to get from me, as each of you turns sixteen, is a library of the one hundred books that gave me the most pleasure when I was a know-nothing adolescent.
I remember opening my dad's closet and there were, like, 40 suits, every color of the rainbow, plaid and winter and summer. He had two jewelry boxes full of watches and lighters and cuff links. And just. . . he was that guy. He was probably unfulfilled in his life in many ways.
There's my baby!" I cried, quite carried away, "There's my poochiekins!". . . "Sadie," My dad said firmly, "Please do not refer to the devourer of souls as 'poochiekins'.
My kids are not that interested in my movie career, by the way. My son, in particular, never talks about it. He just wants me as his dad.
The greatest thing my dad taught me came from when I called him from a phone booth and said, 'Hungry. No bus token. Please. Out of options. ' He said, 'Pfft, get a job.
My mom had a job, and she also took care of us, and she also took care of Dad - I always saw her pulling triple duty, doing more than I ever felt like she needed to. I made a promise to myself that it would be more of a team effort in my family someday. And because of that, I became more independent.
My dad was an editor and a writer, and that's actually what I aspired to be.
Anytime I was in Memphis with my dad and at the house, I was happy. That was, like, a given. It was what I lived for. And I still feel the same excitement and warmth.
I love being a dad, and I'm good at it. Kids teach you about life, like how not to focus on yourself so much.
Dad could charm a dog off a meat wagon.
I spent my teenage years in Paris when my dad was stationed there, and I'd look at women in their forties and think, 'That's the age I want to be. '
I remember when I was maybe 27 years old and kind of at the height of my movie stardom - it was around the time of the Oscar and this and that. I think I was very much believing my own hype, which how could you not? I was sitting with my dad, feeling great about my life and everything that was happening, and he was like, "You know, you're getting a little weird. . . You're kind of an asshole. " And I was like, "What the hell?" I was totally devastated. But it turned out to be basically the best thing that ever happened to me.
My mother always taught me, even my dad, just never let other people's opinions of you shape your opinion of yourself. And I never have and I never will.
My art school rejection letter arrived as a cold manila fist that closed around my fragile hopes. . . The fear was practically edible. Nothing would happen unless I get out and make it happen. Then, as if handling me the keys to the jet pack, my dad bought me a typewriter and a taped message to the inside of its case: "Son - the world is waiting to hear from you".
I have a really, really strong work ethic and I learned that from my dad because my dad was a workaholic but he always had even more time for us. As hard as he would work, he always made the time. So it's just about balancing family, I think, and work - and giving everything 100%. And that's what he taught me.
but my dad said it was no excuse. "But I love him!" I had never seen my sister cry that much. "No, you don't. " "I hate you!" "No, you don't. " My dad can be very calm sometimes. "He's my whole world. " "Don't ever say that about anyone again. Not even me. " That was my mom.
In high school I dated a white woman. She would come to visit me on the rez. And her dad, who was very racist, didn't like that at all. And he told her one time, 'You shouldn't go on the rez if you're white because Indians have a lot of anger in their heart. '
If I'm a young mom or young dad, I can find a great source of strength. God has promised that He will help me to be the mom or dad that He wants me to be. He has promised to be with me every step of the way. He has promised that He will never leave me or forsake me. These are wonderful promises that I can learn to trust and build a life on.