That's always been a tough thing. I've always struggled with staying present and not worrying too much about the future or the past. I'm always either dwelling on the past, or missing the past, or worrying about the future. So that's been a big challenge, because this type of lifestyle goes extremely fast.

There are many times for three months in a row I wrote every day, but there are also many times for three months in a row I didn't write a word. What I found is I make an appointment with myself and I don't look at each day, I look at the calendar ahead.

All the damn time, it comes with the territory. My family valiantly put up with most of them. Though the older I get, the bolder I am about saying no.

It's hard - truthfully the main thing other than work is just making sure that I'm spending enough time with michelle and the girls. The big advantage I have is that I live above the store - so I have no commute! So we make sure that when I'm in DC I never miss dinner with them at 6:30 pm - even if I have to go back down to the Oval for work later in the evening. I do work out every morning as well, and try to get a basketball or golf game in on the weekends just to get out of the bubble.

There is no getting around the work requirement. Also, the creative side is only part of the work. I work really hard.

I would definitely take myself aside and say, “Come on, don't be so hard on yourself.” I’m still very hard on myself now. I’m my worst critic.

Love is everything.

A Josef Albers painting.

So yeah, that’s what I always come back to when I need to be inspired. Go outside. Go be with some art. Then go make some art.

Probably something else I learned at art school, which is the ability to make something from very little using your own imagination. That’s the building block of my career.