Unfortunately, it seems to me that when it comes to issues affecting the trans community, most people who are cisgender - a word describing those people whose gender identity is in alignment with the sex they were assigned at birth - focus too much on the administrative, legal, and medical aspects of trans identity.

Patriotism is often the cry extolled when morally questionable acts are advocated by those in power. When these cries of patriotism drown out any logically based dissension, it is usually the American soldier that is given the order to carry out some ill-conceived mission.

On the night of 4 November 2008, Barack Obama was elected on a platform of 'hope' and 'change.' He was hailed as a 'uniter' in an age of 'dividers.' I experienced a political awakening that night. I watched as the hope that President Obama represented was tempered by the shocking passage of Proposition 8 by a majority of voters in California.

We used to listen to Lionel Barrymore do 'A Christmas Carol' on the radio long ago, and I like Reginald Owen, who played Scrooge in the first treatment for the screen. But my favorite Scrooge was Alastair Sim. He was enchanting, an absolutely beautiful performance.

I'm too old-fashioned to use a computer. I'm too old-fashioned to use a quill.

My great-grandfather was prime minister of Canada, and I had a very Edwardian upbringing. It was a beautiful, romantic way of growing up, until the family lost its money. And I decided to be bad and rough and find the streets rather than the gates.

I think anger does fuel a successful acting career. To play the great roles, you have to learn how to blaze.

Most actors come from the streets, and their rise to fame is guided by a natural anger. It was harder to find that rage coming from a gentle background.

Working with Julie Andrews is like getting hit over the head with a valentine.

We have 40 people over for Thanksgiving, 30 people for Easter lunch, 35 people on Christmas Eve. People tend to expect to spend their holidays with us, which is lovely and an expectation I carry with pride.

I felt very unstressed on my wedding day. I'm very grateful for that... spending the day on my own, being super quiet and happy and just puttering around doing my own thing.

I had been offered a Hollywood contract before my 18th birthday. It gave me the spark I needed.

I had no romantic interest in Gable. I considered him an older man.

I dated dozens of young men, had fun with all, made commitments to none.

I knew I could not cope with the future unless I was able to rediscover the past.

When my mood was high, I seemed normal, even buoyant. I felt smarter. I had secrets. I could see God in a light bulb.

Some women feel the best cure for a broken heart is a new beau.

I followed the same diet for 20 years, eliminating starches, living on salads, lean meat, and small portions.

My mom FedExes a red velvet cake she makes from scratch to me every birthday.

I think I've done every crazy diet there was in the beginning, but it's weird: I'm thinner now than I was when I was modeling. I don't obsess about it.

I work hard, I will tell you that. I do a very low carb, high protein diet. I do Tracy Anderson, I do Body by Simone, I do Pilates, and I do Bikram Yoga.

I am a breakfast girl. Breakfast is my favorite food. I love it. I love egg white omelettes. I love biscuits. I love toast. I love granola. I love quiche. I love all the fatty, horrible breakfast things!

On Christmas Eve, we have a duck or roast pork with caramelised potatoes, braised red cabbage and gravy. For dessert, we have ris a l'amande, a rice pudding, and whoever gets the whole almond in it wins an extra present. Then we dance around the tree and sing carols.

Don't worry about not fitting in. The things that make people think you're weird are what makes you you, and therefore your greatest strength.

My mom won't let me buy high-fashion stuff unless it's TK Maxx or a birthday occasion.

My mom won't let anyone treat me like a little princess.

The one thing my mom will let me get is a nice shoe sometimes.

This is a wonderful way to celebrate an 80th birthday... I wanted to be 65 again, but they wouldn't let me - Homeland Security.

You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it.

I always wanted to get into politics, but I was never light enough to make the team.

I have given myself a Tesla for my 60th birthday.

What a company's been earning doesn't mean anything. What you have to look at is what people think it's going to earn. If you can see something in two years is going to be entirely different than the conventional wisdom, that's how you make money.

If you're early on in your career and they give you a choice between a great mentor or higher pay, take the mentor every time. It's not even close. And don't even think about leaving that mentor until your learning curve peaks.

Soros has taught me that when you have tremendous conviction on a trade, you have to go for the jugular. It takes courage to be a pig. It takes courage to ride a profit with huge leverage.

'A Christmas Story' has always meant a lot to me personally.

I have already done two Christmas films: 'Elf' and 'Four Christmases.' I guess I really am a sucker for Christmas. Both movies are really about the importance of family. I come from a brood of five kids, and it's the one time of year we can all get together. It's hands-down my favorite holiday.

When I was a kid, I really wanted a metal detector for Christmas, convinced I was going to find buried treasure and could retire at 12. Santa Claus brought me one, but sadly, that treasure was never realized. It's amazing how many bottle caps you have to dig up. But to be honest, that dream is still alive.

It's a rare film that has staying power. 'A Christmas Story' is not just a funny movie but something that connects with people.

'A Christmas Story' has become such a special part of the holiday season for so many families.

When I first heard 'A Christmas Story, the musical,' I thought, Oh, that could be really good. It just felt like it fit. Some films lend themselves well to other formats, some don't, but there are so many fantasy sequences in the film, and Ralphie's such a dreamer as a character, I thought they could really lend themselves to being set pieces.

When you're involved in those big-budget movies, there's a lot of hype: 'Oh this is gonna be a big hit!' And 'A Christmas Story' wasn't. It came and went and was a big disappointment at the box office.

When it comes to referring to Dickens's life, performing plays with your nine children for friends and family during Christmas is Dickensian.

I don't like my birthday. I don't like things that are directed towards me. It took me a long time to get over people asking me to write my name in the book.

I think we felt the pressure more at first than this time around. But still you don't want to let anyone down. I never even met Patrick until we had a Christmas party at Ian McKellen's house on the first movie and then I didn't see him again until the premiere.

I was never a girl who dreamed about what her wedding day would be like, but I've always dreamed about decorating my baby's nursery.

Are you kidding? I'm a terrible cook, but John is a really great one. Literally, I never cook. The whole time we were dating, I prepared two officially romantic meals. Both of them were such disasters that he begs me never to go into the kitchen again.

Being a mom makes me feel whole and like I understand the meaning of life.

Breastfeeding is the very best diet I've been on.

I'm not for gratuitous nudity, but if there's humor, I don't have a problem.

I really want a Christmas in New York one year, when it's snowing. Like, it's Christmas morning, and you have a fight with someone, and you run down the street, and it's snowing, and you can't find them.