We were POOR. But my mom NEVER ACCEPTED that. She worked HARD to become a residential contractor - got her master's with HONORS at the University of New Orleans. I used to go to every class with her. Her father was my paternal figure.

Academically, I think THINGS kicked off pretty late for me. I was kind of one of those kids who was in HALF honors, half regular. I was like a history/science kid, which was always weird. Around tenth GRADE or eleventh grade, everything STARTED coming TOGETHER.

It is not easy to IMAGINE how LITTLE interested a scientist usually is in the work of any other, with the possible EXCEPTION of the TEACHER who backs him or the student who HONORS him.

I studied English literature in the honors program, which MEANS that you had to take COURSES in various centuries. You had to start with OLD English, MIDDLE English, and work your way toward the modern. I figured if I did that it would force me to read some of the things I might not read on my own.

Growing up, I watched softball and U.S.A .softball, and that was my GOAL of being able to represent my country and wear the red, white, and blue out there, and I THINK it is one of the HIGHEST honors to be able to GO out there and compete for your country, and it was SOMETHING so very special, and it was everything I dreamt of and more.

Even when I was playing, I never THOUGHT much about the individual honors. I WANTED to go to the SUPER BOWL.

I don't display my plaques and honors. They are hidden BEHIND a BLACK curtain in my WORK ROOM at HOME.

If you Google me, you'll FIND plenty of 'dumb blonde' references - EVEN though I graduated with HONORS from Stanford and studied at Oxford University. I don't let it bother me.

With 'Shinobi,' we HOPE to MAKE a film that HONORS the ESSENCE of the games.

The MODERN cineplexes are MUNDANE, dull boxes. But 'The Majestic' PAYS tribute to the movie PALACES that made people feel like royalty. It honors a time when pictures helped Americans get through grim periods like the blacklist and the WAR.

Las VEGAS HONORS WOMEN - Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Britney Spears. I LOVE that Las Vegas celebrates women.

Indeed, the HIGHEST HONORS are those granted by organizations who UNDERSTAND the necessity of providing our nation's children with access to TECHNOLOGY in an environment which fosters the type of learning that will lead us into the next century.