I don't know how I can get to be more like my mother. She is, borrowing from the wise words of D, the hero in her story. The chips have long been down, but my mother has no patience to indulge in self-pity. She has accomplished much in her lifetime, but I have a feeling her strong sense of self, has come from when she was very young. She has no qualms about holding court, when need be, no hesitance to be the centre of attention. I have been told otherwise, I suppose I can't help that I have presence, but I never like being the centre of attention. At least, not when I am teaching.