I’m not a teacher. I’ve never really been good at it - but I muddle my way through. Frequently, throughout my career, I’ve been asked/required/forced to give classes on various topics. Sometimes those topics are within the range of my expertise - - sometimes they are not. When they’re not - I have to spend much time researching and collecting learning tools on the topic - - learn about it myself, and then present the information to a class of people who, supposedly, know less than I do on the subject.

I’ve always been intimidated by public speaking. I’ve gotten over that intimidation over the years because I had to. I didn’t have any sucess formula for overcoming my fears - - it was basically a push/shove type formula - - either do it, or die. No time for intimidation, I guess.

Today, I am giving a class to about 20 Physical and Occupational Therapists on the topic of “Neurologic Pain in the Post-CVA (Stroke) Patient”. I just finished creating my PowerPoint presentation. I have an hour before I have to leave for my doctor’s appointment (yes, the dreaded IUD thing) and then I have to give the class at 1:30 this afternoon. At least pain management is something that I am very comfortable with (pain? comfort? huh?) It’s a topic that I can speak on for days on end - - I guess you could say it’s been my career focus and specialty for over a decade. So, the intimidation is much less than it would be if I were to be speaking on, say, brain surgery.

Email me a martini, or two, would ya? At the end of this day — I could use one. . . or two . . . or three!!