I loved radio for the music, concerts, parties and to think you could get paid for it.

Abuse manipulates and twists a child's natural sense of trust and love. Her innocent feelings are belittled or mocked and she learns to ignore her feelings. She can't afford to feel the full range of feelings in her body while she's being abused-pain, outrage, hate, vengeance, confusion, arousal. So she short-circuits them and goes numb. For many children, any expression of feelings, even a single tear, is cause for more severe abuse. Again, the only recourse is to shut down. Feelings go underground.

It is worth taking the leap for something you have always wanted to do because until you try you'll never know. Through the experiences I have had and the risks I have taken, I have gained courage and confidence. I didn't start with the courage and confidence. I started with the risk.

I guess I'm not a professional's professional. I think I'd rather go to the dentist than play a practice round.

I loved radio for the music, concerts, parties and to think you could get paid for it.

I was never particularly good at listening to people who tried to tell me what to do or not to do. I watched the pros on television and tried to copy their strokes and learn from that. That was easy for me. I have no idea whether my swing meets the classical criteria. Anyhow, it's good enough to be successful.

Many survivors insist they're not courageous: 'If I were courageous I would have stopped the abuse.' 'If I were courageous, I wouldn't be scared'...Most of us have it mixed up. You don't start with courage and then face fear. You become courageous because you face your fear.