This talk is dedicated to the memory of my mother, who
passed away on May 30th. When I was growing up, my mother
was involved in community organizations and found herself
elected president of a local volunteer group which raised funds
for cancer patients. As president, she had to give a number of
speeches, thanking her Board for all of their help, thanking volunteers
and donors and urging the members to get more members
and to continue volunteering. And not being used to public
speaking, she rehearsed her speeches over and over again in
front of my father and me until we were bored silly and she got
it right. When the real speech came, she surprised my father and
me by thanking us for our support. So in essence, I have been
preparing for this moment since I was about 10 years old.