Beth Casey:  

I hope old friends will remember me as a happy, confident, sometimes flirty person. Back then, I had on occasion, a short fuse and when I was irritated by someone, it would end up in a verbal tirade. Over thirty years time, I've learned to quell the tirades and in lieu of a verbal barrage, I will go off and do some form of exercise to blow off steam, sometimes to the point of injury. I know, no one has to tell me, not smart. Another way I relax is a nice cold margarita and good book to calm the nerves and the fuses. The one person who has inspired me most throughout my life is my mom. She's my hero. Friends who may have met her over the years in high school know that she was the one credited for keeping me happy, healthy, and secure when I was unsure about who I was or where I fit in in high school. She encouraged me through my educational endeavors and personal relationships -- some wonderful, some, not so much. The biggest and scariest surprise of my life came in 2003, when m...Expand for more