Nerve gas.

My eldest is currently at University, fighting her way through dissertations and essays and student life on a non toilet roll purchasing shoestring (Reference -See mother toilet roll history) The other day she had a presentation to do and according to the wire ( Facebook, twitter, emails, phone calls and texts) she was stressed out at the thought of presenting at University. My daughter! Nervous? Never! Couldn't imagine it. This was the girl who had acted in plays and pantomimes, sung solos, sung in front of 1500 in the Cambridge Corn Exchange, sung a duet with her father and lived to tell the tale. This was the girl who would dare to tell off 5 strangers on a tube who were pestering a young girl....as her father idly toyed with the metro crossword. The girl who wrestled a would be purse snatcher outside the Brixton Academy.
And then I thought, maybe there's more to this than meets the eye as I believe the apple doesn't always fall very far from the tree....although it's probably picked up and packed by Eastern European migrant workers.
Despite my gay and witty repartee, I am, when push comes to shove, a terrified little boy inside this overweight ginger exterior. The acting/ singing /drama god thing has come pretty late in life. even now my favourite moment is the final curtain call. Knowing that I've done something well that I'm really proud of but thankful that I don't have to do it again in case it goes pear shaped.
My first public speaking was at University when I ran for a sabbatical post and had to be heckled in the student union bar. My wedding was terrifying as I stood at the front with one legged locked straight so that I couldn't fall over and trying to be strong knowing that there was a beautiful bundle of tears stalking me up the aisle.
Public speaking is not an easy thing and most people never get the opportunity to do it.
Teaching! Teaching is about facing my fears every day, in some case the OFSTED unfriendly B.Birss show 5 times a day, Funnier than Reginald D. Hunter and no use of the "n" word.
Public speaking is nerve wracking and can make your stomach turn. ( or give you gas)
Hopefully she managed to complete it and was pleased with the outcome.