Looking back on your younger days, what were some early hints of the direction that your life would later take?

Rebellion was a key factor in how I developed. Whatever the norm was, I rebelled against it. Later on I realized to not rebel, because it got me nowhere positive.

Seeing my mother come home from the hospital when I was five years old. I was told she needed a hysterectomy.

She'd said she would be gone for 5 days. She was gone for 5 weeks. My great aunt took care of me in our home. Every day I would hear my aunt shouting into the telephone asking where my mother was and why couldn't we see her. They'd taken her someplace due to "complications" but wouldn't tell us where she was nor allow us to visit. My aunt, who was usually very calm, was very upset.

The day my mother came home was plain creepy. A strange car pulled up to the curb. A man was driving. Three women got out and walked my mother into the house, holding her by the back, arms and elbows. My mother looked and acted like a zombie.

She didn't greet me, refused to hug me, sat down and stared straight ahead. She was not the same person. She had no more affection for me. She was never the same again...and neither was I.

When I was a toddler I literally chewed my way out of 6 playpens...