*laughs, his eyes sparkling* That they can be. Fortunately, once they got bored with laughing at my constant failures, the more loathsome of my relations tended to leave me alone -- I'm the youngest of eight, so there was really nothing worth buttering me up to get at, as all the choice lands and riches had gone to my older siblings.

*gives a self-deprecating smile* I'm afraid I can ramble a bit, myself. As you've had the misfortune to learn.