Prius

I ordered a Prius Friday night. I'm kind of exited about it. I very much like the fact that they're better for the environment than most vehicles -- I want to do my part. I also like the fact that it's such a techy car. The number of bells & whistles on this thing for geeks is just amazing.

Not that I'm a geek or anything. I hasten to add.

I know this will get me in trouble with my brother's wife, who does marketing for Hummer. I think I'll just get 48 mpg driving over that bridge when I come to it. ;-)

Top 10 Ideas presentations

I recently read somewhere that Guy Kawasaki has been giving presentations unlike the usual PowerPoint presentations we usually see. He's been presenting the top 10 ideas in a particular area: 10 slides, 1 idea per slide. This format was supposed to be nice because each slide can be very simple, just a picture really to help get the idea across, and because your audience can always tell just how much more of your drivel they're going to have to take.

I gave a presentation at work yesterday using that format, and it seemed to go over really well. I think I'll use it again.

I also put the presentation together using Apple Keynote '08, which makes wicked good looking presentations. Of course, I had to export it to PowerPoint to show it at work, but I notice that one of my coworkers used my background for his slide deck, too.

Kayak Rolling

On my most recent visit to Groton, CT, my good friend Stephen Dobson and his long-suffering fiance Angela took me kayak rolling. This was a pretty humbling experience, I have to admit.

I've rented kayaks many times before, usually on various rivers in Michigan, and I've really enjoyed my time in them. Stephen and Angela refer to these kayaks (with no small amount of disdain) as "rec boats." It turns out that these kayaks are much more stable than the ocean kayak that Stephen put me in. Which might explain why, after some valuable dry-land training in the kayak, I was able to get maybe 3 meters after Stephen pushed me out to sea before I promptly flipped upside down. That was the first of many experiences that evening of hanging upside down in the water, strapped into the kayak and kind of wondering how I was going to get upright again.

It's pretty hard, I have to say. I'm pretty sure that in slightly more than an hour, I was able to roll myself back up twice (which I'm told is pretty good, but Stephen and Angela make it look so easy that I couldn't help being a bit disappointed in myself). Two things helped me, I think. First, I'm a PADI Assistant Instructor, so when I do find myself underwater like that, I really don't feel uncomfortable. Second, it turns out that a bit of hip action is beneficial when you're trying to get the boat back over, and karate is great for that hip action. You never know what experience is going to help you in any given situation.

Anyway, Stephen told me to bring my "kit" for Wednesday evening when I'm back in Groton -- evidently a 2-week absorption phase is a good thing. I'll let you know how I do!

Haiku Hijinx

Enough people have been amused by this story that I think I should tell it out loud once and for all. Besides, I think the statute of limitations has run out on my crimes, so I think I'm safe.

When I got out of graduate school (for the second time -- story for another day), I did a brief stint at a little start-up company that had spun out of General Atomics in La Jolla. One day when I was at work, inspiration struck me and in that instant I was obliged to write on the bathroom wall the only thing I've ever saw fit to write in such an inauspicious place.

What I wrote was a haiku. Which was inevitable, if you know me. I reproduce it for you here, word for word, so that you might be amused by it as some few others have before you.

a bowel movement

is a very private thing

one person per stall

Despite its somewhat pedestrian nature (see my early meta-post on Haiku 1), I hope you find it and its circumstances enjoyable.  :-)

MO Speed!

I got my Missouri license plates for my car today. I don't want to put them on, though. According to my careful field observations, Missouri license plates cause cars to go about 10 mph slower than they otherwise woud go.