Fight Internet censorship.

If you are an American and you care about the free exchange of ideas on the Internet, you need to be bombarding your Congresscritters, who are currently poised to make it all a lot less free. Regardless of what side of the aisle you identify with,censorship hurts everyone. Please watch this TED talk by Clay Shirky, who explains why SOPA is such a bad idea. Then contact your Senator and give him or her hell.

(Photo courtesy of Flickr: Attributed to Indrarado.)

My lizard brain.

The class that I'm taking this month has pushed me so far out of my comfort zone that it has me in another different zip code entirely: Professional Communication and Presentations.  I expected to enjoy this class because I like creating imaginative slide presentations, but oh, no, no...they expect video presentations as well.  Like as in, me on camera, talking to people.   Ai yi yi!  There was a time when I'd rather be stood up against a wall and shot at than do this.  Obviously, I'm braver than I used to be, but it still has me shaking in my boots.  My lizard brain is telling me that a) I'm uninteresting, b) I look old, c) I sound dull, and worst of all, d) everyone can tell I gained that Freshman 10 and Sophomore 20.  Ouch!  My cover is blown!

My professor seems to disagree with my lizard brain, however, and this gives me some confidence.  How do you deal with your lizard brain?  I'd love to know!  (This video, BTW, is not my presentation.  It is a source I refer to to slap some sense into myself.)