Once a year, my employer hosts a week-long seminar on a specific aspect of electrical engineering - all you and I need to know is that it's about what happens when bad things happen to good generators. We have about 50 engineers come from all over the place - this year we have some Quebecers and a guy from Switzerland, all of whom have cute French accents. My department is responsible for putting on this spectacle, so I get to stay in a nice hotel for the week - but they don't spring for room service, and the hotel room means I have no excuse for not being there on time, bright and early at 7:30 AM. Uncle Chuck is the chief lecturer - and he loves every minute of it, despite all his kevetching.

This morning I had the misfortune of getting to sit in on the first session. His wireless mouse wasn't working, so I had to sit there and advance the Power Point presentation for him. I'm afraid Uncle Chuckie must have seen me yawning at least once. Damn it man, I'm an English major, not an engineer!

Oh, he finally brought our souvenirs from his trip to Europe. I got French hotel soap, a black lace fan from Spain, and a letter opener from Toledo (Spain) shaped like a sword.