geeking out, good karma, and gardening
i went to a seminar today on exploring predictive analytics and data visualization, which is essentially corporate speak for (and the short form of), using data to simulate different decisions, predict outcomes, and display the outcomes effectively in a visual way so that the possible outcomes are easily and quickly understood. in order to really qualify what the seminar title encompasses, i'd have to make that much longer. anyway...
the seminar was free and included breakfast and lunch (b/c it featured a software app that you'd purchase. i've heard of the software before and seen it demonstrated, but had never heard the data visualization guy speak, which is primarily why i signed up). all i had to pay for was getting there and parking.
i came by myself /c the coworker who was going to come had too much to do today. that left me on my own to join a table of people i don't know for lunch. as luck would have it, i sat at a table with one of the presenters and in talking with him i discovered there's a possibility that my company already has the software. that would be awesome! :)
after lunch, i had just a few minutes before the afternoon session, so i went to the hotel restaurant to see if i could get a fountain soda to take with me to the meeting room. as most of you know, i'm completely addicted to fountain soda and a day is not complete without at least 20 ounces. so i approached the hostess and when she asked if i was meeting someone there, i said, no, i actually came up b/c i would kill for a fountain soda. she said that was no problem, asked me what kind of soda i wanted, and said she'd be right back. when i tried to pay her, she said (with a smile) it was on the house and wouldn't take the tip i offered her either. how cool. :)
and i made it home in time to do a bit of weeding too! the total nerd in me has started a list of weeds i'm finding in my yard, complete with latin name, common name, and images. figured if i'm applying for horticulture positions, i'd better get to know my weeds by name. ;)
what a nice day!
the seminar was free and included breakfast and lunch (b/c it featured a software app that you'd purchase. i've heard of the software before and seen it demonstrated, but had never heard the data visualization guy speak, which is primarily why i signed up). all i had to pay for was getting there and parking.
i came by myself /c the coworker who was going to come had too much to do today. that left me on my own to join a table of people i don't know for lunch. as luck would have it, i sat at a table with one of the presenters and in talking with him i discovered there's a possibility that my company already has the software. that would be awesome! :)
after lunch, i had just a few minutes before the afternoon session, so i went to the hotel restaurant to see if i could get a fountain soda to take with me to the meeting room. as most of you know, i'm completely addicted to fountain soda and a day is not complete without at least 20 ounces. so i approached the hostess and when she asked if i was meeting someone there, i said, no, i actually came up b/c i would kill for a fountain soda. she said that was no problem, asked me what kind of soda i wanted, and said she'd be right back. when i tried to pay her, she said (with a smile) it was on the house and wouldn't take the tip i offered her either. how cool. :)
and i made it home in time to do a bit of weeding too! the total nerd in me has started a list of weeds i'm finding in my yard, complete with latin name, common name, and images. figured if i'm applying for horticulture positions, i'd better get to know my weeds by name. ;)
what a nice day!