[Note: This was written last night from the comfort and security of Carl's Saab as we sped down a snowy freeway in a snowstorm at about 60 MPH. I didn't have a chance to post it until this morning. And, yes, I was scared.]

Carl and I are somewhere in Rhode Island. We presented at DevDays Boston today, and things went just about as well as they possibly could have. I was a little worried about how things would turn out, but it seems that my worries were unfounded. I was a bit shell-shocked from the lousy performance I gave at the Hartford DevDays, so it was great to have a chance to "redeem" myself.

Now we're hightailing it through a snowstorm. Thought I'd do a little blogging. These might even wind up being my last words if we go off the road and crash in some big pile of snow.

I don't actually expect to die from the crash, but you never know. Much more likely is that we'll just get stuck in the snow and not be able to go anywhere. If that happens, then I figure we'll just wind up in your typical "I-can't-go-to-sleep-because-it's-cold-outside-and-the-guy-I'm-with-might-try-to-eat-me-if-I-let-my-guard-down" stand-off.

On a side note, I went to a mall in Boston today where I confirmed a suspicion that I've had for some time now: Stupidity is universal.

Think about it - many malls are carefully designed to create two lanes of pedestrian traffic inside with each lane going in a different direction. In a way, these lanes mimic the lanes of a freeway. They're typically divided by a long stream of sunglasses kiosks and gangsta's with slicked-back evangelist hairdos trying to sell you cell phones. You're supposed to walk down one side of these kiosks, and preferably in the proper direction.

The difference, though, between mall lanes and freeways is that you'll be heading down, for example, a north-bound pedestrian mall lane when, out of absolutely nowhere, you'll spot someone heading straight for you.

The result is that everybody has to swerve to avoid this one person, and that swerving causes other people to swerve, which causes things to slow down, which gets everybody mad, and which eventually prompts people like me to write things like this.

I mean, if you were driving down the freeway and saw a car coming straight at you in your lane, you'd freak out. You might even have an unintentional bowel movement.

So, why are the lanes at the mall any different?

Buttheads.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to being scared of driving in the snow.