This weekend, I attended the District 37 Toastmasters spring conference.  In and of itself, this had nothing to do with Christmas, or Santa Claus.  However, I did want to mention it here in that I had the opportunity to do some cheap advertising in the conference program.  I really don't expect to get a lot of return on the ad, but it did make some of my fellow Toastmasters aware of me, and realize that I had a reason for growing a white beard.  In addition, I did here one  person suggest that Santa might be able to make an appearance at the fall conference.

The main Santa related thing that came out of the conference...  My wife and I currently run the district bookstore, which means we have to haul boxes of manuals and books related to Toastmasters to and from each conference location.  This time, since the conference was at a hotel, we were able to snag a luggage rack to carry the heavy boxes and bins in from the truck.  However, at some previous events, luggage carts were scarce, resulting in this weary part time Santa having to lug a dozen or more containers an unreasonable distance.  Anyway, on the drive home last night (actually early this morning), I mentioned that we ought to get one of those little fold up luggage carts.  She agreed.  Score!  The specific cart had been mentioned by one of my brother Santa's as a great implement to be used for transporting audiovisual gear and stuff in the Santa biz. The fact that it's "primary" use will be for the bookstore is besides the point.  We may use it for that, but the cart will be ours (mine), since we don't want to bother the district finance manager for reimbursement for a $60 item.  And we don't expect to be saddled^k^k^k^k^k^k^k in charge of the bookstore forever.