Wrapping up a fabulous conference in Orlando (Licensing Executives Society Annual Meeting). Chance to meet many amazing people, learn from some experts in law, business, and strategy, and give a presentation on "Conquering Innovation Fatigue" (coincidentally, this is also the title of a book to be published by John Wiley and Sons in Spring 2009 - not that I want to promote the book or anything). One thing I noticed here is that most cab drivers (based on my small sampling) haven't heard about the Church, even ones that have lived here for many years. None had LDS friends (one had an LDS cousin in New Jersey) and none knew that there is an LDS Temple in Orlando. Gasp.

Next time you LDS people are down here and have a cab ride, be sure to talk a bit! Some of the most interesting people on earth are cabbies. So get to know them and, occasionally, feel free to leave a Book of Mormon. I gave one to a kind man from Brazil and when he saw me again two days later, he told me he's already been reading and enjoying it. I'll see him one more time shortly, I think.

Well, not knowing where the Temple is shouldn't be surprising - one cab driver from another nation got lost taking me a little over one mile from the expensive conference site (Gaylord Palms) to my super cheap hotel in Kissimmee. I wasn't paying attention when I realized we had been traveling too long. He was relying on a Garmin GPS system that gave confusing directions. Instead of telling him to turn around, it said "Turn left, then left." He turned left, then took the next left, which put us on a tiny lane through a run-down neighborhood. Then the next "left, then left" command sent us into a dead end. After four stops trying to figure out where to go, I should have just gotten out, asked directions and walked - would have been faster. Over 30 minutes to go a mile. Next time that happens, I'm gonna punish the driver with my Johnny Lingo imitation.

Taxi tip: The big black towncars don't use meters and some charge high "flat rates" like $16 to go a mile. If it's not a metered cab, make sure you know what kind of rate you'll be getting before you hop in.
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