The timing couldn't have been any better; just as I was struggling to figure out why some new Google ad code wasn't loading up properly from our ad server (it works now), Bob approached my desk with a box from Google. I opened the box and observed a little leather pouch (like something you would carry business cards in), so my first impression was, "Oh cute, they gave me a little leather pouch... That's a step above just sending a card." But there was more...

Inside the leather pouch was something the size of a credit card, but the thickness of a piece of cardboard. A note read, "Ultra thin 2.0 USB flash memory drive with 2GB of storage." Sure enough, a piece at the end of the card flips out as a USB plug! I've never seen one so thin before. I took a picture but I can't find the USB cable for my camera to put the pics on my computer... If only my camera had a jack to plug this card into.

The box also had a traditional holiday card containing a gift card for DonorsChoose.org, where one can choose individual school projects to donate money too! This is MUCH cooler than those "we've made a donation on your behalf" gifts, where you don't know for sure if they really DID make the donation. I loaded up the site, found a school in Philly that was trying to upgrade their computers, and donated the money myself. I was surprised to find I had $100 on the gift card!

In case anyone wonders what a Google holiday card says, I figured I might as well include that too:

"Thank you for your partnership with Google this year. To show our appreciation, Google would like to support a public school classroom of your choosing through DonorsChoose.org.

DonorsChoose.org is a non-profit organization where you can choose a classroom project to bring to life - a reading corner, a field trip, a computer lab, or whatever most inspires you.

When you redeem the enclosed gift code, you will give books, art supplies, technology, or other resources to students in low-income communities.

Thank you for taking the time to help us give back."

Those Google folks have a lot of class.