Reason 254

Global Positioning Systems. If anyone ever tells me to get lost I'll have a pretty difficult time of it now that I am practically a master at using GPS devices. Last week my mom and I got down and dirty in an eco-challenge around Bend that required us to use nothing more than our wits and a Garmin unit pre-loaded with over thirty waypoints. With the simple push of a button (and satellites spinning high above) I navigated us across bridges, down mysterious dirt paths, through swarms of bugs, along the raging Deschutes river, and around oblivious pedestrians keeping us from identifying clumps of bunch grass. Part of the challenge was to scope out native plant species based on cryptic clues, laminated pictures and vague descriptions of the foliage. This proved more difficult than anticipated, so if you ever need some botany help, Jason, I am not the girl for you. If you need to track down a metal fish sculpture or figure out which baking staple Ponderosa Pine happens to smell like, however, look no further. Couple my superb sense of direction with frighteningly high-tech gadgets and nothing can hide from us. Donuts around the country should be very afraid.