True Story: This spring I had the opportunity to give not one, but two separate talks at TEDMED in Washington DC. I'd decided the theme of my talk would be running with what life and death brings. And then the Boston Bombings happened. It was deeply upsetting and I wanted to do something to honor the victims and the heroes. I didn't want to be cloying. So I got this idea: Nothing was more Bostonian in my eyes than the Red Sox, so I'd wear a pair of red socks and put them on display when I was done. It was perfect. When I was done, people jumped to their feet and I displayed mine. And no one got it. The moral of this story: Don't depend on nuance. Tell people what you're thinking. They might get it without your explicit references, but otherwise, you'll end up being the crazy chick with the red socks.
