When I was younger and thought I could actually BE Batman someday, I used to practice some of the things he did. It was often a form of motivation for accomplishing a physical task or studying, but I took it to some stranger areas as well. I always loved how Batman could move silently or “disappear” from a situation as he constantly did to Commissioner Gordon, or “appeared” out of nowhere to scare criminals. So, as a result, I started to practice moving quietly. I would make sure I rolled my feet on the ground in a particular way as to make the least amount of sound. While I don’t consciously think about it anymore, I think that over the years it may have become a habit in the way I now walk. Sometimes it’s still fun to surprise people, or useful for ducking out of an uncomfortable situation undetected, but it’s at work that I’ve noticed the prominence of it the most. It’s an often occurrence for me to walk into someone’s room to have them turn around and gasp, “Rob, you startled me, I didn’t know you were there.” It even happens when I enter and announce myself by saying, “Good morning.” I still get the same response. It’s gotten to the point where I purposely try to make more noise as I move toward and into a room just so that I won’t frighten anyone. If only I had mastered some of Batman’s other, more-useful skills that well.