I made a habit of offering to pretty-up powerpoint presentations in return for not having to do the boring history research. This was the first instance, a report of Vasco Da Gamma for my 10th grade american history class. I still look back fondly at the techniques I was using at the time.
I'm not sure, but this might be the first time I got obsessed with little 1-pixel arrows "dripping" off of things, too.