Verbal smack-down is Monday's main event

I had an amazingly full weekend, starting on Friday. Going to the mini-metropolis of Under Construction Forever's campus wasn't bad - it was good to get away from the office, even if it was just for a day (except, now I need a bumper sticker that says "I brake for perpetual construction on I-4"). I found the topic of students' internet use and how it effects university policies quite interesting. Coming from one of the first generations to have home computers with internet access (back in the stone-age of dial up connections as your *gasp* ONLY choice), I don't have the same mind-set as the typical older administrator that MySpace and Facebook are tools of the devil. Yes, they are creating a social vacuum where students are creating and nurturing more on-line social connections at the detriment of the development of interpersonal skills - but in the same respect, professors using podcasts and more correspondance and web-only courses being offered by those same administrators don't exactly help that situation. And yes, there is a level of accountability in what is posted in the public domain. But, if children were raised with more values and common sense these days, would it be as much of an issue? Is it even really an issue at all? Social networking sites are not the harbinger of the societal appocalypse. They're what chat rooms were in the 90's. And our culture didn't implode upon itself because of chatrooms, now did it?

The walk on Saturday was fun, if a bit longer than I'd expected (and I was surprised to run into people I knew, but the chance to just sit in Starbucks and chill on the way back was nice). I had a good time going out to a nice, fancy dinner and then hanging out with my husband's friends later that night and watching them play video games. Smoke and all. It was like old times.

On the way back from ORL, just outside of Lakeland, is a sign for "Downtown Orlampa". No - it's not a retirement village for Oompaloompas. It's a sign of the future!

One of the professional staff has been getting a brow-beating by their supervisor all morning. I can hear every word. It's awesome!