Something about the springtime

I’ve been accused of talking about myself too muchbut I’ve been so busy, I haven’t been able to develop any good posts. I do have a story, however… if you’ll indulge. Have you ever tried to describe the internet to someone who has never even used a computer? My grandmother, for example, thinks I sit behind a desk stamping circulation cards ala The Librarian and I let her think it, no harm done. That’s why I found it so touching to receive a magic wand – complete with flashing lights – in my Christmas stocking with a note in my dad’s scratchy writing:

A magic wand for our techie to cast spells on the nerds.

My dad is a forester. He’s good at it; well-respected, honorable, trustworthy, all good stuff; but his profession does not take him near the internet. He knows more than his mom; he knows what it is and what it does, for the most part. He can navigate a google search (as long as nothing goes wrong between booting and clicking). But his eyes glaze over fast when it comes to the alphabet-scripting-soup of my daily life – he has even actually retreated when faced with my *ahem* enthusiasm about social software and Library 2.0. (Aside: I think I should start calling myself a ‘Technology Evangelist’ ala Paul Miller – that would get Gram’s eyebrows even higher on her face.) But dad believes in my super powers, even if he doesn’t know what they are.

I wonder how other people manage to describe their web-based livelyhoods to the supremely analog? Do we simply distill it into the closest non-techie professional-cousin? Ever been to Plimoth Plantation and told one of the characters you work with computers? They reel and say something like, “oh, I love pewter – can’t afford much though”.

Anyway, perhaps it doesn’t matter since during a particularly aggressive mid-day recline, I managed to knock my wand off the back of my desk and shattered it. Guts falling out and everything. Maybe when I graduate next month I’ll qualify for more durable equipment. But in the meantime I must point out, gentle readers, that the ‘nerds’ about which he speaks? That means you so look out.