The next phase of the "Internet revolution"

It seems to me that we have moved into the next phase of the "Internet revolution". We have created some wonderful new things. Amazon, Google, email, downloading "Desperate Housewives", etc. Our society is now moving into the next phase, dealing with it. More and more "tech news" is either an evolution of an existing product or news on policy. Policy or politics, the next phase of the revolution. How do we use these new things? Where are our limits? What's acceptable? Who decides what?

Companies are either creating brand new financial models, or fighting tooth-and-nail to keep the old ones viable. Lawmakers are stuggling to find ways to keep the same social norms while law enforcement agencies struggle to find ways to accomplish that.

Is this the way the world was when the Industrial Revolution happend? New norms came about. More and more people were working on a "shift", instead of sun-up to sun-down. The idea that work was a constant, the same day-in, day-out. More people lived in the cities creating problems with housing, law enforcement, and such. Some trades became niches, or faded out entirely, replaced by mass produced goods.

What about the introduction of the printing press? Same problems?

Things are changing and there will be plenty of frustrations. The day-to-day culture of our lives will be in a state of flux for probably a decade. This is where the real work begins.

Getting out and staying in.

Last night, Julie & I went over to Stacy's for a Memorial Day barbecue. It was good to get out and socialize. I've been so crunched for deadlines and such, I'm sure I haven't been the most pleasant person to be around lately. For example, today is a national holiday, so I made the most of it by putting in an eight hour day catching up on stuff, because nobody else would be working and adding to my work load. That said - it was good to get out of the office and have some fun, just sitting around, shooting the breeze and laughing about the "Sears Robot" catalogue, where you can buy defective monkeys. Yep, it was certainly one of those, "ya gotta be there to understand it" discussions.

Speaking of discussions Julie told me to tell the following story to the rest of the group.

I was sitting on the couch, watching TV when our cat Pepper, climbed up and sat in my lap. Of course, I scritch her head, as usual. Then our newest cat, Rooka, climbed up and snuggled up beside me. So now I'm scratching Pepper's head with my right hand and petting Rooka with the left. I know, that's sort of cute, but the "cute overload" happens next. As I was petting Rooka, Pepper reaches over and start petting Rooka as well. It wasn't a thwomp, or batting, but an actual "petting" motion using her paws.

So there you go, I've officially lost all pretense of being a rough and rugged individual by, not only having a cute cat story, and not only blogging about it, but blogging about talking about it. I think need to get some new material soon.

The next steps

Lately I've been trying to sort out a bunch of stuff in my mind. Now that the tenure process is over, what's my next goal? I'm working even harder at work these days when I should be working "smarter" or letting go of some things. Why? Right now I feel if I take a day off, I'm three days behind at work. I must be doing something wrong. I have learned to say "no", but sometimes "no" is not an option.

I've been thinking about my "next career" as well. I've often thought that I want to retire early and then just write fiction for a living after that. I know I don't want to do what I'm doing forever. Since I work with technology as a trainer and as a troubleshooter, I know that eventually I won't be able to keep up. It happens to all of us, sooner than later. I do hope to go on to administration before that happens, to prolong my professional career, but I still want to leave early and slow down and enjoy life. Don't get me wrong, I like what I do and I appreciate the opportunities I've gotten. I just know I have other things to live for than my job.

Then I got to thinking, why not start my "next career" now? Like putting money away early for retirement, I don't have to do a lot now to get a larger reward later. If I can find an hour a day to practice my skills, maybe slowly work on stories for publication, I would be in better shape to do the things I want to do later.

I hope to spend more time on this blog as well. Maybe I'll actually be able to participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)like I've wanted to in the past few years. Who knows, maybe in the future you can tell your kids/nieces/nephews/adopted chihuahua that you knew me before I was famous. Then again, maybe I'll be telling my kin the same about you!

See you tomorrow, same Erf time, same Erf channel.. Perhaps. {smirk}

A change of pace

Last week I finally took a week off of work. No working at home, no fixing web sites, nothing resembling office work.

Instead, Julie & I busted our backs replanting both our front and back flower beds. They needed to have something done, as the front was all white rock, and the back was just dirt & weeds. They look much better now. I'm thinking someone who lived in our house previously must of had some major allergies, because there were no trees, no flowers, nothing but grass on our lot. All the houses around us have several mature trees and we had nothing. Either that or someone was planning on paving the lawn and installing Astroturf and fake trees.

Happy birthday to me!

Today's my 33rd birthday. Thanks to those of you who have already sent email greetings. You guys must get up really early!