The cutting edge...

I've come to the determination that working at a university (or other academic setting) has a lot of advantages over other places of employment.

Not the least of which is that even when doing mundane tasks related to being an administrative assistant it never fails to be different and often more than a little strange.

A few examples:

One of the professors in my department is on a trip to London... not to have any sort of business meeting, or to sightsee, but to offer testimony before the house of Lords in Parliament about environmental health exposures on soldiers. Other members of the department have repeatedly testified before various congressional committees here in the US. The scope of projects that are routinely worked on range from the office itself, to neighborhoods across the city, to huge global research studies.

And these are some very smart people... Creating mathematical models to improve public health, monitor the cleanup of some of the worlds most toxic dumping grounds and generally go around using lots of big words. Dr's of all types abound. Its hard not to sometimes feel overwhelmed.

Yet my favorite moments almost always involve technology, because as smart as these people all are when it comes to computers, they're still stuck in my parents (or in some cases grandparents) generation. They know what's going on, but when it comes to change it's like watching a glacier move...

Which is why I was surprised when one of them came up to me today and asked if I was on Twitter (I'm not... so far...) This caused a moment of reflection. I was beaten to the technological punch by a 65 year old college professor who's previous technological experience was limited to e-mail and the occasional blog post. I think that's ok though. (I'm on facebook and he's not HA HA HA) One does not have to ride every popular wave yes? (oh no! I'm starting to sound like my parents).

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the ensuing conversation about all the pros and cons of various social networking sites and their possible applications for the advancement of global and public health and coordination of intra-office parties with the doctoral students. How's that for an office environment? Hmm.. Maybe I'll start twittering after all!

**SMILES**

Snow day...

Today I accidentally went to work on a snow day...    This, as it turns out, was not so bad.  

I find shoveling snow to be one of those Zen chores.  You can be standing outside in a terrible whiteout and still be warm... the gift of your own exertions.   It's quiet, the snow muffling extraneous noise...   I also love how everyone is friendlier in their shared misery, exchanging snow removal tips and tools and cooperating to dig out cars, driveways and sidewalks.

When else does driving have the added excitement that comes from unexpected motion on a horizontal plane?

The bus stop had become home to 1000 sleeping pigeons seeking shelter from the precipitation and the wind, forcing all the humans out into the snow.  I found this hilarious....

There is a lot to be said for having to climb over snowbanks and break into your own office.  I had the place to myself for most of the day...  I got to run around in my socks and build up static charge on the carpet.  No one called or asked me for anything all day.  I actually got work done!  I got so much work done that I got to toss around ideas for creative video projects with a friend online, and finish some of my homework on the side.   The office was not 1,000,000,000 degrees like it usually is because some kind soul left the stairwell window open over the weekend...  I could have built a snowman inside as a result.   

I got to stand by the window and watch the snow fall on the city from a safe and warm place.  Blanketing, temporarily, the dirt and grime that usually covers the streets and making everything a more pristine white...