A matter of perspective...

Wednesday and Thursday of this week seemed much like a movie as I tried to leave the great state of Georgia and the NECC 2007 conference with my colleague, Ryan Bretag. It was vaguely reminiscent of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles". We endured cancelled flights, late hotel shuttles and high tension in the long airport lines. As I stood in what felt like my 20th line before 8:00am on our second day in the airport, an airline employee asked if I was ticketed. I thanked her but told her my reservations were a "disaster" and that I was told I needed to talk to an agent. As she moved to the traveler behind me, I looked up to see a young man in uniform. I asked if he was returning home or heading for duty. Josh was returning from 5 months in Iraq. He had 2 weeks to come home to Iowa for his anniversary before he was to return. I welcomed him home, thanked him for his service and told him I'd keep him in my prayers in the coming months. He thanked me.

Ryan arrived shortly after my talk with Josh. I left the line and we moved on, planning our next exit strategy. All I could think of was how, minutes earlier, I had told someone my travel plans were a "disaster" only to look in the eyes of someone who really knew what disaster was. Lord only knows what he's seen. I gained some perspective in those few minutes with Josh....along with some humility and gratefulness.

I'll be writing about my experiences at NECC soon. This was a different type of NECC for me with some wonderful moments. But the image from the week foremost in my mind right now? Josh. May he and other young men and women return again safely.

A Taste of NECC 2007

Well, I'm following along with some of my fellow edubloggers and posting just a few items from my NECC 2007 schedule. Here are just a few highlights. (And I thought I'd toss this question out there: Tom March, where are you?? Apparently the March sessions have been cancelled....won't feel like a NECC to me without him....)

Refreshed NETS•S Release!
Lynn Nolan, ISTE with Don Knezek Monday
I'm curious to see what changes, improvements, adjustments are included in the new NETS.

Sowing the Seeds for a More Creative Society
Mitchel Resnick, MIT Media Lab
I was listening to a presentation of Resnick's recently and found him very interesting...thought I'd go see him in person.

New Tools, New Schools: Starting the Conversation about Web 2.0
Gwen Solomon, TechLearning.com with Timothy Magner, Will Richardson, Lynne Schrum and David Warlick
Always interested in conversations held by the TechLearning team!

ESL, iPods, and Student Learning
Johnna Paraiso Torok, Rutherford County Schools with Dorothy Valcarcel Craig, Brandi Nunnery and Johnna Paraiso Torok
Looking for ways to help out our ELL students and teachers.

Standards for Us! Building Technology Facilitators and Leaders
Jo Williamson, Kennesaw State University with Traci Redish
I need to make sure "my own house" is cleaned up before I start preachin'!!

Staggeringly Good Things Integrating Media and Google Earth
Hall Davidson, Discovery Tuesday, 6/26/2007, 11:00am–12:00pm; GWCC Murphy 1
I really want to see Google Earth usage be not just "so cool" but meaningful. I always learn something in a Davidson session and, frankly, he's just darn entertaining!

Contemporary Literacy in the New Information Landscape
David Warlick, The Landmark Project
I've been intrigued reading Warlick's posts about changing nature of information.

Volunteer Shift: Ask Me Stations
Lisa Meinhard Sly, attendee
About time I gave something back!! I'll be in an Ask Me t-shirt from 7:00-10:00 Tuesday morning!