Skype it Up

I have officially signed up for a Skype account. After some minor technical difficulties, I am rolling.

In fact, I have just had my first Skype chat, which was thrilling (this coming from a girl who never had MSN when she was younger). It is this feeling of connection and mystery all rolled up in one small package. Connection because communication is occurring over several miles, kilometers, leagues, or what-have-you. Mystery because any real physical or visual contact has been left up to the imagination to play out in an actual physical existence, as to not leave the conversation in the virtual space. It is a similar situation when talking on the phone, but there is a more human quality to telephone conversations.

Connectivity also occurs through that thing called network building. By this I mean, it seems that big social networks, like Skype, always have some sort of sister program: Skype and MySpace, Yahoo and Flickr, Google and Blogger. In a sense, this reflects the social networks I am to create for myself throughout this course between me and the online community of teachers. "Bonding," I suppose, would be a better term for it, even "creating relationships," because "building a network," I think, sounds too cold and impersonal.

But I am finally gettin' mentorin' rollin' for Teryl Magee's class from Knoxville, TN, whom I was chatting to. I will officially have my first Skype conversation tomorrow with her. Am I nervous? Heck, yes. But I am getting used to figuring out new technology the longer this class lasts. This class has opened up my comfort zones, muchly indeedly.