Why filters will never be enough

I am encouraging all our staff to take a look at schoolboredom.com. One of many, many, many sites your kids know about that you don't.

 

Why Internet filters alone just can't do the job of ensuring safe and appropriate use of the Internet in schools.

But then you knew that already. 

The Inca Trail

No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one. - Elbert Hubbard

 
I am home. I really enjoyed my trip to Peru, despite the hike being totally exhausting. The time on the Inca Trail was probably the hardest four days physically I’ve ever spent. Check these numbers:

• Day One: 7.5 miles – beginning elevation 8,500 feet, ending elevation 9,850 feet.
• Day Two: 7 miles – beginning elevation 9,850 feet; high point, 13,800 feet; ending elevation, 11,500 feet.
• Day Three: 9 miles – beginning elevation 11,500 feet, highest points – two separate passes, 12,800 feet and 12,000 feet; ending elevation 8,700 feet.
• Day Four: 5.5 miles – beginning elevation 8,700 feet; ending elevation at Machu Picchu 7,800.

That is a lot of climbing and descending at very high altitudes. Much of the days were spend walking 50 steps and stopping to catch one's breath; walking another 50 steps and stopping to catch one's breath; walking another 50 steps and stopping to catch one's breath. You get the idea. As an overweight, under exercising, ex-smoker, I felt I did pretty good - better in fact that a couple of the 30-somethings in the 13 person hiking group I was with.  If you would like to duplicate the experience at home, think about getting on a stairmaster with a backpack for seven hours - with half the oxygen molecules sucked out of the room.

What I found totally incredible, however, were the porters who humped our tents, food and other supplies. Weighing in at about 130 pounds soaking wet, these guys carried half their body weight on their backs and jogged the entire trail wearing what looked like plastic shower sandals. And a couple had been doing the trail once a week for 30+ years. Just one more reason to stay in school, IMHO.

The views, the Incan ruins, and the flora and fauna made the hardship worthwhile. I might even do it again. Might. 

If there are lessons to be learned about technology or libraries or education from this experience, I don't want to think about them right now.  It was incredible and if any of you are contemplating doing this hike and want to talk, I am happy to do so.  

More photos are on my SmugMug site.

Life's uncertain; eat dessert first

With luck and planning I’ll retire at 149. Anon.

Greetings from the Minneapolis World Club. Heading out this bright, clear Minnesota morning for Lima, Peru, where I will be working on some technology planning for the Instituto Educacional Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Just from working with the folks there virtually, I can already tell they are a dedicated, professional and exciting group. I'm looking forward to my visit.

But before I go to work, I get to play a little. I am doing a 4 day hike of the Inca Trail with Machu Picchu as my destination. My hiking boots, sleeping bag and Indiana Jones hat are packed. Camera batteries are charged. (I hate checking bags, but this trip I am checking two! - one for hiking and one for  my professional tasks.) I will be  digitally disconnected for at least the 4 days I am on the trail. Might be a new record for days going without checking e-mail  since the stuff was invented.

One of the heroes of my misspent youth was John D. McDonald's detective, Travis McGee. His basic philosophy was to "take his retirement as he could," never expecting to live to a ripe old age where he could take it all at once. I am not making any predictions about my personal longevity, but I always thought his view made sense. With my luck, the mail truck that delivered my first social security check would run me over. And I as I read the daily obits, I find more people who are my age (quite young, actually) who are making headlines there.

This has been a good year for accomplishing things on my "life list." Besides hiking to Machu Picchu, I got to dive the Great Barrier Reef near Cairns, Australia with my son and to bicycle across Ireland with the LWW. And both were just as cool as I expected.

My sense is that a good professional ought to take the time to do some things outside the profession to give him/her a little perspective. We get awfully caught up in networks and staff development and Web 2.0 and such. Standing back now and then is healthy.

Talk to you in a couple weeks.