As the wind blows.......

Nine and half years ago we were laying the plans for our new home. The land we purchased sits at a "high point" near Louisville, Nebraska and the day we staked out the location for the house, I remember standing back and taking in the view.

It wasn't until the house was finished and the weather changed that I discovered that along with the view comes the wind...it seems to always blow from our vantage point at the top of the hill. There is never a "gentle breeze" when the wind blows it is always a "shingle shaker."

I was reading an article in this morning's paper about Jeff Raikes, a fellow Nebraskan from Ashland that now works for Microsoft. In the article he talked about his childhood, growing up in a small town about the size of Louisville and he considered himself to be a very normal, average high school student. His interest in technology started with his introduction to the world of technology via the Apple IIe and he went on to work for both Apple computer and Microsoft.

The article I read caused me to reflect......... I remember teaching at Papillion Junior High on the Apple IIe computer, changing switches on the Paper Tiger printer to get it to print student work, creating back-up disks of Bank Street Writer and programming in Apple Basic. Just as the winds at my house blow, the winds of change in the world of technology also seem to shake the shingles and create a world of change.

I'm currently sitting with my laptop (no cord attached) where I can "surf the net", print wirelessly, and connect with friends and family via e-mail. Even without a cord, I'm constantly "wired" to the world through technology. It makes me wonder which way the winds of technology are blowing today.....where will we be in 5 years....10 years...20 years.....?

Sitting inside my house on a crisp October day and the wind is blowing......in gusts...