Two Face(booked)

After attending a conference where many people were talking about using social media in education, I decided to create a professional Facebook account to do professional posts and to be able to connect to work projects without making connections to my personal life. Though my personal life is relatively tame, I do not want to worry about what my friends will post on my wall or have to justify a political or religious statement I make.

And so I created the professional profile and began to connect to co-workers and others I know in a professional setting.

Wow -my professional contacts are much wilder than my social friends. I have been missing out! 

Maybe I’m just old.

Now, though, I have to wonder how to manage that account as I seek to connect it to the work I do and believe in so deeply. The social media seem to be the new way to reach students and get them key information in a way they are going to see it, but I do not want them exposed to some of the things the “professionals” are doing!

Maybe more importantly, how do I protect myself from some of the things the professionals are doing?

I’ll continue to play with it for a while to see how it goes, but so far, I’m not sure I am ready for this kind of communications and social life.

In Memorium - Rocco

Recently one of my dogs died unexpectedly. One time I go to the kitchen and he is playing with my other dog. The next time I go into the kitchen he is dead on the floor.  At only five years old, he was in the prime of his life as a Chihuahua.

Rocco, while honestly one of the ugliest Chihuahuas I have ever seen, was also one of the sweetest. He loved everyone and instantly responded to any attention with utter devotion and enthusiasm. 

Of course, you had to overcome his notoriously bad breath to get close enough to give him attention. And that he was an adult when I adopted him, he did not have the best habits in the house. Because of his bad habits, I kept both him and Emma locked out of the main part of the house unless I was playing with them.

Still, it was hard not to love a dog that gave so much unconditional love from the most minimum effort. The love dogs give makes them the loyal and popular pet they are, but some dogs excel at giving that love. Rocco mastered loving.

RIP dear Rocco.

*Rocco was so camera shy, this is the best picture I have of him.