Sittin' On The Dock Of The Lake

I'm here at the Gazebo leaning on a railing.  I've just finished walking around the lake and just leaning here looking at the water is nice.  I guess it's more like a pond than a lake but that's alright.  Nobody is around me or near me.  All that I see around is a lot pollen floating on the water, along with flower petals, the occasional twig or branch, and a few water fowl.  I heard a fish jump a little while ago but was too slow to actually catch a glimpse of it.

I've always enjoyed just sitting outside, not really doing much of anything.  Most of the time that has been done on my porch but it's especially nice when it happens to be on the water.  The only thing that could possibly make this better would be for there to be some ladies tanning, but the location that I have chosen does not lend itself to that activity.  Neither does the lack of sun.  Actually, a fishing pole would be nice now too but I, unfortunately, do not have that either.

Still there's something special about watching the ducks dive down under the water, the partially domesticated squirrels search for nuts, and the obstinate geese attack small children.  Still, it's not just that but also smelling the pollen and the flowers that are so abundant, feeling the warm breeze on your face as look across the water over at beautiful brick buildings, and hearing nothing but nature at work.

All of these things are happening at once, so many senses are engaged simultaneously.  It's invigorating.  That's the difference between this reality and the virtual.  The Internet engages at most two senses, hearing and sight.  Reality can incorporate all five of them.  If I only had a sweet tea I could be experiencing all five right now.  

As for the FYS class for which this is being written I have enjoyed the majority of the class.  The only thing that I have disliked talking about is virtual worlds.  I, personally, do not have that much stake in virtual worlds nor do they interest me to a great extent.  Talking about the impact of technology on people and the world is very interesting to me, not only because I enjoy what new technologies offer but I also find it intriguing how they change us as people.  When I think of technology I think of it being a tool to be used.  We use the tool to change other things that may, or may not, affect us.  The tool itself does not change us, the product does.  However, technology, such as the Internet, seems to be breaking the mold changing the way that we operate and act not necessarily by what it produces but just because of what it is.  A hammer could not do that.  All in all we discussed many things in the class, some were more interesting to me than others but overall I enjoyed the class.