No idea what the music was — the freelancer chose that along with all the graphics. Stock images I’m sure. We produced it as a promo for a conference where the ATLAS project would be discussed among a few hundred people. It had a short life with a production timeline of a week or so. It definitely fell in the “good enough” bucket during the rush to build the actual conference presentations.

Never really thought about the gender of the hands. I’ll have to look at it again.

The idea of we are what we do — that persists and a job where you spend most of your time makes it easy to take on that identity.

Our venture is complicated and we find new challenges everyday. But you’re right, this should have happened a long time ago. Change comes slow to a university sometimes.

It’s always strange to look back. The magazine offers lots of tangible views. Same with the blog.

The poster you describe had my head turning a bit. Can read that a lot of different ways.

The sketching on the whiteboard animations is a trick of technology. No one drew those images specifically for our video — a software package puts together pre-existing images and text to create those. Once I put the text together for the individual slides I sent a text document off to a freelancer. Twenty four hours later I received a completed video. The freelancer did the visualization and music. We had one change. First one I ever did and was amazed at how it all worked.

How education is changing is fascinating. While the technology is vastly different — I was using a typewriter and carbon paper when I started my career, the tools available now are startling. What hasn’t changed is the passion teachers bring to the table. Whether online or in person — they love working with students. It’s been wonderful to be part of that energy.

There are still a lot of people who want to come to campus but professionally, once people are in the work world, circumstance doesn’t allow that as much. So online is the way of the future. Who knows where it will end.

Lily is ok. Junior was fixed. So far he’s shown no interest.

Good luck on the distance ed venture. The technology is straightforward. Convincing older faculty to give up on the traditional classroom is a real challenge. And that really depends on the culture of the institution. Extension programs are a natural beginning but that should’ve happened 20 years ago…

I like the use of your magazine covers showing the growth and progression of your editorial vision.

As to the balance of making a living vice making a life. It reminds me of the “motivational poster” showing a rider and his motorcycle pausing to admire some breath-taking scenery in the middle of nowhere….and the caption: This is why we work.

What your group is doing is playing out in many other locations around the world.

The on-line distribution of (extension) courses once taught in a lecture hall or classroom will NOW be experienced on one’s own device, be it stand-alone or laptop style of computer, or a form of tablet hand-held reading device including cell (mobile ) telephones, and related. It will mean too a more informed consumer of product produced by Penn State as an educational institute.

And would expect the entire plethora of Penn State extension courses could well, over time be taught in this manner. Next up if not already in situ, daily courses. IN theory one could take their entire extension course on-line and never enter the main campus; connecting to the smaller regional campus areas in the State of Pennsylvania.

So yes, attempting to distinquish between your working life and your on-line Vespa life, and too if I may add, your other life including famiy including the requirements of day to day life all mix together to form you, Steve Williams.

As for Lily, she and Junior best not be too close when Lily is in heat. Takes only a fe w moments…..