Flew down to Educause in Atlanta to hang out with the OKI folks for a few days. One of the last inspiring groups and efforts left in Information Systems. It wasn't so much that I was interested in working on api's but I badly needed a dose of positive energy and I wasn't going to find it at MIT sitting in budget meeting after budget meeting debating all the ways to count the number of computers on campus while trying to make a case for a better campus network (Don't get me started on accountants). And my heart's always been it, and I have the scars to prove it.

I always wind up in Atlanta in the fall. Never in the winter or the spring. Made my travel plans the night before and showed up. You can usually upgrade to first class from Boston to Atlanta without much trouble.

The OKI folks rented these two large suites to show off their wares. One suite was never in use. That was the one I moved into. Catered food, great views, and peace.

Peace was in short supply at the home office. A needed break. Lots of revolutions around the Sun Dial.

Not like the old days. Something had really changed since Greg and Cec left. Maybe I wasn't up to the task of carrying the torch. Instead of working toward something everyone now works for sustainability. I've been called a shit disturber and control freaks don't like someone disturbing their little mounds. Ironically, these aren't the people who built the mounds to begin with. They simply inherited them because most of the pioneering types moved on.

Maybe I get bored to easily or maybe I'm never satisfied with the status quo. Or maybe an environment on the down swing isn't for me.

What to do. What to do. What to do. The uplifting aspect to these educational get togethers is that you get a feel for where you rank in. We still have one of the best networking and computing environments around. Most educational IT organizations are in greater shambles than we are. Is this all there is?

It's really hard to get a point of view on all of this out of someone like Jim. You can see in his eyes that all is not right in the universe but the the words that come out of his mouth are yet another thing. Maybe it's all just a well rehearsed script.

An MIT person to the core, uncomfortable with uncertainty. Admissions should have rejected me. I do my best work blind. Maybe that's why it is more visible to me.

We go to dinner with Theresa and Mark. Where should we eat? I choose the City Grill. Jim will pay. Where is this place?

Over there somewhere. I point to a bunch of buildings. Like I know the street address, I can barely remember my own telephone number. So I take them through a zig zag of side streets since I really do know the general direction I'm going, I just can't explain it and never saw the value of learning new irrelevant details.

We get to Peachtree St somewhere near the park with the water sculpture. Peachtree is the main drag in Atlanta. Where are we? Jim looking frustrated after having walked some strange non-linear path.

Peachtree.

Where are we going?

To the restaurant.

We've been walking for a while, where is it.

Across Peachtree. Sometimes I don't help matters.

So, we cross the park and lo and behold. We're here. Perfect navigation. Just in time too, not sure Jim could have handled much more. Where are we?

At the City Grill.

But where are we?

Right here. As I open the door.

I mean where is it?

On the other side of Peachtree. Now that we're here maybe we can talk about something else.

We sit down at our table. Jim pulls out a small tourist looking map. A map? What a concept! Where are we on this map? I point to where we are. We can't be there, we would have had to cross Peachtree. If the man wasn't a vice president of one of the top universities on the planet, he would have been wearing some table settings.

Trust me, that's where we are.

He calls a waiter over. Can you tell me where we are on this map? Waiter points to the same location. That can't be.

Jim, the guy lives and works here. I think he might know something about this.

We eat, we drink, we dessert, we leave. All in all a fine dinner and Jim looked pretty worn out so we didn't ride him too much on the brokenness back home. We get to the intersection of Peachtree one block up. Three of us turn right toward hotel row. One is missing. I turn around to find Jim heading the other direction. Jim, where are you going?

I'm going back to my hotel, I don't know where the three of you are going Sometimes democracies work, when 3 out of 4 seem to know what they're doing, maybe you should play along for a while and see what happens.

Jim, look up. You can see the top of the Westin from there. This way.

I don't understand how that got there.

Now you understand my relationship with the boss.