Why I do what I do

So, here I am at home being jealous of all the people who went to NECC '09 in DC. I really enjoyed the two times I went to NECC (San Diego '06 and Atlanta '07). I had a wonderful time networking with people [no idea where most of the business cards are] and learning much from lots of sessions [don't know where the handouts are or even remember how to find them... wait...yes I do!]
Anyway, I was reading my Google Reader, the best link I have to the real [virtual] world and I came across a link to an Elluminate session.
Sweet! I can still be a part of NECC and still be apart from the physical action!
I logged in and listened to Shelly Blake-Plock talk about how he uses "Twitter as an Assessment Tool".
Crazy, huh?!
Thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned a few strategies on how to use Twitterfall, Twitter Search, and #hashtags [a Common Craft video about Twitter where hashtags are mentioned] work for me personally and professionally and for my students.
Cutting to the chase now.
I asked three questions. Don't remember what they were, but another participant [brueckj23] was asking some serious questions.
Who is this person and how can I network with him/her?
I copied the name into Google and up popped a link to Brueck Educational Innovations by Jeremy Brueck. I had to research more.
Saw this post and had to investigate.
WOW!
Can I say that again?
WOW!
He has a readable, followable, understandable, usable, and accessible wiki for using wikis, blogs, and Voicethread in the classroom.
I am considered by some in my district to be ahead of the game by using podcasting in my classroom, but I knew I could do more. And now I can!
As I listened to the UStream that he made during his presentation to Lorain City Schools PK-K teachers, I was hooked like a mosquito to a blue bug zapper! Harry, stop looking at it! I can't. Ittt isss soooo pretttyyy!
ZZZIIZZZ!!!
I could not stop looking at the resources that he created and thinking about how I could use the ideas in my classroom.
This has really energized me for the next 3 weeks before I report for Teacher In-service.
BTW, I'm now following him in Twitter and subscribed to his blog's RSS feed for my Reader!
Remember the first post of the summer? Yeah, not much has been done. Too lazy, but that is okay.
hmmmm....Maybe I WILL take my laptop to the beach and continue putting my lessons together.
Did you go to the links above? Good! If not, stop reading this, go and be enlightened, or re-enlightened, as I have been.

Great work Jeremy! Keep it up and I (we) will keep watching and learning with you.