I can has semester project?

Semester project? You're looking at it! I decided to do a blog because it seems so essentially digital age. We're all about "weblog[ing] our fears, our hopes and dreams" in this iGeneration. Why not reflect the times? Only problem is... I never read blogs, they're pretty much a foreign world to me. I'm totally winging this and I just hope it turns alright.

I've got a few ideas of something to do besides writing about my oh-so-exciting life in all its digital age glory. I'd like to do something with the new god of the internet: Facebook. It's such an open world... Facebook has bloomed into a true community, combining the basics of communication with photo sharing, networking, and entertainment. What's not to love? And more importantly: what's something I can toy with?

And I've got a scary idea. One that I'm pretty terrified to even think about. What if I gave up my laptop for a while? No Facebook, Myspace, AIM or Livejournal. No Neatorama, Cute Overload, or I Can Has Cheezburger. No Questionable Content or games of Tetris. No Google or Word processing. Could I survive? What would I do all afternoon? The truth is, this idea stemmed from a real situation. A good friend of mine lived for months and is still living without a home computer. Although being without her Facebook and Myspace was a tragedy all its own, still worse was living without basic research and typing capabilities. In school, these things are almost essential. We had an assignment due that truly required a computer, and she just couldn't do it. I ended up typing and printing it out for her. But think about how many people must have to live with this. It's just assumed they have a computer, and they end up falling behind. Going to the library is always an option, but some either don't have time, or computers are filled with kids on Myspace or playing games. If I gave up my laptop... What if I lose points for a missed assignment? What would I do to occupy myself once my homework was done? If I tried to write a poem or short story, would it turn out different? Would I run out of things to do and end up knitting a tea cozy?! Hey, anything's possible. I'm admitting outright that this idea could fall into the realm of unfinished, undone projects (mostly because I may not be strong enough to go through with it). But I might as well ponder on it.

So maybe this semester project blog will go beyond the blogosphere. Or maybe it will stay here: nice and comfy in its typeface and cat pictures. But at one entry every few days it seems to be getting off to a nice start. Hopefully this pace, or something close to it, will continue as the class progresses. Who knows what kind of wacky ideas and entries might show up? Technology in the war, digital delusions of downfall, iSuicides or Matricide Nanos...tea cozies! Imagine the possibilities!