:mattLandia:

Tuesday:

Having to leave the house at 5:15 AM to make a 7 AM flight (I just barely made the flight) is criminal. CRIMINAL. It didn't help that I could sleep much the night before (like two hours of sleep), but hey, who's counting. I made the flight, flew to Philadelphia, dropped off my luggage at the Hilton, then took a cab to Philadelphia University.

My host, Meriem Chida and I went straight to work and started brainstorming about new ways to incorporate software like ExchangeFrame or other Merchandise Planning Tools built on LogicBlox into the curriculum. She has got some great ideas on how to make each course more challenging and relevant for the students who want to go into the world of Fashion Merchandising. We worked on ideas till about 4 PM, and then I taught two classes, back to back, about ExchangeFrame and how it can be used to both Plan OTB and create wholesale orders. Overall, the classes went well I think.

But the time I got back to my hotel room around 8, I was beyond tired.

Wednesday:

Meriem and I met with various members of the faculty in the AM and shared her ideas for developing new courses, and tried to solicit participation and support from some of the other professors. I was there more as a sounding board than anything else. We adjourned after lunch and I was free for the afternoon.

I went back to the hotel, changed clothes and headed downtown.

I started at Independance Hall. I won't get all mushy or anything, but I was really moved as I just stood and took in all the old buildings and thought about what transpired in that area so many years ago. The first time in a long time that I've really felt a swell of patriotism. I wish the world was such that I felt that more often, but I digress.

Spent the rest of the afternoon walking. And walking. And walking. And walking. I'm telling you, I must have walked about 10 miles or so. It wasn't too cold, a little windy, but I still felt right at home, carrying my camera in my right hand like a sidearm, ready to shoot anything that seemed interesting.

Highlight of the day trip was being able to buy a ticket to see The Stooges play the Electric Factory. I had to talk my way into the venue even though I had a ticket, because no cameras allowed. I reached a compromise with the security dude and he held my memory card so I could keep my camera with me. I met him after the show and got the card back. Whew. I was stressed a little bit. But it was worth the gamble. The Stooges blew the doors off the hinges. Those dudes are like in their sixties or seventies and are still shredding.

After the show, walked seven blocks or so over to Kyber, a really cool, but divey bar. They had a great DJ, the place was crammed, and I just hung out till close. Ran into one of the students from a class I taught. That was funny. She was like "why are YOU here" and got really paranoid that maybe the whole staff was there. But she chiilled out and actually ended up introducing me to a bunch of people and had a good time just talking random late night talk.

Thursday (Today):

I don't teach for another few hours, so i'm just camping out at the hotel until it's time to go to campus. Today will be more hands on 'lab' work than lecture, so it should be fun.

More later.....