Meeting famous people online

Now that I have your attention, I'll tell you how of an experience I've had over the last couple of weeks.

I'm constantly amazed at how Thomas Friedman has it right that the world is flattening. With the advent of all the new web 2.0 technologies, we are truly coming to a point where the majority of the people have the same opportunity for voice. Granted, there may be technological issues keeping some from being able to share their voice or opinion, but given the opportunity, we are coming together.

So, if you actually read this blog, you know that I really enjoy the web 2.0 technologies. And my world has been flattened!

Now this isn't like the day I got a Facebook friend request from one of my favorite political columnists, John LeBoutlillier (I just happened to be in his address book from some past e-mails I had sent him), but rather I have a series of videos that I've always shown my undergraduates to discuss differing instructional strategies. However, I was always loosing the CD I had them burned to, so I got smart a few weeks ago and actually uploaded them to my YouTube account. As I logged in to upload some more, I noticed I had new mail. Here's how the subsequent conversation went:
ActorBoi718: did you make that emperor's club video yourself?

dctrcurry: Yes. I'm a professor of Educational Technology and I made it as a resource for my students.

ActorBoi718: That's great. It makes me happy cause I was an actor in the film and I'm in the clip alot. So thanks for making such a great video! :)

dctrcurry: Cool! Which character are you? I'll make sure when we watch it to give you a shout out!

ActorBoi718: I'm the kid in the back at the beginning, then the front row later on with the brown jacket. When the camera pans to Hundert while we are reciting the names of the emperor's, my big ol' head is the one right in the front in the center of the screen. I am the heavy one. lol. That was years ago though. I've lost like 60 pounds so I don't really look like that anymore. But you can still tell its me.

dctrcurry: I don't even have to watch it and I know EXACTLY who you are. I've been showing these clips for years. What's your name (if you don't mind) so I can give you a proper shoutout in class?

ActorBoi718: Wow, that's so cool! I'm Tim Realbuto. Very nice to meet you :)

dctrcurry: Sweet. If you don't mind, I'll also share our conversations with them so they can see how the Internet can connect people in today's society. BTW, my name's John Curry. I'm a professor and instructional designer at Oklahoma State University. My website is http://effectivedesign.org Nice to meet you, too!

So here's to my new "friend," Tim Realbuto. Check him out at IMDB and MySpace.

realbuto2 realbuto1

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