Student workers in IT are scary . Oh sure, they look mild-mannered. They ride their skateboards and they shoulder their backpacks. They walk in line to class, to lunch, to events and doing these things makes them look ordinary. They know this.

While on the outside they have learned to makeup and costume and have become almost indistinguishable from their fellows, it is when you have a chance to chat with them in their native tongue that you realize they have been chipped.

At the beginning of the digital revolution we were loud and noisy and show-offy. Like slight of hand conjurers we held crowds in amazement. But now, you can’t distinguish them. There might be one sitting next to you. There might be one in your family, you can never know it.

They will only show you their real face when they trust you. The bright LEDs behind their eyes only shine when they realize you speak their native language. When you speak geek, things begin to change. And they love the stories from the olden days. It connects them to their past, what they are heir to, and their destiny.

I have long asserted that within the last 2 decades there has been a serious gene mutation. A gene has started to emerge I don’t believe is entirely biological. I believe they have been chipped.

Selection has created a super-species that walk among us. They are disguised as college students. They are programmed for only one thing. Save the Planet.

After I am gone, there will be flying cars like the Jetsons. There will be time travel. There will be quantum miniaturization. This is the tip of the iceberg.

These new humans are in fact the ones placing the angels on the head of the pin right now.

You know you’re a geek when all your gear wont fit in a mid-sized car. I guess deep down I’m envious of people that can get by with just their laptop. Part of me wishes that I could set my computer down at the end of the day along with my keys on the sideboard. Done and done. But you know you’re a geek when…

You know you’re a geek when….you haven’t had a chance to recycle in a couple of months and your recycle bin looks like this…

• You know you’re a geek when….the reach of family that calls you for tech help goes all the way out to 3rd cousins on your wife’s side.
• You know you’re a geek when….you wish you could buy Maxwell Smart’s shoe phone on ebay.
• You know you’re a geek when….you don’t ever need to turn the furnace on because your CPU’s are so over-clocked.

• You know you’re a geek when….you name your dog “ 01100100 01101111 01100111 ”
• You know you’re a geek when….you built a crystal radio in 7th grade and you still use it.
• You know you’re a geek when….your glasses don’t have lenses and you pretend to clean them anyway.
• You know you’re a geek when….the CB in your truck is short wave.
• You know you’re a geek when….

Your collectables are being sought after by the Smithsonian.

You know you’re a geek when…. you dream of a digital world that connects us and there isn’t any division. We’re the folks who work on that connection every day.

The year was 1996 and a toy phenomenon, a veritable toy tsunami occurred. Sure on the outside it was just our good friend Elmo from Sesame Street, but a raggedy Muppet alone would never be enough to cause a landslide, a sensation. This toy was different. It had technology. Tickle Me Elmo.

When squeezed Elmo recites his trademark giggle, “Uh-ha-ha-ha-hee-hee!”. He would also shake and vibrate. In this day and age we would suspect that Elmo might have swallowed a cellphone but giggle, vibrate and shake were his only tricks.

What made Elmo so special? Technology. Weird to think that technology transformed a simple plushy into a global phenomenon, but the little guy truly ushered in the future of toy design. I’m guessing that today you can indeed buy an Elmo integrated with an Alexa so that your kids can order stuff behind your back. If you think this wild and crazy…

In my news-feed the other day there was an actual story of a 4 year old who was able to convince Alexa to buy this banana.

I remember stuffed Elmo. I remember my kids not willing to accept any substitutions, And so the hunt began. Store after store we crashed and the Elmo shelves were empty! We finally found a small out of the way toy store (we used the Yellow Pages to find them) and off we rushed 30 miles praying all the way. We arrived at the moment they told us a new batch was arriving and we purchased 2 at actual retail price. It is worthy to note that there were unscrupulous hucksters selling Elmos for $1,000 + that year.

But today almost all toys are computers in a toy suit. Robots, radio controlled cars, drones, game stations and Elmos that can do a Google search. (just kidding about the last one)

What is astonishing is how far technology has come and how completely it has integrated into our lives. So, for Christmas dinner don’t forget to ask your fridge if it has a ham, or your dishwasher if it is full or empty.

Yes by golly we have come a long way, people will still drive 30 miles for the last gadget de jour. Oh, and BTW Tickle Me Elmo is still around. This year he’s almost sold-out online.