I'm not a technophobe, really not! But a new-found old friend accused me of being exactly that.

I've been on LinkedIn for a couple of years, belong to several other networks (love ning.com for really instant networking); got on, then off MySpace. Facebook was my major holdout.

I'd been avoiding fb because 1) it felt a little "young" and 2) never-ending reports of security concerns made me pretty wary in these days of identity theft. I had an fb account, but never used it.

OK, so the "young" comment makes me a marked man -- you can probably see the scarlet letter ("O" as in Over 30) on me. But I don't feel I need to drink Red Bull every day, either.

Until last week, when a former colleague tracked me down, invited me to become a friend, and then proceeded to throw the anti-technology comment at me. Me, of all people!

So here's the dilemma -- do I really belong on Facebook because people say I should be there? Should I just let it go, and stick to regular email to keep track of people? Is it really the future of communicating, or just tomorrow's trivia?

Photo by coda

As some newspaper columnists are just now discovering that lots of people use coffee shops as offices, I think they're 1) missing the point, and 2) coming awfully late to the game.

For at least 8 years, I've talked to people who do much of their business in Starbucks or Peets or Au Bon Pain. They needed the space to work, sometimes close to where their next appointment might be, and when Wi-Fi became pretty commonplace, it was a no-brainer.

More recently, I've stopped into an ABP, laptop in hand, and had trouble finding a quiet corner. Why? Because one large section was taken by a knitting club -- yes, a group of about 15, sitting there knitting away (and occasionally sipping away on their coffees).

In the center, a small group started to gather, becoming a larger group, and then they broke out into song. They were members of some barbershop quartets (look it up in wikipedia) who were practicing. Not rock band loud, but you couldn't really ignore them, either.

The point? Maybe the ABPs and Starbucks stores are becoming the offices AND libraries and community centers of today and tomorrow. As office workers become more mobile, maybe a lot of offices are being deprecated (look it up), and work is changing to accommodate that.

I know working remotely is happening everywhere, and I'm not seeing many people talking about the downside (who do I buy my Girl Scout cookies from?) Would you mind working out of the office most of the time? Should companies stop providing office space for you if you do?

Photo by timothy b. buckwalter

Job-seekers are funny people (yes, even you!) Here's why:

1. I recently read a story about people applying for jobs, then not showing up for the scheduled interview. Not calling, not writing -- just not showing. The recruiters suggested that because so much of the hiring process has become automated and impersonal, some candidates don't feel they need to bother if something else comes up.

Wow! -- that's all I can say. Unemployment is well over 7% and you get a job interview, and then don't show up for it?

2. Sort of related, we had an opening, received an application, but the applicant asked to delay the interview for a week because of a previously-planned vacation. After the "vacation", received a note saying how much she was looking forward to meeting us that week.

The very next day, received a note saying she had accepted another offer. I love being played, don't you?

Obviously I'm not understanding how the rules of respect and consideration have changed. Am I the only one? What up?