I know, I know, Skype is old news. But needless to say, it amazed me this past weekend. I was able to talk to my brother, who is in Afghanistan, at least 8,000 miles away. Across an ocean. Across miles and miles of land. Across several time zones. I was able to do this at the same time I was able to talk to my parents in Michigan. Across 60 miles of lake and about 200 miles of land. Across a time zone. All for free. You can’t tell me that’s not incredible.

While I was sitting there eating my breakfast and my brother was telling us what he just ate for dinner, there were times when the signal wasn’t so great. Sometimes the voices would freeze or we’d lose someone. I have to admit that during these times I became frustrated and asked, “Why in the heck is it doing this??” To which my fiancé replied, “Because it’s traveling across the world.” Oh yeah. Amazing how we get annoyed when things aren’t instant. The fact that it was working it all is like magic.

This was the first time I had used Skype in that way. I downloaded it only a few weeks ago when my brother left for the Middle East. I am a late adaptor to the program, which is probably why it amazes me so much.

Which brings me to my next realization. It is amazing to me how much communication has changed. If my brother was in Afghanistan five years ago, we would have been limited to e-mails. If he was there 15 years ago, we probably would have been limited to only phone calls and maybe the occasional e-mail if dial-up internet was available in the Middle East. If he had been deployed 20 or more years ago, we would have been limited to letters and maybe an occasional phone call. We’d probably just be getting a letter from him saying he safely landed. I don’t know how people did it back then. To not be able to hear someone’s voice, or to be able to see them on Skype would be so hard.

Yes, I realize Skype has been around for a while and many people have probably used it in more amazing ways than I have. But it doesn’t change the fact that technology never ceases to amaze me!

As I am approaching my final semester of graduate school, I’m realizing I must start job searching. Again. While I’m not exactly looking forward to the task, I also realize how far I have come since I first moved to Milwaukee two years ago.

Almost exactly two years ago was the first time I spent more than a weekend in Milwaukee. It was also my first time in the Bradley Center, in Mayfair Mall and getting lost on my way to Marquette University’s campus. It was also my first time getting used to the idea of Marquette as a University, and not just a city in the upper peninsula of Michigan. I moved to Milwaukee only about a week after getting laid off from my job as a newspaper reporter in Adrian, Michigan. It was tough, but somehow I remained fairly upbeat.

That winter and early spring, I had a few promising job interviews. After I found out I didn’t get one I was very hopeful for, I decided to look at other options. That’s when I met with the Associate Dean of Communication at Marquette and decided to attend grad school. I never thought I would go to grad school. There was no need to at the time I received my Bachelor’s degree. But needless to say, in only two years, times had changed.

Now, with graduation looming over me in May, I know I must start applying for jobs again. And although the part time position I have now at the Medical College of Wisconsin may possibly turn into a full time opportunity, I know I still must look elsewhere just in case it doesn’t.

But I have a lot more going for me than I did two years ago. I have may a lot more contacts, including people I work with at MCW, the faculty members I research for at Marquette, professors who have taught me, doctors I will be interviewing for my professional project this semester, etc. I have more of an online presence, including my own Web site www.mbrittany.com, another Web site, and a LinkedIn profile.

I know without being in graduate school, I wouldn’t have gotten the position at MCW. And if I didn’t have work experience, I might not be researching for two faculty members at Marquette and therefore, probably wouldn’t be there. I don’t regret any of the career choices I have made; each has gotten me to where I am today and will hopefully (already getting my hopes up!) land me a fun, but challenging opportunity after I earn my Master’s degree. I hope it’s all worth it.

Here’s to my final semester!