Leslie correctly pointed out that while I deserve precedent for Skypetailing (TM), I was far from the first to gather for a social cyber cocktail. And so it is with Skypedining (TM), which I have now coined and a Google search backs me up on this being a new word. Admittedly though fully evident that there have been many Skype-enabled dinners.
Its origins: last night we very much enjoyed sharing our traditional Christmas dinner between myself, Tobae and Mark in Whistler and Daniel in Portland (although truth be told he asynchronously ate spaghetti–missing my rib roast of beef prepared on the BBQ, classic McDuff family rice pilaf, and some quite good, though pricey, asparagus from Creekside Market.) Daniel sat at one head of the table, and while it would be good if the camera on the MacBook Pro was a bit wider angle, it worked well enough, enabling us to gather the family.
Stance and Balance 
[…] At midnight, I complete my six plus years of service as the Director of the UW School of Oceanography. (And over 20 years in administrative posts in the department). Well not quite complete…there isn’t yet a successor named and so I have agreed to hang on for another little bit, conditioned on a new title: Interim Director. This puts me in lofty company, for UW has an Interim President, an Interim Provost and and Interim Vice Provost for Research. And the Interim President has set a bold philosophy: interim means for a period of time, but with full power to act and not look back. I think it is better than being a lame duck? And with my winter home this year being Whistler, I’ll introduce yet another service mark, “Skypedirecting”, to join Skypetails and Skypedining. […]