ICONS

     The dictionary defines an icon as "a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of something".  A picture, an item or a person can be an icon.  To demonstrate this idea, I have chosen the following icons:  Facebook, Dallas, and Coach K.

     Facebook is a current piece of pop culture and in my opinion, this symbol is one of the most recognized symbols in the world right now.  It represents current culture of all ages, all across the globe.  When I first started using Facebook about five years ago, the appeal was for me was that I was able to keep a virtual eye on my children.  I was able to see who they were interacting with and was able to look in on their lives without being too obtrusive.  As I became more comfortable with Facebook, I expanded my use of it.  I started looking for and connecting with my own friends from high school  I have been able to catch up with many former classmates and childhood friends.  We are currently planning for a class reunion this summer, and it has amazed me how many times I have seen someone comment on the fact that they wished we had Facebook when we graduated.  I agree with that statement.  I had lost connection with so many friends after graduation since I moved from Ohio to California the next day.  Although we are reconnecting now, I am sad for all for all of the things in each other's lives that we have missed.  I am glad that my children have been able to stay connected to their childhood friends, even though they have now moved out of state.  I am also glad that i have been able to "meet" and get to "know" their new friends via Facebook.

     Although it began in 1978, I think of the television show Dallas, as one of the icons of the 1980s.  I remember that watching Dallas was a major social event every week in my college dorm, and for me, is a symbol of that time of my life.  Dallas ran as a prime-time drama for fourteen years.  It was famous for it's end of the season cliffhangers that kept people talking all summer trying to guess how the story line would resolve itself during the new season.  According to Wikipedia, "Dallas was included in Time magazine's 2007 list of "100 Best TV shows of All-TIME".  Dallas now has the chance to become a part of pop culture for a new generation.  The story of the Ewing family is now continuing in a new series by the same name, now being shown on TNT.  I'm sure that many who loved the old series will also tune in to follow the new generation of Ewings, and learn how our old favorites are doing.

     As I tried to think of a person as an icon, the first person who popped into my head was Duke University Head Basketball Coach Mike  Krzyzewski.  Coach K, as he is known, has been at Duke since 1980.  I would imagine that anyone who follows NCAA Men's Basketball would have a tough time thinking about basketball, in general, and Duke Basketball, specifically, without thinking about Coach K.  The basketball court at Duke University inside Cameron Stadium is known as Coach K Court.  The green area outside of Cameron Stadium is known as Krzyzewskiville, or K-ville.  I must admit that I am a Duke Basketball Fan.  I don't believe that I am a bandwagon fan, but I became a fan in 2010 - the most recent year that the Blue Devils won a National Championship - the fourth for Coach K.  However, that was also the year that my children were freshman at Duke.  I became a fan of Coach K's for a reason other than basketball, however.  While attending campus visits, we heard about Coach K, and how much Duke University means to him.  On move-in day for the freshman, Coach K was on East Campus welcoming new students - even the ones who don't play basketball!  Coach K now holds the record for the most wins by a Mens' Division 1 coach at 925.  Coach K has also coached the USA Men's National Basketball team since 2006.  When you think about men's college or olympic basketball, you can't get more iconic than Coach K.