With the rise of cell phones, the term ‘touch-tone’ used to identify a powerful advance in the old landline phones, is rarely used.  To me it seems the same could be said for current trends in society and interpersonal relationships. I have a cat (Boo). Whenever I’m on the computer, Boo climbs on my lap launching strained stares at the screen.  Often she’ll glance over to me as if to ask whether that stuff is really so important.  High tech apparently doesn’t impress her very much. What does, is the gentle touch of my hand upon her head and the tone of my voice, especially when I speak her name. She then stops her anxious staring, rests her head on my knee and begins purring.  As we retire our touch-tone phones, are we also retiring the highly non-technical yet powerful experience of gentle touch and tone in daily relationships and circumstances? Seems to me, along with other pioneering sister institutions, Oberlin’s touch and tone needs comprehensive and serious triage and tuning.  (reference 2-3 years of The Oberlin Review/reporting acerbic demands and accusations prevailing over thoughtful discovery and reason).  Or maybe, it’s simple as relearning how to laugh together at ourselves… you know, like those MAXINE comic one liners... rather than buffooning or destroying someone we don’t understand.  Oh well, I’m probably wrong on both counts. Seems bridges are much more complex and difficult to build, than walls.