so what now  (2)

awareness of your role
sysadmins are key (and unsafely ignored) channel between R&D community and real world
shrapnel-closest to real problems
hard-earned intuition and insight that we don't have
consider participating in the policy process that will render you cogs of big brother if you don't
e.g, IETF wiretapping issue in februrary 2002
you are dangerously underrepresented in these communities
this means NANOG, ARIN, NANOG, IETF, research workshops and conferences
all these people are playing with layers that you have to manage
and they are people sometimes more loyal to interests other than the Internet
educate your management 
check in with the research community every so often
most of us hit the bar every so often so you probably don't have to walk that far
and we need good relevant problems
also, reminder: continually watch your network
still be confused but on a higher level