Here's another video--trees in the wind. AND I added some NPR podcasts to my bloglines account. Whooppee!
Friday, September 21, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Week 9--Thing 23--Wow!
I am so amazed, delighted, and grateful! I have learned so much more than just 23 things! There's so much technology out there, and I understand it's just the tip of the tip of things to come. But I have a glimpse--I've made a start!
Favorite parts?--writing in a blog, using photos from a digital camera (!), reading other people's blogs :), discovering the possibility of online work processing, finding music and books and podcasts--even videos--on line!
Least favorite parts?--the frustration of trying to understand procedures for simple (?)technical procedures--e.g. manipulating pictures in Flickr or even just setting up my blog!; wading through wordy, opinionated wiki entries, feeling stupid for not seeing any use for Del.icio.us or Rollyo in what I do.
The unexpected wonderful part?--camaraderie with and help from co-workers. What a great bonding tool and a chance to learn together! Imagine--work sanctioned time to learn something great together. Not just sanctioned, but encouraged! :)
Things I wish you could do differently next time?--really consider what you'd like us to learn, run through the process ahead of time and look for pitfalls for us newbies. Explain simple procedures that really are NOT intuitive, like "uploading" pictures, why our entire BCPL email address really IS our Google name, or how to navigate in some of the websites. (The helpful hint handouts Joyce and Ellen gave us at the North Point catch-up sessions were WONDERFUL--wish I'd had them weeks before.) Believe me, techniques that tech-savvy people take for granted were horribly frustrating stumbling blocks for me. I spent hours trying to work in Flickr--when by chance I actually got two photos into the mosaic I was creating, I couldn't figure out what lucky button I had pushed so that I could repeat it for the last two photos.
BUT, if you do another discovery program in the future, YES, YES, please count me in. I am so blessed and excited about what I'm learning! I don't want to stop.
Favorite parts?--writing in a blog, using photos from a digital camera (!), reading other people's blogs :), discovering the possibility of online work processing, finding music and books and podcasts--even videos--on line!
Least favorite parts?--the frustration of trying to understand procedures for simple (?)technical procedures--e.g. manipulating pictures in Flickr or even just setting up my blog!; wading through wordy, opinionated wiki entries, feeling stupid for not seeing any use for Del.icio.us or Rollyo in what I do.
The unexpected wonderful part?--camaraderie with and help from co-workers. What a great bonding tool and a chance to learn together! Imagine--work sanctioned time to learn something great together. Not just sanctioned, but encouraged! :)
Things I wish you could do differently next time?--really consider what you'd like us to learn, run through the process ahead of time and look for pitfalls for us newbies. Explain simple procedures that really are NOT intuitive, like "uploading" pictures, why our entire BCPL email address really IS our Google name, or how to navigate in some of the websites. (The helpful hint handouts Joyce and Ellen gave us at the North Point catch-up sessions were WONDERFUL--wish I'd had them weeks before.) Believe me, techniques that tech-savvy people take for granted were horribly frustrating stumbling blocks for me. I spent hours trying to work in Flickr--when by chance I actually got two photos into the mosaic I was creating, I couldn't figure out what lucky button I had pushed so that I could repeat it for the last two photos.
BUT, if you do another discovery program in the future, YES, YES, please count me in. I am so blessed and excited about what I'm learning! I don't want to stop.
Week 9-Thing 22--Audio books
I set up an accoount on Overdrive, even though I don't have an internet connection at home. But I enjoyed choosing some titles as if I did--Elizabeth Peters for one. :) They even have graphic novels (!)
I downloaded a visual copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg on to the work laptop desktop--ready for any afternoon break--and enjoyed the first two chapters. What a treat!
I downloaded a visual copy of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg on to the work laptop desktop--ready for any afternoon break--and enjoyed the first two chapters. What a treat!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Week 9-Thing 21--continued
HOORAY! I finally wrestled the RSS for British Old Time Radio to my bloglines account, too.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Week 9--Thing 21--Podcasts
Podcasts are great! I discovered a radio episode of a Peter Wimsey mystery, wonderful children's books read-alouds, and finally, a podcast site with a RSS feed. I added International Audio Tales for Kids to my blog (using the directions I kept in my 23 things notebook.:) I want to go back and look for more when I have the chance.
The Merlin podcasting link was more helpful than most of the podcast directories. I can see a lot of ways podcasting can be used in libraries--booktalks, reading children's stories, interviews, author talks, poetry slams, CEU workshops--and all this from someone who didn't even know what a podcast was two days ago.:)
The Merlin podcasting link was more helpful than most of the podcast directories. I can see a lot of ways podcasting can be used in libraries--booktalks, reading children's stories, interviews, author talks, poetry slams, CEU workshops--and all this from someone who didn't even know what a podcast was two days ago.:)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Week 9--Thing 20--Spider Web video below
Please enjoy the spider web video in the blog below. (Blogspot won't let me rename that blog, so I'll just point you to it.)
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Week 8--Thing 19--Web 2.0 award list
What a list of winning websites! I tried out several:
Lulu and Biblio--nice, but neither one could find me a copy of Lucille Morrison's children's book, Lost Queen of Egypt. I still like www.alibris.com better.
Judy's Book--not very useful
Oodle--too much like a watered down web version of Pennysaver
Meebo--looked like fun if I wanted to be IM-ing
One Sentence--tell an entire story in one sentence--fun!
Fuzzmail--very interesting--email one stroke at a time. . . . :)
But my FAVORITE was Pandora--make a radio station that plays what you like! Nice! I heard a new David Arkenstone recording--what delight to do 23 things to music! :)
I typed in artist name "Beethoven," but only got group called Camper Van Beethoven. LOL Turns out they're still working on the classical component.
Hot dog--here's Sail Away by Enya! i'M GOING TO COME BACK HERE OFTEN.
Library use? Well, it could sure make librarians happy while they work.
Lulu and Biblio--nice, but neither one could find me a copy of Lucille Morrison's children's book, Lost Queen of Egypt. I still like www.alibris.com better.
Judy's Book--not very useful
Oodle--too much like a watered down web version of Pennysaver
Meebo--looked like fun if I wanted to be IM-ing
One Sentence--tell an entire story in one sentence--fun!
Fuzzmail--very interesting--email one stroke at a time. . . . :)
But my FAVORITE was Pandora--make a radio station that plays what you like! Nice! I heard a new David Arkenstone recording--what delight to do 23 things to music! :)
I typed in artist name "Beethoven," but only got group called Camper Van Beethoven. LOL Turns out they're still working on the classical component.
Hot dog--here's Sail Away by Enya! i'M GOING TO COME BACK HERE OFTEN.
Library use? Well, it could sure make librarians happy while they work.
Week 8--Thing 18--Hobbit Day quotes
Aragorn----By my life or death I will protect you. Here is my sword.
Arwen----I do not fear them.
Frodo----I will take the ring, though I do not know the way.
Gandalf----You shall not pass!
Gimli----Toss me! . . . Don't tell the elf.
Legolas----And you have my bow.
Pippin----What about second breakfast?
Merry----I don't think he knows about second breakfast.
Each had great comfort in his friends on the long grey road.
Go in peace! I will not say do not weep; for not all tears are evil. --Gandalf
You will have to be one and whole for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do.
Well, look at that! Quotes typed in ZOHO published here on my blog! I'm making Hobbit Day cards and choosing this year's quotes. :)
It was a little tricky. ZOHO's font kept changing to its default, even when I repeatedly tried to change it. When Ellen Ward came to stand next to my computer it settled down. I just need a permanent computer expert. :)
Can't seem to make the blog notes any closer to the ZOHO export. . . .
But how cool to have internet word processing and spreadsheets!! I'm excited about experimenting--to learn its quirks--Microsoft Word isn't perfect either!
PS I went back to save my work to my flashdrive, and ZOHO lost my work. Clicking on "save as" only gave options of new document or template. ?? I think I will look into GoodgleDocs and skip ZOHO.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Week 7, Thing 17--Sandbox Wiki
I did it! (Only I don't know how I did it--there was no place to add an URL when I added my blog to the sandbox. Why don't directions make sense??!)
But :)
I added doughnuts to "favorite foods"
Book of Suns to "fvorite books"
and
tree branches singing in the wind to "things that make me smile"
But :)
I added doughnuts to "favorite foods"
Book of Suns to "fvorite books"
and
tree branches singing in the wind to "things that make me smile"
Week 7, Thing 16--Wikis
OK--Wikis.
Interesting to read the wiki examples in our list--I can actually begin to see the usefulness of such an interactive format--that's something for someone from Missouri like me. (But I noticed the vandalism update on the Library Success Best Practices wiki--sigh.)
I think a book review wiki could be very useful in a library IF people had/took the time to post entries and keep current. But how successful are we in attracting continuing interest in our own BCPL virtual book club?? There is just so much time in a day, I guess.
I think libraries sharing success stories is a fabulous idea!
And I think the conference wikis would be truly useful and fun (if you had a laptop or could find an open convention computer).
Not sure if I can see wikis working for conference planning. We're finishing up plans for our CSD Kids Are Customers conference in October. True, we've done some frantic emailing back and forth, but having everybody post on a wiki would be confusing. Who would approve the final plans? Who would be responsible for noticing last minute changes? Who would pick up any left out pieces?
I'll keep thinking.
Interesting to read the wiki examples in our list--I can actually begin to see the usefulness of such an interactive format--that's something for someone from Missouri like me. (But I noticed the vandalism update on the Library Success Best Practices wiki--sigh.)
I think a book review wiki could be very useful in a library IF people had/took the time to post entries and keep current. But how successful are we in attracting continuing interest in our own BCPL virtual book club?? There is just so much time in a day, I guess.
I think libraries sharing success stories is a fabulous idea!
And I think the conference wikis would be truly useful and fun (if you had a laptop or could find an open convention computer).
Not sure if I can see wikis working for conference planning. We're finishing up plans for our CSD Kids Are Customers conference in October. True, we've done some frantic emailing back and forth, but having everybody post on a wiki would be confusing. Who would approve the final plans? Who would be responsible for noticing last minute changes? Who would pick up any left out pieces?
I'll keep thinking.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Week 6, Thing 15--Library 2.0
Thoughts about Library 2.0 and Web 2.0. . .
From the essays I read--
**some people are spending 40 hours a week online
(what kind of life is that??),
**Web 2.0 principals-simplicity, interactivity, user-participation, collective intelligence, self-service
I love the parts of Web 2.0 that connect us to people and to media; the internet is an awesome vehicle for connecting. BUT the idea of user participation to define information scares me! What if we sink to having no facts, but just perceptions? Wikipedia is becoming more useful because it's heavily used and checked, but when does public popular opinion become the basis for fact? Not to mention that the internet is way too prone to rumor and misinformation and too easily believed to be authoritative. Humans make the web, and it's open to error, selfishness, and just plain untruth.
Dirk showed me Plato's levels of knowledge in The Republic:
(Intellect) 1st--knowledge, 2nd--thought
(Opinion) 3rd--belief, and 4th-imaging--opinion
I think I agree with Plato.
From the essays I read--
**some people are spending 40 hours a week online
(what kind of life is that??),
**Web 2.0 principals-simplicity, interactivity, user-participation, collective intelligence, self-service
I love the parts of Web 2.0 that connect us to people and to media; the internet is an awesome vehicle for connecting. BUT the idea of user participation to define information scares me! What if we sink to having no facts, but just perceptions? Wikipedia is becoming more useful because it's heavily used and checked, but when does public popular opinion become the basis for fact? Not to mention that the internet is way too prone to rumor and misinformation and too easily believed to be authoritative. Humans make the web, and it's open to error, selfishness, and just plain untruth.
Dirk showed me Plato's levels of knowledge in The Republic:
(Intellect) 1st--knowledge, 2nd--thought
(Opinion) 3rd--belief, and 4th-imaging--opinion
I think I agree with Plato.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Been thinking. . . .
...more about blogs.
I love both connecting with people (including myself) and learning information. Blogs are useful for connecting with friends, but dreadful for learning. I prefer reading books or web articles for information because the authors have taken time to organize and arrange their thoughts. Blogs are rambling and wordy--just too much to wade through hoping for a gem of information. I know that technology is changing the language--e.g. l8r, lol.. . Do you suppose it will change the way we think too? Think of it--meandering rambling. . .Aargh
I love both connecting with people (including myself) and learning information. Blogs are useful for connecting with friends, but dreadful for learning. I prefer reading books or web articles for information because the authors have taken time to organize and arrange their thoughts. Blogs are rambling and wordy--just too much to wade through hoping for a gem of information. I know that technology is changing the language--e.g. l8r, lol.. . Do you suppose it will change the way we think too? Think of it--meandering rambling. . .Aargh
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Week 6--Thing 14--Technorati
All those people with something to say! Technorati is amazing at organizing 51 million blogs, but who has the time to read all those thoughts!! It was a fun novelty to look at comments from mdlearn2 and 23things, but I haven't even had time to read all the blogs from BCPL. And those are friends I'd LIKE to keep up with. Help!
A keyword search for "Learning 2.0" in Technorati blog posts brought up 21,189 hits! The Technorati top favorite blog link brough up Boing, Boing again :), but others I tried were excitedly talking about technology over my head.
A keyword search for "Learning 2.0" in Technorati blog posts brought up 21,189 hits! The Technorati top favorite blog link brough up Boing, Boing again :), but others I tried were excitedly talking about technology over my head.
Week 6, Thing 13--Tagging
Looked around at del.icio.us--interesting, but not real useful right now. It might be useful in finding interesting papercrafting websites someday, but the ones I explored at this site were ones I already knew about or were just people's blogs. Opinions and conversations don't interest me; patterns and ideas are what I'm looking for. Something to maybe come back to later. . . .
Still mulling about taggging. Useful for organizing things on line. I just don't have enough on line to categorize yet.
Still mulling about taggging. Useful for organizing things on line. I just don't have enough on line to categorize yet.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Monday, August 20, 2007
Week 5, Thing 12
Rollyo--what a cute name. But not something I have much need for. I set up a small search tool, but hey, I didn't know any search sites to include. Think I'll stick with Google for now.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Week 5, Thing 11--Library Thing
This is a site I discovered in April, 2006 when I was looking for a way to list all the books we owned at home. It was more than I needed, plus I often couldn't find the exact version of my book on Amazon/Library of Congress to list it (e.g. if the book was out of print). I might come back to this site and list my books manually, but for now an Excel document works just fine. I did leave a short list of some of my very favorites.
We had a lovely vacation in the mountains--I got to reread the entire Dark Is Rising series in a hammock--now, how good is that! :) And now that I'm at Pikesville, you know I'm going to learn a lot about adult fiction, too!
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Karthefair
We had a lovely vacation in the mountains--I got to reread the entire Dark Is Rising series in a hammock--now, how good is that! :) And now that I'm at Pikesville, you know I'm going to learn a lot about adult fiction, too!
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Karthefair
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Week 5, Thing 10
This is me getting ready to hike in the mountains. :)
http://lookup.avatars.yahoo.com/wimages?yid=karthefair&size=large&type=jpg&.intl=uk
http://lookup.avatars.yahoo.com/wimages?yid=karthefair&size=large&type=jpg&.intl=uk
Week 4, Thing 9
Well! I'm enjoying my bloglines account a lot! So cool to just go to one site for news and blogs I want to follow! :)
Now--I've added Merlin to my bloglines account, and I tried all of the blog/newd feeds. Not one was what I was hoping for! As Technorati says in its introduction--"Zillions of photos, videos, blogs, and more--(Some of them have to be good.)" I don't have that much time! I want to look for information (especially about cardmaking) not look through zillions of opinions on blogs!
(I did do a search on "Harry Potter," but instantly regretted it and stopped, afraid of any article or blog that would be a spoiler.)
I am really enjoying working on these 23 things, especially in the wonderful NO computer lab, but today is another day to say good-bye, and start my adventure at PI. Tomorrow we start our family vacation in a cabin in a state park in Garrett County--the best 2 weeks of the year!! :) If I can get time on the public library computers out there, I'll try to keep doing more things. If not, see you on August 13. (I might have even figured out how to take digital camera photos of my favorite places and put them in my blog by then. :)
Now--I've added Merlin to my bloglines account, and I tried all of the blog/newd feeds. Not one was what I was hoping for! As Technorati says in its introduction--"Zillions of photos, videos, blogs, and more--(Some of them have to be good.)" I don't have that much time! I want to look for information (especially about cardmaking) not look through zillions of opinions on blogs!
(I did do a search on "Harry Potter," but instantly regretted it and stopped, afraid of any article or blog that would be a spoiler.)
I am really enjoying working on these 23 things, especially in the wonderful NO computer lab, but today is another day to say good-bye, and start my adventure at PI. Tomorrow we start our family vacation in a cabin in a state park in Garrett County--the best 2 weeks of the year!! :) If I can get time on the public library computers out there, I'll try to keep doing more things. If not, see you on August 13. (I might have even figured out how to take digital camera photos of my favorite places and put them in my blog by then. :)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
I did it!
I bought a digital camera. :) Let's see if I can learn how to use it before I come back from vacation. :)
Week 4, Thing 8
RSS feeds rock! I set up an account on Bloglines and added 10 feeds without any trouble! It really does save time having the blogs and news (and even cartoons) in one spot on line w/o having to track each one down separately. :) I scanned them all in the fifteen minutes I had before going on desk.
Yay!
Yay!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Week 3, Thing 7
Whew! It seems like there has to be an easier way to learn technology! So much frustrating trial and error. I want to learn, but how??
I am interested in a digital camera--friends at Arbutus put together such a lovely scrapbook for me. Boy, would I love to take photos like that!
And IF I were able to get a laptop, what kind of options would I need for wireless and firewalls? So much to learn!
I am interested in a digital camera--friends at Arbutus put together such a lovely scrapbook for me. Boy, would I love to take photos like that!
And IF I were able to get a laptop, what kind of options would I need for wireless and firewalls? So much to learn!
Week 3, thing 6
At last!! I created a photo mosaic on big hugelabs.com :) (by long trial and error), but had no idea how to upload it into this blog posting. Tried one more way. . . .
Hallelujah!
An Arbutus Winter Reading Club mosaic on a warm July day. :)
Monday, July 2, 2007
Week 3, Thing 5
I love paper!
Erin has shown me how to upload a photo! Boy, I do need a digital camera.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Week 2-Thing 4--Register your blog
I registered my blog. In fact it looks like I registered it twice.! :~ Oh well, wonder what button I pushed twice. . . Can you flunk blogs?
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in eveything.
That's how the light gets in.
--Leonard Cohen
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in eveything.
That's how the light gets in.
--Leonard Cohen
Week 2--Thing 3--Set up a blog
I did set up a blog! I think I like the format I used because it looks like vintage paper. :)
Week 1, Thing 2--Pointers
Learning! Now that's what I do. :)
Easiest habit--teach, mentor others--that's a delight!
Hardest habit--telling myself I can be a competent technology learner. I mean, I'm finding it hard to even sign in! There are so many sites in this 23 things--when I'm on the Maryland Libraries Learning 2.0 site, how do I get to my blog?? Which id do I use to sign in where? I tried to post a comment to a friend's blog and couldn't figure out how to sign in there either. It's like there's this simple knowledge that everyone else knows without explanation that I can't figure out. Phew!
Easiest habit--teach, mentor others--that's a delight!
Hardest habit--telling myself I can be a competent technology learner. I mean, I'm finding it hard to even sign in! There are so many sites in this 23 things--when I'm on the Maryland Libraries Learning 2.0 site, how do I get to my blog?? Which id do I use to sign in where? I tried to post a comment to a friend's blog and couldn't figure out how to sign in there either. It's like there's this simple knowledge that everyone else knows without explanation that I can't figure out. Phew!
Friday, June 22, 2007
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