Random Things? I Never Do Anything Random! :)

The sun sets in Hawaii and on the 23 things or more correctly the 10 random things.


1. I grew up in Bay Village, a suburb of Cleveland, in a house my Dad designed and my parents built and lived in for 52 years. It was a block away from the Cuyahoga County Library Bay Village Branch.


2. My favorite flowers would be Daffodils in the Spring and Forget Me Nots in the Summer.


3. I'm currently trying to learn a form of Tai Chi to help reduce my life stress and I think it's working.


4. My favorite vacation so far, was January 2008 when I went on a 7 day cruise around the Hawaiian islands and then spent another week on Maui.


5. I love watching football, any football, even if it's two bad high school teams. Basketball...yuk.
   
6. I will reread books that I love. One of my favorites is Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray. My sister says there are too many books in the world to reread, but I think she is wrong.


7. I have been a Girl Scout for 45 years and have a lifetime membership.


8. I love singing any "old" Girl Scout Camp song and I know a bunch.
   
9. I love to do sparklers and have a huge supply I use for every occasion and sometimes for no occasion.
   
10. I love taking photo's which is tricky since I don't own a camera at this time. So guess what I'm hoping to win:)

See, That Wasn't So Bad Now, Was It

I'm just closing in on number 23. I knew when I started that I was technologically challenged. I've removed myself, finally, from the computer illiterate status. I'll have to agree with what Armchair Coach said in a recent video, without the structure it's very hard to go exploring on your own. So, the structure was very helpful and all the information for each thing made it much easier for me.



Everything I tried, all 23 things from starting a blog, to rss feeds, to flickr, librarything, etc were all new experiences. I don't love them all and I am not really good at some of them, but I've had a taste and now can go back through and explore at a more leisurely pace.

My favorites would still be flickr and librarything.

I like learning new things and I like poking around until I figure things out. When I haven't been able to figure them out it was great to have co-workers who were helpful. I hate feeling dumb and, although this was incredibly challenging for me, I liked learning something new everyday.

As far as doing something to improve the program, I'm especially grateful for your finely tuned ear that listened to our cries for more time and granted it. That helped with my stress level of trying to get everything done in a short amount of time when I mostly didn't have a clue what I was doing.

Would I do something like this again? You betcha. Even though I love winning prizes and I will accept if so chosen, the learning and exploring and getting help from co-workers was the best gift. I was even able to help out a few people along the way and this is a remarkable to me.

Go ahead, say "Learn" and I'll definately say PLAY :)

Trying to think of a new name for M OLD I

MOLDY TO MOLDI

moldy books by protogarrett Digital Book by jbracken

Well I've included a few photos of moldy books and MOLDI books. Big difference! As you can see, a MOLDI book will never be moldy as it disappears from your device in 14 days.

I've been exploring the Moldi website at home from my own computer and from library computers. Fascinating stuff! How cool to be able to listen to or read a book from my computer and then have it disappear after 14 days with never any late fines. Cool thought from the circulation view that I so often have to deal with customers with overdue fines.

I found a book I wanted to read and I tried to download it last night but couldn't figure out how to do it. I'm going to keep trying until I figure it out. I noticed that on the website it says to ask a library staff member for help and I know that when customers call the Infoline for help we pass them right back to Moldi.

If I can figure out how to do this, perhaps I really will be able to help customers in the future.

Podcasts Podcasts Podcasts Podcasts

Well, I've done some exploring about podcasts. Finally figured out how they work. At this moment I can't say it's my favorite thing. Perhaps when I have more time to explore it I might change my mind.

I found there are some libraries that have podcasts.

I added the feed (once I remembered how to do that)for to my bloglines account. I'll be checking that in the future to see if my fondness for podcasts grows.

More exploration has occured. Help, I'm drowing in Podcastland. There must be something worth listening to. I listened to one called Life in Ohio and the guy just seemed to ramble on about having Veterns day off and how he and his wife had spent the evening, any maybe some other stuff but I just couldn't make myself listen anymore. I'm definately going to have help to find something worthwhile in this activity. Meanwhile, I believe it is time to post.

U Tube or YouTube?

Recently someone pointed out to me in a most kind manner that I had spelled YouTube incorrectly on my blog. I called it UTube and I think I'll stick with it. It will help me prepare for Instant Messaging. Or as I should be saying IM. Of course, like all languages, it's a code and if you don't have the key you can't speak. So UTube it is for me.

TTFN as Tigger would say.

Photo by Peter Pan from Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterpanfan1953/2910779701/

Working on the Podcast. Floating in a sea of confusion. Will I ever get a handle on any of this Learn and Play stuff I muse. I have learned a few things that I'm pretty darn happy with. Annoyingly happy I must say.

But the podcast, I am in a pod, darkness all around me. Perhaps I will bump into the other pea and she will be able to help me.

I've explored a little. So it's like listening to a radio I say. Yes. But anyone can add to this cacophony which makes it different than radio. Like a blog with sound I think.

This can't be what I add to my tracking log, but just in case anyone rides up on a horse and asks, I'm a wee bit lost.

Photo by: lady_elsinore
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=peas%20pod&w=65365136%40N00

U TUBE? and not on a river

I've just finished exploring a little bit with U Tube. No I think to myself, it is not about going down river on a tube. I guess that's really called tubing. Hey, I wonder if I could find a U Tube of Tubing. (Time Out) Yep there's U Tube tubing for your entertainment pleasure.

Actually I kept hearing about the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I had read his book, The Last Lecture and was interested to see if it was on U Tube. Of course, it was and I've been able to view the entire lecture. It was inspiring and thought provoking.



It takes just over an hour to view this, but it's a good one.

I started thinking about how U Tube could be used in library settings. Training of some sort comes to mind. Engaging the public on screens throughout our buildings with information comes to mind.

What I like about U Tube is the entertaining videos that can be seen. What I don't like is that probably in my lack of knowledge, I don't know how you post things on the site, how you edit, if there are easier ways to find what you might be looking for. I also looked at a few things on google videos. This maybe something I'll need to explore more in the future.

I watched several of the Columbus Metropolitan Library movies. I notice that the library is getting alot of air time with the local Fox news network. What I'm really wondering is why someone in the know at the library is not attempting to correct their subtitles and talking with the correct name of the library. Mostly I saw Columbus Public Library or heard Columbus Library. I hope that when levy time comes around, the news media has the name right. Seems like a small thing but with all the branding emphasis I think it's important. Plus there really are alot of libraries around the country called the Columbus Public Library. In the new Web 2.0 age I could see someone trying to do a little research on CML and typing in Columbus Public Library and not being able to find our website with the information they need.

Tool time with Bits&Pieces

This was easy. I know all the information came out about the CML Toolbar, but it seemed I never had time to explore it and figure out what it is all about. I answer phones and two of the items on the toolbar are exactly what I need every day. Now that I've figured that out, life will become a little easier.

I left a post on Tooling Around about how I thought I might start focusing in on only using my Gmail account. It's worked already. I sent something I wanted to show someone to my Gmail account and could pull it up immediately without having to be at work or on my home computer with an incrediably long password I can never remember. I just check it at home.

Yea Gmail. Here's hoping my life tech support, Lisa can help me figure out the highlighting feature. I'd love it.

This is a picture I want to highlight. It is a statute of King Kamehameha I located in Honolulu. This is what will be featured on the last "quarter" Hawaii left to come out. Ihaven't seen one yet but I'm keeping in eye out as it is the last piece for my collection.

Wahoo - Award Winners I Like

Wahoo or Yipee maybe. I scrolled through various award winners looking for something to spark my interest. I tried learning a little bit of Greek on Mango, attempted a game or two hmm wait a minute, that wasn't off the award winner list. Anyway, I tried out some fun stuff and was pleased with my new hair from hairmixer. No it is not my Halloween hair. I'm wondering if I but a case of gel and go to my hair woman if I could actually look like this.

Late in the day is when an honorable mention site caught my eye. It's under Fun Stuff and it's One Sentence. The site allows you to submit stories that are only one sentance long. I've always been told that I'm good at summing things up and putting them in a nutshell. So I tried. I have the perfect one sentance story. I fill in all the information except my name and then I foolishly click on SAVE assuming it will save. In fact, on this site it SUBMITS. So I dashed off a quick e-mail to the one with all the power explaining my dilema and have already heard back from him. Now I'm just waiting to see if it's good enough to post.

I'm thinking this site is a really good way to practice putting everything you want to say in one sentance. I've read some work e-mails and memos that might benefit from this site. It might engage kids in a fun way to practice writing. Not the overwhelming 1500 words or 6 pages double spaced kind of writing.

Google doc: A Bit of a Document or Album

Well, I've been playing around with Google docs and I'm finding it quite interesting. I can see how sharing documents from a common place would be excellent when you are not all working in the same room.

I didn't exactly have a thought as to what to try for a document. So I explored the website a wee bit and came across templetes for albums. Now we're talking. I went to my Flickr account and found some photos to play with. The templete had a few quirky things but I'll be visiting Google docs in the future to play around with some more ideas.

This photo is part of my Rose and Iris album. I'm just taking advantage of reviewing what I learned yesterday to make it stick a bit in a piece of my brain.

The Sandbox Wiki Bit

I'm probably confused but am starting to think this is a normal state of my being anyway. I've just been playing with the CML wiki. I added my favorites to a couple of the "Favorite" categories. It felt like I was having fun, adding my own and reading what other staff have as their favorites. It was, well like playing in a sandbox with friends. The Infoline/Rovers are using a wiki instead of a thousand bulletin boards and notebooks to look through for information. I'll have to suggest that we add a "fun" category to help me figure out how to use it more easily.

TTFN

Wiki A Hawaiian term meaning bits and pieces

Ok, I don't think that is really what Wiki means in Hawaiian. But a wiki certainly seems to be full of bits and pieces of useful information. The infoline/rover team has one set up and it appears to be very useful. I think it's a good idea. Unless of course, my more cynical nature coming out, the computer doesn't work.

I hope that the wiki will be useful no matter what location I am at, to be a one stop shopping as it was for information.

The photo that you can't see is a photo from Hawaii, the place where the word wiki comes from. Perhaps I will be able to fix it soon with the help of my mentor. Well of course the brilliant Type A Librarian helped me put the photo in. It is on the Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii.

I believe I have just successfully added by blog to the CML wiki. I'd like to add at this point how relieved I am that the timeline has been extended for this. It's all so new that even with the great directions that I am given, I still spend my "20 minutes" searching around for which button to click on next.

Library 2.0 what a piece

I read it all. All of the articles, and my eyes are bugging out and my heart is pounding. I'm pulled back and forth by my thought of what a library was when I was a child, what it is now as I work at one and what it will be in the future. I am overwhelmed and feeling totally behind in all that is and may be involved.

My first "iceberg," the just in case collection, from the Rick Anderson article http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/2.htm makes me wonder. I have heard or read that a physical book may not be in my future and that makes me sad. I try and think if curling up on a winter's day with a cup of hot chocolate and the snow flakes falling outside the window would be the same with some electronic format. If it will evoke the same sense of satisfaction that I have with a print book. That being said, I don't usually go to a book format for information until after "doing a google".

The barriers that prevent customers from being able to use new technoloiges need to be removed. It's a concept I have of a bending tree. The limbs bend to fit the customer. Not a rigid fixed tree that requires customers to fit into the tree.

The article by Wendy Schultz I will need to reread serveral more times to see if I can wrap my mind around it.

I have the sense from all of these articles that life is moving on and I need to get on board or get left at the station. I'm running to catch the train before it leaves the station. Maybe that isn't a bad thing. I can still run and it might turn out to be a great bit of fun to catch the train.

A Piece of Del.icous

I've been exploring Del.icious the last several days as I have time. I keep wondering how this would be helpful to me. Is it better than "Favorites" for example. Do I really need one more thing to try and look at. Finally it occurs to me that Favorites would just be on my computer and I could log into Del.icious on any computer. Ok, I might have to pursue this some more.

Twitter a Bit

I have found my way on Twitter. It still seems a bit foreign. I'm not sure how it would be best used for library services. Perhaps, if I had a little more experience I'd have the perfect answer for you. Right now, I'm happy to have gotten a tweet in.

My twitter account is http://twitter.com/Bits_Pieces.

Library Related Blog Line

Learn and Play Learn and Play Learn and Play Learn and Stress Learn and Stress Learn and Play Learn and Play

http://www.bloglines.com/blog/bitspieces

Blogline Bit

Having been swept through the winds of Ike and answering a zillion , no exageration! calls at Infoline, I'm thinking a little bit on some RSS feeds and bloglines.

I like the idea of being able to go to one place to keep up on various pieces of the world. I think only time will tell if I can really use this piece of 21st century technology. Most news things make me want to hide. I can only take so much before I have to put down the paper, turn off the tv or shut down the computer and go for a walk in the woods. In fact, I used to tell my friends that I didn't read the paper or watch the news. "You have to" they would declare and I would declare back to them, "No I don't. If you see something you think I need to know, call me." Now, I might be up to date on my own in a few quick minutes.

Here's the link to my blogline.

Library Thing A Bit Bigger Then A Piece

WOW you have my attention with librarything. I'm not sure how I'll use it exacty but it looks like it will fit the bill for some things I've been trying to do at home. It's so easy. I love it.

I was telling my sister at dinner the other night and she said, "That's to much work." I replied "oh no it's not, you just type in the title or author and everything comes up" Maybe she'll try it too.

I wanted to title mine Rose&IrisLateNightReads but it wouldn't fit in. What fun!

http://www.librarything.com/

A bit of a puzzle

Source: BIGHUGELABS.com

Wow what a bit of fun I had with this piece. I've had to explore Flickr as I have all these wonderful photo's from my fabulous Hawaiian vacation in January. Now I get to join my love of jigsaw puzzles with my Hawaiian celebration!

Anything you can do I can do

Well, a post about anything involving technology leaves this pretty wide open doesn't it. I've greatly enjoyed winding my way through different pieces of websites and applications. I still spend a lot of time turning to my neighbor and saying what does this mean.

The flickr site has really grabbed my attention and it's something I will continue to explore and use for my photos.

Finally, I received an e-mail from my friend of the workshop she had signed up for at Otterbein.

"In an effort to keep up with you, I’m taking this workshop on Friday."

How fun to have other people involved in learning and playing together.

Library Montage rrr from Flickr

O I am still learning and often so very lost. I found my way to Montager, which I thought was interesting. After I typed in a word Library, a thumbnail photo appears in the top left and then a montage of "library" photos is created that looks like the thumbnail. I tried to save it to post here and now it is lost. Perhaps, later with help I will be able to recreate this and post a link.

Two noteworthy thoughts:
1) As you glide over the montage the individual photos popped out and that was fascinating to look at.
2) The original thumbnail photo for library, was two teens gaming. This will give me something to think about the rest of this day. This wasn't a photo of "my" library, but obviously it is a photo of what the library is.

On the Flickroad

I believe that once your journey has begun, you can never go back to where you were. It's never satisfying as your world expands to new vistas. So each bit of new technology that I learn about and attempt is expanding my world. I begin to sound knowledgeable among friends who have never heard of these things. I don't know all that much but I enjoy letting them think I'm smart. I can never return down the road I came from, it's no longer satisfying. Best to move on, always knowing someone will know more than I do and will help me, just I can help someone who knows less.

Today, I used an online resource called BigHugeLabs to transform a picture into the photo you see above.

Politics and Twitter

While I'm not one to be to involved in the political scene, I was watching CNN on Saturday. The anchor was talking about the Democratic VP choice and partly doing so by reading from his Twitter account. 2 weeks ago I had never even heard of twitter. This project is helping me become much more aware of how people are communicating. What can this next week hold in store for me to learn, I wonder.

Kim to the rescue

Today, my co-worker who shall remain anonymous, needed a little extra lunch. I shared mine with her and she is helping me with this. Don't tell her, she'll be helping me with this forever:)