The mission today, should I choose to accept it, is to watch or listen to a podcast. I've already listened to/watched a few podcasts in the form of mini-lessons for learning 2.0. They were interesting and informative and served a specific purpose toward fulfilling my homework requirements. My computer doesn't seem to be fast enough to keep up with some podcasts, however, and the audio/video had frequent pauses throughout. It turned three minutes into four, but that was OK.
Today I found an audio podcast that sounded interesting using a podcast search engine (if that's the proper term). The subject heading were "quilters" and "quilting" and "quilts". Unfortunately, most of the four minutes was a lovely voice extolling the virtues of Autumn. She loved the lovely reds and golds of the trees. She loved wearing lovely sweaters all day without getting overheated. I loved it coming to a lovely end.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Feed me! Feed me!
I wanted to conclude my title with "Barf", but restrained the creative urge for just a moment.
I set up an account with Google Reader rather than Blogspot because it seemed easier to keep all the various accounts tied together. Ignorance can be bliss. Or not. I do find it handy to subscribe to "Unshelved", the online library comic strip this way. It keeps my e-mail in-box just a tad tidier.
As with all skills, perhaps this will become easier with practice. We'll see. The most difficult part of this assignment was deciding what information I wanted to be kept current on. I didn't find any. That could be because my search skills are seriously wanting, or because I'm a boring person. I'll assume the former for now.
I tend to eschew information overload, so I do not see myself desiring constant updates from anyone's blog or podcast. (no offense meant, dear friends) I do leave open the possiblilty that I could be wrong, but spending even more time in front of this infernal computer is not my idea of a good time. I'd rather bake a quiche, go for a long walk, read a good book, or work the Sunday crossword with Jeffrey the Wonderhusband. We can do this every day if we choose because I buy books of Sunday crosswords.
I set up an account with Google Reader rather than Blogspot because it seemed easier to keep all the various accounts tied together. Ignorance can be bliss. Or not. I do find it handy to subscribe to "Unshelved", the online library comic strip this way. It keeps my e-mail in-box just a tad tidier.
As with all skills, perhaps this will become easier with practice. We'll see. The most difficult part of this assignment was deciding what information I wanted to be kept current on. I didn't find any. That could be because my search skills are seriously wanting, or because I'm a boring person. I'll assume the former for now.
I tend to eschew information overload, so I do not see myself desiring constant updates from anyone's blog or podcast. (no offense meant, dear friends) I do leave open the possiblilty that I could be wrong, but spending even more time in front of this infernal computer is not my idea of a good time. I'd rather bake a quiche, go for a long walk, read a good book, or work the Sunday crossword with Jeffrey the Wonderhusband. We can do this every day if we choose because I buy books of Sunday crosswords.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Tag - You're It
My first impression of tagging was that of frustration. I never did manage to get the del.icio.us buttons to manifest themselves on my MSN homepage because "toolbars" is not a choice when I click on "View", as the illustrations show. I did, however, find the buttons on my toolbar when I went directly to Explorer, bypassing my MSN homepage. Wah, Wah, Wah...
I'm sure that social bookmarking has a promising future in libraries, particularly among reference librarians. For front-line staffer, I can see applications leaning more toward special interests of the individual, which may be tapped by the aforementioned reference librarians in order to assist patrons with similar interests. My pet interests are quilts and quilting, great campgrounds in Western Washington, and local birding. Perhaps my posts can be accessed so the topics I have already researched can save someone else the time and effort of doing their own searches.
The sites I saved to del.icio.us are those of 21st century quilters specializing in 19th century reproductions. These sites all have many photographs of quilts either made by these quilters or in their collections. I love making small quilts that look like they might have been doll quilts from a Little House on the Prairie set. Many share my passion, and I hope to share web sites with others who have found places to view pictures of new/old quilts to get ideas for new projects.
I'm sure that social bookmarking has a promising future in libraries, particularly among reference librarians. For front-line staffer, I can see applications leaning more toward special interests of the individual, which may be tapped by the aforementioned reference librarians in order to assist patrons with similar interests. My pet interests are quilts and quilting, great campgrounds in Western Washington, and local birding. Perhaps my posts can be accessed so the topics I have already researched can save someone else the time and effort of doing their own searches.
The sites I saved to del.icio.us are those of 21st century quilters specializing in 19th century reproductions. These sites all have many photographs of quilts either made by these quilters or in their collections. I love making small quilts that look like they might have been doll quilts from a Little House on the Prairie set. Many share my passion, and I hope to share web sites with others who have found places to view pictures of new/old quilts to get ideas for new projects.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Money Can Buy Happiness
As a student I always hated giving book reports. In my later years, I seldom read a book worth recommending except to say "this book is hilarious," or "what a terrific mystery - the author had me going right up to the last page." This time, however, I have read a book that has a message so timely that I want to share it with anyone that hasn't already learned this lesson.
The book is Money Can Buy Happiness, by M.P. Dunleavy. As you may have guessed, we are reminded that newer and better stuff will not make us happier people. How then can we use the limited financial resources we have to "buy happiness"?
First, pay off debt. Being in debt is a huge stressor and drain on happiness. There are many resources available to help with this step. Spend less than you earn.
Invest in yourself through education, formal or informal. The more you know or can do, the more interesting the world around you becomes.
Invest in your health. Eat well, get plenty of exercise, see your dentist regularly, and get those diagnostic screenings that we all detest. A healthy lifestyle has great payoffs down the road.
Invest in relationships. When all is said and done, it is the people in your life that really matter.
Set aside time to date your spouse, play games with your kids, cultivate shared interests.
Invest in fun. Go dancing. Be silly. Laugh.
Invest in your retirement. Take advantage of your 401.K opportunities, build an IRA, learn about investments and investing. No one wants to feel that they must work until they die or depend entirely on Social Security. You will do your kids no favors by having a good college fund saved for them if you will have to depend on those same kids in your old age for financial support.
Invest in your happiness by giving to those in need. Volunteer your time to build homes or serve at a soup kitchen. Donate money if your cause if far away or if time does not permit, but giving of yourself to those less fortunate generates a happiness like none other.
Money management has always been a big deal with me. I learned frugality from a mother who grew up more destitute than most during the Depression. I got to apply what I learned in a big way years ago I was a newlywed with a well-paying job and a husband with the same, and a brand new home with a 30-year mortgage based on both incomes. Before we ever moved into the house, I found myself pregnant and determined to be a stay-at-home mom. Priorities shifted in a hurry. Fourteen years later we had no debt, the mortgage was paid off, we both had fully funded IRA's, and the college fund was going strong. We did not have a ton of money. We just used what we had very deliberately. I'm proud of this accomplishment and want to share what I've learned with anyone I can possibly help.
I enjoyed this book because it reinforced some things I already knew, and gave me some good ideas to implement in the near future. It may not seem that eating right or saving for retirement are much fun, but losing one's health to poor habits or being dependent on the charity of others through poor planning are no fun at all. I've seen it. You've seen it. We don't want to go there, do we?
The book is Money Can Buy Happiness, by M.P. Dunleavy. As you may have guessed, we are reminded that newer and better stuff will not make us happier people. How then can we use the limited financial resources we have to "buy happiness"?
First, pay off debt. Being in debt is a huge stressor and drain on happiness. There are many resources available to help with this step. Spend less than you earn.
Invest in yourself through education, formal or informal. The more you know or can do, the more interesting the world around you becomes.
Invest in your health. Eat well, get plenty of exercise, see your dentist regularly, and get those diagnostic screenings that we all detest. A healthy lifestyle has great payoffs down the road.
Invest in relationships. When all is said and done, it is the people in your life that really matter.
Set aside time to date your spouse, play games with your kids, cultivate shared interests.
Invest in fun. Go dancing. Be silly. Laugh.
Invest in your retirement. Take advantage of your 401.K opportunities, build an IRA, learn about investments and investing. No one wants to feel that they must work until they die or depend entirely on Social Security. You will do your kids no favors by having a good college fund saved for them if you will have to depend on those same kids in your old age for financial support.
Invest in your happiness by giving to those in need. Volunteer your time to build homes or serve at a soup kitchen. Donate money if your cause if far away or if time does not permit, but giving of yourself to those less fortunate generates a happiness like none other.
Money management has always been a big deal with me. I learned frugality from a mother who grew up more destitute than most during the Depression. I got to apply what I learned in a big way years ago I was a newlywed with a well-paying job and a husband with the same, and a brand new home with a 30-year mortgage based on both incomes. Before we ever moved into the house, I found myself pregnant and determined to be a stay-at-home mom. Priorities shifted in a hurry. Fourteen years later we had no debt, the mortgage was paid off, we both had fully funded IRA's, and the college fund was going strong. We did not have a ton of money. We just used what we had very deliberately. I'm proud of this accomplishment and want to share what I've learned with anyone I can possibly help.
I enjoyed this book because it reinforced some things I already knew, and gave me some good ideas to implement in the near future. It may not seem that eating right or saving for retirement are much fun, but losing one's health to poor habits or being dependent on the charity of others through poor planning are no fun at all. I've seen it. You've seen it. We don't want to go there, do we?
Monday, October 15, 2007
KRL2.0 Oh Oh Oh
Up until last week, I lived my life at the tip of the tail of technological progress. I was not a technophobe, so much as I liked my simple life just fine the way it was, thank you very much. There were times, however, when disturbing little thoughts got me wondering if it might not be nice to know how to use some of the newer technologies to make my simple life even yet more simple.
In all of the assigned reading on the subject of KRL 2.0, Web2.0, Library2.0, etc., it became clear, in a murky sort of way, that users of libraries will determine the direction of change in the future. This is a scary thought when it seems that far too many adults of the future will have grown up reading (I use the term loosely) little more than comic books that aren't comical, and the hatcheted English of texting on their has-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink cell phones. I guess I must trust that these young people will change as they grow, as I did, from silly and self-centered to serious and self-reliant. (In truth, I am neither, but the alliteration works).
I like the concept of "43 Things". Making a list of goals and breaking them down into achievable, measurable steps, is a process everyone should incorporate into their lives. Self-determination seem a better way to grow than the "Life Happens" method. I'm still old-fashioned enough, however, that I will make my list with pencil and paper, to keep it handy lest I be caught with time on my hands in a power outage.
I will find a way to use this new technology for personal gain.
In all of the assigned reading on the subject of KRL 2.0, Web2.0, Library2.0, etc., it became clear, in a murky sort of way, that users of libraries will determine the direction of change in the future. This is a scary thought when it seems that far too many adults of the future will have grown up reading (I use the term loosely) little more than comic books that aren't comical, and the hatcheted English of texting on their has-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink cell phones. I guess I must trust that these young people will change as they grow, as I did, from silly and self-centered to serious and self-reliant. (In truth, I am neither, but the alliteration works).
I like the concept of "43 Things". Making a list of goals and breaking them down into achievable, measurable steps, is a process everyone should incorporate into their lives. Self-determination seem a better way to grow than the "Life Happens" method. I'm still old-fashioned enough, however, that I will make my list with pencil and paper, to keep it handy lest I be caught with time on my hands in a power outage.
I will find a way to use this new technology for personal gain.
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