Week 9 - Thing 23 - Summary

All in all, I'm glad we did this project. However, it was not possible to get this accomplished on work time. Perhaps that was due to short staffing and a busy summer. I always had to move on to a new "thing" before really being comfortable with the one I'd just looked at. Of course, this introduction to the "things" at least lets me know what's out there, what I might want to pursue and use and also "things" I can share with friends and patrons. I look forward to using a few of my newly learned technologies and becoming proficient with them. Many, many of these I just won't be using. I'd like to do more of this type of learning - and do think there are potential practical uses on the job.

Week 9 - Thing 22 - Audiobooks

Since I've been out of town for nearly 2 weeks and won't be back to Maryland till after Labor Day, I'm not able to register for downloadable audiobooks through FCPL. I really intended to do that before I left. I've helped numerous patrons register at the branch and I agree with Caroline that the questions are few and far between and it's hard to remember or even know the answers. That's why I do intend to do this eventually so that I'll be more familiar thus able to better help patrons. Recently the 2 contrary marys had a patron bring in a device and she wanted to know if it was the right thing to use for downloading audio books. We struggled with this for a while. Mary finally did some research on the device and then she did a folder with all the available info that we have so it's readily available at our fingertips.

I decided to look at Project Gutenberg and really liked it. Last year my book discussion group did a classic from the 1800s. I was able to get enough copies through ILL but to help I read mine on my computer. It's one of many classics that one can find with a Google search and simply read online. It was exciting to see that I can read or listen to this book FREE through Project Gutenberg. The book is Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett.


There's a great explanation of what one can and cannot do with the ebooks. Free and Free of Charge are terms that are defined: free - don't pay free of charge - do as you like with the book

A great link to Things you cannot do with the ebooks: Su Blackwell's art using old books - 3D sculpture, etc.

Week 9 - Thing 21 - Podcasts

I looked at Yahoo podcasts and found some book club related ones. Also, for fun, looked up collectibles and found some very specific ones like Marilyn Monroe collectibles, etc. Went to library related podcasts and found the Westerville Public Library site. Adult Services blog was interesting - took a look at their adult summer reading program - Better Read than Dead. Tried to pull up their podcasts: home improvement and storytime, but everything is super super slow this evening so I'll need to try these at another time. Same goes for RSS - wanted to add that library but it's sitting - not doing a thing.

I'll have to wait another day? TIME? TO GET THROUGH

Week 9 - Thing 20 - YouTube

First of all, I've chosen a video of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy being married. The reason I chose this is simple. My first blog post (Week 1) included quotes from Kermit (I was reading his book:Before You Leap - A Frog's Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons. Re-cap - Kermit says if you don't find something to do with your free time then someone else will. Without naming names, but her initials are M.P., Kermit states that this person will find something to do with you and your free time. He hints that it probably won't be fun and it definitely won't be free.

Is he having fun in the following video from YouTube? Did I have fun with 23 Things?
Watch the video first and then I'll answer the questions in Thing 23.

YouTube is certainly easy to use. Library use - there must be some creative use of this that is legitimate - I'll need more time to come up with those ideas.

Week 8 - Thing 19 - Web 2.0

Have already explored many sites from the Web 2.0 list so for Thing 19 I've chosen something new to look at: Backpack. This is supposed to be a good project planning tool to use for personal management. Nice features are that it's accessible from anywhere and on any device. It's supposed to be easy to use - time will tell. Best of all - FREE. Organizing to-do lists - actually making them to start with - it all sounds good. How many times have I started a to-do list - next time I think of something to add to it and have to start another list because the first one is elusive. I do plan to at least consider using this, but I might find it more useful at home rather than at work as have others who made comments on the site.






To Do or Not To Do - that is the question. Found this interesting insight!!!

The Not-To-Do List: Bad Habits to Stop Now
By Tim Ferriss

This week I realized once again how “not-to-do” lists can be just as effective—often more so—than to-do lists for upgrading performance. The reason is simple: what you don’t do determines what you can do.

Here are nine stressful and common habits that entrepreneurs and office workers should strive to eliminate. Focus on one or two at a time, just as you would with high-priority to-do items.


I’ve worded them in no-to-do action form:

1. Do not answer unrecognized phone calls
2. Do not e-mail first thing in the morning or last thing at night
3. Do not agree to meetings or calls with no clear agenda or end time
4. Do not let people ramble—forget “how’s it going?” and embrace “what’s up?”
5. Do not check e-mail constantly—“batch” and check at set times only
6. Do not over-communicate with low-profit, high-maintenance customers
7. Do not work more to fix overwhelm—prioritize
8. Do not carry a cellphone or Crackberry 24/7, seven days a week—make evenings and/or Saturdays digital leash-free.
9. Do not expect work to fill a void that non-work relationships and activities should

Week 8 - Thing 18 - Google Docs, etc.

Playing around with Zoho Writer, but ran into a few quirks I have to go back and look at. Also looking at Google Docs. Organizing photos, etc.
This can be real handy. Photos are from Open an Umbrella Indoors Day - a program I did back in March 2007. The adults refused to open umbrellas indoors. The kids had no such qualms even though many were aware of the bad luck superstition.

Used Picasa in Google Docs for this post.

Week 7 - Thing 17 - Sandbox

Wish I had more time to play around reading everyone else's favorite things BUT all work and no play might make Jack a dull boy but right now it's in my best interest to be like that ant who worked real hard - any more playing around will be harmful to my well being!

BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE

I easily added an entry to the SandBox Wiki - I put my 2 cents worth on the love rug hooking page. I included info on our resident hooker out Brunswick way - and gave her website which is full of photos of her gorgeous hooked rugs. I also added Tea Time to My Favorite Things page. Wanted to add some photos of my favorite teapots but need to go back and edit the size later when I have more time.

http://www.hookedrugshop.com/

Week 7 - Thing 16 - Wikis

Seems like Wikipedia pops up every time I do a Google search on anything whether I'm doing a reference search at work or one at home. It's so familiar.

Looking at other library related wikis was fun. I especially enjoyed the Princeton Public Library's Book Lover's wiki which included a summer reading club for adults. I plan to share it with our adult programmers. Other library wikis involved single event programs. That could work for our Frederick Reads as well as linking to our book clubs and summer reading. Should be easy to do - maybe a bit time consuming.


http://www.booklovers.pbwiki.com/

Week 6 - Thing 15 - The Future

I read through at least 5 of the various perspectives - spent quite some time going through them a few weeks ago, but just couldn't seem to put my thoughts on "paper" and now it's no easier.

The thinkers and innovators out there are essential. We just can't sit by with that wait and see attitude. Then again, some of us have to just keep up with the day to day stuff - there are roles for everyone to play. That's life.

A few thoughts on the following:

Dr. Wendy Schultz
Infinite Futures
To a temporary place in time...
On the way to the library experience of the future...she describes the debate of Lib. 2.0 where current trends are transforming our information infrastructure - the trends themselves are evolving, mutating and changing - rapidly. This 23 Things experience we are participating in is a perfect example of how much is out there and how quickly this has all happened and will continue to. It's a struggle to get on top and stay on top. That rising ladder is described as Library 1.0 - Commodity (books)
Library 2.0 - Product (packagaing the commodity) Library 3.0 - Service and Library 4.0 - Experience

Sometimes I think that the commodity as we have known it - holding that actual book in your hand - reading by the fireside, in bed at night, etc. will never, ever, ever be totally gone. It's just really hard to give that up. That is an experience in itself. However, the new experiences described in libraries of the future are also appealing: "Library 4.0 revives the old image of a country house library, and renovates it: from a retreat, a sanctuary, a pampered experience with information—subtle thoughts, fine words, exquisite brandy, smooth coffee, aromatic cigar, smell of leather, rustle of pages—to the dream economy’s library, the LIBRARY: a WiFREE space, a retreat from technohustle, with comfortable chairs, quiet, good light, coffee and single malt. You know, the library."

The reality is that we are hearing about libraries that are having to close their doors, but there is also still hope when communities realize how important libraries are - that libraries are communities - are people.

As far as the commodity - THE BOOK - it's an old friend and you know that famous song: "Make new friends, but keep the old...One is silver and the other's gold."

Week 6 - Thing 14 - Technorati

Technorati - there's just so much on this no.1 ranked search engine. You can get lost forever - the last thing I looked at was a mini widget for someone so obsessed you need a mini window to always know who's saying what every minute. I really did look around a lot, but I just don't need even a smidgen of what I'm taking in - at least not YET!

I took a look at Technorati (did not officially join, but because of already using Blogger, I discovered my blog is on Technorati.

Week 6 - Thing 13 - Tagging

Tagging - Del.icio.us

I registered on Del.icio.us and plan to try out this new toy. Found The Simple Dollar: http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/02/19/15-things-you-can-do-right-now-to-help-your-career/ with tips on cents and sense (new article with job tips) and lots of frugal advice. Actually added this to my bloglines acct.

http://mutopiaproject.org - this one has free sheet music (classical)


And this one...how to stop complaining!!! http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2007/08/how-to-stop-complaining/

Week 5 - Thing 12 - Rollyo

Rollyo might be great for some, but I'm content with saving a few sites in my Favorites or Bookmarks. However, I've played around with it and tried creating a couple of searchrolls.

http://rollyo.com/maryo

Week 5 - Play Week - Things 10 & 11

Week 3 - Week 4

I've spent a lot of time exploring Flickr, mashups, RSS feeds and Newsreaders. Finally had to stop and actually get outside for a while with my grandson, Adrian who was spending too much time with his Playstation. Fun uploading his photo.

I ran across a tech talk by Merlin Mann, productivity guru and creator of 43 folders, a family of websites about personal productivity, "life hacks", and simple ways to make your life a little better. www.43folders/com

His workshop with a Google group titled Inbox Zero really caught my eye. If any of you struggle with too much in your inbox then you need to watch this. A high volume of email requires a system so you have a life outside of email.

Get a system - BUT KEEP IT SIMPLE

Time and Attention ARE finite

Manage actions

Basically - process to zero every time you check your email!

Processing is more than checking and less than responding. 5 verbs to do with email as quickly as possible: 1. Delete or archive 2. Delegate 3. Respond 4. Defer 5. Do

Merlin also recommends that when you archive you use a single folder - not 24! Anyway - get all the details from his podcast. http://www.inboxzero.com/

I set up my Bloglines account and have started subscribing to feeds.

Adrian (my grandson) named the toad Timone!

Week 1 - Week 2

"Why is it so important to find something to do with your free time? Because if you don't, someone else will."

Looks like I'm gonna have to get caught up with 23 Things during some of my "free" time. Oh well, this is supposed to be lots of fun - right? And free time should be lots of fun!

7.5 Habits: I love learning new things - in fact I'm counting on all that brain activity warding off dementia in my old age...And I find it easy to teach others things that I've learned to do well. There may be times when it's ok to keep a good thing for yourself - but for the most part - it seems selfish not to share knowledge or skills with others. Y'all know that old saying about teachin' a man to fish... So, that's Habit # 7 - share what you know - it's really very easy.

Now that pesky Habit # 3 - that's the one about viewing every problem as a challenge - WHOA - hold your horses on that one! I agree that there are tons of "opportunities" in my life that I have learned not to treat as end of the world crisis situations But and that's a big BUT - because there are seasons in one's life and times when heavy duty stuff happens. And it happens not with a whimper but a BANG! one right after the other and sometimes one right on top of another and another and another. Fortunately, there are seasons and they do change - just as with the weather - attitude is everything.
April Showers bring May Flowers (Some unpleasant occurrences bring about better things). I'm workin' on it - but it ain't easy.


The first sentence up above is a direct quote from a book I'm reading: Before You Leap - A Frog's-Eye View of Life's Greatest Lessons by Kermit the Frog. Indulge me here...
p. 190 - "By this point you may be wondering why it's so important to find something to do with your free time. The answer is really quite simple. If you don't find something fun to do with your free time, someone else - and I won't mention any names here, but her initials are M.P. - will find something to do with you and your free time. And take it from me: It probably won't be fun and it definitely won't be free."

p.s. Breakin' out of the box (coloring outside the lines) - if that's being contrary - I just might plead guilty.