Just gave my age away with that title, if you haven't figured it out before! As could be expected from my generation, nothing I learned will have any major impact on my personal life. I do not intend to go home and see how many "friends" I've collected on MySpace. I love my life; the only problem is that no matter what I do, I still have only 24 hours a day to cram everything in. Social networking gives us all kinds of ways to suck up as much of that precious time as we'll allow. Somehow, I doubt when it comes time for me to die (something a person thinks about more and more as s/he ages), I will lament the fact that I did not spend more time online.
That said, I certainly don't want to be blind to changes coming our way. I definitely want to keep up enough with technology to know what people are talking about and to add to the conversation.
I learned new things from 2.0, but I also was pleasantly surprised to find out that I already knew quite a bit too. Reading Wired magazine has been a painless, enlightening, and entertaining way to bring myself face-to-face with the 21st century.
I still believe that being a physical place is one of the major advantages of the library, a place where anyone can gather, share, be listened to, and yes, have their hand held when needed.
This is a big offering in a real world where the online world promises much but delievers little, where there is too much information, where data is mistaken for knowledge and information for wisdom, where friends are people you have never met, and where narcissism abounds. The library's job is to separate the chaff from the wheat and be there for our patrons, whether it's introducing them to helpful and valuable online resources, or explaining how to use what they already know about. Myself, I intend to keep my eye on that itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie, yellow polka dot bikini. As time goes on and we learn what is useful software versus what is fad, that bikini will start getting a teensy, weensy bit bigger every day.
Happycamper
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
#22
Try as I might, I saw very little purpose in any of this. I dutifully followed each link hoping to find something interesting----no luck. Also, by this time next year, most of this will be old hat or greatly modified or replaced with the current fad, so why stress. I made a tumblr account which was surprisingly easy, but who in the heck would be interested in what I posted. Heck, I'm not even interested in what I posted. I tried to post a video but backed off when I found out I would have to sign up for yet another account in yet another website. I am as caught in the world wide web as I want to be.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Nearing the End---#21 Video
This has definitely been my favorite project so far. I discovered You Tube before 2.0, and if I had time to squander online, this would be my drug of choice. I checked out the other video sites mentioned on the 2.0 blog, but none holds a candle to You Tube. In fact I couldn't find much interesting on any of them. Of course, I am looking only for something to watch, not to post, or to edit.
You Tube once was the source to answering a reference question I could not have answered any other way. Also I have a patron who loves George Raft and told me he used to dance, and she has a video with a short segment where he is doing the tango which she watches over and over. Did I ever have fun telling her about You Tube and was delighted when I found three short clips of George Raft in all his sultry dancing glory. We watched them in silence, but the George Raft charisma was still there.
On a serious note, I am trying to help do my part in spreading the word about the troubling drugging of foster children with high powered psychotropic drugs meant only for adult mental patients in hospitals. This drugs are used on even very young children to control behavior and make them sleep. (Often the sleep and behavior problems are caused by other drugs or by the trauma in their young lives.) Anyway, I found some interviews on You Tube with foster children who have aged out of the system and were willing to speak frankly about their experiences. I then emailed these videos to an Oregonian reporter who is doing articles on this subject. Let's say a picture is worth a thousand words.
On a lighter note, I like You Tube best for music videos. One of my favorites is that darling Nikki Blonski who starred in Hairspray. If I need to get going, watching and hearing her sing "Good Morning Baltimore" is a real day starter. For a sweet romantic mood, try "I can hear the Bells."
Or for a sexy, romantic rhumba to rival George Raft's tango, try the couple from "Strictly Ballroom" dancing to Doris Day's "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps." Anything a video nerd like me wants is at their fingertips via You Tube. And you don't need to sign in either!
Happy Camper
You Tube once was the source to answering a reference question I could not have answered any other way. Also I have a patron who loves George Raft and told me he used to dance, and she has a video with a short segment where he is doing the tango which she watches over and over. Did I ever have fun telling her about You Tube and was delighted when I found three short clips of George Raft in all his sultry dancing glory. We watched them in silence, but the George Raft charisma was still there.
On a serious note, I am trying to help do my part in spreading the word about the troubling drugging of foster children with high powered psychotropic drugs meant only for adult mental patients in hospitals. This drugs are used on even very young children to control behavior and make them sleep. (Often the sleep and behavior problems are caused by other drugs or by the trauma in their young lives.) Anyway, I found some interviews on You Tube with foster children who have aged out of the system and were willing to speak frankly about their experiences. I then emailed these videos to an Oregonian reporter who is doing articles on this subject. Let's say a picture is worth a thousand words.
On a lighter note, I like You Tube best for music videos. One of my favorites is that darling Nikki Blonski who starred in Hairspray. If I need to get going, watching and hearing her sing "Good Morning Baltimore" is a real day starter. For a sweet romantic mood, try "I can hear the Bells."
Or for a sexy, romantic rhumba to rival George Raft's tango, try the couple from "Strictly Ballroom" dancing to Doris Day's "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps." Anything a video nerd like me wants is at their fingertips via You Tube. And you don't need to sign in either!
Happy Camper
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Podcasting, or simply casting and hoping somthing gets hooked
This project turned out to be fun, but I would need much more time to really explore. I could not figure out how iTunes works but I finally did find the link to podcasts. I downloaded iTunes to my computer, but I don't know where it went. At any rate Firefox can't find it, so I couldn't listen to any poscasts there.
I went to podcasts.net looking for something that wouldn't put me to sleep and unfortunately settled on a 17 minute recording of four or five women talking about romantic deal breakers. It took these ladies 3-4 minutes to finally cut the small talk and get to the subject. After all that they never said much interesting and continued to chitchat. I could have read it in two minutes and wasted much less time. There was an interesting short podcast from the American Bar Assn on how to do quick and dirty research in 30 minutes or less on free websites when the client can't be billed (at which point they apparantly use the expensive databases.) Anyway the ideas weren't bad, but they would do better to call their local law librarian or public library in my opinion.
I used yahoo.podcasts to find the Legal Underground podcast on depositions. Here is a goldmine for anyone having to be on a jury or anyone filing a lawsuit pro-se or anyone called as a witness in court. It helped me get inside the mind of the lawyer. I haven't read anything quite so specific to the lawyer since I haven't access to legal journals. The lawyer spoke quickly and to the point which I appreciated.
Happycamper
I went to podcasts.net looking for something that wouldn't put me to sleep and unfortunately settled on a 17 minute recording of four or five women talking about romantic deal breakers. It took these ladies 3-4 minutes to finally cut the small talk and get to the subject. After all that they never said much interesting and continued to chitchat. I could have read it in two minutes and wasted much less time. There was an interesting short podcast from the American Bar Assn on how to do quick and dirty research in 30 minutes or less on free websites when the client can't be billed (at which point they apparantly use the expensive databases.) Anyway the ideas weren't bad, but they would do better to call their local law librarian or public library in my opinion.
I used yahoo.podcasts to find the Legal Underground podcast on depositions. Here is a goldmine for anyone having to be on a jury or anyone filing a lawsuit pro-se or anyone called as a witness in court. It helped me get inside the mind of the lawyer. I haven't read anything quite so specific to the lawyer since I haven't access to legal journals. The lawyer spoke quickly and to the point which I appreciated.
Happycamper
Sunday, February 3, 2008
#19 Music and other audio
Music is not a big thing with me. I don't listen to the radio and couldn't match up the artists and music from much past the 60's. Sad, I know. I recognize some of the songs; I just don't know who sang them. After all I used to listen to lots of music in the car and roller skating when my kids were teens. However, I have to say that last. fm is great for suggesting similiar music. I put in some really old rock 'n roll, and it brought up artists I used to like in my past life, commonly called youth. Also you can't listen to the whole song, just a clip unless you join.
The sound effects site had limited sounds, and I couldn't just listen to them. They have to uploaded, downloaded, or emailed.
I did have a good time on the internet archive looking at cartoon and animation videos. My favorite was a one minute presentation on Fair Trade using Sims---very well done. I think youtube is a lot easier to use though.
Mango languages could be very useful, even in a library. I started out with Russian, but it was not clear what was going on. I then switched to German which I know a bit about. I think a person could learn enough for a trip if they went through all the lessons. There is lots of repetition.
Happy Camper
The sound effects site had limited sounds, and I couldn't just listen to them. They have to uploaded, downloaded, or emailed.
I did have a good time on the internet archive looking at cartoon and animation videos. My favorite was a one minute presentation on Fair Trade using Sims---very well done. I think youtube is a lot easier to use though.
Mango languages could be very useful, even in a library. I started out with Russian, but it was not clear what was going on. I then switched to German which I know a bit about. I think a person could learn enough for a trip if they went through all the lessons. There is lots of repetition.
Happy Camper
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Goggle Docs
Wow, this has been frustrating. After some headbanging, I finally typed up my blog post in docs, followed all the instructions explicitly, and guess what, nothing happened. Is there a blog post here, NO! Sam is my witness that I did everything correctly, so there. However there is a possibility that it takes time for the blog to show up from docs, so if there are two posts here, ignore my ranting and raving.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Cool Stuff
Wow, this was fun. Obviously I signed up for the blog readability test and was quite puffed up when I was granted a Genius reading level. (I hope you noticed my cool badge or whatever it is called attached to this blog.) Deflation was only a heartbeat away when Sam let me on the inside scoop that genius level might be a red flag for booooring. Don't say I didn't warn you.
My next fun trial was easy enough; scrapulous is a natural. I love scrabble and all games that are part chance and part brains. I like this site because you can play without registering as long as you want to play solitaire with only yourself or against a robot. That robot is too darn smart and most likely cheated. Otherwise how did it get 240 points to my lowly 85 before the game was halfway through? In fact the robot chose words I never heard of and would likely challenge in a real game. Still this is fun and educational---a good way for young people to pass the time while learning.
Another word for Wordshoot could be Just Shoot Me Instead. For someone who has struggled with typing for 45 years and is not likely to get any better, this game is a nightmare. If I ever am forced agaonst my will to play (isn't this called Hell) the pharmaceutical industry will benefit as only a high dose (preferably lethal) of high blood pressure and antanxiety meds would get me through the torture.
Good bye from the Happy Camper
My next fun trial was easy enough; scrapulous is a natural. I love scrabble and all games that are part chance and part brains. I like this site because you can play without registering as long as you want to play solitaire with only yourself or against a robot. That robot is too darn smart and most likely cheated. Otherwise how did it get 240 points to my lowly 85 before the game was halfway through? In fact the robot chose words I never heard of and would likely challenge in a real game. Still this is fun and educational---a good way for young people to pass the time while learning.
Another word for Wordshoot could be Just Shoot Me Instead. For someone who has struggled with typing for 45 years and is not likely to get any better, this game is a nightmare. If I ever am forced agaonst my will to play (isn't this called Hell) the pharmaceutical industry will benefit as only a high dose (preferably lethal) of high blood pressure and antanxiety meds would get me through the torture.
Good bye from the Happy Camper
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
