Web 2.0 Euology

Well, it's not quite dead....let's just say it's taking a break for now.

The Library Department has finished its Web 2.0 learning initiative. And what a long, strange trip it's been. Back in November when this whole thing started, I never would have thought I would have my own blog or have set up so many internet accounts for online collaboration. Quite a trip indeed.

I can honestly say that I have enjoyed the 2.0 experience. I have learned so many things, connected with so many people and have so many more things I want to investigate. I can't say that I want to set up a "My Space" account, but I'll at least learn more about it. I did set up a Flickr account (probably my favorite of them all so far) and a Library Thing account (probably one I won't use so much - or ever) and del.icio.us (which I just love) - just to name a few.

Web 2.0 has taught me to keep an open mind and try not to show my age too much. Just because I don't want to set up a My Space account, doesn't mean I can't visit friends who have done so. I love all of the tools, engines and creator/generator tools available - how cool are some of those? I have come to learn that our only limits are our own imagination - or fear of not knowing something. You have to put yourself out there (to some degree) to experience these learning tools and then you make a decision if they are right for you or not.

On the other hand, some of those in library land (I'm thinking information staff) may be required to use these tools in the future in order to productively communicate with our customers and effectively deliver the services they demand. Time will tell, but I do know that we can't keep sticking our heads in the sand and ignoring these technologies and whatever else comes down the pike next month, or next year!

The future is now - we have to adapt, accept, and change if we are to survive.

Dicey Ice

My oh my...what a commute to work this morning was. I work just 3 miles from my house and would you believe that it took me 2 hours to get there due to ice on the roads? In Virginia Beach? Holly Hannah! We had overnight temps in the upper 20's and a very brief rain shower at 5am that commenced to turn every back road in the south part of the city into an ice rink! The last I heard on the radio there were 23 accidents just in Va. Beach. Geesh!

So of course, the whole day started off behind the 8 ball. But I managed to get some stuff done on top of a 3 hour software demo. Just another day? I think not.

Paneling and Painting

Silly me - I agreed quite some time ago to paint the paneling in my Mother's den. It's a small room and the dark panels really made it like a little cave. Well, we put it off since before the holidays so I decided that now as good a time as any. Last weekend, I spent two days scrubbing it down (the den is right next to the kitchen - think greasy stuff) and sanding and taping off the wood trim. Whew...that was enough in itself. Then this weekend, I got the paint cans out and got to work. Started Saturday morning at 9am and finished that night at 7pm. Ended up doing the whole job myself. I put on two coats of primer and two coats of latex and rolled the ceiling. My back felt like someone had hit me with a 2 x 4, my hand was cramped from holding either a brush or roller all day, and my feet - we won't even go down that road!

Then it was back over there today to take all the tape off - move the furniture back in place - put face plates back on outlets, hang the vertical blinds, etc. I thought it would never end. But we have success - a nice, bright room that will cheer her up when she's sitting and watching her San Diego Padres or Chargers play (too bad the Chargers lost today). I guess I should have taken before and after pictures, but my mind was just on getting the job done.

She's happy with it and I like to help her out because she can't quite do all of the things she used to do - and she's the most independent person I know. But she has some issues with being on a ladder the holding her balance, so it's best she doesn't attempt these kinds of things herself. Don't need her in the ER with broken body parts.

After that, came home, turned on the fireplace and the Patriots/Chargers game, had a glass of wine, got my favorite blanky and took a little nap. But my back and feet still hurt.

Playin' Around

I was playing around with a magazine cover generator with a picture my neighbor took in Key West last year....pretty cool, eh?

Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com

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Odds and Ends

I thought it was time to put something new on this here 'ol blog of mine. I think I already mentioned that our Learning 2.0 is basically complete - we just have to blog about the whole experience. I'll do that at a later date. Here's a picture of an asparagus fern on my deck trying to hang on a few more weeks. And I posted a new pic of Zippy at his new favorite spot - right in front of the sink by the dishwasher. Will add more later - when life slows down a hair...yea, right!

Rolly-O

Where do they come up with these names? First off, hate the red color theme of Rolly O - it's very annoying to me, but hey, that's just me. Second, this seems a lot like del.icio.us to me - just in a different format. Isn't that what del.icio.us is - a catalog, if you will, of your favorite web sites? LIke my last post, this would be just one more thing to maintain with logins, passwords, etc.

Library Thing

Another lesson this week was to visit a site called Library Thing wherein you can set up your own personal catalog system of books that interest you. And of course, you can share your catalog "thing" with others very much like delicious. I'm probably one of the few people in the library department that doesn't read a lot - I know - I should be ashamed. On a personal level, I don't see a need for this tool. It is one more account, login, password, and list to maintain and keep current and quite honestly, I'm in overload as it is. While I've enjoyed every bit of Learning 2.0 (I never would thought I'd have my own blog!) I just don't see myself using this particular tool. But here is the link to My Library Thing if you care to see it. Don't get too excited - there's only one book there at the moment.

Generators

WOW - what cool stuff! I just started on our 2.0 Thing lesson this week and the first one is about online image generators. My oh my we've come a long way and what a variety of stuff that's out there! I have marked the Generator Blog to my delicious account as I can see myself visiting this quite often to explore new things. I played around a bit with the Calendar feature in FD Toys and see where this could be quite beneficial. I have in the past sent photos out on CDs to have calendars made or gone to Kinkos - now I can do it from home! Cool.

Rainy Days and Mondays

Well, they aren't all that bad, are they? Actually, my favorite day of the week is a rainy Sunday. Nothing like cranking up the fireplace, putting on good movie and trying to stay awake through it all! Just love, love, love a rainy Sunday.

I found this picture a friend of mine took in the Florida Keys this time last year. Just makes you want to say "ahhhhhhhhhhh" doesn't it?

The Magnificant Blue Heron

If you read this blog on any regular basis, you'll know that my neighbor across the street has a pond and he's housing my fish for the winter while we figure out the leak. Two doors down to my right, there is another small pond, about the size of mine. Ok, there's your background.

I took Schatze out for a "business" trip this afternoon and as we approached the "other" small pond, I heard this strange noise. Lifting off in flight from this pond was a Great Blue Heron. What a magnificent site! With a wing span of what is easily 6 feet, this lovely creature flew to another neighbors house and sat on the roof for a few minutes before taking flight again and leaving my sight. It happened so quick I didn't have time to run in and get my camera. As much as well hate to loose fish to these beautiful birds, they are a sight to be seen!

OK - So It's Not THAT Cold Outside

I think we're on a warming trend. It's actually quite pleasant today. I even ventured out early and did my shopping at Wally World and that didn't suck. The place, for once, wasn't crowded with a ton of kids running around. I was in and out in one hour (which is unheard of for a Saturday morning) and the aisles were actually easy to navigate. Must be something in the water.

My friend Diane reminded me in her blog of the pending closure to our Learning 2.0 project at work. This coming week is our last lesson (or Thing as we've been calling them). It has been quite an experience and I've learned a lot. But I have another whole world of stuff I haven't touched on yet. I never did set up a My Space account but I did get one set up on Flickr. And that site has a lot of cool tools, gadgets and widgets you can use. I think I'll be there a lot. I already uploaded some pictures of a Christmas event and the folks I sent the link to just loved it. And I agree with my friend, we had some bumps along the way that we had to overcome and we can only hope that management will take those lessons learn and improve upon the training in the future. I haven't started any type of evaluation of the program yet - maybe next weekend.

I have managed to get back into my genealogy like I promised myself. I did a little more poking around trying to find some info on a family member on my Dad's side that was in the Civil War. It is like putting a puzzle together one painstaking piece at a time. But it keeps me off the streets!

Baby It's Cold Outside!

My goodness the weather is bone-chillin' today. The type of day that rips right through the middle of you. Heaven forbid you forget to take gloves or a coat with you! Shiver me timbers. But hey, after all, it is January and we're supposed to be a little cold, right? But what did I hear on the 6 o'clock news tonight other than it's supposed to be back in the mid-60's next week. It is no wonder that everyone and their uncle is sick with something. I just want to take a big can of Lysol and spray everyone I meet or run into. Including pets and especially small children. They are little germ factories!

A quick update on the pond leak. We tried the "find the leak with milk" trick but that didn't work. So we basically drained it down to nothing, cleaned it out a bit and re-filled it to see what would happen. And don't you know it's now holding water? Going on a couple of weeks now - go figure! All we can guess is that some yard gunk clogged the hole/leak for now but that we've still got a problem on our hands. At least the fish are safe across the street for the winter. We have a net over the pond due to the massive amounts of leaves we get falling and hubby found a mourning dove under the net beating himself to death trying to figure out how to get back out. He was able to set him "free" and he said the little bird stopped and looked at him as if to say "thanks" before he flew off. Ain't nature great?

We Made It

Yee Haw! We made it into the new year. Welcome 2008. I've been reading a lot of blog posts from friends of mine and special emails from friends and family about starting out new - making 2008 the very best we can. And you know what? That's exactly what we should do! The only obstacle in our way is fear. What is that famous saying "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." No one ever told us it would be easy every day. So I say suck it up and do what your heart tells you to do this year. Loose weight, join the Y, call your Mom everyday, see your best friend once a month. Whatever that inner voice is saying to you - go for it! No one is keeping score - but you!

On a different note - it's absolutely freezing outside right now. We actually had some flurries today. Brrr....the new year has come in like a battering ram. I promise in the new year to add more posts and pics about the pond (still trying to figure out the leak), the pets (still crazy as always) and family (well - I won't say anymore right now).