Carrot Stick

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Thing 30: More Ways to Use RRS & Delicious

RSS
I did establish a Google Reader with the first 23 things. I have never used it.

I think it is interesting that all these Internet products are supposedly created to make our lives more efficient but in the end more products are needed to just help with the overwhelming number of "voices" that are coming at us from all sides. Voices that say "answer me" now and give us guilt trips when we don't.

Products that filter RRS feeds! Products that help you read through your news feeds faster! Products that are viral marketing tool that say "Buy, buy, buy!" Yikes! Being connected electronically all the time because why? Staying socially connected? Politically informed? Getting the best deal? I think it is a lot about voyeurism - peeking in the window of other people's lives and minds on an incessant basis. Where is the peace and self-contentedness in all of this?

I spend hours each day reading email, School Library Journal professional articles and book reviews, and the daily print newspaper delivered to my door. I also have homework each week for two Bible studies I do with my church. I choose to fill my life with these things. In my spare time and when I exercise I read or listen to new juvenile fiction so I can recommend books to the kids at school.

No more voices! No RSS feeds!

Delicious
The tastiest bookmarks on the web! I liked this tool from the very beginning! It is so useful!

Good tips on using delicious - http://www.bizzia.com/slackermanager/the_several_hab/
I like knowing about the "settings" section where I can edit my tags.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Thing 29: Google Tools

• Alerts - I don't see any need personally for these alerts at the present time. My K-5 library - probably not - nothing is ever that critical. But who knows...one day...

I did let my son know about Google Alerts (he probably knows already!) as he has some very popular websites he has developed where he has problems with people copying his content.

• News - I can see setting up this kind of new service if I ever want to follow a particular new story over any length of time.

•SearchWiki - This is way too advanced for any of my needs. I just type in my term, visit my search results and move on. I cannot imagine spending any time customizing my Google search results! Seems like it might be a ploy for Google to improve their own way of analyzing search results??

•Web History
I don't need my web searching history saved - I like to start fresh, with no history getting in the way of searching any given topic. But, alas, it seems like Google is and has been keeping track of my searching along!

1-800-GOOG-411: Google's 411 service - free information service from anywhere! I want my pizza delivered that fast!

•GMail - I already have two email accounts. I choose not to set up a GMail account at the present time - but I like it and could one day make a switch.

•Google Calendar - I can see its usefulness in group-wide activities, but not for me personally yet. I make little paper to-do lists and write on my paper calendar. Remember I am the one who carries a cell phone turned off in my purse - but I like it there for rainy day emergencies.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Thing 28: Customized Home Pages

What is this?
These are personalized start pages -- also known as Web desktops or customizable portals - the convenience factor being the main appeal. "Instead of visiting 10 sites every morning, you just load your browser."

This start page combines all the web service pages I use to one access page or feed aggregator - which becomes MY HOMEPAGE! - it's a one stop solution to corralling all my activities on the Internet, i.e. where I can view content from many feeds in one location.

I chose Netvibes because it seemed to get the best reviews. It is very customizable and provides social functionality by being able to share modules with others.

Personal comments:
O.K. That was fun. I got my home page all set up. It looks pretty and is pretty functional. I named it "Karen's What's Up Page." I especially like the box where I can make notes to myself. I also like the fact that I can check both my email accounts from the same place!'

I can see where this type of re-mixing web pages all in the same location would be real handy for any group of people working together on the same thing - like staff or classroom projects.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Thing 27: Twitter


I will not get a Twitter account at the present time.

For a person who keeps her cell phone turned off in her purse and rarely makes an outgoing call - maybe every other month - Twitter does not interest me.

I reluctantly joined Facebook. I only go on it when someone asks to be my friend.

I am feeling the same way I did during the first 23 things on a stick - only more so. Our world has become sooooooooo "It's all about me." In the name of socializing we have our noses in our handheld devices all day long - our hardware - and not looking into the eyes of the flesh and blood people around us.

I thought blogging was so "it's all about me!" now we have microblogging that answers the question, "What are you doing?" for all the inbetween times when we're not blogging! How arrogant! For all the gems that come out of Twittering there a truck loads of time-wasting refuse.

I love my family and friends. I have a husband, children, neighbors, colleagues, church friends - but I pick up the phone when I want to say something socially - and that is not very often. I can email when I want to say something - but that is not very often. I am a private person who likes to live a quiet life with the least "noise" possible. I listen to music and audiobooks, watch little TV, and I read, read, read professionally and recreationally. I leave email to Monday to Friday and don't care to check it over the weekends.

I read all the intros and viewed all the videos for this "thing."
I go the most out of David Lee King's "10 ways for librarians to use Twitter."
http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/03/10/twtter-explained-for-librarians-or-10-ways-to-use-twitter/

I understand what he is saying- I am just not interested. Maybe someday, if I glean it to be professionally useful or to be part of a life-important network - but I will certainly not use it socially.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Thing 26: Ning-a-Ning-a-Ning


I had already joined the "23 things ning" last spring. So today I participated in a discussion that was going on in the School Librarians and Media Specialists group about what our favorite "thing" is that we have used in our library media centers.

I mentioned the blog I had recently created for my grades 2-5 students to use to study the Dromedary camel. Here it is: www.ourcamelblog.blogspot.com.

I hadn't ever used the ning professionally before - sharing about what I'm doing in my job. I can see using it to ask around about things that interest me or put up something I think others could be interested in.

Thing 25: Bloggers' Toolkit

I read the article "Twenty usability tips for your blog." Informative but I am just not there yet with blogging. I will try to add more visuals, however.

Every Google gadget I tried to add today said the URL had an error in its script.?? I had added the Blinkx widget the other day and it worked but it was way too busy for me to have here - after all. So I just got rid of the post and started over again and now I can't get any widgets to add??

But I have learned how to add photos, a search bar, and a response system - cool!

I spent probably 2 hours on this thing. I wish I had someone next to me to help me when I get stuck - it can be VERY frustrating!

I have been to Tuscany, below!