Thing 36

I had a lot of fun with this one. Some of the sites were already familiar to me. Some of the sites suggested seemed silly to me. I don't need help generating passwords, I need help remembering them. I did enjoy playing around on these sites, however. I made Hollywood signs for my co-workers and I made newspaper headlines. I can see a lot of use for these here at the library and especially, for my personal use. I used the newspaper generator site, fodey.com

Thing 43

I have seen TV ads for Hulu so checked it out and looked into Joost also. It was great to know that I can catch up on NCIS. I miss the new episodes because I am working. My probem, however, is that since I do not have computer acess outside of work, I would have to watch my favorite shows here at the library and TV watching on company time is frowned upon. I did like the fact that I could find old shows (a trip down memory lane for this baby-boomer) and these sites will be great to recommend to our classic TV fans. We have quite a number of patrons who enjoy the oldies and usually get them on DVD. I also like to watch Bones but I've missed it lately. Now I can catch up.

Thing 31

Okay, okay, so Twitter has a lot more uses than I thought. I read through the info on Twitter and find it is much more versatile than I expected. I don't know yet if I'll use it, however, as I have trouble just keeping current on my e-mail and facebook page.

Track Mom

Yesterday was the conference meet. It was the best of days. It was the worst of days. The day was sunny and windy and the familiar road to the school was long but pleasant through miles of farmland. I've been there many times before yesterday. I resisted the urge to follow the many garage sale signs along the way. The school where the meet was held is the site of many memories over the last four years, some of them good, some not. The host team is our favorite (?) rival. This meet was a bit of a grudge match between us and them, the other seven teams were insignificant. So, there we were for the last time and the day started off badly for my son and teammates. There were bad jumps and worse hand-offs and even the best of our boys posted less than their best times. My son left his last event alone, walking around the track, head down, disappointed at his performance. He almost caught that guy in the final leg of the relay. The relay team came in second by a fraction of a second. There were no team hugs and celebrations, just discouragement. I felt the agony of defeat for my son. It's tough being a mom sometimes.
The mood changed when the boys team won the conference title. The victory margin was slim but it's not how much you win by, but that you come out on top that counts. A win is a win is a win. There was joy at the end. And my son ran a personal best and he knows that his time goals are definitely within his reach. And to top it off, I left his car at the school for him (and walked home) so he and his teammates could go out and celebrate and plan and dream for the next meet, the sectionals. There is still disapoinment but there is also hope.

Sill No Time

I am trying to get through as many of the "More Things" as possible but it is a struggle for me. I know I am learning things for my own use as well as helping our patrons but I am really doing this program as library training. I work in a small-town library, well, actually I work in two small-town libraries, and though we have slow times, like when the weather is good or there are other activities going on in our towns, but we generally are very busy. We have too much work and not enough time. I have piles of work sitting here waiting for me and I am trying to do these "Things" as well. I know I could be doing this in my free time and I have done some of it when I can find a computer to use away from work as I do not have one of my own at home, but I find I am doing a lot of library work in my free time already. We all do. I spend time off doing work-related reading, research, and program planning. Don't get me wrong. I like coming to work most of the time and I like, maybe even love my job, but the library isn't my life. So, I will learn what I can from these "Things" and I will use my time at work when I can and I will eventually get through them all and maybe even be better at serving our patrons because of it. I know the value of finishing what I start even if I finish last.

Thing 29

I checked out some of the Google tools. I have a shared calendar already and I already use the maps and directions. I started my library and looked at some of the other tools. I have some of the same tools already on other sites so I didn't try out everything but I loved learning about the Google411. I can use some of these tools to help patrons here in the library which is the main reason I'm doing these "Things" anyway.

Thing 27

Okay, I said I would never Twitter and I still don't plan to but I did sign up to follow a couple of people. I appreciate the brevity of the tweets but from the ones I read I don't think I'll be using this "Thing" very often.

Thing 24, Thing 25, Thing 26

So, on to the next "Things." I have refreshed my blog although I kept it dark because I like it that way. I added some gadgets and moved things around. I often want to add new posts but find time a problem. I just started on these new things because I waited until I finished the first 23. Now for a mad dash to get as many done as I can. I joined the 23 Thins Ning and have been browsing the groups and the photos. I need ideas for this summer's reading program "Be Creative @ Your Library." Onward and upward!

Thing 22, Thing 23

I have glanced through the suggested sites for continuing my quest to learn more about the internet and all that it offers. I have found these 23 Things to be overwhelming at times, there is SO MUCH information out there, it is difficult to sort it all out. Thanks for guiding me through some of it. But I have enjoyed exploring some of it. I feel I should be writing in depth about how to use what I've learned here in the library. I'm still figuring it out. For now I will continue to visit my favorites of these sites, share what I've learned with patrons and co-workers, and decide if I really need all the networking accounts I have accumulated. It's been fun.
I would do this again, in fact, I signed up for More Things On A Stick but wanted to finish the first 23 things before I go on. I only started this because several of my co-workers said this would be really good training. I lost them somewhere along the way and I've taken far longer than I planned but I finally finished and I will go on. Amidst the frustration of some much information and so little time, I enjoyed the experience (most of the time) but I am still a Luddite at heart.

Thing 21

I have checked out some of the social websites that were suggested. I joined the 23 Things on a Stick on Ning. I posted a comment on someone's page. I added my Ning badge and I explored a group called Knitting in the Library. I even poked a friend. I can see how this kind of networking would be attractive to people and useful to connect people with similar interests. I imagine this would also be a great place for librarians to share tips on how to stimulate interest in libraries and how to better serve our patrons.

Thing 17

I have spent the afternoon searching the EBSCO databases. I have created my own folders and played around with designing web pages. I can see how this would help anyone doing research. I plan to recommend this to my college-bound son. I've already shown him the websites that can help him prepare for papers with a time-line. These sites are compatible. I can put research into different folders and pull them up whenever I want. I did have some previous knowledge of these databases from some library training.

Thing 16

WOW! I like these sites. I could have used them when I was in school, although I probably would have done all the work the night before the assignment was due anyway. These would be helpful to suggest to students who come in to do research for their various school projects. I like to suggest websites and other resources that they may not have thought about when I help them and I like these and plan to use them.

Thng 15

I have played computer games in the past. I do not have my own computer so I did not play the suggested ones, but I have played at my kids' homes. I find them addicting and prefer to do other things although I know they are popular with younger kids, many of them use our library.

High School Track and Field

I love track and field. My son is on his school team and I have been attending all his track meets for the past four years. I love the cameraderie in the stands with the other parents and grandparents. I cheer for all the kids on the team, not just my son, and I even have a few favorites on the teams we regularly compete against. Don't tell my son.
My favorite event is the 4x400m relay. My son runs it but that's not the reason I love it. There is something special about this last race of the day. Many of the spectators have already departed so the faithful gather at the fence near the finish line. Staying for the last race is for the hardy. Sometimes the weather is cold, sometimes it's raining. Sometimes the sun has already set and the kids are running under the lights. Sometimes it is cold AND raining AND dark. All the other events are done and the teams often gather at the far curve to cheer their teammates on. As I heard a sports commenter say, "Everyone remembers the last race of the meet."
The 4x4 is different than the other relays. Everyone starts and ends at the same place. They do this in the 4x800m relay too but that race doesn't have the speed. With two laps for each runner, it isn't as exciting. The 4x100m has the runners ending their leg at the four corners of the field and the 4x200m runners end in two different places and both these shorter races are hard to follow because of the stagger start. It is hard to tell who is ahead until the final hand-off. But the 4x4 runners all and begin in the same place. They are there to cheer each other on as they start and call them home as they near the hand-off and they are all there to congratulate each other if they win and console each other if they lose. None of the runners have other events in which to compete now, all they have to do is cool down which they do as a team. Everyone else is packing up and heading for the bus but the 4x4ers are jogging around the field, cooling down, savoring their victory, and bonding as a team.
The parents and friends pack up and drive home, often happy for cars with working heaters. We'll talk about the meet with our kids later. We'll remember the 4x400m, the last, and best, race of the meet.

Thing 14

I have been browsing the LibraryThing site. I could spend a lot of time on this one, checking out the different groups. There is so much information here and I think I'll find the site useful. I loved the library stories. Libraries are definitely interesting places to work. I also signed up for one of the groups. There is much more exploring to do on this site, but later. I am at work now and I get to go home now.

Thing 13

I set myself up with a google calendar. I am lost without my daily planner. My life is in that book. I will try putting everything on the new calendar but I still plan to use my little book. I can see the advantage of the net calendar however, as my contacts can add to my calendar if they wish. Now I have to remember to check this calendar. My little book is almost always with me, the computer is not.

Thing 11, Thing 12

I am still plugging away at these 23 things. I created a delicious.com file and added all my favorite sites for easy reference. I'm not sure I'll use it however. By doing the 23 Things I have found websites of all kinds in addition to the sites I already frequent. It is a help to sort the ones I find useful but sometimes I just want to skip it all and go home to knit.

I also checked out the social media sites. I signed up for Mixx as it seemed to fit me best. Some of the postings on these sites could have benefited from a little polishing. I like the fact that the news isn't censored and I can get different view points. Maybe I'll even contribute something myself.

No Time

I am still trying to get to these dang "23 Things" but time is a problem. We are so busy all the time at our library that I don't get a chance to work on anything not involving our patrons. We are busier than ever since the economy has slowed and people are discovering that everything is free at the library! It is a challenge, however, to meet the growing needs of our patrons and have time for to learn new things. I am enjoying searching Facebook and MySpace for old friends. I wish there was more time.

Thing 18, Thing 20

I have been exploring YouTube and enjoying the videos. I have watched friends with amusement. I have done research for my kids and I have even learned how to read a book. Check out those videos.

I also have both a MySpace page and a Facebook page. On my MySpace page I even have friends! I have been contacted by a few people that I had lost track of and it is good to find them again. My kids use these sites nearly daily to contact friends and family but I only check them sporadically. I like looking at the photos but I don't yet think of the computer first when I want to contact someone. This kind of communication is fun and quick. We can easily express frustration or excitement in a couple of sentences but it is the kind of communication we have when we pass an aquaintance on the street. I don't see these sites as tools for communication on a deeper level. Maybe I'm old-fashioned. My kids tell me I am.