Pet Finder #71

I went to petpicker.com. I have to admit it was fun, but both times I tried it, it picked ferrets as my pet. I like ferrets, but I know they have way too much energy for me, and I'd have to reform my house. (Maybe not a bad Idea, but probably not too practical) I then went to ASPCA, and various animal rescue sites, but I didn't have much luck pulling up the kind of dog I would like. All of them were too big. (how does small and fuzzy pull up lab mix???) I guess I'd need to go to the cavalier rescue to find what I like, but the one in this area doesn't have a website. Luckily I'm the proud owner of the meanest little fuzzy dog in five states, so my search is academic.

Spring Cleaning #30

I went through my Z drive and managed to delete stuff. Found some great stuff I had in weird places. I need to get a gizzy to save some stuff on. I partially went through the P- drive, but since it is communal, it is difficult to know what to delete if it not just your project. Maybe a To Be deleted File for everyone to review? Still It's better than it was. (I got rid of all those on-order files from 2000). I've used the S drive as necessary, but I'm sure that anything I put on is long gone.

Spring Cleaning #29 E-mail

I've been through my e-mails again. They still need some cleaning up, but I'm working on it. I go through them fairly regularly, but I really hate throwing ANYTHING away. You always need it as soon as you get rid of it.

#28 Spring Cleaning--Don't Clutter Up Cyberspace

I was disappointed in this session. The idea is good, but the Wiki guy didn't really have anything new, just a rehash of old ideas using stuffy management jargon (horizontal?? vertical??) to add unintelligibly and the necessary academic sleeping pill (by adding those elements, he can be hailed as a bright, new management star and make the big bucks as a consultant, plus add to his published works for tenure)
My dad explained about the tickler file in the '60's(President Eisenhower used it) and and an old boss explained the "three drawer management system" in the '70's. Both excellent systems. I guess I was expecting a little more.

Week 10 # 23 Is this really the end?

I have several comments to make.
1. 10 hours is WAY WAY too little for the actual amount of time spent on this. I suppose if you already know /or are familiar with the materials, 20 hours may be just right, but for many of us, especially us technophobes and NeoLuddites, it is not enough.

2. Starting with the blog is good, since with all the use I feel fairly comfortable with it. However there has been so much thrown at us in such a short time
with so little instruction, that most of what I have been exposed to is one
amorphous mass. I have e-mails, websites, memberships, passwords to who
knows what, and have very little idea of what password goes with which
program.

3. Given how busy we are, the items should be spread out over a year. Begin with the blog for about 2-3 weeks since it is the basis for reporting progress. Then Wiki, since that and Flickr are the two most likely to be used at the library. Give them about a month each.

4. Each topic should have a step by step detailed guide either printable or downloadable (many of us are linear thinkers and "just find someone on staff who knows to help you" doesn't cut it, especially if most of the staff aren't particularly interested in technology.) Spending 4 hours on a Friday morning (a busy catch-up day) after having spent several frustrating hours during the week trying to work the exercises isn't too helpful.

5. Take the oportunity to make more meaningful exercises other than just signing up for whatever program is this week's topic. Using the program several times over a period of time will make the information stick better.

Blogging isn't as bad as I thought, although since I have never been one to write a diary I don't see myself blogging. I will have to use Wiki and possibly Flickr although I don't use a real camera well, much less one of these electronic gizzies. The Avatar was fun. I always wanted to be a red-head. If I ever get a computer, Library Thing would be fun (and useful) I could spend my whole retirement organizing my books. The word processing deal might be useful too. As for the rest, I'll probably never use it.

As member of the Tribe of the Book, firmly planted in the 20th if not the 19th century, I am not impressed with 2.0. Perhaps 2.0 enthusiats might do well to meditate on the recent computer soap opera (death followed by amnesia) before they write off (can they write?) low tech solutions. I'll do what I must, but the book will outlast me.

I do not have Life Long Learning Goals. I learn what I must to survive. I learn what I am interested in for joy. Goals do nothing but kill the joy.

Week 9 #22 Downloadable Media

I am familiar with the library's downloadable media and explain it to patrons upon occaision. I tried out the other two sites, and didn't like them as well. They would be great for people looking for classics and older materials, but for people like me with frivolous tastes, not so useful. If I had a computer and listened to books on tape, and didn't have an actual book, I might use the library site, but frankly unless you are driving in a car or there is no actual book available, I don't think I would want to use it. (You still can't take an MP3 player or a computer into a bubble bath.)

Week 9 #21 Podcast

Checked out the various podcast directories. They were full of stuff. It isn't easy finding the nugget in all that huge slag heap. The Google effect, I expect. All kinds of junk, just not the junk you want. I found two Podcasts? but the directory wouldn't let me save it to Bloglines so I picked up Muggle net to fulfill the requirements. The other podcasts are saved, but I'm not altogether sure where. Had to get help. Hate that.