This is yet another test to see if this old blog can be work.

This is a test. Does my blog still work?

Week 9: Thing 23 (Summarize Your Thoughts About This Program)

I am finished, well, except for putting together my tracking log! UPDATE: Just realized that some of the names on my blog permalinks do not match the actual "things." When they said permalink, they meant permalink, so if I made a mistake on the "thing number"and corrected it later, it was too bad for me! Permalinks are very unforgiving! But I did them all regardless.
My thoughts are as follows:
What I enjoyed included the blogging (it was fun to design the color scheme, too), RSS feeds, online imaging generators and participating in our group wiki. I also enjoyed LibraryThing a lot (and need to get back to it to catalog my own personal library.) I found the Rollyo difficult at first and then the light bulb went on and I was able to figure it out. I am not sure how I will use it, but it reminds me of those pathfinders that we did in MSLS grad school so long ago (and pathfinders are still being talked about on LM_Net so maybe they are not so "dated" after all but just have reinvented themselves into a tech version...).
I am glad to know more about Flickr, but I am not really into photography so it was not my favorite exercise. But I may find that site more useful in the future.
Although I am not sure how much I will be "into" tagging, I am glad that I know what tagging is all about. When I see tags on YouTube (which I already knew about but enjoyed exploring further), I have a better understanding of how tags are used. But Sears and LC subject headings still work for me...why reinvent the wheel!
I really liked knowing that the online productivity tools are out there and absolutely loved looking at the award winning web 2.0 sites. I have found one of those sites very useful already in my personal life.
I am glad that I now know more about podcasts and want to get back to listening to those travel podcasts one of these days. (But somehow I think that spare time is going to be at a premium after August 26th!) The same goes for downloadable audiobooks, although I probably can check them out and burn a copy for listening while I commute to school.
Yes, I am glad that I participated in the "23 things" exercise, although I don't need the MSDE credit (although I will take it anyway...). I am also glad that the completion date was extended or I would have not finished! But I guess that the bottom line is that the many exercises expanded my knowledge base and made me think! And I had a lot of fun along the way!

Week 9: Thing 22 (Learn about Downloadable Audiobooks)

I love audiobooks, so can't wait to explore this. Now how I will get these into my car, I don't know! Maybe they can be burned to a CD? More later.
Well, I'm back after taking the tour and trying out the Mac version of Overdrive. I will have to explore the possible titles available at the public library as I go along. What would work best for me would be to burn a CD and listen while driving. I can't concentrate on audiobooks while cooking or even while walking around my neighborhood. Actually, I tend to speed read and audiobooks make me appreciate the details, but I need to be trapped in my car to tune into them. I often listen to a book on audio that I have previously read. Then it is easier to get out of the car when I reach my destination! I will have to say that I have always listened to David Baldacci books on audio and now have problems concentrating on his different "voices" when I pick up one of his books. P.D. James's books are also better (IMHO) on audio because they tend to be so descriptive. But whether I borrow an audiobook from the public library or download one from this site, an audiobook is certainly a way to read at times when I just need an escape from day to day life. And it is nice to know about some more choices of platform and devices to use when optioning to "read" via audiobook.

Week 9: Thing 21 (Useful Search Tools for Locating Podcasts)

Next up...podcasts! I found it easy to access podcasts (since I have iTunes). I then found that adding a Rick Steves' travel podcast to my Bloglines was pretty simple by clicking on ipodder.org which took me to podcastalley.com where I picked up the url for the feed to insert these podcasts into my Blogline list of feeds.

Either these "23 Things" are getting easier or I am getting better at using the features. It is probably a combination of both (as well as the fact that my mind is not cluttered with schoolwork in July!) As much as I am devoted to my work, I could easily put off going back to school until October 1st. I suspect that September is going to be hot, hot, hot since the summer has been somewhat cool. (And chocolate has been known to melt in student lockers on the top floor of my school!)

I am listening to Rick Steves talk about Paris (and those bookstalls along the Seine) as I type. Can't get any better than that!

Week 9: Thing 20 (Discover YouTube and a few sites)

Now that I realized (duh) that I could link the urls just like I do on our Claris 3.0 webpage software, I have gone back to link the urls in Things 12 and 8. This is the Wedding Entrance Dance that I saw on YouTube, courtesy of Jacquie, who posted it on LM_Net. Maybe a bit unconventional, but joyful! I liked it so much that I have watched it twice so far.

I also enjoyed watching America's Child video by singer and pianist Phil Vassar, which reminded me of a video made long ago by former colleague, B.A., (and that one was great, too) and some great clips from The West Wing. Here is one of my favorite West Wing clips.

Although I have always watched YouTube "for fun", I know that there are some training materials on it and perhaps that might be a good library application of this Web 2.0 tool.

Week 8: Thing 19 (Discover any site from Web 2.0 Awards List)

The most interesting thing about viewing the Web 2.0 Awards list is how many of the sites I now know because I have explored them in this class. I found the house that my brother is renting via zillow.com, read up on Twitter (although I really don't have time to wonder about what people are doing...), went to LinkedIn to see how my network has grown, etc. from the shortlist. Then I went back to the main awards page just to see what all of these sites do (just read the more detailed descriptions...). It would take more time than I have (my goal being to finish this class by July 31) to go to every site. But I will remember that they are out there or hopefully be more knowledgeable when I "hear" them mentioned on LM_Net (guess that is a bit hit as to which one of the 14 participants that I am!) But since we will be identifying ourselves soon (not on the blog, but maybe via an e-mail from J.S.), I guess it is not a big deal.