It's My Life

Google has such neat apps and feature.

To start with I choose to look into Google Alerts. I set up two for the time being. I wanted some news on the Kentucky Wildcats and on country music and my fave country duo group, Montgomery Gentry. This was very easy to do and to customize each one. Everything I have set for news, sent to my email, and to check for once a week.

For productivity tools I choose Gmail. I'm always interested in what I can do to customize the interface and what neat tools that I can use to make the experience much better. I only have a couple of lab features turned on; I'll need to go in and tinker with those some more. I like that I can easily select the emails that are school/course related, family, etc. and save those for future reference. I did look at Google Sites, I browsed through some sites that people have created to see how they were putting things together. I may actually put a family one together...

I looked at the Google Health... WOW. I'm not really sure what to think about it. Ones health is personal and should only be discussed between the patient and doctor and whoever else the patient decides to go into detail with...like a spouse. I would be afraid to put in too much info and someone hack Google and acquire this information.... But it would be nice that much of our health information was electronic in like a national database(isn't this one Obama's to do list?) that if I'm visiting family in Kentucky and something happens, they (Ky) doctors could access my medical records with the few keystrokes and a click of a mouse.

I have iGoogle set up for my homepage and I use so many other Google apps that it's nice that everything is under one roof. However, I did take a look at Pageflakes, which is really cool too.

Either one, I found really easy to set up and add gadgets too, delete those you don't want and move around on your page. Even setting up my gmail account on Pageflakes was easy.

On my iGoogle I have some of the following gadgets: Gmail, some news on UK sports and Kentucky news, top stories, hangman, Rolling Stones, DVD releases, All Recipes, my local weather, a calendar and clock and more.

On my PageFlakes: Facebook, gmail, Topix, Suduko, CNN news, Country Music news, sports news, similar gadgets as to what I have on iGoogle.

As for useful gadgets, news is a top one to have and email too. I haven't explored too many more gadgets, but if there is a gadget for DVD releases, then there must be a gadget for books and music releases, those would be useful to a library user. But it is easy to get caught up in exploring the themes and gadget these.

Ok... I'm not completely sold on Twitter. Since I already use Facebook and Myspace and both of those offer status updates and more, Twitter seems like I'm doing the same thing, but with less interaction.

I'm still looking for this Twitter badge.

I'll probably come back to this one again after some more exploring it, but like I said, I'm not sold yet..

I signed up for Ning sometime ago. I actually belong to a number of the Ning communities: MyShutterspace, College 2.0, Library 2.0, and 23 Things on a Stick. I use MyShutterSpace more so then some of the others... I need to get more involved in the library related ones. I'll soon have my B.S. completed and will and would like to consult with more media specialists in the state of Minnesota.

So, in search of finding a poll widget that meets what I'm looking for, I may have found one. I visited MyStudiyo and found the setup a little confusing, but it wasn't all that much of a headache. Creating an account was short and sweet. None of this waiting for an email and clicking the link blah, blah stuff.

I think I may have to, whenever I want to add an interactive photo rating, I'll had to make individual blog posts. I'm not sure it that's what I want to do. I thought I can add a blog widget and that be in HTML code. I have some playing around to do later...

Anyways, I'll see how this works. Here's a go at it...

Well, widgets can be addicting. That's about all I can say. There are so many to choose from and so many that are neat that it I can see how easy it would be to overload the blog and having nothing but widgets.

I added a clock, UK news, and a photo widget that I'll use to display my photos, I'd like to rotate a photo on a weekly rotation and add a poll ratings too for the photo. I'm in search of a widget that I like specifically for that purpose.

These widgets I added right from blogger, which to me is easier instead of creating accounts with various sites. It's hard enough to remember passwords, I have a hard enough time remembering the password to do any online banking... ;). Plus, my gmail is so full of email from I don't know how far back, that I need to do some housekeeping on that. Maybe if I ever get that cleaned up and then create the tabs needed for some of these neat separate sites, might make keeping up with different passwords a little easier of a task.

I haven't posted anything in a long time... I'm on maternity leave after giving birth (well c-section) on December 30. She was a breeched, 9 pounder. I'm still taking courses, but should have my bachelors completed by the end of this year.... YEA!!!! In looking ahead to "More Things on a Stick" I'm looking forward to the widgets and tech fun!

Here's a picture of Kiley Jules...

Well, with trying to find time with this busy summer. I'm attempting Thing 12 now. The nice thing about sites like Digg, Mixx and such is the fact that the news headlines are located in one place. No going to CNN, MSNBC, looking for your headlines.. .and like it was mentioned in the description for Thing 12, there are no editors picking the headlines. These are all average web users voting on their picks.

I'm not sure if these are a productivity enhancer or distractor. I really haven't used these to be honest and so other than seeing how benefically these are as a one stop for all sources is nice. I don't know about other things.

I looked around Mixx... that one I liked the best. Probably because of the whole general layout was pleasing and had a hip look to it.

Can you see the potential of this tool for research assistance? Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?
Both uses. I hadn't thought about as a research tool, but now that it is mentioned, I can see how del.ici.ous can be of use in that department. As for being able to bookmark my sites in one location, now I can be at work and not have to email myself a link to bookmark on my browser window. Ha!!! I don't have to do that anymore by using del.ici.ous.

San Mateo Library's Del.ici.ous, is really neat with what they did. They cataloged their sites by Dewey. Very neat. It looks as though they have basically took and created a library of websites. Out of the examples given to peak out, Menasha Library is done very similar, there is no Dewey, just sites cataloged by subject matter, I also like this, probably the most because I think in general patrons now are thinking when they come to a library, they want to know where dogs or computer books are. I think they are familiar with the Barnes n Noble theme of subject headings, and many expect to see that when they come to a library. Which I have no problem with either.

I edited the 23 things on a stick wiki. I made the short enter with the Happy Easter statement. I think many of these Web 2.0 features should be used with schools. It got me to thinking with a friend of mine who was a teacher, but recently was hired by the school she was working at as their IT person. She has mentioned to many staff there about using a blog or something to communicate about event planning, for example school dances, prom, etc. It provides another alternative to collaborating, especially when one is unable to attend.

As for schools baning Wikipedia as a source. I guess it makes since. However, shouldn't teachers be teaching their students to be selective in their research. Anyone can create a website and post whatever content they want, true or false. It is knowing what to look for and judging the source that makes effective researchers.

I just used the Google pages maker recently for a class. I created an online pathfinder on photography. I find that it is nice that everything is packed with Google, I have my blogg and email all through Google. It's kinda like a "one store has it all". Everything is available in one location. Now for Zoho, maybe I'll use that after I experiment more with it and see what it offers that Google doesn't and vice versa. The templates are cool, and I can add emoticons to content. I lean more with Google, but I'll give Zoho a try. I may find I like it better.

Here is the pathfinder that I created using Google Pages. I don't think anyone can edit the content, I'm not finding a specific setting to turn off or on. If it gives you this option, please do not edit. It is for a class. Photography Pathfinder

Wow!!! This is really neat and it took no-time to get my eFolio setup. I still want to do more tinkering with it, but this really is nice. I have an educator friend who in the past, mentioned this a lot, but I always thought it was specifically for high school age students, I knew nothing about it.

I spent a little time browsing through other eFolios. I so need to beef mine up...lol, add more content to it, and get rid of that icky background that is associated with mine.

My eFolio

I can see how using all the photo slide shows, mosaic maker and such can be used in the library setting. For example, my library is in the process of converting a meeting room into a teen room, so a number of the pictures showing the process can be created into a slide show and then placed on the teen myspace page.

As for LazyBase, I don't know what to think of that really. Not much for directions and I'm not sure how this site can be used. I'll just have to spend a little more time looking it over and all.

Email: Well as quick as it is to talk/send a message to the whole staff at one time, it doesn't get much use. One would think if there is some kind of even coming up or something that patrons are going to be coming in asking about, it would be important to keep the rest of the staff in the know, instead of just one or two. Communication is lacking at my workplace.

I think a lot of the other Web 2.0 communication tools would be so helpful. There have been many times that I had a question and needed only a quick answer, IMing would be a simple solution. Anyways, we are in search of a new library director, so maybe someone will be hired that has a fresh ideas and is open to implementing some of Web 2.0.

I happen to be the youngest employed at work, so I grew up using IMing services, and texting friends on my cell phone. So I'm no stranger to those forms of communication, the only thing I'm a stranger at is some of the shorten lingo that is used. I haven't searched the web for any cheat sheets yet. I'll have to do that someday.

Here's a couple of things I generated with some photos of mine. It is really nice that I can link my Flickr account to Big Huge Labs.

While your visiting my blog, scroll down to the bottom and click to listen to my personal playlist of music.

Click on the link below for a pop up of my Slashr presentation.


My Presentation

I never really knew these apps were around for us to use like this. I think it's a great way to showcase a collection of photos that belong to a group or series. Libraries can group their program photos together, teen events, present those in a slide show on the web, and there.. instant online photo album.

My posts are a little out of order as I set up my Flickr account so that I could post directly from Flickr to my Blog. Oh well. Anyways, what can I say about Flickr, I LOVE IT. I have all my personal photos setup for friends and/or contacts can view that are private and my public ones for all to see. As you can see from my avatar, I have a camera in hand. Even though in RL (real life), I don't always have my camera with me. Excuse me for the lingo there, I've been playing SL (second life) for a while now, RL is just a shortcut.

I also use Photobucket, but only for blinkies that I find across the web. Flickr is strictly my photos. Have a look: photosbytandy

Some things are tagged, some are not. I have some housekeeping issues to clean up. But tagging makes it easier to find your own photos and photos belonging to others. My groups, haha, I belong to too many. Hmm... my groups include: country music group, Pentax K100D, Kodak Z612 group, a group on Macro Photography, a B&W group, among a few others. It is to addicting, put I haven't been out taking pics in a month or so. I need a nice pretty snow fall to get me inspired.

This is one of my contacts photos, by Burning Rubber. I love the stories that is put together in this collection of the hamster. This is by far, one of my faves among the hamster collection. One never knows where or what the hamester (Erdmann) is going to be. Kinda like the traveling gnome. But this is way cuter.

Got my RSS feeds set up. I chose the Google Reader. It's just easier for me to keep everything with one company I guess. My email is with Google, blogger is Google's, everything is Google..lol.

Anyways, it was simple to setup the feed reader. The only little minor thing, I had to click around to find the search box for feeds that I was looking for. You have to click the "Add Subscriptions" under the white box about sharing with friends.

So, I added the following
The Shifted Librarian
Star Tribune
Kentucky Wildcats- Cat's Pause
WKYT- Sports First
WKYT-WYMT Mountain News
Reader's Club Latest

The nice thing, especially since I'm keeping things all within one account basically, log into my gmail account, then click to view the reader. Anyways, it is nice to have one central location to check on the news that only matter to you or want to keep up with.

Teachers and media specialists could use the RSS feeders to stay in the know of subject matter that pertains to their area of expertise.