RSS Feeds Are AWESOME

In the past 45 minutes I've metamorphasized from a normal human being into a GREAT BIG GEEK!!! I really love Bloglines. In fact, I think I may marry it. (Geeks are allowed to make geek-y jokes, right??)
As you could probably tell, I tend to be a Google snob and think everything Google creates is better than anything their rivals create. But I've changed my mind. I looked at Google Reader, and John had even set me up a Google Reader account as part of my iGoogle home page, but I have to say I prefer Bloglines. It is more user friendly and fun.
I've been meaning to set up an RSS feed (is this the correct term?) for a long time. Like they said in that little video, I was wasting lots of time clicking on different blogs and websites to see what was new. What's more, I had trouble keeping track of which sites I wanted to keep up with, so I just had a huge, amorphous list of Bookmarks. I was reading SLJ today and feeling overwhelmed because there were all these great Blogs referred to, but I knew I could never remember to check all of them. No longer!!!
So I've been subscribing away over at Bloglines. I'm adding all of the 23 Things Participants from Caroline County so I can keep up with what everyone's doing, I've got a Libraryland folder, and even a FUN folder (remember Habit 7.5?). It's kind of time-consuming to set it all up at first, but just think of how wonderful it will be when I can go to ONE PLACE to keep up-to-date with everything. And the next time I spot a cool blog, I know what to do with it!

Leland's Trading Card

Leland's Trading Card
Originally uploaded by amanda.courie

I decided to play around with the trading card creator, and this is what I came up with. I was intimidated at first about how to get it on my blog, but then I just kind of kept clicking, from the card creator site, to Flickr, to Google (to grant permissin for Flickr to access my blog) then back to Flickr, and here we are...I'm actually really impressed with how simple everything was. They just kind of walk you through it. A good example for me of what happens if I just relax and keep trying things till they work.
Also, I will apologize for the sappiness of this card. But she IS one cute kid!!
Also, I'm not sure why the picture ended up so "grainy" or pixelated...

A Fresh Start

Well it has been almost a MONTH since I've checked in & I've decided to make a fresh start. I changed my template, and hope to add some images soon to make it a bit more interesting. Also, looking at some of the other blogs has helped me find a new approach. I have the habit of going WAY TOO IN DEPTH with things, getting overwhelmed, and then not finishing. So I'm going to explore things & record my impressions, without getting overloaded. Which brings me to a general thought on technology in general. I see some of it which looks so useful. I'm a dedicated cell phone and email user--these technologies really help me keep in touch with people so much more easily. And I often wish I had a device which gave me wireless internet connection at all times--but I've never really explored what's actually out there. Sometimes it just seems so dizzying--like there are so many options I can't really take advantage of. My main barrier is time. I'm constantly busy at work, and I've got 2 kids to take care of when I get home, then when they are in bed I'm ready to relax, often the old-fashioned way, with a book! One thing I'd really like to do it organize my photos so I can share them & be more consistent about ordering prints. But I seldom have the energy or spare time to do this!
I'm not really complaining here, just being realistic.

Week 1, Thing 1: About this program

I have to be honest and say that there's a lot of negativity about this program in our system. People are upset that they are being asked to do one more thing. No one ever feels like they have enough time to do even the basic parts of their job.
And in a way I feel like that too. But when I step back and think about it, I realize how lucky I am! I'm getting paid to learn about stuff that I've been wanting to figure out anyway, and ironically never can find the time for! Like wikis, rss feeds, flickr, social networking. I am surrounded by SO MUCH information all the time, that there's got to be a way to navigate it and make it so it works for me rather than controls me. Also, I'm excited by the Web 2.0 possibilities of creating and controlling my own content...with no computer programming knowledge!!!
So I'm trying to maintain a good attitude, and squeeze this in when I can. (Right now I'm doing it on a really slow Saturday at FDBG...)

Week 1, Thing 2: 7 1/2 Habits of Lifelong Learners

Easiest Habit:
Habit 7: Teach and mentor others.
I get real satisfaction from sharing what I know with others. I seem to have a knack for explaining things in ways that others can easily understand. I can easily put myself in a new-comers place and remember what it was like before I knew how to do something. I am very open to questions and tend to be patient when people don't understand things right away. In fact, I am much more forgiving of others than I am of myself! And it really is true that you come away from a teaching experience much more knowledgable yourself!

Hardest Habit:
Habit 7 1/2: PLAY!
I know that seems strange, but it is really difficult for me to let you and just enjoy something new. I am very hard on myself and if I don't do something perfectly the first time, I get tense and no longer want to continue. I have trouble enjoying games because of this. It takes a very conscious effort to actually sit back, relax, and play around with something until it comes out right. But I have found that the more playfulness I can bring to my daily activities, especially if it is something new I'm learning, the more enjoyable it is and the more I'm likely to stick with it!

Blog Set Up!

Looks like I have successfully set up the blog, and it really was as easy as they said it would be. Now let's post it and see if it worked & if I know how to find it!