Thing #23 - Summary of thoughts on program

I thought that the 23 Things program was one of the - if not the - most useful Lifelong Learning opportunities that I have completed since leaving graduate school. It is also a necessary part of continuing education that propels a career onward and upward. Not having awareness of the aspects of most of the 23 things would be a major detriment to a successful career in the library world.

This was also very valuable to me personally, as I have touched upon many of the 23 things before but never in a structured way that allowed me to learn the how-to and why. It has been a terrific experience and one that I would highly recommend.

Thank you Ellen & Jim for all of your hard work and time expended.

Thing #22 - Downloadable audiobooks

I created an account with Overdrive, after months and months of discussing this collection in our department meetings. I was surprised at how many titles had a waiting list associated with them, particularly those not on conventional bestseller lists. I noticed a lot of self-improvement titles were checked out. Of course, this is a consortium of libraries throughout Maryland, so the likelihood of someone somewhere checking out the item is higher than just within Baltimore County.

I looked over the young adult titles and had always heard good things about the audio version of the M. T. Anderson book titled Feed. I placed a hold on it and hope to listen to it when it becomes available.

Thing #21 - Podcasts

Podcasts, in their short existence, have somewhat baffled me. While I understand the value in hearing expanded information from established personalities, or unedited, unvetted broadcasts about well-known or niche interests, there has been a nagging thought about them. Who has the time to listen? Given that, I realize that there is and will continue to be fragmentation of what product our society views and listens.

I think I will stick to niche interest rather than hearing more and more from someone I've probably already heard enough from. I've always wanted to travel to Japan, so I have added the Japan Explorer podcast to my Bloglines feed.

Thing #20 - YouTube

There are so many things to watch on YouTube - old TV performances you'd never think you'd see again; Novak Djokovic singing I Will Survive; covers of tunes you thought you were the only person who remembered them; art installations; clips of football games ranging from NFL to PeeWee; and so very much more. I can kill hours and hours watching and commenting (TKinBaltimore is my login) on these videos. I haven't gotten into looking at it for current events and political information, as I think I get enough of that from other sources. I prefer YouTube to entertain me!

One cover I have watched a number of times is Luc Perkins doing the Innocence Mission's July, voice and acoustic guitar. It's one of my favorite songs and I was impressed with his version of it.

Thing #19 - Web 2.0 Awards list

I looked at the City Guides & Reviews winners, including yelp.com and judysbook.com. Both were very interesting, and yelp would be even better for Baltimore if there was more input by users. Which is a critical issue for a number of sites; the content must exist to maintain a robust, useful site. Judysbook suffered from a similar problem; additionally, it did not recognize Baltimore zip codes, but I found the content on Baltimore businesses when I typed in the words Baltimore, MD.

Thing #18 - Online Productivity Tools

I have used Google Docs and Spreadsheets on numerous occasions. The Great Books Consortium is currently using Google Spreadsheets to keep track of what books each age group is reading, which books have been dropped from and kept on the list(s). I also use Google Docs at home, as my laptop doesn't have the MS Office suite loaded on it.

The one major failing I've noticed with Google Spreadsheets is the inability to edit within a cell. Until that feature is improved, I will be using MS Excel for most of my work-related spreadsheet needs.

Thing #17 - Learning 2.0 Sandbox Wiki

I used Ellen's modified directions to get my blog on the Sandbox Wiki. It's amazing to see how many people have contributed. I'm hopeful that this will propel Maryland librarians to a better understanding of the tools of Library 2.0, and that most of them have not looked upon this as a chore rather than a learning and bettering opportunity.

Thing #16 - Wikis

I looked at a number of the wikis suggested in Thing #16

I liked the way the Oregon library's Library 2.0 page was organized. Everything at a glance is both aesthetically pleasing and useful for learning. No scrolling is a good thing :-)

I've used and contributed to the libsuccess wiki, in the Gaming section. The BCPL collection is included in the section of libraries circulating games, and I've received a number of emails looking for further information due to our collection being referenced there.

I didn't care for the Princeton PL's BookLoversWiki. Perhaps with more time it will be more fleshed out. It was unclear who was reviewing the books, and for Malcolm Gladwell's Blink to receive a 2-star review on a library's page needs very obvious clarification to viewers.

The Bull Run Library wiki is an interesting way to communicate, but again, aesthetics are a problem. The header is muddy, and the white space and bullet points going down the left side quickly bored me.

The ability to edit in a wiki is clearly the most important. I have edited numerous Wikipedia entries for spelling and grammar issues that I couldn't pass unchecked. I've also removed subjective material from entries on Wikipedia. I find Wikipedia immensely useful and a great addition to online research, but when I put my librarian hat on, I feel the need to separate fact from opinion.

Thing #15 - Perspectives on Web 2.0, Library 2.0

The YouTube video by Michael Wesch is astounding. It should be required viewing for... everyone. The comments by Rick Anderson were very thought-provoking from a collection point-of-view. Michael Stephens and I have never really been on the same page, and I feel about the same about our viewpoints after reading his essay. Generally, I feel that much of the Library 2.0 cheerleaders have terrific theoretical concepts, but in practice the majority of changes and attitudinal shifts will come, maybe just not as fast as they want or expect.

Thing #14 - Technorati

Looking over the most popular blogs on Technorati, I was not terribly surprised by those on the list -- money making, technology, and the ubiquitous Boing Boing. What I found surprising was the wide range of top searches. Some were expected, like Eva Longoria and the Zune, but others included words and people I don't even know, in addition to rape - a highly unexpected top search term. Learning 2.0 was one of the top searches, too, which made me chuckle.

Claiming my blog was a little more trying, and I will attempt to do this again as time permits.

The numbers varied considerably about Learning 2.0 between a general search on Technorati and doing a search on which blogs included that tag (far fewer).

Thing #9 - MERLIN & other library related blogs

MERLIN is an interesting compilation of personal, librarian, and "organizational" input. I thought it could be a little overwhelming to the technophobe, though I don't have any obvious solutions. Taking it in small bites (via a Bloglines feed, for example) would most likely lessen some of the "check this out... and this! and this!" feel that a first-time viewer might have.

I added a couple other library-related blogs to my Bloglines, including my friend Louise's.

Thing #8 - RSS/Newsreader Bloglines

I really enjoyed this "Thing". Collating a lot of my interests (animals, dogs, sports, books) in one place makes me very excited. I will be interested in making a better, more cataloged list as I continue to work on this past the Oct 3 deadline. I was having a hard time figuring out how to find the public Bloglines URL, so I will attempt to get back to that at another time.

Thing #2 - Pointers from lifelong learners

I found the information in the PLCMC tutorial to be very useful for starting a new learning plan. The most difficult of the habits is viewing problems as challenges. As an example, for various reasons, my ability to cook has always been limited. In the past, I have always fabricated excuses as to why I could not. Now I am willing to find solutions to these problems and put together a toolbox of time, recipes, food, and cooking utensils that will allow me to finally make a meal. On the other hand, the easiest habits for me are teaching and mentoring others, and of course, playing!

Thing #12 - Rollyo

I created a Rollyo search for shopping sites that often have sales on sandals and Birkenstocks. I could definitely see using this when looking for new sandals, and other applications for those interested in things other than footwear.

Thing #13 - del.icio.us

As part of ALA's GLBTRT (Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgendered Round Table) membership committee to which I belong, earlier this year I created a del.icio.us for it.

Thing #11 - LibraryThing

I read quite a bit, being on a number of Teen book selection committees in addition to the three book clubs to which I belong. LibraryThing would be a useful place for me to collate all of the books that I read and not confuse them. It is quite a beneficial website.

Thing #10 - online image generator

Using Big Huge Labs, I created a trading card for one of my dogs, and posted it to my Flickr.

Thing #7 - Technology related post

Medical technology fascinates me. The spinal cord injury this past weekend suffered by Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett was initially described by physicians as "catastrophic". However, using a hypothermic method immediately and continuning the cooling throughout his surgery, yesterday doctors were able to get Everett to voluntarily move his arms and legs. Although Everett will never play football again, the fact that he could recover and walk is a complete 180 degree turn from what the medical community believed just 24 hours earlier.

Thing #6 - Flickr fun & mashups

I could not access Mappr, and Montager was unclear. I think it would help if I added more photos to beyond ones of me and my dogs. Instead, I used Big Huge Labs to create a mosaic image of goldfinches which I uploaded to my Flickr.

Thing #5 - Explore Flickr

I have had a Flickr page set up for some time but I was not familiar with all the bells and whistles that are available and continue to be added to the site.

Thing #3 - A hundred pairs of wings

"They left then in the morning, a hundred pairs of wings in the light moved together"

When my brother and I were kids, our parents surprised us one early Saturday morning and packed us up in the car. They drove us to the Horicon Marsh, a natural wetland in central Wisconsin that is a preferred stopoff for thousands of migrating birds.

"In the colors of the morning I looked to the clouds in the cirrus sky and they'd gone."

The Marsh is the sort of place that isn't advertised, isn't structured to be kid-friendly, and has none of the amenities of a tourist trap. But for anyone able to appreciate it, it is truly one of the most amazing natural locations in the United States.

"Across the marshes, across the fields below...if only to take me with them there"

My brother and I munched our Bugles snacks, a rare treat provided by our parents, as we looked through binoculars upon the birds soaring and landing. What seemed like thousands of feathered creatures cascading and rising against a perfectly sunny blue Midwest sky. A cacophony of birdsongs and calls, filling the air with sound but not noise. The day was a memory of family and nature, one held close to my heart and never to be forgotten.

"Tell me the song that you sing in the trees in the dawning...tell me the part that shines in your heart and the rays of love forever...please take me there"

Thing #3 - 22 squats

Keeping active is an important part of anyone's life. As I work in an office with little need to be active, it's incumbent upon me to find ways to stay healthy and in good shape. Walking the dogs, playing tennis, and getting up from my chair to take breaks at work are all critical to keeping a fresh, creative mind.

One of the easiest and best exercises for my body type is squats. I try to do a set of 22 squats, at least 5 times a week. This is a great exercise for leg muscles, of course, but it is a surprisingly good core exercise as well. Squats are well-known for being a tried-and-true method of keeping your glutes firm, which is a nice additional plus. I truly recommend squats to anyone who hasn't tried them before. Stand near a wall when you start out, in case the up and down motion makes you dizzy. You can then use the wall as a stabilizer. The only squats caveat I have -- if you're a guy -- is to wear somewhat snug shorts or pants, so you don't find yourself in an unpleasant situation when you're at the lowest motion of the squat.

22 squats, along with whatever exercise best suits you, helps get through 23 things!

Thing #4 - Guacamole's superstardom notwithstanding...

Those were the first three words of a paragraph lauding the avocado, in the cover article of this month's Saveur magazine. Avocadoes are delicious. Their incredibly high monounsaturated fat content is perfect for keeping the right cholesterol level up. And Giant has them at an everyday low price of 99 cents each, which keeps my addiction to them going.

I could eat guacamole every day. There are a lot of various recipes for it, but one thing that doesn't belong in guacamole is sour cream. Some add garlic, subtract cilantro, include more jalapeno, no jalapeno, select lemon juice or lime juice, even omit the tomato. But don't dilute the creamy goodness that is avocado with sour cream.

I have two recipes, one for guacamole, and the other for avocado halves:

1) Take 3 Hass avocadoes, gently mash them in a bowl. Dice a tomato and add it to the avocado. Finely chop 1/2 a medium yellow onion and add it to the mix. Juice a lime and add that. Grind 1/2 teaspoon or so of black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of Lawry's Lemon Pepper (never McCormick's lemon pepper, which is inferior and somewhat disgusting). Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve with cheap tortilla chips, like from Aldi.

2) Cut an avocado in two halves. Remove the pit. Spoon the buttery flesh into your salivating mouth.

Thing #1 - Nature

Cedar trees.

Dragonflies.

Bumblebees.

Sage.

Mockingbirds.

Revisionist historians.

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23 Things is an interesting concept to get librarians statewide more up-to-speed on Web 2.0 concepts. I have no unrealistic expectations that I will be using all of these tools in the future, but being aware of their existence is half the battle.