We're about to travel to the U.K. for the wedding of my son, Patrick Macgill, to Maya Das. I do believe the deluge has ended over there, and the flood waters are receding. Maybe the temperature will rise and the sun will shine. In any case, the wedding will be a delight, no matter what the weather.
The ceremony will take place on Friday, August 3, at Leeds Castle in Maidstone, followed by dinner and dancing until late in the evening. We plan to celebrate with much jollity.
Although we do not plan to stay long in England, at least not this trip, we do intend to pack a lot in - our prenuptual dinner, the wedding itself, a breakfast afterwards, and maybe a visit to a museum or two, once we are back in London. Since only a few family members will be joining us, we plan to have family and friends join us later in Bel Air for an American reception, as we are calling it. The newly weds will join us and then travel to Kyoto for a conference later in August. Such a busy life!
Patrick will be working for Public Service UK, a publishing house that focuses on public policy. He will be working on an online journal called Defense Management. I think with his background in modern European history, he should do fine.
Maya will continue her studies for her doctorate in English literature. In fact, the trip to Kyoto is for a conference where she will be delivering a paper.
How exciting this all is. And just think, in a few weeks, I'll be back at school and life will once again be tedious and difficult and full of work. Oh well...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
The Blog Continues...
Hi, I've been away from this for a while, but now I'm back, adding thoughts and opinions to my blog. First of all, I'm going to try for now to relate this to my work, thus justifying my typing on the job, so here goes...
I spent the weekend in Paradise...well, really, Batesville, Virginia, at my friend's house, but it may as well be Paradise. Lisa lives on top of a mountain, with lots of trees, wildlife, and fresh air. We talked a lot about technology, because I had just finished my 23 Things, and she is the technology resource person in her elementary school where she teaches. I did show her my blog, and we talked about Del.icio.us and Rollyo, Technorati, YouTube, and so much more. She knew of many of those, but some were new to her. I wish I had recalled ZohoWriter and GoogleDocs, because she really could have used them in her fifth grade class. Another time...
She was particularly intrigued with RSS feeds, again, a useful resource for a teacher.
I hope to have some images on my Flickr account so that I can share them with you, so that you also can see what I mean about how lovely it is there. I have to get my images uploaded first. Then I'll share.
Then, last night, my sister stopped by for a visit. We sat on the deck, sipping tea in the cool evening air, discussing - what else? - books. She likes Miss Read and Dorothy Simpson, neither of which I have read, but HCPL has many Simpson mysteries. Maybe I will add them to my Library Thing account (www.librarything.com) . I recommended Alexander McCall Smith's books to her, because she does seem to go for the gentle reads - well, her mystery writers may have corpses in them, but like me, I think she'd prefer not to have the graphic descriptions of blood and guts.
That's sort of an issue with my book club (book discussion group). Not all of us share the same tastes, which makes the group interesting, although I must admit we do end up with similar likes and dislikes. Anyway, some books may be offensive to some readers, with language and descriptions or characters that offend one's sensibilities. It's hard to know what lies on that next page. I don't think I've ever stopped reading a book because of language or whatever, but a few I've wished I hadn't read, especially if the descriptions are gross. Is that really necessary? I don't know.
So the book group is now reading Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I thought the language was really interesting, kind of Old World, and since it takes place in another era, mid-Twentieth Century, I remarked to a group member that I thought it was really skillful how the author made the book sound like a translation - kind of formal, with those flourishes of language that translations sometimes have. She looked at me oddly and pointed out that it was, in fact, a translation. Duh...well, the author lives in Los Angeles. How would I know? (I could have looked more closely at the title page!) Anyway, I had to return the book unfinished because I'm off to the U.K next week, and the book was due and I was only half way through. So another book not finished. No matter, this group won't throw me out if I don't finish a book for discussion. It's more about friendship anyway, just getting together. Books do that for people, whether it's two sisters on a back porch discussing mysteries or a group of pals sitting around, eating snacks, and sharing thoughts on a common book read.
I spent the weekend in Paradise...well, really, Batesville, Virginia, at my friend's house, but it may as well be Paradise. Lisa lives on top of a mountain, with lots of trees, wildlife, and fresh air. We talked a lot about technology, because I had just finished my 23 Things, and she is the technology resource person in her elementary school where she teaches. I did show her my blog, and we talked about Del.icio.us and Rollyo, Technorati, YouTube, and so much more. She knew of many of those, but some were new to her. I wish I had recalled ZohoWriter and GoogleDocs, because she really could have used them in her fifth grade class. Another time...
She was particularly intrigued with RSS feeds, again, a useful resource for a teacher.
I hope to have some images on my Flickr account so that I can share them with you, so that you also can see what I mean about how lovely it is there. I have to get my images uploaded first. Then I'll share.
Then, last night, my sister stopped by for a visit. We sat on the deck, sipping tea in the cool evening air, discussing - what else? - books. She likes Miss Read and Dorothy Simpson, neither of which I have read, but HCPL has many Simpson mysteries. Maybe I will add them to my Library Thing account (www.librarything.com) . I recommended Alexander McCall Smith's books to her, because she does seem to go for the gentle reads - well, her mystery writers may have corpses in them, but like me, I think she'd prefer not to have the graphic descriptions of blood and guts.
That's sort of an issue with my book club (book discussion group). Not all of us share the same tastes, which makes the group interesting, although I must admit we do end up with similar likes and dislikes. Anyway, some books may be offensive to some readers, with language and descriptions or characters that offend one's sensibilities. It's hard to know what lies on that next page. I don't think I've ever stopped reading a book because of language or whatever, but a few I've wished I hadn't read, especially if the descriptions are gross. Is that really necessary? I don't know.
So the book group is now reading Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I thought the language was really interesting, kind of Old World, and since it takes place in another era, mid-Twentieth Century, I remarked to a group member that I thought it was really skillful how the author made the book sound like a translation - kind of formal, with those flourishes of language that translations sometimes have. She looked at me oddly and pointed out that it was, in fact, a translation. Duh...well, the author lives in Los Angeles. How would I know? (I could have looked more closely at the title page!) Anyway, I had to return the book unfinished because I'm off to the U.K next week, and the book was due and I was only half way through. So another book not finished. No matter, this group won't throw me out if I don't finish a book for discussion. It's more about friendship anyway, just getting together. Books do that for people, whether it's two sisters on a back porch discussing mysteries or a group of pals sitting around, eating snacks, and sharing thoughts on a common book read.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Week 9 - Thing #23 - The End (not really)
You know, I actually had a hard time with this one, this essay of reflection, Thing #23, because it means that the training is coming to an end - not that I plan to retire all I've learned, but it means that the adventurous, new basics of the training are over, the new, excitement of looking at the next Thing. I guess you can see that I've really enjoyed this experience, and I do actually feel a deep appreciation for our library system, the fact that it's been so encouraging for us to join in and complete our 23 Things.
What did I like best? I know I enjoyed all of this, every exercise, and although a few took some real thought to work out the ins and outs, most were not hard. I'm not sure all of the Things are particularly useful, but I am very glad I know of each one of these Web 2.0 applications. I'd like to do more of this. I think RSS feeds and Del.icio.us have been my favorites and the ones I see the most practical use for in my everyday life. But then there is Rollyo and wikis (I refer to Wikipedia all the time), and Flickr, and I like the practicality of online applications, such as Google docs, and I found the YouTube experience really, really fun. So choosing a best, favorite experience is really hard, I suppose.
What can you do differently if you plan some more training? I'm not sure, but I do think a bit more explanation would help here and there. I had to fill in some gaps to figure out how to do some of these Things, but eventually, I got it. Nothing was too hard, but I guess the newness made for a few rough spots. So maybe a little more explanation would help here and there. Nevertheless, I think this was a very well organized exercise, and the emphasis on fun was very important, so that any anxiety we might feel would be lessened. Nice job, liaisons!
If you offered this again, would I sign up? You bet, without a second thought. Can we explore open source more? Would you explain the advantages or using Firefox as a browser? Can we take a closer look at tagging? I'm not so interested in avatars and the such, but I do think that whole area - the psychology behind it, the kind of longing or need people seem to have for a different (or not so different) identity - is a fascinating development in our time. I wonder where it will go, how far people will absorb themselves in their avatars. Can we learn more about social networking? So, yes, sign me up now for further training in Web 2.0 technologies, because there are lots more things/Things to learn.
I must admit that although I know completing the 23 Things does not really put me on the cutting edge, since much of this has been around for a while, but among my friends, I seem like a real expert. They are fascinated (well, maybe that is too strong a word) by my training and what I've learned. Hey, and listen, I'm not stopping here. I've enjoyed every moment of learning in this training. Do you think I'm going to let it all go to waste? No way. I use Del.icio.us probably every day, and my RSS feeds are very active.
As for a brief, coherent description, I'll give it a go:
This has been an adventure of sorts, an opportunity to delve into Web 2.0 technologies that I had heard of but had not had a chance to experience. And it was fun. I did not want the 23 Things to come to an end. Can we go on to those 43 Things mentioned earlier? I'm ready.
What did I like best? I know I enjoyed all of this, every exercise, and although a few took some real thought to work out the ins and outs, most were not hard. I'm not sure all of the Things are particularly useful, but I am very glad I know of each one of these Web 2.0 applications. I'd like to do more of this. I think RSS feeds and Del.icio.us have been my favorites and the ones I see the most practical use for in my everyday life. But then there is Rollyo and wikis (I refer to Wikipedia all the time), and Flickr, and I like the practicality of online applications, such as Google docs, and I found the YouTube experience really, really fun. So choosing a best, favorite experience is really hard, I suppose.
What can you do differently if you plan some more training? I'm not sure, but I do think a bit more explanation would help here and there. I had to fill in some gaps to figure out how to do some of these Things, but eventually, I got it. Nothing was too hard, but I guess the newness made for a few rough spots. So maybe a little more explanation would help here and there. Nevertheless, I think this was a very well organized exercise, and the emphasis on fun was very important, so that any anxiety we might feel would be lessened. Nice job, liaisons!
If you offered this again, would I sign up? You bet, without a second thought. Can we explore open source more? Would you explain the advantages or using Firefox as a browser? Can we take a closer look at tagging? I'm not so interested in avatars and the such, but I do think that whole area - the psychology behind it, the kind of longing or need people seem to have for a different (or not so different) identity - is a fascinating development in our time. I wonder where it will go, how far people will absorb themselves in their avatars. Can we learn more about social networking? So, yes, sign me up now for further training in Web 2.0 technologies, because there are lots more things/Things to learn.
I must admit that although I know completing the 23 Things does not really put me on the cutting edge, since much of this has been around for a while, but among my friends, I seem like a real expert. They are fascinated (well, maybe that is too strong a word) by my training and what I've learned. Hey, and listen, I'm not stopping here. I've enjoyed every moment of learning in this training. Do you think I'm going to let it all go to waste? No way. I use Del.icio.us probably every day, and my RSS feeds are very active.
As for a brief, coherent description, I'll give it a go:
This has been an adventure of sorts, an opportunity to delve into Web 2.0 technologies that I had heard of but had not had a chance to experience. And it was fun. I did not want the 23 Things to come to an end. Can we go on to those 43 Things mentioned earlier? I'm ready.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Week 9, Thing #22 - Audiobooks
Although I am looking forward to listening to audiobooks through NetLibrary, I was a bit disappointed in the holdings of both NetLibrary and Overdrive. Neither had anything by Ursula K. Le Guin, and I had trouble locating the children's literature I would have enjoyed listening to. I also had trouble searching, but then I got smart and looked at "help" on NetLibrary. Whew! That cleared things up a bit. I think users might not think to go to help to find out proper searches, but that's OK. Sooner or later, they'll get it right. I'd rather not wait until later, however.
OK, so I finally got a couple of Alexander McCall Smith novels in my Favorites folder, and when I finish my 23 Things (really, really soon), maybe I will then get to listen to one of them. No, all of them! I don't think I will try to download anything yet, because I would have to do that on my home computer, and I really, really don't want to listen to these in front of a computer. I'll wait...deferred gratification.
OK, so I finally got a couple of Alexander McCall Smith novels in my Favorites folder, and when I finish my 23 Things (really, really soon), maybe I will then get to listen to one of them. No, all of them! I don't think I will try to download anything yet, because I would have to do that on my home computer, and I really, really don't want to listen to these in front of a computer. I'll wait...deferred gratification.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Week 9 - Thing #21 - Podcasts
I've listened to podcasts before, in connection with the Maryland Library Association conference this year. We used it as a way to promote the upcoming conference events. So podcassting as a medium wasn't entirely new, but I've never explored podcasting directories, and I had never known that so much was out there, just waiting to find a listener.
I actually had a difficult time dealing with Podcast.net and with Podcastalley.com, but Yahoo Podcasts were well organized and easier to figure out. I did manage to include the NPR Story of the Day on my Bloglines account, and considering that these stories are usually about 3 or 4 minutes long, I should be able to enjoy hearing them each day they are broadcast...oops, I mean, podcast! Today's story was about moving massive pieces of scultpture at MOMA and how difficult it is. Not only is it scary because these are valuable pieces of sculpture, but this task is dangerous because sometimes the sculptures fall and kill the movers. I'm glad I am just listening to this and not moving those big things.
I actually had a difficult time dealing with Podcast.net and with Podcastalley.com, but Yahoo Podcasts were well organized and easier to figure out. I did manage to include the NPR Story of the Day on my Bloglines account, and considering that these stories are usually about 3 or 4 minutes long, I should be able to enjoy hearing them each day they are broadcast...oops, I mean, podcast! Today's story was about moving massive pieces of scultpture at MOMA and how difficult it is. Not only is it scary because these are valuable pieces of sculpture, but this task is dangerous because sometimes the sculptures fall and kill the movers. I'm glad I am just listening to this and not moving those big things.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Week 9 - Thing #20 (cont.) - my cat and turtle
This is not really my cat nor my turtle, but they sure are cute. Just some fun stuff from YouTube.
Week 9 - Thing #20 - YouTube and more
I think I may be altering this a bit later while I do a longer search of YouTube - full of mildly amusing, mostly amateurish, and occasionally informative videos. I'd like you to see the "My cat and turtle" video or maybe the "Lego Millenium Falcon Stop Motion" video or even the ever popular Keith Olbermann "Special Comment: Bush and Cheney Resign Now" video. But first, I am going to open a YouTube account and see if I can figure out how to place a video directly into my blog.
I guess what I like about YouTube is that, like so many Web 2.0 "things," it allows for anyone to be a star. It's anarchic and democratic. But like so much else on the Internet, there is an awful lot of junk, just really stupid, crude, even cruel videos not worth the thirty-or-so seconds it takes to realize that what is on the screen is not going to get any better and so just stop it and search for something else that actually might be worth it to watch.
I chose to watch the cat and turtle video because it's cute and short, and I didn't think it would involve cruelty. I liked the idea of the little turtle chasing the cat around, being very tenacious and just scaring the cat or at least annoying it. (I like cats but I like turtles too.) I watched the Keith Olbermann special comment because I wanted to see how something political or something of current interest could reach anyone signed on YouTube and interested enough to watch a ten-minute tirade. The Lego one I chose because I like animation, and I think stop gap animation, like claymation, takes skill and patience and can be enormously creative. However, it ended rather anticlimatically and amateurishly. Still, it was pretty well done.
As for YouTube's use in libraries, I'm not certain. Maybe general videos for training in various library activities (proper way to set up a program or clean a book or something of that sort) could be shared with the larger world via YouTube. I guess we could use YouTube for maybe some programming, and not just YA programming. I've seen some very amusing and relevant YouTube videos on books and the Web and the Internet, although I haven't been able to find them again. I also think a bit of humor can be fun too, so a blend of humor and libraries might find a place on YouTube. I suspect that most people look at YouTube as a means of entertainment, so if libraries used YouTube, entertainment might be the chief focus.
Now, let me see if I can place a video inside my blog. More later...
I guess what I like about YouTube is that, like so many Web 2.0 "things," it allows for anyone to be a star. It's anarchic and democratic. But like so much else on the Internet, there is an awful lot of junk, just really stupid, crude, even cruel videos not worth the thirty-or-so seconds it takes to realize that what is on the screen is not going to get any better and so just stop it and search for something else that actually might be worth it to watch.
I chose to watch the cat and turtle video because it's cute and short, and I didn't think it would involve cruelty. I liked the idea of the little turtle chasing the cat around, being very tenacious and just scaring the cat or at least annoying it. (I like cats but I like turtles too.) I watched the Keith Olbermann special comment because I wanted to see how something political or something of current interest could reach anyone signed on YouTube and interested enough to watch a ten-minute tirade. The Lego one I chose because I like animation, and I think stop gap animation, like claymation, takes skill and patience and can be enormously creative. However, it ended rather anticlimatically and amateurishly. Still, it was pretty well done.
As for YouTube's use in libraries, I'm not certain. Maybe general videos for training in various library activities (proper way to set up a program or clean a book or something of that sort) could be shared with the larger world via YouTube. I guess we could use YouTube for maybe some programming, and not just YA programming. I've seen some very amusing and relevant YouTube videos on books and the Web and the Internet, although I haven't been able to find them again. I also think a bit of humor can be fun too, so a blend of humor and libraries might find a place on YouTube. I suspect that most people look at YouTube as a means of entertainment, so if libraries used YouTube, entertainment might be the chief focus.
Now, let me see if I can place a video inside my blog. More later...
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