Technically, this is a completely new blog because during the first 23 things, I was in a school building where Blogger is blocked. I tried to convert my old blog, at Blogmeister, to a classroom/miscellaneous classroom blog, but it didn't do what I wanted so, I moved here.
I did change/add a couple of things though...
Firstly, notice the snow? It is a cute gadget that I'll leave here for a month.
Secondly, I added Random books from my LibraryThing. Love my Librarything! I participate in the Early Reviewers Group and just got "The Cross: 38102 miles, 38 years, one mission" by Arthur Blessitt. It is a fascinating look at this devoted man and his lifelong mission to follow Jesus. If you want to read it when I'm done, let me know.
I also watched/read the 25 Basic Styles of Blogging slideshow which is similar to the Weblog Usability: The Top Ten Design Mistakes by Jakob Nielson article I read a couple of months ago. I have to say that my opinion has not changed. My blog doesn't fit into a category. I'm not writing it to influence people or get on anyone's list :)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
ITunes, Audio Books and slow transfer time
I listen to audio books while I drive via my iPod. I love the sound quality and clean elegance of not having to switch CDs as I drive.
Currently, I have an 160G iPod with video and TV capability, but I seldom use those features - I wanted a large HD so that I could have a whole library of podcasts, books, and music at my finger tip. My ability to continue this practice was all but eliminated during the past month or so - until today!
Just before the holidays, I was reading "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die," published in 2005 by Cassel and saw the best Jazz album "ever." My husband loves jazz, so I searched until I found the album on CD and was thrilled when it came just before Christmas. Because it was a used album, I decided to play it once to be sure that it was in perfect condition. I popped it into my computer and waited for iTunes to open so that I could play it. That didn't happen; instead, the drive sputtered and music stuttered. The "best jazz album ever" sounded like a cat caught somewhere painful...
Surely, the music was not supposed to sound like that! So, I checked the CD, but it looked pristine. I called Dell and went through a long discussion to test my optical drive, it too seemed to be optimal. Then I got too busy with the holidays and family to think about it any more.
My "research assistant" also known as my husband, had time to do some research on the problem and discovered a solution, and I had time to test it out today.
According to ZDNet Blog, the problem is probably because of a driver in Apple's iTunes 8 update. I went through the article and checked everything it suggested, then popped in an album. It loaded in record time! Yeah!
Currently, I have an 160G iPod with video and TV capability, but I seldom use those features - I wanted a large HD so that I could have a whole library of podcasts, books, and music at my finger tip. My ability to continue this practice was all but eliminated during the past month or so - until today!
Just before the holidays, I was reading "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die," published in 2005 by Cassel and saw the best Jazz album "ever." My husband loves jazz, so I searched until I found the album on CD and was thrilled when it came just before Christmas. Because it was a used album, I decided to play it once to be sure that it was in perfect condition. I popped it into my computer and waited for iTunes to open so that I could play it. That didn't happen; instead, the drive sputtered and music stuttered. The "best jazz album ever" sounded like a cat caught somewhere painful...
Surely, the music was not supposed to sound like that! So, I checked the CD, but it looked pristine. I called Dell and went through a long discussion to test my optical drive, it too seemed to be optimal. Then I got too busy with the holidays and family to think about it any more.
My "research assistant" also known as my husband, had time to do some research on the problem and discovered a solution, and I had time to test it out today.
According to ZDNet Blog, the problem is probably because of a driver in Apple's iTunes 8 update. I went through the article and checked everything it suggested, then popped in an album. It loaded in record time! Yeah!
Friday, January 23, 2009
More Things on a Stick!
Time flies, and it's time to get back on the stick!
For all of you, my three faithful readers, the original 23 Things on a Stick was a self-paced online web 2.0 learning program. I participated in and thoroughly enjoyed the first program, so I plan to begin working my way through to 47 this time!
I'll be posting the things, and reflecting on each thing as I finish with it, so stay tuned!
For all of you, my three faithful readers, the original 23 Things on a Stick was a self-paced online web 2.0 learning program. I participated in and thoroughly enjoyed the first program, so I plan to begin working my way through to 47 this time!
I'll be posting the things, and reflecting on each thing as I finish with it, so stay tuned!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Boolean Searches
For quite a few years I have used Rockwell Schrock's Venn Diagram to teach Boolean operators and searching, but today I discovered Boolify, a new visual search tool that illustrates Boolean searching in an authentic way.
I think it will be a nice addition to the information specialist "bag of tricks."
I think it will be a nice addition to the information specialist "bag of tricks."
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Thanksgiving part I and II
We had a lovely day Thursday with our daughter's family. Here are the two grand-boys and me in my chair reading a book and "vegging out" after a traditional dinner.Saturday our son's family and my dear MiL made the trip for another celebration of food and family!
It is my habit to leave a couple of books on the bedside tables in our guest rooms and I am always tickled when a guest connects to a book and takes it away with them to read.
This weekend, my daughter-in-law brought "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" back that she began reading last time she was here. I wonder which of the books she will connect with this visit :)
I put "P.S. I Love You" in my mother-in-law's room and I hope she will like it. Time will tell.
This weekend, I paused in my reading of "Work Hard. Be Nice." to quickly read the House of Night series so that I can put them on my bookshelf at school on Monday. I can think of several students to whom I will recommend these titles.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Vault and other wonders of Minitex
Friday, I spent an enjoyable afternoon at the UM Twin Cities Campus. Though I was very nervous and there for a job interview, the staff was so welcoming and relaxed that I almost felt like it was a visit with new friends.
One major highlight was a visit to the Vaults! I had heard about an enormous underground cavern (about a mile underground) with ceilings more than 20 feet high that seemed to go on for miles. Well, the real caverns are about 80 feet underground, and huge, but I'm not sure about going on for miles. In many ways, the truth is far more impressive than the stories. Most of the complex is double walled. The outer wall is the sandstone and shale of the cliffs lined with concave shaped, poured concrete sections that are 22 feet tall. My guess is that they behave similarly to an arch, which you may know is structurally very strong. To preserve the integrity of the ceilings, they had to place long iron "bolts," every couple of feet, through all the levels of sandstone and shale, then secure the bolts with a kind of washer and nut - this is a simplistic explanation, but I pictured something like rebar in cement but with big washer/nuts on the ends. The entire ceiling is covered with metal mesh, as safety precaution, so one can not see the washer and bolts.
The inner walls are nearly as tall and lined with poured cement sections, and a separate ceiling. This inner structure is completed watertight. There is a space of about 5' between the outer and inner walls that serves as insulation. I got to see this through a cool window in a section of inner wall. Through the window one could see the limestone, the concave cement sections and the way the moisture from the walls were beginning to create tiny stalactites.
The temperature and humidity is kept at a constant 62 degrees and 50% relative humidity, which is almost what is is naturally at that depth! In the areas where people work everyday, the temperature is higher, but one of the librarians who works in the archives, said that the first year they all had to wear those open finger-tip gloves and fleece jackets!
My favorite part of the tour, though, was the vaults! These enormous spaces really are the length of two football fields laid end-to-end! The ceilings really are about 20 feet tall and contain floor to ceiling shelves! I really wanted to run up and down the stacks and look at everything. I love browsing.
Anyway, the books and other items stored in the two vaults belong to the University and to public libraries from everywhere in the state. These items may be used only occasionally in the library of origin, but here, because of Minitex, they are available for use by every MN citizen with a library card!
That brings us to the next most interesting area of the tour - the Minitex circulation department. I learned that there are "1000 requests" for items every Monday (that number doesn't include the requests arriving every other day!) and that trucks, of all sizes, arrive and leave everyday to shuttle the items requested to hubs around the state where they are sorted and moved off to the individual library sites. To take advantage of this service, simply have your library card number handy and search for what you want here: MNLink
I'm sure that very few library users have any idea of the massive number of items that are moved through the system on a daily basis, and that tells me that the librarians at Minitex and around the state are doing a great job.
One major highlight was a visit to the Vaults! I had heard about an enormous underground cavern (about a mile underground) with ceilings more than 20 feet high that seemed to go on for miles. Well, the real caverns are about 80 feet underground, and huge, but I'm not sure about going on for miles. In many ways, the truth is far more impressive than the stories. Most of the complex is double walled. The outer wall is the sandstone and shale of the cliffs lined with concave shaped, poured concrete sections that are 22 feet tall. My guess is that they behave similarly to an arch, which you may know is structurally very strong. To preserve the integrity of the ceilings, they had to place long iron "bolts," every couple of feet, through all the levels of sandstone and shale, then secure the bolts with a kind of washer and nut - this is a simplistic explanation, but I pictured something like rebar in cement but with big washer/nuts on the ends. The entire ceiling is covered with metal mesh, as safety precaution, so one can not see the washer and bolts.
The inner walls are nearly as tall and lined with poured cement sections, and a separate ceiling. This inner structure is completed watertight. There is a space of about 5' between the outer and inner walls that serves as insulation. I got to see this through a cool window in a section of inner wall. Through the window one could see the limestone, the concave cement sections and the way the moisture from the walls were beginning to create tiny stalactites.
The temperature and humidity is kept at a constant 62 degrees and 50% relative humidity, which is almost what is is naturally at that depth! In the areas where people work everyday, the temperature is higher, but one of the librarians who works in the archives, said that the first year they all had to wear those open finger-tip gloves and fleece jackets!
My favorite part of the tour, though, was the vaults! These enormous spaces really are the length of two football fields laid end-to-end! The ceilings really are about 20 feet tall and contain floor to ceiling shelves! I really wanted to run up and down the stacks and look at everything. I love browsing.
Anyway, the books and other items stored in the two vaults belong to the University and to public libraries from everywhere in the state. These items may be used only occasionally in the library of origin, but here, because of Minitex, they are available for use by every MN citizen with a library card!
That brings us to the next most interesting area of the tour - the Minitex circulation department. I learned that there are "1000 requests" for items every Monday (that number doesn't include the requests arriving every other day!) and that trucks, of all sizes, arrive and leave everyday to shuttle the items requested to hubs around the state where they are sorted and moved off to the individual library sites. To take advantage of this service, simply have your library card number handy and search for what you want here: MNLink
I'm sure that very few library users have any idea of the massive number of items that are moved through the system on a daily basis, and that tells me that the librarians at Minitex and around the state are doing a great job.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Tighter Focus?!
Today, I miss having an Interrobang (!?). Whomever decided to drop it from the readily available punctuation options
I was listening/reading to a session from the Not K12 Online 2008 Conference and a speaker referred to good blog design. As is the norm for me, my interest was peaked and I immediately jumped over to look at the article: Weblog Usability: The Top Ten Design Mistakes by Jakob Nielson. Even though it is from 2005, the points he makes about blog readability and design are timeless and worth reading; however, I have a small problem with No 8, called Mixing Topics. Nielson says "The more focused your content, the more focused your readers. That, again, makes you more influential within your niche."
I guess the assumption is that one wants to be "influential in my niche?!" Just so you know, this blog is about the day-to-day life in Book's nook. There is no tight focus. My life is all over the board and so is this blog.
While I know several people who have more than one personal blog, most do not keep them up on a regular basis. I personally, would rather read a blog that is updated regularly and may have a personal rant thrown in, than have to follow four blogs from the same person.
I was listening/reading to a session from the Not K12 Online 2008 Conference and a speaker referred to good blog design. As is the norm for me, my interest was peaked and I immediately jumped over to look at the article: Weblog Usability: The Top Ten Design Mistakes by Jakob Nielson. Even though it is from 2005, the points he makes about blog readability and design are timeless and worth reading; however, I have a small problem with No 8, called Mixing Topics. Nielson says "The more focused your content, the more focused your readers. That, again, makes you more influential within your niche."
I guess the assumption is that one wants to be "influential in my niche?!" Just so you know, this blog is about the day-to-day life in Book's nook. There is no tight focus. My life is all over the board and so is this blog.
While I know several people who have more than one personal blog, most do not keep them up on a regular basis. I personally, would rather read a blog that is updated regularly and may have a personal rant thrown in, than have to follow four blogs from the same person.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Podcasting with your cell phone
Podcasting made easy! The days of needing a special microphone to make a podcast are over. Gabcast is a free service that allows you to call a toll free number and record your audio podcast anytime and almost from anywhere (the sound quality is as good as your cell phone reception).
I will be using this app with my students this week so come back to see the results.
Just trying to keep up
This week I have been at Moorhead State University for a two day American History Seminar. I was lucky enough to win a spot in the Teaching American History Grant program with a focus for this year on Early American History.
Margaret Sankey, MSUM History Professor, spoke about the British perspective of pre-colonial America, and I was fascinated by the anecdotal information on the monarchy. Everyone of the speakers was great and I learned so many new history tid-bits. It was a good time.
In the meantime, some of you may know that I have been pursuing the possibility of a new job in a library, and I got a message inviting me to come for a job interview in the Twin Cities next Friday. I will need to make a 10 minute presentation on something that I might be teaching in this position. There are so many things that I could talk on for 10 minutes, so I have been thinking about and exploring possibilites. I conducted an informal survey and found that only about 3% of the teachers I work with know about and use Delicious, Skype, or RSS.
My first thought was to do something with ELM, but that seems too expected, so I have decided to look at something int he Library 2.0 category. I emailed a few professional friends asking "what have you heard of lately or do you wish you knew more about?" Of the three friends I wrote, all mentioned Blogs and RSS.
One thing that I am particularly interested in right now is mobile podcasting. Gabcast is a versatile application that allows a person to create a podcast from any phone, then, and this is really cool, it posts you podcast into your blog!
The other thing I'm working on is lesson plans for my Social Studies classes. After all I am still teaching! World Geography is in the Middle East, and US History is beginning the Industrial Revolution.
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