Do You Have a Favorite Book?

Books...reading books...owning books....talking about books. What better occupation? I've just been exploring a list of the 1.041 best books (or at least a compilation of a number of people's opinions.) There is a chance at this site to submit your own list of the 25 best books of all time. Try it, if you dare! My list is currently at 45 titles and no doubt I'll dream about books tonight and check my library shelves tomorrow and the list will grow. It will take some time to cull it to only 25! There was also a quiz there and I've adding my results. It only had six questions to find out your "book identity". It's true, I am fond of talking rabbits!

You're Watership Down!

by Richard Adams

Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish, you're
actually incredibly deep and complex. You show people the need to rethink their
assumptions, and confront them on everything from how they think to where they
build their houses. You might be one of the greatest people of all time. You'd
be recognized as such if you weren't always talking about talking rabbits.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Be Alert to Google Alerts!

In our fast-paced world I often advocate for the concept of "less is more", in support of focus and simplicity. However, I am quite taken with the idea of "more is more" when I look at the tabs at the top of the Google page.That's where I located Google Alerts. Last month I wrote a grant and I needed to gather background and supporting information about current trends in professional development. By creating a Google Alert, I get a daily annotated listing of websites and blog posting that meet my search criteria. A quick look through this daily list gives me at least one or more things worth checking out.

I am not in desperate need of more e-mail...but this is comparable to having a personal shopper who brings me the latest fashions. I won't try them all, but some things are a very good fit!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jefharris/526752443/sizes/s/#cc_license

Time Flies...whether you're having fun or not!

What to blog about in the middle of February, when my driveway is a skating rink and an opposum is snacking out of our birdfeeder by the front door? Sometimes nature should take precedence over technology, but far too often I spend the hours of daylight and darkness staring at a computer screen. The Web 2.0 world has captured our collective imagination and people are finding amazing ways to create and connect. I have recently joined "goodreads"...a place to record the books you've read and connect with other readers. It's great! It's something I've wanted to have. I have hopes of recording all the books I own. Despite this enthusiasm, I don't have the time or energy to fully engage with this site because: Our family is also on Geni, a genealogy site...also wonderful and exciting. And, I just found out about Glogster, a site for making posters...I have lots of photos to load on Flickr and modify in Picnik...I just have to try to make a movie on xtranormal.com...and catch up with friends on Facebook. I'm suffering from an overload of wonderful!
After spending a whole Sunday answering e-mails and emerging with 275 emails still to go, it sometimes seems that technology has taken over my life. I think I need to spend time with the 'possums!

Finding a Tool that works

Delicious is great!

I am newly returned from Denver, where I attended the School Library Advocacy Institute at the ALA Midwinter Meeting.  It was a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and discuss important topics, and visit the huge hall full of vendors.  When I catch up on e-mails, I'll be sharing some ideas and links.

It's a New Day!

The peaceful transfer of power occurred today in view of the whole world. Technology has brought fulfillment to Shakespeare's proclamation: "

All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts

Barack Obama is playing his part on the
world's stage and the
world is his audience.

This event will no doubt break records and
how could it not,
with the power of his
presence and the power of technology.
Technological advances have been part of a number of
inaugurations.
I found this on the New York Times website:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/18/weekinreview/18spectacle.html
"Mr. Obama will break new technological ground by being the
first to use text-messaging and YouTube as part his festivities.
James Polk plowed a path in 1845 by holding the first
inaugural to be covered by
telegraph, while James Buchanan’s inaugural in 1857
was the first known to be photographed.
Calvin Coolidge’s inaugural in 1925 was the first
covered nationally
by radio, and Harry S. Truman's inaugural in 1949 was the first
to be televised
nationally. (John Adams was the first president to wear
long trousers during a swearing-in,
according to a list of inauguration trivia
kept by the office of the architect
of the Capitol. Apropos of nothing, this
irresistible factoid certainly deserves
its place in these parentheses.)"

My job in on the line, but its redemption is online!

A strange title for my first blog in 5 months, but there it is. I have just spent way too much time writing on this little laptop of mine (on loan from the district, but just try to get it back!!!) but it's sort of like eating potato chips...it's really hard to stop once you get started!
My job as a tech trainer is on the line, because of, what else? , shortage of funds! Therefore, we have just written a grant proposal to maintain it for next year to accomplish some magnificent goals! So, my job redemption is online, in that the grant was successfully uploaded to the state department with 8 minutes and 52 seconds to spare!
4500+ words just made their way through cyberspace to a server in St. Paul, but the end result (yes--job, no--go back to bidding) is still in the hands of humans. Machines are faster; humans, I hope, have lots of empathy (and enough money to go around).
I think I can stop writing now, and go home and put my feet up (under a blanket, because it's still below zero!) I just realized that I include a lot of thoughts inside parentheses. (I wonder why?)