Week 3, Thing 7

This is the "post anything about technology" assignment.

Well, let's just say I know a little more about technology than I did last time around doing 23 Things, just from experience. For example, my tube tv developed a picture shrinking problem, and I thought the tube was going up, so I read reviews and shopped for an HDTV (not plasma). It turned out the problem was a loose connection to my tv from the converter box-to-vcr-tv setup. Fortunately, I was overwhelmed by television choices in the stores and didn't buy a new one. But, I want one!

During Fall vacation, I started my own myspace and Facebook pages, which have brought me into the wild world of social networking. Uploading photos, designing the pages, adding applications (in Facebook), and so on. Plus, I've made some new "friends" in places like the UK and Oklahoma and Tennessee that I would never have found any other way. We talk about politics, literature, and just about anything else, plus share photos and generally stay in touch in a unique way. Fun, too!

I still don't own an iPod or any kind of mp3 player, but I plan to buy one soon to take advantage of our new downloadable audiobooks. Maybe the kind that also has an FM radio and a nice size screen. Maybe Sansa or Creative Zen. Still shopping around.

Week 3, Thing 6

OK, this is the one I have trouble with. Mash-ups, mashables, mash this, mash that. I understand it's a blending of applications. For example, I did Montager through Flickr on the tag "Clinton 2008 " and made a mosaic of 500 images. For whatever reason, I can't upload the image to show you!!

Also played around with Flickr Colr Pickr. Pick a color and retrieve images from Flickr in that color. Ok then.....

Went to Big Huge Labs and made a jigsaw from a friend's photo (taken in Maine). Yeah!! It uploaded...

Week 3, Thing 5

Just uploaded some more photos from my gardens. Here's one.

I didn't set up my own flickr URL yet. My pix are public and are tagged with some of the following: gardening, flowers, plum tree, nandina, quince, shrubs.

Week 2, Thing 4

Blog is registered and tracking log set up.

Week 2, Thing 3

OK, I cheated a little. OK, not really. Since this is my second time around with 23 Things (with the goal of completing all 23 this time), I had already set up my blog. Plus, thanks to learning what I did last time around, I've been blogging on myspace and also set up a Programming Team blog for our library.

I like blogging, although sometimes it feels like journaling with an audience. Exhibitionism, if you will. But, it's such fun that whatever perverse pleasure blogging may offer to exhibitionists (which, BTW, I am definitely NOT!) is secondary to the ease with which regular joes and janes like us can be published on the web, without knowing a stick of html.

Love it!

Week 1, Thing 2

Really paid attention to this one. Took notes and everything. Highlights from the 7 1/2 Habits :

• break out of the box: lifelong learning isn't about the traditional ways or constraints of learning
• lifelong learning puts learners first and in control of the outcome
• lifelong learning means being open to new ideas, decisions, skills, and behaviors
• lifelong learning is "attitudinal": "attitude is everything"

And ain't that 4th bullet the big one?

Easiest of the 7 1/2 habits for me? Accept responsibility for your own learning. Always have. If I don't, who else will?

Hardest of the 7 1/2 habits for me? Play. Yep, believe it or not, I forget to play. But, then, there's all different kinds of play. I equate play with having fun. Priming and painting a door is fun for me. Seeing my photos digitized on the web for the first time was fun. And learning is fun, especially when you're just having fun and don't realize you're learning.

I downloaded the Learning 2.0 Contract thing but don't know if I'll use it. That would seem to make learning less fun ;-)

Watched the YouTube video this time: the machine is us......

Starting over....Week 1, Thing 1

I know I don't have to repeat the weeks I did last time around, but those OCD parts of me say I need to. Not that I don't remember the stuff, mind you. It just never hurts to refresh one's memory. re-read the information about 23 Things. I am determined to get all the way through it this time, or be frustrated trying