It's My Life

LibraryTree

Link: LibraryTree.

This is the blog for reference staff at Red Wing Public Library, I think. Found it while reading Luminesce's 23 Things on a Stick blog. I like both of the blogs - and I've del.icio.us'ed the LibraryTree already.

SELCO Staff's 23 Things on a Stick Kick-off

Today was SELCO staff's introduction to the state-wide program, its website, the list of SELS members and the list of tasks to undertake. As technology leaders, Ann feels it is important that SELCO staff take part and continue to improve our own knowledge.

Icebeaker - "Keep your sticks to yourself" Game - everyone chose sticks from a cup and those with a black mark got door prizes. Jane, Mel, Tom got prizes - I can't see what they are. My eyes are bad...

Aurora introduced staff to the history of 23 Things and its initial implementation in 2006, how it has spread throughout the country and has been adapted to fit a variety of programs. Our Minnesota program includes the obvious reference to the state fair but also tasks pulled from uniquely Minnesota sources, such as the Homework Calculator.

National Library Week is MN's 23 Things on a Stick ending date. In addition to the free flashdrive that people who finish will receive at the party during National Library Week, all staff is in competition for :

• Scanner on at stick
• free pro flickr account gift card
• iTunes gift card
• mp player on a stick
• DVD player on a stick

This is worktime, and may take about 1-2 hours a week. All staff to take part in this program, to at least start and to try out each of the 23 things. This is a self-guided project but the MN 23 Things on a Stick Team has given you links and tutorials and further information as you drill down through the main 23 Things on a Stick website. The 23 things we get to try include some Minnesota-specific tools to explore and try out. Staff is encouraged to talk to each other and "defining the way you learn about things and how learning about new technology things like this fits into your daily life" and it's all about discovery and not about doing it 'right.'

Next Game - Guess the Avatar! Aurora pulled the avatars from staff blogs and challenged us to identify coworkers based on their own interpretation of who they are. Lots of good conversation held as we discussed guesses right and wrong. Good laughs.

60 SELS participants have signed up - 500+ in the state. Aurora is monitoring SELS blogs.

Approach this with a playful mind, learn lots and have fun! "And the next time we get together, there will be food."

Healthy Living and other stuff...

I've a group of email buddies who have formed a support circle for making good food choices and drinking the water and exercising.

Bloglines tricks

I wasn't feeling so well today so spent a goodly part of my awake time putting the 23 Things on a Stick blogs for SELS on my bloglines account. I created a folder to make them easier to manage/find/review. Nice. I felt good about that.

23 Enigma

This is a section of a post from one of my fellow bloggers in "23 Things on a Stick" and I think everyone should read his blog. I think he's got some good information that many of us will find useful. Or, as I did the following, inspirational:

Link: 23 Enigma.

My wife likes to remind me that libraries are the great equalizer. I know it is hard for smaller libraries to keep up in this 2.0 world. You have to pick and choose, or you'll get buried trying to keep up with all the different Web 2.0 tools. I see a lot of libraries making a blog as a portal for their libraries online presence. I think that's a great choice. It makes the site much more dynamic, and not just a brochure for the library.

Wow...

Link: Flickr: Photos from The Library of Congress.

The Library of Congress' photos

Ars Gratia Artis » The Arts & Sciences 50 Challenge

From Merouda's journal - I like this.

Link: Ars Gratia Artis » The Arts & Sciences 50 Challenge.

Aside from the fact that I always have 5 or more personal challenges going on at any one time, the A&S50 didn’t offer me anything new—I’ve tried hundreds of crafts, I’ve made way more than 50 of a variety of different items, and I’ve been expanding my persona knowledge for years. Nonetheless, I wanted to be a part of it, if only because I know how motivating group projects can be.

Why I changed the functionality...

I finally figured out how to make this excerpt format available to a new post on Typepad. It should make it easier for people coming here as part of the 23 Things program to not have to weed through all my SCAdian posts.

Tomorrow, I need to create a timeline for when each of the various tasks need to be completed on my Outlook calendar.

It's only a Flesh Wound

We were nuts for going to Madison to this event. The weather was just awful on the way over on Friday night and the normally 3 hour trip took 5 hours. Got there at about 11:30 to a warm welcome by Roisin and her three puppies. Sat up waiting for the Nordskogen group for about another hour, just talking. So it was a short night - I had a most comfortable bed though.

I have an avatar!!

Finally, with Mary Beth's help, I got a picture loaded up. So never give up, never surrender.

I even tried to get a Simpsons avatar created, and one at someplace called Robbie Rocks and got totally stuck - there wasn't a re-edit button easily found. I had no hair. I wasn't showing up in the library world with no hair. But it's good now.