Thing #18

Oh, believe me, I've already "discovered" YouTube.
I heard a funny piece on NPR about how UTube, some manufacturer for some piece of something is constantly getting nasty calls and emails from people trying to find YouTube. Their website couldn't handle all the traffic and it was a full time job just deflecting people looking for funny videos of dogs or old Bruce Springsteen videos, like that one where Courtney Cox gets pulled up on stage and dances with the Boss. These are all gems I've discovered on YouTube.
I am thrilled to see the March of the Librarians using the classic Europe tune "The Final Countdown." Fine peice of music, that is. But I don't know why that video got so much circulation. It wasn't that great. And all the librarians were middle aged white women.

Embedding this video of Howlin Wolf was really easy.
I don't have any attention for video, which maybe explains why I haven't become as immersed in the YouTube craze as I could. That goes for video art too. Even if it's the most exciting thing in the world, I can't watch it for very long.
I chose this video obviously because Howlin Wolf was the coolest. I had absolutely no issue at all using this site. It is so easy. It's amazing how much pointless blabber occurs in the comments section of each video. Wow.
I would really love to make a video of our library. A wild dance party in the library would definately get me interested.

Thing #17

EBSCO's page composer isn't blowing my mind. I really don't like their format to begin with,and I don't feel like making tiny web pages is a business EBSCO really needs to be in.
I didn't find Gale/Cenage learning at all. Am I blind?
The ProQuest tool was pretty cool, but if I were someone else, I wouldn't want articles mailed to me all the time. It's enough getting the clippings mailed to you by your grandma, isn't it?
NetLibrary's notes tool was pretty cool, but I don't really know why I'd use it.
Sometimes I feel like all these tools are just being invented and promoted because people can,not because they'll really make our lives easier. I think people just want to say,look at this other tool. Tools are great, but if it takes more time to use it than it would to do it the old fashioned way, they're not worth very much.

Thing #16

I really don't like these tools. First of all, this computer doesn't know anything about my real assignments. Second of all, I think a big part of being in school, and in life, is learning to budget your time. This means buying a day planner, and prioritizing. Some people need to learn the hard way that maybe they should have been doing their homework rather than shopping for shoes or playing video games. I really think these assignment calculators are pretty pointless, and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

Thing #15

Second Life is CREEEPY! There was a good article-"Same Shit, Different Life" in the current Bitch about Second Life and sexuality. They made some good points-that people are just as racist and sexist in this virtual "utopia" but it is more easily avoided if you just pretend to be skinny, white and either a sexy lady or a white man. It went on to talk about the rampant sex parties in Second Life and how it's really just an extended version of the meatmarket. They also talked about how people are forming relationships and sometimes marrying people in Second Life that they've never actually met in First Life. Maybe they should call it Life 2.0. I don't know.
I like the first life just fine. I think it's weird people are making all this money off selling fake things.
I generally hate gaming. I think it is a waste of time and kind of pathetic.
I was once at my cabin. We ventured into town so I could go to the library to look up someone's phone number or send them an email to tell them to stop by, since we did't have contact with the outside world. I had to spend a long time waiting to use the computer in the library while these kids played some boring online game where you paint someone's fingernails. Wouldn't it have been more fun to paint your own fingernails in the analog world? And since they had signed up for an alotted amount of time, it was really theirs to do with as they pleased.
I guess gaming is no different than looking at porn at the library. I mean, they're both wasting time.
Although, as a kid I really liked "gaming" which we never called it then. I loved Number Munchers (the only way to make math fun) and Oregon Trail and Where in the World Is Carmen Sandeigo? I learned how not to get cholera, where Zimbabwe was, and about multiplying.
Why are pirates so popular these days? Along with zombies and robots and werewolves. Maybe they were always popular. I just got a DVD set featuring a movie from the 80s about a "maggot-spewing zombie doctor" that lives in the basement. See? Zombies were popular then, too.
This Pirate thing sure does take a while to load.
Who talks on the pirate thing? I like all the pirate lingo, but was I talking to a real pirate or just a computer? I didn't like bilging all that much. I wish I could have chose to do what I wanted to do instead of working my way up to it. I also wish I would have somehow earned enough money to buy a dog companion.

Thing #14

I forgot to say in my last post how much I love the word "widget". I think that might make it onto my next Likes/Dislikes zine, in production at the moment. It just sounds like a cute cuddly animal. I once read this book in elementary school called the Aminal and it was like a furry sunball. I bet in this age of electronics, it could get away with being called Widget.
I am an old hand at LibraryThing. I've cataloged over 1,000 books and zines for the Bat Annex Free School Library. I am also helping out the Stevens Square Center for the Arts Zine Library by doing some cataloging for them.
Our entire book and zine collection is cataloged in LibraryThing. Well it is not all cataloged, but it will be one day. What I meant by that is that it's our only form of cataloging and keeping track of what we have. It would be nice if the Belfry had a computer so people could search for specific things while they were at the Belfry, but I guess for now people will have to search from home.
Here's our page if you're interested:
www.librarything.com/catalog/batannex

I like that people can send messages, be friends and add to "interesting libraries". It makes me feel good that people are seeing and appreciating my extensive cataloging. I like that you can look up books through a variety of places, including Amazon and LC. I also like that they just added a section in the tags to add more authors. Before you could only add how many would fit. Now it seems you can add into eternity. I also like that you can add your book covers, but for us zine libraries, that's going to mean a lot of scanning.
I just got a message from a woman who was stoked to see her zine listed in our library.
I really like LibraryThing. I like that it's free and whoever writes the directions is funny and fun.
I've tried adding two of those "search our catalog from our blog" functions to our Myspace blog, but they've never worked.
I also have an account on Good Reads, but the novelty wore off quick.

Thing #13

I chose "Remember the Milk" because I really like lists and I haven't been very good at keeping track of my to-do list lately. I don't really know what it means to make anything my home page, because I don't have my own computer, but I think that's serious. It was hard enough for me to decide on a boyfriend, let alone a homepage. I am a loner, a rebel. I cannot commit to just one homepage.
Well, we use the Google calendar for the Belfry. That seems to be going well. I'm encouraging people to use Google Docs for things like the meeting minutes, or for the press contact list for example.
Online calendars are nice because you can get really detailed and it will alert you. My Slingshot doesn't alert me and it gets lost a lot.
I think the lists are really too much work. I just need to write my to do list down on a colored piece of paper, and then I'll be able to find it better. It takes a lot more time to log into the computer, go to the list site, type things in and add tasks, than it does just to write it down with a pen. Not everything has to be virtual.
Backpack looks too complicated. I obviously didn't want to pay, so signed up for the free account. There is too much text on there, but now no one can ever take polkaostrich.backpack.net ever again. Mwahahaahah... Seriously though, too complicated for something that is supposed to make your life easier.

Thing #12

I like Digg's format better than Reddit's. I also like that they have much more than one option for gender, including "bird" and "transsexual". I think these are great tools for libraries. It's hard to scan a million newspapers everyday. This makes news even more fun, in a way a little less depressing, and it's interesting to see how many people respond to a news item. Since there are tons of people submitting news, one reader would never be able to glean all these news items from one source. It would take all day. I like that they have abstracts and pictures. And links to the articles, although sometimes the site wants you to logon or register, which I hate doing.
I also like that it separates the news into categories, like offbeat (which is the first thing I go to) and sports (which I avoid like the plague).
I also like that there are pictures that count as news items. It's hard to say whether the videos are worth a watch. I don't have the attention span for video. Video news, video art, etc. I can't watch it.
I added a piece of news that was on Ira Glass' (swoon) This American Life about two boys that went missing and when one turned out he was claimed by the wrong family but it was never righted until this family member started researching it and found out the truth which everyone was pissed about.
I see these tools as being either productivity enhancers or distractors. For me, probably enhancer, but I could see that line being crossed without even knowing it.
I have read articles-by read I mean scanned-because of these tools. I also have found websites I wouldn't have known of before to add to my Google reader.

Thing #11

I am obsessed with Del.icio.us now. This is terrible...
I love the internet and go to the same websites a lot. I don't really use bookmarks, since I don't have a computer at home, so there is no point in putting my favorite websites on a computer that isn't mine. So that means I have to remember the ones I like or just forget them and wish I remembered them...
I love that you can see what other people tagged a website as-it makes me see how other people think of things. I also love that I can see what other people are looking at. I'm sure I will find a whole slew of new websites to frequent.
My library and art space could use it to let people who visit our website know about cool friends. It can be another form of the "links" page.
I like the idea of saving your bookmarks on a site that is available everywhere...
I wish you didn't have to install that button. I do like the cloud tags.

Thing #9

I really love Google Docs. It has been my new cause I have been trumpeting throughout the land.
I don't think the founding Fathers would really care what we were doing with their doc because they would still be in charge, being in the 1700s and white men and rich. Oh those Founding Fathers...emphasis on the capitals...
After looking at Zoho's format, I decided I still like Google better. Zoho looks too simple, and like a little kid's program or something.
I've been trying to get everyone I know to use Google Docs lately..at least at the Belfry/Bat Annex Library for things like the press release list, places to flyer list, etc.
I love Google. And I love Google Docs.

Thing #10

Well, I'm already using wikis... For the Belfry I run the Wetpaint wiki, which is super easy to use. I've also added to Minnewiki in the past and really like Zinewiki, which got sabatogued a while back so they're down for the time being.
I like this idea of anyone being able to work on a document. This is perfect for group projects, the Belfry, or anything that people are working on collaboratively.
I don't know how I feel about limiting the source of information by format. I'm not sure if it's the format so much, just that Wikipedia leads to laziness. I see the reason for banning Wikipedia from citing in research is because it is a dynamic source of information. What is here today won't be there tomorrow. And it can be sabotauged and the researcher might not know there's bias in there. I'm sure if more students tried to use blog comments or livejournals for their research those would be banned too. It's generally a good idea to stick with peer-reviewed journals, and to check the background of an author. Maybe they are pathological liars. Maybe they are Stephen Glass or that woman that just faked her hard gang life.
I think it's good to teach students and researchers about the quality of trustworthy information and being discriminating.
I edited www.belfrycenter.wetpaint.com.
A while ago I edited the Bla Bla Blacksheep entry on Minnewiki, and added a few more bands. I found that website very hard to manuever today.
I've also edited Zinewiki in the past, but couldn't get to it today. That's my favorite.
I've edited and used The Infoshop Open Wiki for information on infoshops-http://www.infoshop.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

Thing #8

It seems you are pretty jealous of my tech skills.
I'm glad these slideshow options exist. They would be nice for a library or personal webpage or blog to brighten things up. But they always sort of end up looking cheesy, so I hope it's not that serious of a site.
I tried Lazybase but it seemed boring. The Flicks were pretty fun. I don't want to think about getting a new job right now, so the eportfolio was not at the top of my list.
These applications wouldn't be the first thing I recommended to others. They weren't that fun or useful, but not the biggest waste of time, either.
I like that some sites post to Blogger for you.

Thing #7

When I talk about my library, the Bat Annex Free School Library, I interchangably talk about the Belfry Center for Social and Cultural Activities, which is the alternative art space that houses the library. So any events that happen at the Belfry also happen at the library. The library doesn't function on its own. Now that that's clarified, on to the blog prompts:

Our library uses email for almost all of our communication. Since the space is collectively run with no paid staff most of the communications are done outside of the Belfry. We have a phone, but unless someone is there to answer it, we don't really use that as a form of communication. Also, our computer is crappy and we have to steal internet connection, so we never use that either.
We use email to communicate between the collective members (on a Google group), or by sending individual emails to each other either through email or Myspace.
We call each other too, but some people don't have cell phones or phones at all, so it's easier to send emails internally. That way people can know what other people's responses were, too.
We also use our email contacts list as a way of letting people know what events are going on at the library. Along with Myspace postings, listserv postings, and all the other ways of promoting an event.
I love the idea of online reference. People seem to be a lot more comfortable IMing a librarian than interrupting them at their desk, or calling and talking. I really hate anything having to do with text messaging. Maybe it's because I get them on my phone and those buttons are too small to press and it takes wayyyy too long, then I end up just calling the person anyway.
I do use text messaging, and IM once in a while when my Gmail account is open. Only a handful of people I know actually will text (or tex-mex as my bf calls it) or IM me. Not very many people.
That article says tex mexes are sent when a voice call would not be appropriate...classrooms, movie theaters, libraries...
Why would someone tex mex a librarian if they were in the library and could walk up to them? What kind of urgent reference questions need to be answered while watching a movie?
I generally don't like tex mexing.
Maybe I'll attend an Opal webinar in the future. There aren't any until Monday.

Thing #6

Chicks on Speed has been in my life a lot lately. Here is a trading card of myself, but I have to say I've made much better trading cards in the darkroom.



Here is the drumset for my new band. We tell everyone we are a polka band but in fact know no polka songs.



Here is a picture of someone's shaved head. Do you know how much more satisfying it would be to actually shave this into someone's head?



That was actually the original "Don't Look Back" take, but they thought it was too specific, and would make other fans jealous, so they changed it to illustrate a song.
I think I am obsessed with this generating thing.

Thing #5

Oh my god, it worked! I love Spell with Flickr! I think it's the most exciting feature of these posted. Now I can make everything I write look fabulous.
I guess I don't have a whole lot to say about this feature, except that it's cool and I'm really glad all those people set their pictures of letters to "public".

Thing #4

Here is my first transfer from Flickr to a blog. I have a Flickr

emiwee and amanda in the library
Originally uploaded by polkaostrich

account, but forgot about it. Now I think I might be addicted to it. It's hard because I don't have a computer (well I do, but it doesn't get the internet, or save, or print anything, or burn CDs) so I have to use my sister's computer which means I have to deal with my crazy mom and her cats always sitting in front of the screen and she tries to talk to me and peers over my shoulder when I'm doing things and then sits next to me and talks on the phone really loud. That's the main reason I haven't really gotten into Flickr. Maybe when I win the lottery I will buy myself a computer to upload all my photos onto.
I have BFA in photography and am not in the digital camp at alll...

But, I think I will start a Flickr account for the Belfry/Bat Annex Library. Then we can all upload our pics onto the site so everyone can see how much fun a radical lending library can be and they'll all want to visit and check zines out and have dance parties in the library. We drink beer in our library.

I feel wonderful about having my photos public. I'm not really doing anything illegal, and I like the idea that I don't have to invite everyone over for a slide show, make a cheez ball, etc. for them to see my pictures. And I like the idea of people I don't know finding my pictures and hopefully laughing at them or wondering what could be going on there.

I don't know how other people who are in the pictures feel about it though. How many people actually ask if it's ok with their subjects, if its just their friends, if they're up on Flickr? Does anyone ever do anything sinister with Flickr images?

I remember when Flickr just came out and all the photographers were so excited.

Thing #3

How could RSS stand for Really Simple...anything? Can you abbreviate things like that? I guess you can, and they did. Does everything have to have an acronym these days? Does it really shave that much time off of your day?
How are we all supposed to work with all of the RSS feed reading? I could spend all day just reading these.
So I signed up for Bloglines because that's what Steven Abrams likes. And he's cool. But then I also signed up for Google reader because I like the idea of Google dominating my life. And my blog is through there, and my email, so why not? Is that so wrong? I think I like Google's better.
I love that I don't have to remember that I like a website and go to it all the time. I don't like that I expect to feel overwhelmed by all this information.
I would think that librarians really like this. Especially if there is a special interest.
When will people learn to clone ourselves so one of us can be just us, and the other one do errands and be personal assistants to the real one? I feel like I'll need a clone to read all my blogs. And I've only subscribed to 5. I get distracted very easily. I am an Aquarius. But we've talked about this before.
I thought Google Reader was a lot easier to use than Bloglines. I like the setup, that you can star things, that after you've scrolled down, it marks the blog as "read", and it was friendlier to help me find blogs. The video explained what I had to figure out on my own, because I set up a Bloglines account before I watched the video. That's just my style.
Isn't a little egomanaical of everyone when they say "subscribe to my blog", Now I'm starting to get what all the blog jokes are about. I mean, are we all so important that we expect people to subscribe to our blogs and find out our every move? Can't we just go home and watch Princess Bride without telling everyone about it?
PS Subscribe to my blog! Frog bog.