Giving Thanks is a healthy thing for me to do. No matter how much I have to be grateful for, I can forget, and be a 'winger,' (pronounced 'winjer') as my Australian housemate used to term crybabies. A wonderful husband, a great family, a good job, a warm house with a roof to keep out the rain. Friends who help me to be better, and want me to help them to be better, too. A sense of humor, and the chance to make people laugh. The chance to overwhelm my bad karma with good, to drown out regrets with acts of generosity, to forgive (ouch! That's hard sometimes.) and be forgiven...the chance to forgive myself...
I've just finished reading Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This book left me with a sense of peace. There are many things for which to give thanks.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Back Again
Well, we started working on our new website last March (http://www.cedarburglibrary.org), and under the deluge of learning that followed, my blog login & password were lost. I was just about to surrender to the fact that I would have to create a new blog but, as I cleared away debris and found the top of my desk again, lo and behold - I found my blog login and password, too! Time to start posting.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
GMail - Free Voice & Video Chat
So, for all you potential Skypers or LogiTech Viders or IChat-ers out there, I have it from a very reliable source that if you have/create a free GMail account, there is also an option to voice and video chat on there for free.
Friday, May 7, 2010
In the interests of saving money during this crunchy time, maintaining older OS (Operating Systems) and making free phone calls over the Internet could help stretch dollars.
If you are running WXP (Windows XP) as an OS at home (as we are still doing at my house) you might want to see this link for help if your computer is slowing down:
WXP Maintenance
If you are running an apple computer, it's necessary to buy separate software in order to maintain it; I bought mine at Best Buy for $30. They can help you at the store; you need to know your 'last update' OS version. Usually, Apple is famous for not needing maintenance, but if you are online a lot, and want to get rid of tracking cookies, for example, running this software weekly or monthly can reduce the 'targeted' marketing and perhaps speed things up.
If you have relatives far away, or near for that matter, you can use your computer to "see and talk" to them for free.
I know this technology is not new, but it's been new to our house since last summer & fresh in my 'learning curve,' so in case you haven't done it yet, (& maybe have new grandchildren on the way? : ) here are a few details:
Perhaps you already know about Skype. It's free. It works for PCs and MACs. We use ours with basic HP cameras we bought at Best Buy (about $60 each, I think)...those you are 'Skyping' have to have a camera, run the same software, know your logon name - and, of course, be on the computer with you at the appointed time. When we set ours up at home, we were on the phone with family out East who had already set up theirs, and they coached us through. Skype works great on my husband's PC, when we 'Skype' out East where they also have a PC.
When we use my IMAC, we've found another free software program which works better than Skype for us - LogiTech Vid...also free; those to whom you connect must use this free download as well (but, of course, they can have either a PC or an APPLE computer). Bear in mind, though, that we are using the same brand basic HP camera on my IMAC, and we are not using the apple version of Skype & LogiTech (IChat)...If you're using the apple camera which probably came with your purchase, using the apple IChat software (Apple's equivalent of Skype & LogiTech Vid) might be your best bet.
This is so much fun. It is worth buying the camera, downloading the software, and setting it up!!! If you have trouble, get a neighbor kid. Really - this is very 'doable.'
If you are running WXP (Windows XP) as an OS at home (as we are still doing at my house) you might want to see this link for help if your computer is slowing down:
WXP Maintenance
If you are running an apple computer, it's necessary to buy separate software in order to maintain it; I bought mine at Best Buy for $30. They can help you at the store; you need to know your 'last update' OS version. Usually, Apple is famous for not needing maintenance, but if you are online a lot, and want to get rid of tracking cookies, for example, running this software weekly or monthly can reduce the 'targeted' marketing and perhaps speed things up.
If you have relatives far away, or near for that matter, you can use your computer to "see and talk" to them for free.
I know this technology is not new, but it's been new to our house since last summer & fresh in my 'learning curve,' so in case you haven't done it yet, (& maybe have new grandchildren on the way? : ) here are a few details:
Perhaps you already know about Skype. It's free. It works for PCs and MACs. We use ours with basic HP cameras we bought at Best Buy (about $60 each, I think)...those you are 'Skyping' have to have a camera, run the same software, know your logon name - and, of course, be on the computer with you at the appointed time. When we set ours up at home, we were on the phone with family out East who had already set up theirs, and they coached us through. Skype works great on my husband's PC, when we 'Skype' out East where they also have a PC.
When we use my IMAC, we've found another free software program which works better than Skype for us - LogiTech Vid...also free; those to whom you connect must use this free download as well (but, of course, they can have either a PC or an APPLE computer). Bear in mind, though, that we are using the same brand basic HP camera on my IMAC, and we are not using the apple version of Skype & LogiTech (IChat)...If you're using the apple camera which probably came with your purchase, using the apple IChat software (Apple's equivalent of Skype & LogiTech Vid) might be your best bet.
This is so much fun. It is worth buying the camera, downloading the software, and setting it up!!! If you have trouble, get a neighbor kid. Really - this is very 'doable.'
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
I'm Just Sayin'
I'm Just Sayin' that there's a lot to learn about this blogging stuff.
Today I learned that there's a big difference between draft and publish. I am used to writing and editing many drafts. Running out of time during my writing this morning, I quickly saved my first draft to be reworked later...
...and so, the first draft of today's blog was out there 'in the cyber world' for an hour or so before I could edit it. If you received it, my apology.
I need to be more aware of the public quality of this forum. It is a new venue for me, and today I made the mistake of 'doing my writing' directly on my blog.
So, I'm sorry for my first draft mistakes. I will be doing my future writing offline, and 'saving' my work here only when it is a finished product.
I'm Just Sayin'
Today I learned that there's a big difference between draft and publish. I am used to writing and editing many drafts. Running out of time during my writing this morning, I quickly saved my first draft to be reworked later...
...and so, the first draft of today's blog was out there 'in the cyber world' for an hour or so before I could edit it. If you received it, my apology.
I need to be more aware of the public quality of this forum. It is a new venue for me, and today I made the mistake of 'doing my writing' directly on my blog.
So, I'm sorry for my first draft mistakes. I will be doing my future writing offline, and 'saving' my work here only when it is a finished product.
I'm Just Sayin'
I'm Just Sayin'
I'm Just Sayin' that my motivation isn't to do things '...just good enough.'
Excellence, in some circles, has gotten a bad rap. Excellent customer service, careful consideration, finishing details, thoughtful organization - when did these become objects of ridicule?
'Good enough' has long been a mantra of those with priorities elsewhere;
but when did "I'm a big fan of good enough." become a catch phrase of the effective?
'Good enough' is sometimes the only way to address the priority - for example, when the priority is family: "I'll get most of this volunteer project done as well as I can, but I have to do the shopping and pick up the kids before my wife comes home from work. Good enough will have to do." This scenario I understand.
This scenario I find problematic:
I'll get most of this job done (the 40 hour per week one) as well as I can, but I may have to spend a good part of my time at work planning for my life outside of work.
'Good enough' has long been a mantra of those with priorities elsewhere. My objection is trying to legitimize this mantra at work as a mantra of the EFFECTIVE, when the priority seems to be anything but work, when elsewhere seems to be anywhere but work, and when the definition of effective seems to be "just good enough."
Excellence, in some circles, has gotten a bad rap. Excellent customer service, careful consideration, finishing details, thoughtful organization - when did these become objects of ridicule?
'Good enough' has long been a mantra of those with priorities elsewhere;
but when did "I'm a big fan of good enough." become a catch phrase of the effective?
'Good enough' is sometimes the only way to address the priority - for example, when the priority is family: "I'll get most of this volunteer project done as well as I can, but I have to do the shopping and pick up the kids before my wife comes home from work. Good enough will have to do." This scenario I understand.
This scenario I find problematic:
I'll get most of this job done (the 40 hour per week one) as well as I can, but I may have to spend a good part of my time at work planning for my life outside of work.
'Good enough' has long been a mantra of those with priorities elsewhere. My objection is trying to legitimize this mantra at work as a mantra of the EFFECTIVE, when the priority seems to be anything but work, when elsewhere seems to be anywhere but work, and when the definition of effective seems to be "just good enough."
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Lessons for Librarians From Teaching?
3.7.10
When I was teaching, back in the day, I went to a conference session entitled "YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, SO STOP PRETENDING," or something like that. Close enough.
This is the phrase I remember from it:
Sage on the Stage, or Guide on the Side?
As a young teacher, it was good for me to realize that when students see what I know as well as what I don't, they see that it's all about learning, not about being someone who knows it all.
What a relief.
As a 'mature' librarian experiencing information overload and 'change as the constant,' I remind myself not to be embarassed or discouraged by what I don't know, and not to pretend to know more than I do. It's time to learn from younger and older colleagues alike.
Who cares who learned it first? Let's drop our egos and get on with it. Let's enjoy seeing all that someone else knows, without the constant comparison and competition. Let's enjoy someone else's success, for that matter, and not be threatened.
What a relief.
When I was teaching, back in the day, I went to a conference session entitled "YOU DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING, SO STOP PRETENDING," or something like that. Close enough.
This is the phrase I remember from it:
Sage on the Stage, or Guide on the Side?
As a young teacher, it was good for me to realize that when students see what I know as well as what I don't, they see that it's all about learning, not about being someone who knows it all.
What a relief.
As a 'mature' librarian experiencing information overload and 'change as the constant,' I remind myself not to be embarassed or discouraged by what I don't know, and not to pretend to know more than I do. It's time to learn from younger and older colleagues alike.
Who cares who learned it first? Let's drop our egos and get on with it. Let's enjoy seeing all that someone else knows, without the constant comparison and competition. Let's enjoy someone else's success, for that matter, and not be threatened.
What a relief.
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