I've actually been wanting to learn about tags for a long time now, so I'm pleased to have this lesson. Obviously, I'm late on starting it, but I'm determined to catch up.
So the theme for problems regarding technology, here at the library and elsewhere, seems for me very centered on overload; feeling overwhelmed. Despite all my experience now, I'm still in that phase and I wish I weren't. On a blog I created for one of the library's programs, http://rplpoetryroundtable.wordpress.com/ (obviously never would have happened without ait--thanks guys), is where I chose to apply my tags--just on the last three posts--because I would really like to make that blog nice where this one is just sort of an experiment. The immediate "I'm overwhelmed" feeling comes to me, for tags, on just knowing what matters and what doesn't in a tag. It seems you could go on forever with any entry with tags...I could put a million tags on any of my posts. I guess when I experience looking for tags--being on the other side of the tag process--i might realize what someone more wants in a tag and what is just excessive verbage. I'm trying to think of guidelines I could make for the roundtable tags: the author's names? the names of their books? do i put "racine" and "library" tagged onto every post? And blah and blah and blah.
Whether the "uncontrolled vocabulary" is unsettling to me or not really gets at the more important question of "is all the internet unsettling to me." The answer is yes. I've been writing a lot of poetry about it lately because it's been so frontline in my life. Since i've been doing either nonstop programming stuff in jill's office or school stuff, which is all online, I've been feeling lonlier than usual lately. My Internet use needs to be kept in moderation somehow by me...I need to make some sort of guidelines because I'm really not so happy staring at a screen, sitting in a chair not moving and not talking to people to boot. But my responsibilities require a lot of computer use regardless. So wish me a happy medium somtime soon.
Until next,
poo
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Just add water
And presto!...instant messenger : )
So I've done this before, only through our e-mail system. I dig it. I see the utility to it, though I can't quite relate to why people use it so frequently, in most cases.
In the case of working on some project or another online, you have a question and you know someone else is online who could answer it, IMing seems pretty fantastic to me. Just the other day I was able to IM john AND pat to ask how to get to the refence desk homepage...they were in the same building as me, but it definitely saved me a few minutes of walking back and forth to talk to them.
However, just conversating with others through IMing seems like something I will never find appealling. First of all, whenever I'm online it's usually because I'm working diligently on some matter of business or another and I'd rather not be interupted. So, unless there's a very good reason for it, I can see how IMing could become more of a nuisance than a help.
Today, I recieved an account for AIM and I also went for one through Meebo (and invited Jill as my buddy). I think what that david fella did with Meebo is super awesome and it seems to be a perfect example of how this technology can really improve people's lives, if applied creatively.
Ok. Happy 2nd semester ya'll. Glad to be back in the game.
love,
poo
So I've done this before, only through our e-mail system. I dig it. I see the utility to it, though I can't quite relate to why people use it so frequently, in most cases.
In the case of working on some project or another online, you have a question and you know someone else is online who could answer it, IMing seems pretty fantastic to me. Just the other day I was able to IM john AND pat to ask how to get to the refence desk homepage...they were in the same building as me, but it definitely saved me a few minutes of walking back and forth to talk to them.
However, just conversating with others through IMing seems like something I will never find appealling. First of all, whenever I'm online it's usually because I'm working diligently on some matter of business or another and I'd rather not be interupted. So, unless there's a very good reason for it, I can see how IMing could become more of a nuisance than a help.
Today, I recieved an account for AIM and I also went for one through Meebo (and invited Jill as my buddy). I think what that david fella did with Meebo is super awesome and it seems to be a perfect example of how this technology can really improve people's lives, if applied creatively.
Ok. Happy 2nd semester ya'll. Glad to be back in the game.
love,
poo
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Meditations on a sunny lillipad in the lovelydoodle pond
So this is me reflecting on the past semester of AIT:
First off...my experience is 100% positive. I learned a ton of stuff. What more needs to be said.
Second...i am glad this is temporarily ending because there's always a nagging voice in the back of my head saying that I should be shelving right now, even though this is work too. Old habits are hard to break. I'm glad to get back to shelvenation station.
Third...will I use any of this stuff in the future? I will definitely use all of it, just as points of reference in my daily life, I'm sure (i.e.- knowing what the heck my friends are talking about, having a leg up when I start Grad school for info science, etc). Will I use this stuff directly? Also a yes, but i'm sure not all of it. Google reader, library thing and wikis might not get immediate love from me yet, but I really ought to use blogspot to create a literary journal eventually, Myspace to make a sort of personal website focused on my poetry endeavors, snapfish of flickr to share photos and i think i'm even coming around on google calendar. I bet I'll convert to using that soon to make planning get togethers with long distance friends and family easier. i should also really take advantage of google docs too. I see how i could benefit from having all my poetry documents, etc saved online and accessible that way.
Hmmm....overall this is a pretty good result. That is, if I get my butt in gear and pursue any of these things. Oh, I also think I might make a MSpace for the Library's Poetic Justice program...it was actually suggested to me by a teen patron so we'll see where that goes.
OK. It's almost lunch and I haven't touched a book. Thanks AIT team for putting such a cool, educational program into action and I look forward to semester the second.
love,
poo
First off...my experience is 100% positive. I learned a ton of stuff. What more needs to be said.
Second...i am glad this is temporarily ending because there's always a nagging voice in the back of my head saying that I should be shelving right now, even though this is work too. Old habits are hard to break. I'm glad to get back to shelvenation station.
Third...will I use any of this stuff in the future? I will definitely use all of it, just as points of reference in my daily life, I'm sure (i.e.- knowing what the heck my friends are talking about, having a leg up when I start Grad school for info science, etc). Will I use this stuff directly? Also a yes, but i'm sure not all of it. Google reader, library thing and wikis might not get immediate love from me yet, but I really ought to use blogspot to create a literary journal eventually, Myspace to make a sort of personal website focused on my poetry endeavors, snapfish of flickr to share photos and i think i'm even coming around on google calendar. I bet I'll convert to using that soon to make planning get togethers with long distance friends and family easier. i should also really take advantage of google docs too. I see how i could benefit from having all my poetry documents, etc saved online and accessible that way.
Hmmm....overall this is a pretty good result. That is, if I get my butt in gear and pursue any of these things. Oh, I also think I might make a MSpace for the Library's Poetic Justice program...it was actually suggested to me by a teen patron so we'll see where that goes.
OK. It's almost lunch and I haven't touched a book. Thanks AIT team for putting such a cool, educational program into action and I look forward to semester the second.
love,
poo
It's a librarything...you wouldn't understand
Hey cowpolks.
Checked out library thing today. It's pretty cool. I do this to a much more basic degree already, keep a list of books I've read whenever I finish a new one, so really this seems like an "i might as well do this instead" sort of gig. I really like the ideas of trying to get people together through these means and found it's fun to do anyways...addictive even. I ended up listing somehting like 23 books because I didn't realize I had surpassed the requirement for this lesson already. But that's an issue for me as well. I don't know if I could really justify dedicating much time to something like this. I can't quite see what could come out of this that would be productive enough to justify it. I'm sure I would get recommendations of books to read that I would like...but I'm never short on that. I've always got a huge list of books in my head waiting to be read. I would probably make some long distance relationships based off similarities with other members in taste, but those, being long distance, could only be superficial ultimately and I don't feel they could transcend the stage of, like, an imaginary friend almost. I imagine I already know maybe all of the local people that have the same interests that I could connect with through this sight because we all get together based on our literary interests in different venues around the city (open mics at 716 art gallery, wilbur's bbq, the local college events, barnes and nobles...even the programs that the library puts on). What the heck...I'm a nay sayer. That's all it comes down to.
I spend so much of my life piddling time away on frivolous vanities that I don't see why this couldn't be one of them, if it was something I really enjoyed. It just isn't yet. I suppose I have only known about it for an hour or so though : )
Here are the positive things i have to say though: I, again, feel the fact that we're learning about this stuff is invaluable in tons of ways. As far as working at the library, I think it's the bare minimum for being able to communicate with my patrons and help them with their needs and I thank the AIT team for boosting my competence to this level, at least. And everytime I talk to an emerging tech staff member, they typically can offer insights and possibilities of ways to use these technologies that I hadn't thought of before. I guess that's just the bottom line for me though--if we can keep all of these things just as a jumping point for interacting with each other OFF line, then they will have served a wonderful purpose. If people never cross the boundaries of these safe internet forums to take relationships to the next level though, then I feel all of this technology will have been created in vain.
Big talk for a little shelver. Maybe I should try walking it.
I've finished my assignment for week 10 and find myself somewhat disgruntled still...time to reach out and talk to someone about why I am and why they aren't and see if we can reconcile the two perspectives! and exclamation point!
here's my library thing account:
http://www.librarything.com/home/ndemske
I was not successful with the library suggester/unsuggester. Every time I entered a book in (in either one) it just came back with results for the book like it had searched for it. And I was just going to the AIT link for suggester because I couldn't find how to get to it from my library thing homepage. However, all of that will not stop me fromt listing a book:
Ben Lerner is probably my favorite poet. His first volume of work, The Lichtenberg Figures, is really great and we have both of the two books he's published in our stacks.
Well I guess that's it. Next assignment.
Checked out library thing today. It's pretty cool. I do this to a much more basic degree already, keep a list of books I've read whenever I finish a new one, so really this seems like an "i might as well do this instead" sort of gig. I really like the ideas of trying to get people together through these means and found it's fun to do anyways...addictive even. I ended up listing somehting like 23 books because I didn't realize I had surpassed the requirement for this lesson already. But that's an issue for me as well. I don't know if I could really justify dedicating much time to something like this. I can't quite see what could come out of this that would be productive enough to justify it. I'm sure I would get recommendations of books to read that I would like...but I'm never short on that. I've always got a huge list of books in my head waiting to be read. I would probably make some long distance relationships based off similarities with other members in taste, but those, being long distance, could only be superficial ultimately and I don't feel they could transcend the stage of, like, an imaginary friend almost. I imagine I already know maybe all of the local people that have the same interests that I could connect with through this sight because we all get together based on our literary interests in different venues around the city (open mics at 716 art gallery, wilbur's bbq, the local college events, barnes and nobles...even the programs that the library puts on). What the heck...I'm a nay sayer. That's all it comes down to.
I spend so much of my life piddling time away on frivolous vanities that I don't see why this couldn't be one of them, if it was something I really enjoyed. It just isn't yet. I suppose I have only known about it for an hour or so though : )
Here are the positive things i have to say though: I, again, feel the fact that we're learning about this stuff is invaluable in tons of ways. As far as working at the library, I think it's the bare minimum for being able to communicate with my patrons and help them with their needs and I thank the AIT team for boosting my competence to this level, at least. And everytime I talk to an emerging tech staff member, they typically can offer insights and possibilities of ways to use these technologies that I hadn't thought of before. I guess that's just the bottom line for me though--if we can keep all of these things just as a jumping point for interacting with each other OFF line, then they will have served a wonderful purpose. If people never cross the boundaries of these safe internet forums to take relationships to the next level though, then I feel all of this technology will have been created in vain.
Big talk for a little shelver. Maybe I should try walking it.
I've finished my assignment for week 10 and find myself somewhat disgruntled still...time to reach out and talk to someone about why I am and why they aren't and see if we can reconcile the two perspectives! and exclamation point!
here's my library thing account:
http://www.librarything.com/home/ndemske
I was not successful with the library suggester/unsuggester. Every time I entered a book in (in either one) it just came back with results for the book like it had searched for it. And I was just going to the AIT link for suggester because I couldn't find how to get to it from my library thing homepage. However, all of that will not stop me fromt listing a book:
Ben Lerner is probably my favorite poet. His first volume of work, The Lichtenberg Figures, is really great and we have both of the two books he's published in our stacks.
Well I guess that's it. Next assignment.
Friday, July 18, 2008
I am a goon from the caverns of mars
Hey rplers,
I now have an account on facebook and myspace. I couldn't bring myself to add any real profile information or pictures to any of them. I can see how this technology could benefit a person, but what can i say. I am a weiner to the nth degree.
I liked how facebook just gave you a bunch of friend options up front. It was freaky how many people they knew i know. I'm not sure if they just somehow check the history of your e-mailing or the listed contacts in your e-mail account or what, but they were coming up with people left and right. I won't lie. I hate everything about this stuff. Maybe it's the fact that I'm doing it at one of our public terminals during open hours, maybe it's the fact that everyone else around me would dedicate their entire day to this if we didn't now have two hour blocks on the computers. Or maybe i'm just a fuddyduddy. or maybe i just love that word. I think it's a mixture of all this combined with the fact that I'm sort of cavemanny about any emerging technology. Honestly, I don't think i'm the better off for it. I keep thinking of the original video we had to watch about the monk being deterred by the "new technology" of the book. I feel like that was an accurate parallel on a lot of levels. But what can i say. It's my honest, gut reaction to this stuff.
http://www.myspace.com/nickdemske
I think this is the link to my facebook page, if that's something you can even do (i think terrence might have explained that it's not):
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1349332797
ok. that's enough nonsense for now. It's strange. I've heard so many good things about this stuff. Some of my poet friends that have published manuscripts told me that more people end up buying books off your myspace page than off the publisher's website. there's got to be something to that. but really all i'm thinking of is the stories about people not getting jobs because the employer checked out their myspace page and there was inappropriate stuff on it, stuff like that. I really can't be trusted to act right in a public forum that seems private like this. I think i might hold off for now, but would like to be able to work with these programs in the future.
Till next time,
poo
I now have an account on facebook and myspace. I couldn't bring myself to add any real profile information or pictures to any of them. I can see how this technology could benefit a person, but what can i say. I am a weiner to the nth degree.
I liked how facebook just gave you a bunch of friend options up front. It was freaky how many people they knew i know. I'm not sure if they just somehow check the history of your e-mailing or the listed contacts in your e-mail account or what, but they were coming up with people left and right. I won't lie. I hate everything about this stuff. Maybe it's the fact that I'm doing it at one of our public terminals during open hours, maybe it's the fact that everyone else around me would dedicate their entire day to this if we didn't now have two hour blocks on the computers. Or maybe i'm just a fuddyduddy. or maybe i just love that word. I think it's a mixture of all this combined with the fact that I'm sort of cavemanny about any emerging technology. Honestly, I don't think i'm the better off for it. I keep thinking of the original video we had to watch about the monk being deterred by the "new technology" of the book. I feel like that was an accurate parallel on a lot of levels. But what can i say. It's my honest, gut reaction to this stuff.
http://www.myspace.com/nickdemske
I think this is the link to my facebook page, if that's something you can even do (i think terrence might have explained that it's not):
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1349332797
ok. that's enough nonsense for now. It's strange. I've heard so many good things about this stuff. Some of my poet friends that have published manuscripts told me that more people end up buying books off your myspace page than off the publisher's website. there's got to be something to that. but really all i'm thinking of is the stories about people not getting jobs because the employer checked out their myspace page and there was inappropriate stuff on it, stuff like that. I really can't be trusted to act right in a public forum that seems private like this. I think i might hold off for now, but would like to be able to work with these programs in the future.
Till next time,
poo
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Pisker and banoon
Hey homies.
The title of this post is what my girlfriend's god son, Christian. says instead of "picture" and "balloon." I feel he improved both words so why not make them the title of this pisker (but not banoon) related post?
So I tried posting my M drive piskers on snapfish instead of fickr. My family uses that site so i figured it would be more convenient for me to start there. It went well. Swimmingly, really. No problems or anything. Except I don't think snapfish has a feature to share with the public. You can invite others by e-mail but, aside form the invitations, i didn't see too many other sharing options. Also, as far as I could tell, it did not have the same search capabilities as flickr, meaning you couldn't just pop in the name of a tag and it would give you a list of pictures related to that tag. Which means you also wouldn;t be able to search for the most popular tags, most interesting, most recently used, whatever. I don't know. maybe my fam needs to reconsider their site choice...
That's about it for me. I will try to end with three interesting things going on in my life now. ok. Starting, here: I'm reading Ginsberg's "Howl and other poems" all the way through for the first time in my life. I'm looking forward to dragon boat action next month. I hope I get to see tom waits play a show in st louis when i visit my sister there. And I'm loving skateboarding. I wish i could go do it right now.
There. that's four mildly interesting things. You get what you pay for?
later gators,
poo
The title of this post is what my girlfriend's god son, Christian. says instead of "picture" and "balloon." I feel he improved both words so why not make them the title of this pisker (but not banoon) related post?
So I tried posting my M drive piskers on snapfish instead of fickr. My family uses that site so i figured it would be more convenient for me to start there. It went well. Swimmingly, really. No problems or anything. Except I don't think snapfish has a feature to share with the public. You can invite others by e-mail but, aside form the invitations, i didn't see too many other sharing options. Also, as far as I could tell, it did not have the same search capabilities as flickr, meaning you couldn't just pop in the name of a tag and it would give you a list of pictures related to that tag. Which means you also wouldn;t be able to search for the most popular tags, most interesting, most recently used, whatever. I don't know. maybe my fam needs to reconsider their site choice...
That's about it for me. I will try to end with three interesting things going on in my life now. ok. Starting, here: I'm reading Ginsberg's "Howl and other poems" all the way through for the first time in my life. I'm looking forward to dragon boat action next month. I hope I get to see tom waits play a show in st louis when i visit my sister there. And I'm loving skateboarding. I wish i could go do it right now.
There. that's four mildly interesting things. You get what you pay for?
later gators,
poo
Saturday, June 14, 2008
wiki wiki woo woo
SO wiki's are prett y dope.
I found an entry about racine...a rather lengthy one, really, i thought. which is kind of cool...some people have put alot of work into making it...and yes indeed, there was a link to our library. YES!
This week's excercises were pleasant, low key, not alot of work. I feel i could benefit from creating wiki's personally, probably. I'm not sure what the library would use one for, but i would love to hear other people's thoughts on it and i'll think aboput it in the meantime.
OK, that's enough staring at a screen for me for one day. I'm glad this week went by without me having any major errors and i will be thinking about creating my own personal blog or wiki for personal uses until next time,
poo
I found an entry about racine...a rather lengthy one, really, i thought. which is kind of cool...some people have put alot of work into making it...and yes indeed, there was a link to our library. YES!
This week's excercises were pleasant, low key, not alot of work. I feel i could benefit from creating wiki's personally, probably. I'm not sure what the library would use one for, but i would love to hear other people's thoughts on it and i'll think aboput it in the meantime.
OK, that's enough staring at a screen for me for one day. I'm glad this week went by without me having any major errors and i will be thinking about creating my own personal blog or wiki for personal uses until next time,
poo
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