I snuck out after watching Studio 60 to get a few photos of the "blue moon" -- the second full moon this month. I'm fairly pleased, but I really want a decent telephoto for some closeups. Heck, one day I'd like to try photography through a telescope.
For now, though, these photos will have to do... it was beautiful and there was not another soul on the walkway. Very eerie... and calm.
31 May 2007
bow_chicka_bow_bow
The tree in our garden has attracted dozens of ladybugs all gettin' down and dirty... I took oodles of photos, but this is the only one that came out close to clear.
Really, the fact that it is a ladybug swingers club is the only thing keeping me from chopping down the tree, because for some reason it also attracts wasps and ants. Eww.
Really, the fact that it is a ladybug swingers club is the only thing keeping me from chopping down the tree, because for some reason it also attracts wasps and ants. Eww.
29 May 2007
Web 2.0 + Library 2.0 = Hot Air 2.0?
I had the opportunity today to take an audioconference about how libraries can use YouTube. I was the only non-librarian in the room, and the only one with videos of my own on YouTube... but all of us agreed that a conference about a video website might have been better delivered as a web-conference than audio plus a powerpoint presentation. On top of that, the content of the presentation seemed slim; while they did discuss equipment and software, the rest of the information was basic stuff that could be gleaned from spending 20 minutes (or less) on YouTube.
Aside from YouTube, libraries and librarians are popping up on Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, and everywhere else. They are blogging, vlogging, podcasting, and providing virtual reference. Our electronic resource collection is growing at a pace that rivals (or maybe even outpaces) our print collection -- e-journals, e-books, and new digitization projects (one current project involves digitizing sound recordings) -- and soon we'll have shiny new software in place to organize it all.
What I wonder is, where is this all going? Is this really what library users want? Surveys seem to point that way and even I've been on the receiving end of, "You mean I have to look it up in a book? Isn't there a website or something?"
I see the use of networking with Facebook or Ning and I do understand the power that multimedia brings to any website. I've made my peace with wikis, creative commons, and collaborative media. I just don't understand the point of building avatars in Second Life, or posting cute/funny videos on YouTube. Sure, it might get the library some media exposure, but will it bring in more users? Will it educate the ones we have?
Somebody convince me that this is neither a waste of time, nor an insult to the social users of these sites, and I'll listen. Right now, I'm of the opinion that there are limits and boundaries to the use of social networking in an organizational setting and I'm not sure it would be wise to push them too far.
Aside from YouTube, libraries and librarians are popping up on Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, and everywhere else. They are blogging, vlogging, podcasting, and providing virtual reference. Our electronic resource collection is growing at a pace that rivals (or maybe even outpaces) our print collection -- e-journals, e-books, and new digitization projects (one current project involves digitizing sound recordings) -- and soon we'll have shiny new software in place to organize it all.
What I wonder is, where is this all going? Is this really what library users want? Surveys seem to point that way and even I've been on the receiving end of, "You mean I have to look it up in a book? Isn't there a website or something?"
I see the use of networking with Facebook or Ning and I do understand the power that multimedia brings to any website. I've made my peace with wikis, creative commons, and collaborative media. I just don't understand the point of building avatars in Second Life, or posting cute/funny videos on YouTube. Sure, it might get the library some media exposure, but will it bring in more users? Will it educate the ones we have?
Somebody convince me that this is neither a waste of time, nor an insult to the social users of these sites, and I'll listen. Right now, I'm of the opinion that there are limits and boundaries to the use of social networking in an organizational setting and I'm not sure it would be wise to push them too far.
27 May 2007
Idiot.
Here's the original... http://victoria.craigslist.org/bks/339331531.html ...but I suspect it may get flagged. Why? Because this is what it says:
Dude. Really? Welcome to 2007. Any woman who knows who reads Chuck Palahniuk is unlikely to fall for this crap. Moron.
Oh, and anyone who will be at the reading, keep an eye out for this guy. He'll probably be the only idiot with an empty seat beside him.
As I was writing this, I told my hubby... check out his reaction. Funny. :)
I have a spare ticket to the sold-out Chuck Palahniuk reading on Monday May 28.
You can have the ticket for free, but only if you're a really hot chick. I'm not going to try to get you in the sack or anything; I just like hot chicks and I like being seen in their company... it makes me feel like a big man.
If you're a guy, or a chick who ain't hot, you can't have the ticket. I'll just throw it away. I'm like that. And it's good.
So... the ticket is yours for the taking just for being a hot chick.
And if you wear a vintage cocktail dress I'll take you to dinner, too. We don't have to converse.
Dude. Really? Welcome to 2007. Any woman who knows who reads Chuck Palahniuk is unlikely to fall for this crap. Moron.
Oh, and anyone who will be at the reading, keep an eye out for this guy. He'll probably be the only idiot with an empty seat beside him.
As I was writing this, I told my hubby... check out his reaction. Funny. :)
25 May 2007
Thankful.
This morning, at 3:40 a.m., we were very rudely awakened by our car alarm making a succession of annoying sounds. Hubby was quick to his feet, got dressed and ran down to silence it, then check it out. He didn't see any broken glass or anyone lurking in the parking lot, so he came back inside, and once our adrenaline stopped coursing at full, we did manage to get back to sleep.
This morning, we found that the driver's side door had been opened (probably with a slim jim or similar, because there was no visible damage) but nothing had been taken -- not the stereo, not the digital camera accidentally left overnight, not even the coins.
Needless to say, I am very thankful that we have the world's most annoying car alarm installed in our van. I'm happy that we scared some desperate criminal off our property, too; hopefully no other vehicles got hit.
***
The other thing Im thankful for today is our cat. We took him in for dental work this morning; he had basically a tooth that was rotting from the inside out, which meant a day in the hospital, full anaesthetic, and other un-fun things. When he returned home, he was punchy but seems otherwise fine.
This morning, we found that the driver's side door had been opened (probably with a slim jim or similar, because there was no visible damage) but nothing had been taken -- not the stereo, not the digital camera accidentally left overnight, not even the coins.
Needless to say, I am very thankful that we have the world's most annoying car alarm installed in our van. I'm happy that we scared some desperate criminal off our property, too; hopefully no other vehicles got hit.
***
The other thing Im thankful for today is our cat. We took him in for dental work this morning; he had basically a tooth that was rotting from the inside out, which meant a day in the hospital, full anaesthetic, and other un-fun things. When he returned home, he was punchy but seems otherwise fine.
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