#9 Finding feeds - it really DOES make life simple.

It's just like Flickr - the more I find out about RSS and setting it up for myself, the more I like it. I have been experimenting with search tools, as well as just going to some of my favourite sites and looking for rss links.
I liked Technorati. I used it locate some blogs on Masons Ironstone China because even though I am no longer using Ebay, my original passion for the china remains. I got a surprising number of results. I think I have found a blog with some genuine enthusiasts, not just a marketplace but time will tell. Along the same theme I ventured back into Ebay to test out the rss possibilities (just for the exercise you understand). I did a harmelss enough search ie. not one that would lead me into temptation, for Masons lids and discovered how easily a rss link for that search could be saved. Using Firefox makes this so easy. So I added that to my bloglines.
I tested Topix. Initially I couldn't quite see how to search but I found it eventually and have set up a feed for "public libraries and catalogues" .I may have to narrow it down more.
I really didn't like Feedster, or maybe I was just doing something wrong. I did a search for feeds on a public figure (whom I have a distant connection with, funnily enough via someone I met on Ebay) but there was no rss link in the results. Eventually, I added it by just copying the url.
I used Google blog search just for testing purposes to see if I could locate one of the Live Journal communities (Australian watchers of House) that my daughter belongs to, and it did, so I think this would be a useful tool as well.
And finally, (for the moment anyway)I have added an alert from Library Journal via the ANZ Ref centre database for new articles discussing library software .Very relevant as we have to look for a new LMS soon.

#8 Making life really simple

I think this is consistent with my last entry and newly declared intention of reclaiming some of life back from the online world because it channels anything I might be interested in to one spot. I had been trying to achieve that previously to Learning 2.0 anyway by using the links bar in my browsers etc but this is a much more efficient of staying up to date on work and other interests in a less time-consuming way.
I set up a bloglines account (and I am beginning to wish I had set up my blog using Bloglines because everything really would be in one spot). I used some of the options from the directory like BBC, a couple of library ones and Salon. I also used the Communities option to enter my daughter's Live Journal - very simple to do, just put in her user name - but she wasn't happy so I had to remove it. For the purposes of the exercise I added my own flickr account and I also added a tag update for the Glasgow School of Art so that I will know when anyone uploads a photo of one of my favourite buildings. I added the blogs of some of my colleagues as well as Davey P. a wonderful exponent of Library 2.0 from Yorkshire that I have come to know via the SirsiDynix Horizon list.
I was amused last night after the Grand Final to click on the BBC headline - their angle was that Aboriginal players were now dominating football. Interestingly, I can't find a trace of this story now.
I have added my public bloglines account to my blog profile but it is still constantly changing.

#7 Technology - random musings

There have been 3 separate strands of thoughts running through my head this week in relation to technology. Working in systems in the library, I'm clearly committed to it but I think there can be TOO MUCH of a good thing. As I've said previously,I really enjoy many of the tools, I've been relying on online resources not only for work, but for managing my life generally, but I think you can get seduced into a bottomless pit. This fairly pedestrian observation has come noticeably to the surface for me this week as a result of giving up my ebay habit. I don't turn my home computer on as much (ie the second I wake up, or come in the door). And I have found that I have a lightening of spirit or something because I am free now to do other things. I have become too easily sucked in to checking my email compulsively or doing random google searches. So that's my new resolve - to stay away from the computer more!
Something else that I have been thinking about is how important it is to have a realistic attitude to technology. It doesn't always work. Expect things to go wrong.
We have been trying to set up a new public access network at one of our library branches in the past few weeks and it has been been plagued by many problems. These have all been much more bearable because firstly I always double the projected time for any new installation, and secondly the staff have had a relaxed attitude. Things don't work any quicker by having dramatics!
The final thing that I have been thinking about is people's fear of technology. One of the great outcomes of this Learning 2.0 course is that many library staff will become more comfortable with trying new things and solving problems. People often have the tendency to cry for help immediately anything unexpected happens without trying to resolve the problem themselves. They don't want to take responsiblity for thinking about the issue so they continue to be scared of technology. I wish I could convince people to try to work things out themselves -it really isn't rocket science - because once they do, the whole weight of fear of something going wrong with the computer will fall from their shoulders and they will feel wonderful!

#6More Flickr Fun

Well,I didn't really have more fun. Maybe you have to be in the mood. I've seen some very clever flickr fun on other blogs. I think it would have to have a purpose for me ie. marketing or for a funny birthday card.
What I do love about Flickr (this is my learning summary for the week) are the resource sharing aspects as I said below. I also think it is a wonderful search tool - better in a way than Google images. For example,last night we were talking about the statue of Goethe in Frankfurt airport that we had seen in a jet lagged state 3 years ago,and by using Flickr, we were able to locate several different pictures of it (to settle an argument).

Secret addict gives up

I need to have it on the public record that I am no longer looking at Ebay for china!!!
What seemed like a harmless diversion is becoming a dangerous "habit". No more. I will only buy china if I come across it by accident.

Maryborough

We went to Maryborough for the weekend. Mark Twain described it as " a railway station with a town attached" and that's a pretty fair description. The photo doesn't really do justice to it. Coincidentally, after we had booked, I discovered that there would be an Antique market held on the platform on Sunday and I can report to all my readers that I had a lucky and inexpensive china find.
But the real find of the weekend was Melville Caves in the Kooyora State Park. Huge granite boulders with "caves" forming in the cavities in between. A peaceful and beautiful spot for a picnic on a fine Spring afternoon.

#5 Flickr Again

I love Flickr! What a wonderful way of resource sharing that is open to everyone. I have just put a few travel photos up so far Photos but I really like the way I can click on the tags that I have used, to see how others have photographed the same place/thing etc. And you can speed up the process by downloading the Flickr uploader tool. Flickr tries hard to make the whole process easy. It automatically prompts you to save to a Set and I also like the way it offers you a list of all the previous tags that you have used to save retyping.
I'm going to find it hard to move on from this exercise. I want to upload more photos....

#More on Flickr

Well I didn't learn from last night and press the off button when I should have. Or tonight.
I have finally worked out after far too long how to insert a photo from Flickr into the blog. Last night my post only had a red cross. I have just cheated by re-editing and changing the link. I was using the url from "share your photos" in flickr. This time I just right-clicked on the image to get the correct url to insert. And I also have a flickr profile but more on that later Photos on Flickr. The good news is that my life is not totally being drained away by the internet. I did a real librarian type thing tonight and went to an author event at Readings to hear Patrick Gale in conversation. How to describe his novels best? Written by someone with a deeply subtle way of getting inside his characters's hearts and minds. Cressida and I spoke to him afterwards -he was unassuming, compassionate and just really nice.
The bad news is that I haven't had any time to check new Ebay listings tonight.

#5 Flickr

I'm not going to have time for a life anymore - will I ever be able to leave the Flickr site?
So many photos, so many tags...
My first shot (ha ha) is above. Note there is some attempt at relevance. This was a gorgeous old library that we visited in Prague.
What have I learned tonight? Find the off button on the computer before I am dragged inexorably into it.

#3 First post

I think this is all going to be fun. As my title says - an excuse for self-indulgence. The desire to talk about oneself and publish is obviously innate, judging by the plethora of blogs in the world.
A word about the photo. Romantic image of self - wandering down cobbled streets in old English town in search of second hand bookshops and antique china. The Shambles is the oldest street (medieval?) in the city of York in England where I was earlier this year indulging in various of my passions. I may use this journal to record some of my experiences as an Ebay addict. As well as of course to record my Learning 2.0 activities and consider how we could use Web 2.0 to enrich the library catalogue and more.