Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Week Three, Thing Six

How timely. This morning I was reading a post from a friend's blog and he mentioned mashups. The word caught my attention. I could guess at the meaning, but it was a term I hadn't read or heard before. Then, what do you know: Today's Excercise on Learning 2.0 is all about Flickr mashups or hybrid web projects that take one application, such as Flickr, and merge or enhance it with another application. I clearly don't spend enough time playing on the web.

The first mashup I explored was the postcard browser on Flickr. I looked at photos of the Ukrainian Village, my old neighborhood in Chicago, and felt a bit homesick. Next, I made this mock magazine cover of my Valentine and our pup Lola using fd's Flickr Toys. It was so so easy. Just upload a digital photo, fill in content fields, and bingo, it was done.
There are so many smart people playing with the web.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Week Three, Thing Five part II


We just missed Calvin Trillin!
Originally uploaded by KatDeiss.
I stumbled across this photo of a Calvin Trillin flyer in Flickr. When I was a kid, my Dad had copies of Trillin's political humor collections lying around, but it wasn't until I was 19 or 20 that I read Trillin on my own. He quickly became one of my favorite writers. His books always felt like home. Trillin, with his wry humor, reminded me of my Dad. And Alice, with her smart practicality seemed a lot like my mother. When Trillin talked about his urban adventures with his two little girls it brought back memories of Saturdays when my Dad would take my sister and I on downtown adventues of our own. We'd go to greasy diners, European coffeeshops, and my Dad would try to entice us into exploring the city's steam tunnels. Joking, of course, but I always took him seriously.

On Saturday I read About Alice, Trillin's latest book and tribute to his late wife. I found it beautifull written and quite moving. I wish I had time to say more. Perhaps later.

Week Three, Thing Five part I

Today I've been exploring Flickr. I've used the site before, to view photos that friends have shared or that folks have blogged about, but I never really examined Flickr that closely or thought much about it. I guess because I'm not much of a camera person. I like viewing other people's photos but I don't often take pictures myself.

I can totally see how fun and valuable Flickr must be. With our wedding coming up, Flickr would be a great place to gather pictures from our friends and family members, as well as post our own. And my fiance is a camera person: He owns a 35 mm, complete with tripod and zoom lens. Flickr would be a great place for him to store and share photos.

So, I guess I'm a convert. Too bad I don't have any pictures to add. I'll have to go home and steal some of D's.

Monday, February 12, 2007

Week Two, Thing Four

Well, I am about to register this blog with the Virtual Services Team responsible for this project. This makes it official. I am committing to this project and therefore need to make this exercise a priority in my work day.

Because my workplace is very busy, I will need to set aside uninterrupted time, set realistic goals, and avoid being distracted by the ever array of new projects. And I will need to embark on this adventure with curiosity, enthusiasm, and patience -- as things will go wrong. Problems will arise. Am I a realist or pessimist? Either way, I will work through whatever challenges arise and view them as learning opportunities. I sound like Greg Kinnear in Little Miss Sunshine. Maybe I should just be Olive and go in assuming I will conquer all.

Week Two, Thing Three

Okay, so what's with all Thing 1, Thing 2, and numbered weeks? Well, like I said this blog is part of a learning exercise encouraged and supported by my employer.

Over the course of several weeks, each participant in this project will learn 23 Things. This blog will mark my progress through the 23 items. What are the 23 Things? Online tools and technologies such as Flickr, RSS Feeds, Wiki's, etc.

Gotta it? Two hours later, I think its finally coming together for me at least.

Week One, Thing Two

As part of this learning project i am participating in, I watched an online tutorial on the Seven and Half Habits of Lifelong Learners:

1. Begin with a goal
2. Accept responsibility for your own learning
3. View problems as challenges
4. Have confidence in yourself as competent and effective
5. Create your own learning toolbox
6. Use technology to your advantage
7. Teach/mentor others
7.5 Play

We were asked to consider which of the seven are the hardest and easiest for us to tackle.

For me the easiest is number five. I'm good at finding and gathering resources that will help me, whether those resources are books, people, information, etc.

The hardest would be number three. I can be very impatient with myself when I make mistakes and I like things to work out smoothly as planned. Problems annoy me and can wear me out. Usually, after initial annoyance or unhappiness, I am able to reasses the situation and view the problem as challenge that can be addressed and dealt with in a positive way. I'd like to learn to skip the panic that comes when problems first arrise and be more patient with working through things that have gone wrong.

Week One, Thing One

What is this blog all about anyway?
This blog is essentially a learning exercise, a chance for me to explore new technologies as part of an online course provided by my employer. The course is broken up into weekly excercises. This blog will serve as place for me to post what I learn, as well as my thoughts and ideas as I complete each weekly task. Wow, it all sounds so serious! Hopefully, there will be some humor too.