Monday, April 13, 2009

YouTube

Perfect timing for this exercise. I am a YouTube subscriber already - one of my favourites is the Muppets librarian sketch. Another is the Mr Bookman scene from Seinfeld.

Last Saturday night I was in a hotel at Manchester Airport, watching a show on TV called Britain's Got Talent. A very frumpy woman came on and said her dream was to sing like Elaine Paige. Everyone was smirking at her until she started singing - what a fabulous voice. Her name is Susan Boyle and if you want to feel uplifted, watch her sing on YouTube. I hope she wins.

podcasts again

OK, now I have the hang of this. I didn't know about librivox - how fantastic!

Podcasts

Back from vacation and I'm trying to catch up on my final exercises. What a relief - podcasts! Now that I am going to a health club regularly I bought myself an iPod, so I am already using podcasts. So nice on planes to be able to plug in - particularly when the entertainment system isn't working. I've been downloading CBC music programmes - trouble is I am getting a bit tired of the commentaries as I already know them so well. Must remember to stop singing along to my mouldy oldies when I'm on the treadmill - but it's awfully hard not sing along to the Four Seasons or Dusty Springfield.

A friend told me to go to the BBC website which apparently has terrific podcasts.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Browser add-ons

I added cooliris. It looks great but I haven't as yet had time to play with it.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Social networking

At last I can have a breather and catch up! I have been using Facebook for a long time and already have several 'Facebook friends' from Ryerson library - some even before I came here. What I like best about Facebook is that I am now in regular contact with my extended family. Nieces and nephews who rarely sent the obligatory "Dear Auntie, thanks for the socks" letters after Christmas now write to me regularly, inviting me to join groups of interest to them (usually about their local soccer team or some TV show I don't even see here). It's fun and it really surprises my brothers who don't seem to know how I can know so much about what's happening in their kids' and grandkids' lives. I also love the photos they post. Recently it was thanks to Facebook that I found out my 38 year old niece is going to have a much longed for daughter to join her two sons.

What I like least about Facebook is when people post daft messages to your wall. Usually if I want to contact someone through Facebook I send them a message instead of displaying it for all to read. The only exception to this is when you get a bucketload of wall posts on a birthday - a very enjoyable occurrence.

Googling

Once I concentrated on the google assignment I quite enjoyed it. I'm astonished at how many applications there are. I've used google images and google maps many times (great before going to a restaurant or theatre or someone's house you don't know). But igoogle? Ties in with Sheldon's talk at The Empire Club on March 5.

google docs was peculiar. By sheer chance someone sent me a google doc last week - a personal doc which I think everyone got to see for a little while!

Obviously RULA 2.0 is affecting my life - I went out last week and bought an iPod! Trying to set it up and load it has been interesting and quite time-consuming. Interesting too that it was a Ryerson Marketing student who sold it to me at the Apple Store. That store really understands retail.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Library Thing yet again

OK, so if you really want to see what I put on LibraryThing this is it. A major ego trip, I suppose.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Library Thing again

So as a different person Library Thing seems to accept me at last. I feel like Sally Field at the Oscars - it likes me, it really likes me!

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Library Thing

I had so many problems with this, that were technical glitches. How frustrating. No matter how I tried I couldn't load any books into my catalogue. When I investigated my profile etc I kept getting a message that I had been removed! Kelly D tried to help and in the end I signed up again as a different user and voila! it worked. So Library Thing doesn't like me. I eventually got an error message that said (honestly) that "trained monkeys were working on fixing it".

It really doesn't like me. My own book is listed as being written by Michael Gorman. I've tried to change that but the information has clearly been input by someone else and I can't. On the other hand, if people read my book because they think Michael Gorman wrote it that's no bad thing.

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Book Lover's Ball

It was a very enjoyable event, and I worked hard to promote Ryerson and the Library. I had great fun introducing myself to people who I thought would make very engaging speakers at the Library.


Over the course of the evening I chatted with former PM the Honourable Paul Martin; Colin and Justin, the manic Scottish design duo; Debbie Travis, design diva; Brian Bailey, fashion designer and Project Runway maven; Peter Robinson, mystery writer; Stuart Maclean, CBC host and Ryersonian; and Marina Endicott, Giller-nominated writer, actor and dramaturge. Every one of them said they would be happy to come for an informal session with students at the Library.


I was really impressed with the event itself. A reception allowed mingling and silent auction bidding; then a dinner with CBC's Diana Swain hosting; a live auction with trips, fur coats etc. going for astonishing amounts of cash; and finally a fashion show with a history of Harlequin Romances theme. Each table had a designated author: ours was Marina Endicott who was absolutely charming, down to earth and easy to talk to.

I met several members of TPL senior management, including Jane Pyper, the new Chief Librarian. One director asked if I would come and talk to their senior team about the Student Learning Centre. Of course I readily agreed!

I am more keen than ever to see us have a fundraising Ball for the Student Learning Centre. Robert Ott, Chair of Fashion, agrees! I shall approach Advancement about it.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Book Lover's Ball

Tonight I am going to the Toronto Public Library's fundraiser, The Book Lover's Ball, and I am really looking forward to it.

An author is assigned to each table, and at mine is Marina Endicott, who was shortlisted for the Giller Prize. She has lived in BC, Nova Scotia, the Prairies and London, England, and has an acting background, so I am hoping we'll have lots to talk about. Tish Cohen will also be there so I hope to say hi to her. Peter Robinson, one of my favourite mystery writers, will also be there - he once signed one of his books for me "To a Yorkshire lass". And maybe I'll rub shoulders with ex-PM Paul Martin who is also planning to be there. I wonder what he thinks of Harper's deficit budget?

Wouldn't it be great to have a fundraiser for the Student Learning Centre? We could have Ryerson celebrity alumni in attendance; performances by theatre and dance students; and an auction of student artwork.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Social tagging and Deli.ci.ous

I enjoyed this exercise! I had some knowledge of it before and it really is an easy way to keep your bookmarks. This will be a boon when I'm travelling to meetings somewhere.

I like the democratic nature of it. Yes, I know we are trained in libraries to deal with a controlled language but social tagging is quite evolutionary and allows us to see how students perceive the best way to find library resources. Bring it on is what I say!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

flickr photos

I opened a flickr account last year to start organizing my photos of libraries. I began with the CARL Study Tour I took in 2007.

wikis

So I did a small edit to our wiki entry, about the fourth floor. I can't believe how stressful I am finding this stuff! Perhaps it is reviving those deep rooted insecurities from when I was a student and always behind on assignments. I also find it somewhat uncomfortable that whatever I put could easily be changed by someone else who thinks they have something better to say! Nonetheless, I think this is a very pracical assignment to get us to update our wikipedia entry. I don't like seeing out of date material about us on the web.

I'm looking forward to the petting zoo! The sun is shining, the snow is melting, and Family Day is coming up!

Monday, January 26, 2009

RSS

My goodness this RSS thing got me all of a lather. It doesn't help that its name includes "really simple'. Nor did it help that bloglines kept coming back with a not available screen. However I think I finally have it - with a selection of feeds I have little time to follow!

I see the value - back to the old days of SDI in a way. However I am already suffering information overload and worry if this will make things worse. On the other hand, selective usage could help the library keep on top of new trends. And personally, I like the idea of having the weather forecast and CBC happenings right at my fingertips.

Friday, January 23, 2009

The gym

So, I am still going to the gym after work - every day except Wednesday, when I went to hear Paul Gross instead (which was very good for the eyes and the soul!). Yoga class happens tomorrow again - I hope I won't be as stiff and sore this time. I meet with the trainer on Sunday so we'll see how I do this week.

I've upped my speed and intensity on the treadmill every day that I have gone this week; then I totter home on foot (abiout fifteen minutes) rather than cross the street and wait for a bus. I can honestly say it's enjoyable. I take a different exit out of the subway - one that doesn't lead to the feeder bus, and is close to the gym. I was much later leaving work yesterday than I had intended, so my resolve was very weak as I came off the train. But my feet automatically turned to the other exit rather than the bus stop exit so I figured they were telling me they wanted to get on the treadmill.

Of course I want immediate indications of better fitness etc but it doesn't work like that, so for now I am concentrating on the fact that I do feel better afterwards.

Now I want an iPod so that I can enjoy music instead of having to watch close captioned CNN as I stride away on the treadmill.

Monday, January 19, 2009

New Year's Resolutions

I've joined a gym. My muscles are still in shock I think. I didn't realize yoga was so hard - I hope I improve quickly. Although terrified of the machines I actually found myself enjoying a couple of them. But then the trainer put me on the lightest weights. We meet again this week to do more. He was very pleasant and encouraging, and the place was quiet- only a couple of super-toned bodies in evidence and everyone minded their own business. But oh, who knew how good a warm shower can feel afterwards?

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Crit Stuart

I'm really looking forward to working with Crit Stuart today and tomorrow. We had a very enjoyable first discussion over dinner last night. I'm so glad that Bob suggested we invite him to talk to us at Ryerson. I can tell that his background and style will fit very well with Ryerson culture.

Crit created the ARL Learning Space Pre-Programming Tool Kit. Having him here, knowing that the Student Learning Centre planning committees are soon to be launched, and seeing the active demolition of the Sam's suite brings the dream of our new space much more into focus. Exciting thoughts for chilly days!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Distractions

Outside my office, all day every day for the past few days, are two students, one male, one female, who are hawking hot chocolate, shouting for custom in voices reminiscent of nails on blackboards. I know what I'd like to do with their hot chocolate.

On the bright side, it is getting much colder so maybe they'll give up the racket and go indoors.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Reality check


First day back from vacation and the reality of another busy semester is hitting me fast.

I have learned that I'm not as infallible as I thought - I have always been a very careful and aware traveller but thieves are very sophisticated and often work in pairs. Guy 1 pushed in front of me in the bus line and engaged the driver in conversation, while preventing me from passing. Meanwhile Guy 2 was carefully extracting my wallet and its contents from inside a shoulder bag which was tucked under my arm. I still can't believe it. By the time I got back to Canada the Police had written to me to close the file for lack of evidence. So what about all the CCTV cameras which are absolutely everywhere in London? Too much crime about to deal with little things like this. No little thing for me though - all my identity gone in an instant.