Thing 32: Google Maps and Mashups

Using the map and directions from Google Maps makes travel easier. For example, along the side of this page is the map I'll use to drive to Sullivan, IL, and later Carmel, IN. I must have deleted the map line from Sullivan to Carmel, however. Making the mashup is a new experience, and getting it embedded right is almost there.!
Google Maps give directions and allow for alternate routes. A different map directs me home through Chicago, for example. Using Google Maps, I can find other helpful information like restaurants and even public bathrooms along the way.

Thing 28: Customized Home Pages

If I were the only one using this computer, I would consider accessing the daily Star Tribune Sudoku directly from my home page, since I go there regularly. Could be problematic since it might slow down other more important tasks.

I made a yellow and green iGoogle home page, with Doplar Radar, Weather, Date & time, and Current Moon Phase widgets. It was very easy to set up. Word-a-day widget didn't function on my home page, so I put it on my blog. I'm amazed by the variety of widgets / gadgets available. I enjoyed browsing through the Widgipedia site, which focuses on all kinds of widgitsand includes a variety of tutorials, like how to create a date-and-time widget.

Pageflakes intrigues me as a way of creating a textbook, and Blidgets, by which you can put your blog on a widget.

Thing 27: Twitter

After much speculation, I started a Twitter account. I watched the Common Craft video for basic info, the How I Made 5000 Twitter Friends in 90 Days for one person's suggestions, and read the WebJunction Beginner's Guides for various Twitter uses and additional ways to jazz up its use.
Katherine Boehret's beginning paragraph mentions that several of her friends in their 20s and 30s were asking her about Twitter. How about her older friends. Are oldsters Tweeting also?
In The Big Juicy Twitter Guide, Caroline Middlebrook's word "Twitetiquette," means "the etiquette of using Twitter." Though she is mainly interested in internet marketing, her points about starting, followers, and favorites are helpful.
See, I'm learning some Twitter jargon.
Reading on, I see that bad Twitter manners occur occasionally.
Will I find Twitter as a useful microblogging tool, or as totally unnecessary?

Thing 26: Ning

This morning I reviewed the 23 Things on a Stick Ning, which I joined last year. Two groups interest me, so I joined them both: "Knitting in the Library" and " Library Trustees."
My photos at that site remind me of summer.
Last year I didn't discover the Ning until I was doing one of the last 23 Things. It should be much more helpful as I move along on this project. Since I'm way behind, maybe members of my new groups will have answers I need.
I look forward to exploring the Ning more. The badge I added provides the link to the Ning, too.

Thing #25: Blogger's Tooklit

After reading about blogs, I have named the general topic of this blog near the title, so visitors will know right away.
I also like the idea of encouraging comments by not requiring commenters to sign in. I'm still looking for a free way to do that. Disqus makes commenting easier; however, I'd like to find a comment feature that allows anyone to comment, even if they're not registered to Disqus. Anti-spam ability is also necessary.

Posting to the blog through email is an interesting new feature.

Robin Good;s videos about widgets led me to add a dictionary "word-a-day" widget along the side of this blog.

For example, Contactify allows others to email you directly, without seeing your email address.
Postreach offers icons so blog readers can mark your post "cool" "fun," "insightful," and more.

Thing #24: A Few Changes

The look of my blog has changed just a little so far, and I've been exploring how to re-customize the layout. Since finishing "23 Things on a Stick," I've posted a few times but continue to read other's blogs regularly. The slideshow about 25 ways / reasons people blog showed some I plan to browse. One new goal is to try to collaborate more as I work through "More 23 Things."

Thing # 24: More Things on a Stick

I've been thinking about adding to this blog, so here goes!
Advice to sockknitters: To get kinks out of Addi Turbo circular knitting needle, soak the needle in warm water. Do not get it close to a hot tea kettle!

New Yorker Stories Podcast

Yesterday listening to Louise Erdrich read Lorrie Moore's "Dance in America," a New Yorker short story podcast, on my mp3 player, added a new dimension to my daily walk. The New Yorker website has a wealth of stories. I chose one to downloaded and put it onto the mp3 player. I thought the story was lost but then found it listed as music. Today I deleted that story and added a James Thurber story and lined up a couple more for future walks. It's a beautiful walk up and back my road, one I've enjoyed over and over, often with music playing. I look forward to more stories now from The New Yorker.

Stand Still Parade; Potato-Planting

Who ever heard of a stand still parade? The tiny town of Whalan MN held its Annual Stand Still Parade this morning. The parade-goers walk around the floats, cars, and various other parade items lined up on the town's two-block long main street. Along the adjacent bike trail, the local Lutheran Church members, sponsors of the event, and friends sell Norwegian favorites like lefse, rommegrat, and fruit soup, along with traditional lunch and desserts. Today at the microphone were Irish singers and other musical groups, interspersed with Ole and Lena jokes. The parade itself lasts just an hour, while other activities like the petting zoo, craft demonstrations, horse-driven cart rides, and music continue much of the day. This morning the weather was perfect for browsing the tables of crafts, plants, and other local interests. I bought handmade greeting cards from a woman who weekends in Whalan. Habitat for Humanity raffled a playhouse to raise funds for a house project in nearby Rushford. Actors from the Commonweal Theatre sold show posters. Several antique cars were on display, allowing many parade-goers to reminisce about the good old cheap-gas days. The Stand Still Parade is a unique and casual small-town festival with a big turnout. On the way home, I drove through the park at nearby Lanesboro and listened in to some old-time musicians from the Bluff Country Gathering.
I've waited for weeks for the perfect potato-planting day. Yesterday I set out stakes in the vegetable garden, and this afternoon I planted potatoes (more than last year, even), pole beans, and cucumbers. Ah! Garden time again.

May Project: Socks on Circular Needles

I finished a felted bag and also a pair of soft green socks in Austermann Step yarn with aloe vera. My present challenge is knitting socks on 2 circular needles. I read the Cat Bordhi book, practiced, and cast on with some brightly colored Regia Cotton yarn -- but frogged after 4". Boo hoo. The sock would be too big. I gave myself a little while to get over the disappointment, and cast on again this morning. Using English, rather than Continental style, my knitting's much tighter.
Why bother? I love the challenge, the beautiful yarns, and the finished socks. Now that it's garden season, I don't wear my knit socks all the time, but almost.
Wish me luck!

"So Much Depends" upon Poetry Month & April

Marianne Moore writes about poetry, "I too dislike it. . . ." Archibald MacLeash concludes, "A poem should not mean/ but be." These two poets' thoughts confuse me, yet they make me continue reading poetry, these mostly short word-images. Here's one of the first poems that baffles and intrigues people young and old. Remember it from high school?

The Red Wheelbarrow
by William Carlos Williams

so much depends
upon

a red wheel
barrow

glazed with rain
water

beside the white
chickens.

Back to Snow

Spring surprised me this morning with snow on the ground . . . just as I was starting to think it was garden time. I had a relaxing weekend felting workshops taught by Shawn Glidden and Elise Kyllo on a beautiful nearby farm. When I left Sunday afternoon, hostess Donna was felting a rug outside, made with wool from sheep she raised. Colorful wool, good conversations and music, and delicious food added to the memorable days.
When I came home, I helped stack wood we split through March and April, kitchen-cookstove wood for year after next.
Just two more days to celebrate Poetry Month:
The First Spring Day by Christina Rossetti
I wonder if the sap is stirring yet,
If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate,
If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun
And crocus fires are kindling one by one:
Sing, robin, sing;
I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring.
I wonder if the springtide of this year
Will bring another Spring both lost and dear;
If heart and spirit will find out their Spring,
Or if the world alone will bud and sing:
Sing, hope, to me;
Sweet notes, my hope, soft notes for memory.
The sap will surely quicken soon or late,
The tardiest bird will twitter to a mate;
So Spring must dawn again with warmth and bloom,
Or in this world, or in the world to come:
Sing, voice of Spring,
Till I too blossom and rejoice and sing.

Garden Time Again

SE Minnesota is finally warming up. Last week, on one of the first beautiful spring afternoons here, we shoveled a load of manure onto the garden, B. tilled it in, and I started planting. Just 2 rows of onions so far, with a row of lettuce mix in between. Though I'm eager to plant more, it's still a bit early. I'm pleased that two alpine pansies already blossomed in a protected spot near the drive. More soon . . . .
Inside, one pink bloom has almost opened on one of the 6 geranium plants I potted in March. Last fall I shook the dirt away from their roots and stripped off most of the leaves. The plants were stored in paper bags in my unheated basement all winter. Most survived. Next I'll divide some of the lankier ones into two plants each.
Sunday we hosed down the screen house, bleached and scrubbed the floor, and washed the chairs. Ready for summer!
No blossoms on the shamrock plants, but the leaves look healthy.

Just as I wonder / whether it's going to die, / the orchid blossoms // and I can't explain why it / moves my heart...

From The Orchid Flower
by Sam Hamill

Poem in Your Pocket Day

It may not look like one, but here's a poem I found at Poets.org.
Language
by W. S. Merwin

Certain words now in our knowledge we will not use again, and we will never forget them. We need them. Like the back of the picture. Like our marrow, and the color in our veins. We shine the lantern of our sleep on them, to make sure, and there they are, trembling already for the day of witness. They will be buried with us, and rise with the rest.

From The Book of Fables by W.S. Merwin. Copyright © 2007 by W.S. Merwin. Reprinted by permission of Copper Canyon Press.

Thing #23 One Last Thing

At last! Here I am at Thing #23. Here are some last words on the project. I plan to continue this blog.
* Go back to your thoughts/ideas about Library 2.0. Has anything changed as a result of this experience? I tried many different internet activities, starting with this blog.
* What were your favorite Things and discoveries? Investigating LibraryThing led me to Shelfari, a reading-list site that works well.
* How did you connect with others doing the 23 Things On a Stick?I began to make "friends" on interactive sites. I enjoyed sharing notes about the program with others face-to-face.
* Were there any take-a-ways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you? I learned to use ELM effectively, after having little success before.
* What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or content? Explain Ning earlier.
* If we offered a 23 More Things On a Stick program like this in the future would you participate? Yes.
* How would you describe your learning experience in one word or in one sentence, so we could use your words to promote 23 Things On a Stick learning activities to others? A huge project -- very challenging and rewarding.

Thing #22 "What Did I Learn Today?"

I've spent a lot of time on this project and learned way more than 23 things. Reading and trying out so many various sites has shown me the huge challenge ahead and fun, I hope, for the library community.
The video by Charles Leadbeater, author of We Think: The Power of Mass Creativity is a good reminder about how sharing information takes priority in society now. I found the video on a blog I've bookmarked, Dangerously Irrelevant.
I plan to take part in some of the interesting programs like online conversations about library issues and also book discussions at OPAL. I'll also use the ELM features I explored.
Of course, now I'll have time to keep up with Ravelry, one of my favorite social networking sites.

Thing #21 Beyond MySpace: Other Social Networks

It seems there's a social network on the internet for anyone. I joined a sockknitting forum that began in January to share my knitting projects as well as to gain motivation from other knitters. Otherwise, I have dropped by many other similar sites for recipes and other ideas. Today I signed up for the 23 Things on a Stick Ning and wish I'd done that as I began this blog, both for help on the various Things and also for the conversations and more. Gather.com is an example of a broader social community that appeals to many who may not be interested in MySpace or FaceBook. Unpublished authors, for example, may find first large audiences there. Steve Campion writes in "Building a Social Networking Environment at the Library" about how social networking can work effectively in libraries. Building an interactive online library requires coordination and constant updating . . . just one more way for libraries to maintain their important presence in communities.

Taylor Mali on What Teachers Make

Thing #20 Libraries and Social Networks

Young people all over use FaceBook and MySpace. Gradually, teachers and librarians are becoming familiar with these and other social networks. I appreciate Librarian Meredith Farkas' discussion of pros and cons of FaceBook and MySpace and agree that these social networking sites offer great opportunites as well as great problems for their subscribers and for libraries. She says that if library patrons are visiting these sites, libraries may want to have a presence there as well, and they should build the library presence effectively. For example, Denver Public Library's MySpace page for teens includes many resources, including a Poem of the Day podcast. The Hennepin County Library MySpace page lists the top ten books for 2007 and asks for added comments.

Thing #19 Podcasts

There's a wealth of information available on podcasts. Directories like Podcast.com list many. One example is NPR Books, now linked to my GoogleReader account. I'm also pleased to learn about telephone-based Gcast, for easy podcast-creating.
Occasionally I listen to MPR podcasts when I miss a show or want to listen again to something of interest. Today I found MPR's "Grammar Grater," Episode 41, which reminds us to say, "I feel bad," rather than "I feel badly." American RadioWorks' Catherine Winter explains how people overcorrect, trying hard to be grammatically correct by saying "badly" when they should say "bad." She emphasizes, "There is no circumstance when you should say 'I feel badly.'" This retired English teacher says thank you so much, Catherine.