Thing # 16

Libray Thing was really a cool site. I did not create an account yet but I believe I will. I would really like to do this for my dad as well because he LOVES to read and, in fact, reads so many books that he forgets which ones he's read before. For example, I put is Clive Cussler and got a complete list of his books! I liked the "suggested" search because it lists so many books related to my author or book I put in. This would be great for a classroom to have students share the books they've read and to catalog their own reading experience. I want to take some more time to explore Library Thing and I absolutely love that it's linked with Amazon (I buy most of my books from there! among other things :-)

Thing # 15

Delicious was fun! I found tons of things I'm interested in and read for a long time before recognizing I'd been on that site soooo for way too long. I searched all kinds of stuff but I tagged/bookmarked various running sites, a running blog, and some special education sites. I had trouble determining if my tags/bookmarks are public/shared but check out my link and see at delicious.com/clwhite. I thought it was neat that delicious imported my bookmarks that already existed on firefox. I'm not sure I followed the directions exactly....maybe that was the step I as supposed to skip... but I got carried away and just kept clicking!!! Anyway, now I can find all my bookmarks in one place and see them all at a glance which I find very helpful.

Thing # 7b

I could spend so much time on my google reader.... I really like having the sites I've chosen available at a "click" everyday. Two of my favorites are Runner's World Daily and Really Useful Fitness. I can find something interesting on those sites most every time I open them. Today, I read about 10 food to fight fat. Happily, I already eat most of them!!!! Some of the foods listed: oatmeal, yams, green veggies, 100% whole grain/wheat products, fresh fruit, and lean red meat. Check it out for some good nutrition and healthy tips. I go to Runner's World Daily to read about various running topics. Today, I learned about how to make the best out of running on windy days and how to minimize injuries as I get older!

Thing # 14

I had fun exploring 30 Boxes and Ta-da List. 30 boxes is the coolest calendar application! I can see myself using it to keep up with birthdays, meetings at work, and personal reminders. It also has a to-do list and the option to share with buddies, link to facebook, or to your personal blog. Ta-da List was also need if you want to make quick lists to check-off and manage things. I can see how it would work well for visual people. I played around and made my Spring Break ta-da list just for fun. I briefly looked at Weebly but didn't create my own page. It seemed pretty user-friendly and allowed options for personalization. Check out the sites I've listed and maybe one (or more) will help you get better organized :-)

Thing # 13

I had fun trying the various online image generators. I found some easier to use than others but enjoyed trying them out just the same. I like the Flickr mashup Mosaic Maker and have included my creations within this blog. Another one I had fun with was Image Chef I can see myself using these image generators in my personal life (and in my professional life when the opportunity arises!). As diagnostician, I'm not creating a lot more than the written word but, hey, you never know. Since I'm learning soooo much....I just may become a little more creative :-) I'm so excited to learn how to do all of this!!!

Thing # 12

That was a lot of fun! I have no idea if I did this correctly but I'm giving it the 'ole college try :-) I previewed the show within my blog so I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!
I used Rock You and found it to be fairly easy to create my slideshow. I didn't select any music because I didn't like the choices, particularly. The other sites I looked at (during the discovery phase) just didn't seem as appealing to me. My slideshow contains some of my favorite photos I found on Flickr and represent some of "what makes me tick..." I hope you enjoy the show.

I
http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery.php?source=ppsl&instanceid=134060036

Attribution list:

http: //www.flickr.com/photos/tambako/2504415023/

cross against blue sky

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotbenjamin/2775508660/

running shoe and trail

http://www.flickr.com/photos/countryboy1949/420955435/

Spring in Tennessee

http://www.flickr.com/photos/januszbc/352535575/

palm frond at beach

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisdoc/453929527/

grace bay pier

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wisdoc/431285814/in/set-1426785/

bridge to spring

http://www.flickr.com/photos/downunderphotos/416024998/

sunset at beach

Thing # 11

Flickr..... lots of fun and I spent waaaayyyy too much time on it just browsing around. I had a little trouble creating links and had to edit my wiki page a million times but.... I think I finally got it. I decided to search crosses, faith, Spring, running, trails, and beaches. Crosses and faith, of course, representing my center, my soul. Running, trails, beaches, & Spring are all special to me for one reason or another. I run to decompress... beaches are one of my favorite places and Spring is one of my favorite times of the year (renewal). The picture I've chosen to post was one of my favorites. I think this cross is just beautiful.

If I were still teaching, I would love to see what my students would come up with for projects by creating slide shows, mapping geographic locations, or even learning about other people & cultures. I believe the opportunities for creative expression are endless! I had a great time exploring so many different locations via Flickr (Greece....I'll see you in person one day!).

Thing #10

Creative Commons is really cool.
I've never noticed CC on any websites I've visited but now that I know it could be there and what it means, I'll be looking for it. I think that students will be much more likely to try new things, be more creative, and actually expand their vision by having access to Creative Commons. I never knew something like this existed! In my role as diagnostician, I don't use digital images, audio, or video clips in anything I do but in my personal life, I have shared personal pictures with friends and forwarded video clips from the web. I know copyright is a big deal but I guess I never really take the time to consciously think about the material I'm forwarding, or who owns it for that matter. Please don't turn me in to the copyright police!!! I never claim it as my own :-) I remember writing term papers (back in the day) and worrying that I was citing my references correctly. How cool would for kids to create their work online and include pictures, music, video clips, etc. in their final product! If this technology had been around when I was in high school, I may have enjoyed those assignments a little more by putting my own twist on them.

Thing #9

Wow! I'm feeling a little bit smarter every "Thing" I work through. I did encounter some frustration during my playtime in the sandbox, such as, linking my page to the home page. I got confused on which name to use....either my page name or the title of my page. I finally figured it out and actually learned more by making mistakes the first time around. Now, my page is not as fancy as some others I looked at but I did attempt and succeed in posting an image to it :-)
Check it out and see what you think at Family Dynamics. I can hardly wait to learn more! I've heard from another friend who has already taken this course that I'm going to learn how to do so much more.