Blogroll vs. RSS feeds

So for keeping track of blogs, I can choose two ways (or both!)  I can put a blogroll on my own blog.  When I look at my blog and wonder what the other participants are doing I can then click on their link in my blogroll.  Also, I can go to my bloglines account and see if anything new has been reported from their blogs.  But either way, first I have to go through the participants and see whose blog I would like to look at on a regular basis.

I see that some of the more savvy participants are already following several blogs so this whole assignment is more useful.

Comments

Btw, I didn’t know that we would be notified when someone adds a comment to our blog – how convenient is that?!

Positive feedback

Wow, its been great to get some positive feedback for my blog – I’ll have to figure out how to do the same for my colleagues, especially those who, like me, are learning this for the first time. We should have a get together at the end of WLSLearns and introduce ourselves – I’m sure it will be interesting to see that technophiles come in all shapes and sizes. As do technophobes, I’m sure!

See my changes

See, I’ve been practicing – my blog has a new look today!  One of the things I like about this look is that the type is bigger!  I’ve also been practicing how to get into my blog and the other participants blogs.  I always have trouble remembering the first step or two – once I’m in then the rest comes back to me.

I enjoyed looking at the other participants’ blogs.  I have to confess I wish I knew who was writing them – some of them I can figure out but not all.  I noticed one of the participant’s has a blog through blogspot which allows a place for a “profile” of the blogger.  I’ll have to look to see if there is something like that on wordpress.

Practicing

Yesterday I finally had a chance to practice some of the things I learned In Rachel Charny’s WINDOWs class.  The class really filled in a lot of blanks for me – simple stuff I should have learned long ago but there’s always a lot you miss when you’re self taught.  Anyway, I’m thrilled that now I know how to change my own desktop and organize my own files!  Not that I ever do that on my conventional desk much less my computer!  But its always a goal and its good to have goals.  Today I’m practicing blogging!  Did I mention that I’m taking dancing lessons?  I much rather practice that.  But practice is important and it does achieve results.

Words of encouragement

“It’s amazing how much you can accomplish knowing very, very little” – Judith Rovenger, WLS Youth Services meeting, October 21, 2008.  This was Judith’s off the cuff remark after hearing John Sexton review my complaints about all there is to know about technology these days.  It is true, isn’t it!  It will be my mantra!

Monday, I learned how to place an Interlibrary Loan online.  Tuesday, I learned how to create a blog.  Today, at a training class at WLS I learned how to manage files in WIndows, create wallpaper, and change the date and time on my computer.  (Long overdue, I’ll be the first to admit, but what a relief to finally know how these things are done!)  Tomorrow: practice.

7 habits of life long learners

I don’t mind being a life long learner – what I have a problem with is the way we’re expected to learn new technology: figure it out.  I want someone to show me!   So thank you, John Sexton, for posting these lessons.

Plus, there’s so much to know – take for example, what happened when I went to the Design page.  Some of the design elements had short explanations of what they were – very helpful.  But what about the other ones?  What are they, what do they do?  What is box.net file sharing? Akismet? Platial mapkit? What are trackbacks, pings?  This happens to me all the time when I’m trying to learn something new on the computer so I constantly feel stupid.  For each tiny new thing I learn there just seems to be an avalanche of new things I don’t know yet!  All by way of saying, the most difficult habit of a lifelong learner is to have confidence in myself as a competent effective learner.  Followed closely by “use technology to your advantage!”  I’ll keep trying!

Life long learning

Imagine my dismay when I discovered that the username “Life Long Learner” was already taken!  Actually, I wasn’t too surprised.  For me,  coming up with the username and password is the hardest thing about doing anything new on the internet.  It ALWAYS stops me cold!  I’m getting better at it and try not to sweat it too much – trying not to come up with a cute, catchy and memorable name.  But I hate to be reminded that I’m not the creative type and that’s always what this reminds me!

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!