#50 Global Nation

The purpose of this exercise is to become familiar with internet tools which make planning a vacation easier.

According to Tripbase.com, a travel site which suggests destinations uniquely suited to one's budget and interests, I need to plan a vacation to Florence Italy. What an astute site and a fabulous idea! Tripbase.com told me my airfare would be $1160 round trip to the aptly named "Land of Wine", and just for the sake of argument I checked the Travelocity web page as well. Prices there were similar: $1169 roundtrip on Lufthansa, and $1328 on United.

Now that I am drooling over this fantasy of leisurely indulgence, it's good to know that I can apply for a passport close to home. The web site http://travel.state.gov/passport has all the information one needs to start the process. The U.S. Department of State official application forms can be accessed through this site, and I learned I can also go to my post office to submit the paperwork.

There are tons of links on both the Tripbase.com and IgoUgo.com sites. At one point I clicked on a link which led me to http://www.guardianhomeexchange.co.uk. This is a site which enables interested parties to "house swap", so that accomodations are free! There are 3 listings of interested swappers in Florence......perfecto! And since I'm indulging in an aggrandized and really creative delusion, I'll assume the Doctor and Forensic Professor who make their home in the Florentine countryside are just aching to spend some free time getting acquainted with suburban Houston. Hey, "la vita e bella" if you're where you want to be, n'est-ce pas? So, while I enjoy the famous Galleria dell'Accademia there, my counterparts could take in, say, the National Museum of Funeral History here.

What exactly can one do that would top seeing Michaelangelo's "David" in person? On IgoUgo.com, people post travel journals describing their experiences, and these are a rich resource of ideas. I would love to go on the Segway tour of Firenze. I could also sign up for a cooking class in Tuscany, or go shopping at the Mercato Centrale, or take an Italian language course at Centro Lorenzo de Medici. I probably could spend a day sitting in the Plaza della Signoria, amazed by the statuary, history, and, from what I hear, the gelatto. It was hard to find anyone who posted anything negative about Florence, except "don't eat the street pizza", "make reservations for the museums so that you can avoid standing in line", and "the street noise of cycles and scooters is grating". I'm glad I am forewarned.

Many people expressed sadness that their vacation in Florence had to end. It's a good thing I found www.crownblueline.co.uk, where you can arrange to hire a boat and cruise the canals and inland waterways of Europe. Planning another trip will hopefully ease the transition from one dream realized to another flight of fancy.

#43 Buying and Selling Online

The Guinness World Record for the most successful internet trade belongs to Kyle MacDonald. On July 12 2005, MacDonald used a free online classified service called Craigslist, to post about his desire to trade one red paperclip for something bigger and better. MacDonald pursued this bartering chain for approximately one year, and ultimately traded a movie role for a two story house in Saskatchewan.

Online buying and selling sites are so convenient and easy to use, they have flourished. Almost everyone I work with has made a purchase from eBay, the online auction and shopping site. PayPal is a business (owned by eBay) which makes transfers of money over the internet secure.

One of the things I like about eBay is the Advanced Search feature. With this tool, you can refine your search by price range, catagory, specific seller, location, or listings ending within a certain time period. I used this option to select listings within 25 miles of my zip code when I wanted to buy a cabinet. I was able to locate an item, win an auction, and pick it up right away without having to worry about shipping. I also used a local yard sales site to sell my car. There was no charge for me to post my advertisement, and I quickly found a buyer. It was wonderfully simple and painless.

It was not wonderfully simple and painless to view the "What is PayPal?" video. I could not find this video anywhere on PayPal's web page. Many online stores accept the PayPal form of payment, such as The Sharper Image, Omaha Steaks, Barnes and Noble, 1-800-Flowers, etc., but my favorite store, Amazon, does not. They will, however, accept a "PayPal debit card".

#44 A Fine How Do You Do (That)

Online "How To" sites are fun to explore, but I'm not sure just how seriously one can take them. I enjoyed looking at a few topics on eHow, such as "How to Add Solar on a Tight Budget", and "How to Survive Tough Economic Times With Your Dog", and while the instructions were amusing I came away a bit dissatisfied with the content. One subject, "How to Properly Inflate Your Tires", said it featured a video. "Now this could be useful," I thought as I skipped off to learn how to do that job correctly, once and for all. Unfortunately, I was not happy with the video. In fact, I felt like a victim of bait and switch marketing. I clicked on that story particularly because I wanted to see a video of proper inflation technique, but instead of enlightenment I was subjected to an extremely short clip of someone's radio controlled car navigating their driveway. Ummm....huh?

I did like that you can choose to write for eHow and earn cash for articles. I also signed up to receive the "eHow of the day" email. Some examples of the email alerts I've received thus far include: "How to Vote Conscientiously" on 11/2, "How to Get a Ride to the Polling Stations" on 11/4, and "How to Deal With Your Presidential Candidate Losing" on 11/5.

Other "how to" sites include WikkiHow, HowStuffWorks, Instructables, Quamat, ExpertVillage and VideoJug. At HowStuffWorks.com, I enjoyed watching 5 year old Emilien Combaret solve the Rubik's cube in less than 2 minutes but I didn't learn the protegy's secret, because the video was more like a news report than it was instructive. Instructables.com had such a wide variety of information, including How to Make a Senegalese Style Drum, and How to Build a Sarcophagus, I found it a bit intimidating. I began to think that probably the only thing you wouldn't find posted there is how to build a nuclear bomb. Actually I checked. And I was shocked to find an article. It turned out to be a joke though, involving protecting oneself with some lead, building a rocket, and procuring a quantity of beans.

So far, the video I've liked the best was one I found on VideoJug.com.







General Etiquette:The Fist Bump: America's Handshake


I think that covered Fist-Bump etiquette very well, thank you.

Now I'm off to further explore the virtual cornucopia of learning on "How To" sites. I absolutely HAVE to find out "How To Use Tree Spirits for Self Transformation".

#38 Console Gaming

I have fond memories of the arcade games I played as a kid. Every summer my family would pack up the car for a week in Cape May, New Jersey, to relax and enjoy lazy days at the beach. We would take our chairs, towels, and a picnic lunch and spend the day making sand castles, swimming, digging for clams, and exploring the stone jetties. We always put our beach umbrella up next to Frank's Playland, an arcade on the boardwalk. There you could buy refreshments and fritter away quarters (doled out sparingly by my parents) on skee ball, pin ball, poker, and many other games. As the years passed, I spent less and less time on the beach, and more and more time playing pinball. I had a favorite machine, called Mibs.

I never really caught the Pac Man craze, but when Pong came out, my friends and I were fascinated. The idea that computers were not just for geeks collecting data, and that you could actually have one in your home, was exciting! Pong was not sophisticated enough to create many passionate players that I know of, but Nintendo was another story. Nintendo systems were hugely popular in the 1980's. At arcaderetro.com you can still play my favorite Nintendo game, Duck Hunt. Duck Hunt was my introduction to sight alignment and foresight focus, skills needed to accurately shoot the Nintendo Zapper Light Guns and also real firearms.

The successful marketing and popularity of Nintendo home gaming systems created a huge demand among consumers for more sophisticated graphics and games. Today's gamers can choose to purchase Microsoft's Xbox 360 ($250), a Sony Playstation 3 ($400), and Nintendo's Wii ($350), among other game systems. Which of these systems is best for library purposes? I have no idea. An interesting blog, called Library Garden, also posed this question. The opinions expressed there leaned toward endorsements of Nintendo's Wii, for several reasons: the availability of games geared towards both genders, the ability to download classic games, the symplicity of controllers, and an interactive system which enhances social opportunities.

But I would still like one of these:

#37 Get Your Game On @ The Library

Whether or not games and gaming belong in a library is still a controversial subject. Statistics show that introducing video, console, and web-based games into library settings promotes interest in other traditional services libraries provide; however, there are still many who are not quite convinced that libraries should move in this direction.

The New York Times published an article on 3/22/08 called "Taking Play Seriously at the Public Library with Young Video Gamers". Jack Martin, the assistant coordinator for young adult services at a New York Public Library branch, states that "in addition to simply helping bring kids into the library...games have the potential to be a great teaching tool."

At the web site of the Carnegie Mellon University Libraries, there is even an online games page featuring two educational, arcade style games. The first is called "I'll Get It!" and involves helping patrons find a variety of research materials. The faster and more accurately you respond to requests, the more points scored. The second game is called "Within Range". In this game, the player must correctly shelve books according to their Library of Congress classifications. I played both games and rather enjoyed them for oh, about 10 minutes. Tops.

The evolution of our libraries is a national phenomenon. No longer quiet places to read or study, libraries are quickly becoming dynamic multi-purpose community centers where resources are concentrated and accessible to the public. Computer games and gaming programs are not only ways to make learning fun, they are marketing tools that help libraries promote a teen-friendly image and encourage young adults to become more familiar with library services which may be of interest to them.

Harris County residents are fortunate to have access to a wonderful system of public libraries. Special programs directed at teens are one way libraries are making a positive contribution to the communities they serve. Gaming programs may be what motivates young people to walk in the door, but the impact on participants seems to be much broader than merely creating multitudes of new Guitar Heroes.

#36 Online Role Playing Games

1. Although I know it is very popular among young people, I didn't enjoy playing Runescape. As a novice, I found it difficult to get around, plus I burned an awful lot of shrimp!
2. Where are the directions for taking and posting a screenshot of my avatar?

# 35 I'm Game, Moderately

Once upon a time, when library employees started the original iHCPL program, one of the first tasks assigned was to think about the ways we learn. By doing this, and by reading the blogs of other program participants, I became more conscious of the variety of ways people learn. It was through blogging that I realized how much of a kinesthetic learner I am. A tactile/kinesthetic learner learns best by doing and from hands on experiences, role plays, and other methods that physically involve them in the learning process.

Playing games is a kinesthetic learning experience, but of course games appeal to other kinds of learners as well. Not only do games have built-in motivators (fun!), but they seem to enhance learning and retention. Eli Neiburger spoke about the benefits of "gaming" at the Texas Library Association's 2008 annual conference. He pointed out that games are already a huge segment of the entertainment industry in the United States (second only to books in media sales), and that this popular media is helping, rather than hindering learning. In "Everything Bad is Good for You", writer Steven Johnson argues that because playing video games requires a variety of cognitive skills, the mental exercise is highly beneficial and actually improves IQ. There is undoubtably much evidence to support the value of video games as teaching and learning tools.

I tried the games FreeRice and WordSplay, and they were okay, but I prefer Pogo.com for recreational games. A Pogo subscription is not expensive. Members can choose from a tremendous variety of games with great graphics. Prizes and other goodies such as badges are offered as incentives. (Well, the prizes and incentives are kind of ... meh ....but the games are still great.) In your game room there is a chat feature, so if you have a question or comment about the game, you can post and get an immediate response from another player. You can invite your friends to come out and play with you, too. I have improved my Scrabble game tremendously by playing against some very competative opponents on Pogo. For what that's worth.

Computer games took a giant leap forward with Nintendo's Wii game console and its wireless controller that is able to detect movement in three dimensions. It's as if a room full of engineers, salesmen, and marketing people sat down and tried to come up with an idea to put that infuriating "video games are too sedentary" argument to rest. The new WiiFit goes on sale on May 19th for $90.00. According to studies though, the fact that Wii players use more energy than users of other game systems does not mean these games can substitute for regular exercise. (Enthusiastic Wii gamers can still develop tennis elbow, appropriately called "wiiitis", if they wish, by playing the video version of the sport.)

I like games. I also like Aristotle. Once upon a time, he advised moderation in all things.

#34 Geocoding and Geocaching

1. Washington D.C. is a great place to visit. The place abounds with history, great architecture, and has wonderful museums like the National Gallery and the Smithsonian. When I was there, there was so much to do that I missed touring the Washington Monument. Here it is, and it's coordinates are 38.888820, -77.033019.



View Larger Map

Note: I was in D.C. during the summer, and it was quite hot, so I ducked inside Union Station to get some relief from the heat. It was wonderfully cool, but I ended up staying inside a loooooong time because of the fantastic shops. It was even a browsers paradise! So ladies, and gents if you are so inclined, from the Washington Monument, follow The Mall west to the Capital, and then head north. On the map, Union Station has a blue "Metro" marker. I love those mixed maps with the satellite view and street names, and the click and drag feature.

2. There is actually a geocache or two near our library, too terribly convenient for this exercise to resist investigating. Here is the url:

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=009a3107-8e42-449c-800c-a1437a3f2afd

As you can see, I still have trouble posting an actual link. :(
The GPS coordinates are N 30° 00.267 W 095° 09.288 . The cache is located near the recycling center, and is described as the traditional small box; actually it's supposed to be a waterproof match container with a log book inside. This cache was hidden by a man who, according to his profile, is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist. I always wondered what a Nuclear Medicine Technologist would do for fun. Anyway, I never did find the cache. The area is littered with trash from the recycling bins, glass, and is rife with fire ants. I poked at some stuff on the ground with a big stick, which I carried in order to defend myself against hostile insects, potential snakes, and lethal germs. I did find a small waterproof container, but it was a chewing tobacco tin with actual chewing tobacco still in it. Ewwwww! I concluded that, while I like the idea of a treasure hunt, I don't think I'm cut out for the "surprises". Maybe I just haven't found the right cache to seek. One individual who posted on this particular page has already found 827 caches, so somebody is indeed having a good time playing the geocaching game. Hey, I have an idea. Maybe there are some caches hidden in Union Station!?

Postscript: I looked up caches for the 20002 zip code. No caches in Union Station.

#33 Relocating With Online Maps

The world wide web makes it so easy and convenient to look for homes, it's a wonder anyone stays put. Wait a minute. Lately, it seems no one does stay put! So I'm sure these web sites get alot of use: Apartments.com, ApartmentFinder, and ApartmentGuide. I was very impressed by the Houston Association of Realtors site, or HAR.com. I would certainly recommend this site to others. It not only contained gargantuan amounts of information, but it was enormously fun to use. There are many options to narrow a search by town, school district, and property type, as well as the more conventional criteria of list price, number of bedrooms, and square footage. If there are particular amenities you like, such as a pool or proximity to a golf course, you could search by those criteria, and others as well. I looked at foreclosures in my town and 88 records were found. Listings were detailed and included not only property descriptions but also various links. You can see a map of where the home is located in the community, for example, or send an email directly to the realtor. The photo gallery is a great feature. More expensive homes have links to fantastic virtual tours. There was only one other thing that could make it easier to relocate...gobs of $$$ at my fingertips. Then I could use my favorite HAR.com feature, "add to my cart". Unfortunately, I didn't get to actually exercise that option.

Once you have found your new home, you can easily learn about area weather, recreation, restaurants, shopping, and community events at www.discoverourtown.com. (This is a convenient resource for travelers as well.) Walkscore.com calculates the "walkability" of your neighborhood based on the proximity of businesses, services, and things to do. My address scored 31 (out of 100) and was rated "not walkable", having only a few destinations within easy walking distance. As the site says, "Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment." With the current price of gas, it's good for your wallet, too. This site can provide information for people who want to cut down on fuel consumption without sacrificing quality of life. Its weakness is that it does not take into account crime, traffic, and other safety considerations when computing an accessment.

#32 Mapmaker, Mapmaker Make Me a Map

The sheer number of google map mashups out there is amazing, and I looked at a ton of them. Some are utterly depressing, such as GlobalIncidentMap.com, "a display of terrorist acts, suspicious activity, and general terrorism news". If you can stand visiting that enlightening source, you will see a newly added blinking red button in the right hand corner of the page called "School Incidents Maps". (Yes there are so many they merit a map.) This particular map helps one become informed about all the horrible things happening in American schools, like fires, gas leaks, lock downs, and bomb threats. You can discover other trivia too, such as, according to the Waco Superintendent of area middle and high schools, a single bomb threat costs about $125,000 in lost wages and time. I was glad a link to "find a world brewery" immediately preceded all of that.

Other mashups can be quite entertaining and share useful information that doesn't drive me to [virtually] drink, make me want to cry, build a bomb shelter, or even momentarily ponder homeschooling my children. One taught me that if I walk due east from Houston, for about say 7000 miles, I will find myself in beautiful Harare Zimbabwe, another that there are no free public "facilities" in my town (guess they don't count libraries). I've used a mashup to track flights from Philadelphia to Bush when relatives are coming to visit. It's fun to watch the progress of the virtual plane containing my virtual loved ones. The zip code and world time maps are quick and easy reference tools. Photoenforced.com has maps of where all the red light cameras in the United States are located, so you can comport yourself appropiately when you know Big Brother is watching.

Activity 1, #2: I used a mashup to send an email to someone close to me who is recovering from surgery. One day this week I was wondering, "What can I do to let this person know I am thinking of her, encourage her from so far away, and maybe make her smile?" Then I got an idea. MapMSG.com lets you send custom smoke signals to anyone in your address book. I found a satellite view of my neighborhood, and wrote a few lines of encouragement in the box provided. The finished product looks like the message is emanating directly from my humble chimney. Next time I use this site, I may send crop-circle mail to a friend who enjoys reading science fiction.

Activity 2: As mentioned above, while I thought the mashup was great, I did not have a very good time exploring the global incident map. Terra Server has some interesting images, but it looks like you have to purchase one before the little colored squares blocking your view of the shot are eliminated. I like the photos on Panoramio (#36 Explore photos of the world) better. Here's one taken near Ziguinchor, Senegal of a bathing beauty:





The National Atlas has "dynamic maps". I don't sit around worrying about invasive zebra mussels or avian cholera distribution very often, but the maps are really wonderful educational tools. I explored the dynamic volcanoes maps, which are just incredible...tons of data, excellent geographic imagery, and beautiful photographs. I also went back to the main page and did a general search for St. Louis encephalitus and West Nile virus, to see if there were any maps or statistics for Houston. I was directed to a page which contained links to the CDC, the entity which is responsible for collecting and disseminating public health information; so even though the National Atlas technically didn't have such a map, I was able to easily obtain the information I sought through their highly organized and user friendly site.

Perhaps I am now completely jaded by all of these map mashups, because the LandSat Image Viewer didn't do much for me. While I was watching it, my thoughts were wandering and I remember thinking, "I wonder if that cow on the beach ever found her way home?"

# 31 Maps Are Not My Forte

I have no sense of direction. Just ask my husband. This is a man who can fly to any place in the country, jump in a car, find his way to an obscure little business in the middle of nowhere, AND snag the best parking spot in the lot. It's very discouraging when he does stuff like this so effortlessly. I consistantly blunder along in my car, not knowing in what direction I am headed or where on earth I am, most of the time. I'm lucky if I don't get lost at least once a week. So it came as no great surprise to me that exploring google maps left me feeling somewhat frustrated. After watching the tutorial, I tried to create a custom map to post. No luck. I watched the tutorial again, but still could not find the necessary links, or when I did find them, they didn't work like they did in the tutorial.

Online training is great, until you have a question or a problem. I'm not afraid to ask for directions. Unfortunately, I'm having trouble finding the little google gas station where I can stop and get them.

#27

#26

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#30 Driving in the Dark

This lesson is designed to help library employees use computer storage resources more appropriately and efficiently. We have already learned that enhancing back up drives to protect stored files is not an inexpensive proposition. Because of this, it is important to move work such as photographs to public storage sites when we can. Flickr, Photobucket, and Imageshack are options to consider. It is also a good idea to make a habit of looking at stored work on the library's P, S, and Z drives from time to time to see if any files can be reorganized or deleted.

If I am unsure about whether to delete a file or not, I now know that it is reasonable to keep it for about two years. I can also save files on a CD or USB drive, and thus avoid at all costs the dreaded "to delete or not to delete" angst. The S drive is a place to temporarily park work that I would like to share with others. Those files are deleted if they remain on the drive for over 14 days.

I copied a file from the P drive, placed it on the S drive, and then deleted it. Very easy. My files stored on the P drive are fairly streamlined and organized, and I never use the Z drive, because I didn't know I could. How about that? Usually being in the dark is not advantageous, but today it saved me some work.

#29 Email

My email accounts overfloweth, so I'm really glad we're talking about ways to get them organized. Thanks again to iHCPL, I am learning to remedy a problem and work more efficiently at the same time. I already have separate accounts for work and personal emails, so without delay I moved on to the next exercises. I spent alot of time working on my library email account. I deleted many many old emails, and then clicked on "purge". Presto! Like magic, my "quota usage" percentile is much better!

There is something extremely satisfying about putting everything away, where it can easily be found again, all while sitting at my desk! I am continuing to work on my storage system and moving emails into folders. I cleaned up some files I frequently use on the P drive as well.

# 28 Spring Cleaning and Getting Things Done

Spring in Texas is a beautiful, wondrous time of year. The weather is great, and innumerable wildflowers burst forth in magnificent splendor. The world renewed seems clean and fresh. Traditionally, this has been the time for homemakers to throw open the windows, beat the dust out of carpets, and scour every surface of the house until it gleamed. In the 21st century, we must keep our "houses" of information clean as well. iHCPL pointed out that we are spending about 20K of taxpayer's money to enhance our backup drives for storage. That little tidbit of information is quite the motivator!

There are numerous resources which describe ways to organize and use time wisely in order to be more productive. GTD, or Getting Things Done, is the system David Allen writes about in his book. He promotes the idea of stress-free productivity, and believes that the first step in GTD is to move things out of the mind and record them somewhere, thereby freeing one to concentrate more fully on the task at hand. This is unlike other time management systems, which emphasize setting priorities first. (Ironically, I skipped iHCPL exercises 26 and 27 because doing the required training is my priority...haha.)

As a library employee, I feel it is important to be familiar with computer applications, but at this time I do not feel the need to use the Google calendar or the Ta-da list. I would like to use the Ta-da list, just because I find the name so amusing; however, I am a circulation assistant and my job is fairly uncomplicated. I have used an agenda to keep track of appointments and important occasions for approximately 30 years. That has served me very well. It is also highly portable, inexpensive, and energy efficient.

I looked over one of the other organization systems called Zen Habits. Most of the ideas discussed involved Mac applications. I read the article "The Zen of Tech: 12 Powerful Ways to Keep Your Online Life Simple and Peaceful", which listed many common sense techniques such as: focus on the essentials, do one thing at a time, set limits on what you do, and my personal favorite...have periods of disconnectedness. I enjoyed the post entitled "3 Ways To Claim Your Life Back - How to Step Away From Your Computer". The author recommends planning specific activities away from your computer, such as taking a walk or reading a book. Ummm.....we've become so dependent on and addicted to technology that people actually have to be reminded to do these things? I would laugh at that, but I don't think the author was joking.

There are links to popular posts, by category, at the bottom of the page. I'd like to go back and read some of them in my free, slightly better organized time.

#25 Music Pirates

Dictionary.com defines the word "pirate":
1.)a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea
2.)a ship used by such persons
3.)any plunderer, predator, etc.
4.)a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorization.

After clicking on the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) link, I read and read and read and read. Gee there are a lot of rules, and some really harsh penalties for violating them. I did not know that duplicating copyrighted material you have purchased, even if you don't do it for financial or commercial gain, is illegal. Now more than ever I have reason to wax nostalgic about my youth, an innocent time when my friends and I shared homemade cassettes dubbed from the albums we purchased, with selfless naivite. Now if we did that we would be considered criminals! I also did not know that plaintiffs may bring claims against the parents of children who allegedly infringe on copyrights. Eeek!

I understand that it is sometimes necessary to protect copyrighted digital material from unauthorized duplication. Turning a blind eye to the street sale of bootleg CDs does not seem fair to musicians or the people who contribute to music production; however, if what I read about the RIAA is true, they seem to go overboard when it comes to defining the limits of what is and is not acceptable use of the media, and then stoop to extremes to insure "an artists' continued revenue stream". For example, because the RIAA may begin a lawsuit with no other information besides the ISP identification of a user, they have subpoenaed even a dead grandmother. When their legal fees were sharply cutting into income from settlements, the RIAA decided to direct internet "abusers" to a web site, where the alleged perpetrator can conveniently pay a fine by credit card. These practices seem greedy and underhanded, and oh, what was that third definition of a pirate..."a plunderer, or predator"? Who, according to definition, is the "pirate" now?

I think musicians and artists benefit from copyright protections, but I would like to see this issue discussed further, and current standards of legal and illegal music sharing revised. Presently Congress is considering a bill called The Artist-Museum Partnership Act, which would allow artists to deduct (on their income tax) the fair market value for their works when they are donated to a non profit organization. The IRS uses an Art Advisory Panel to set standards and review appraisals of art work, based on free market sales. If the value of a work of art can be appraised, why can't a song? Once the value is ascertained, parameters for sharing, and therefore, acceptable use could be easier to establish.

#24 Here We Go Again...or The Hills are Alive but My Patch Cord Died

I am excited to begin a new training. Yay! Onward! Here I go! My first steps into "The Next Generation" training are: (swell of music, trumpet solo and...hummm) to register for Passpack Online Password Management and a free email service? (badda boom) Okay, I know this is for my own good, and even though I already registered on no less than a dozen different sites for the original iHCPL, I took care of the preliminaries. I concentrated and created a really silly password, which caused me to smile inwardly and begin to enjoy myself. (Actually that's not exactly true. I used the first phrase that came to mind, and it was an inanely silly one. It just goes to show, you don't really want to know what I'm thinking when I get that mysterious glazed expression on my face from time to time.) Then I began reading. The article on Password Strength and Security was actually very interesting and informative.

Now, on to activities:
"1. Look at the different types of pay sites, comparing features and prices."
check
"2. Download a song from your computer..." skip until I get home and can borrow
daughter's MP3 player

I was thrilled to discover that my favorite radio stations DO offer listening through their web sites. That made my day!


This weekend I worked on completing the 2nd exercise. I attempted to sign up for EZTracks, a free music sharing site. In my opinion, they should change their name to IncrediblyAnnoyingAndDeeplyFrustratingTracks. After signing in to create an account, I had to wade through probably 50 surveys. After each one a message said, "Just one more step!", but for some reason, I never could reach that final page where I actually HAD an account. Wow! Was that a waste of time. I did not want to even think about opening a "Pay to Play" account after that experience, so I uploaded some favorite songs to my computer's hard drive and then...my computer would not recognize the MP3 Player! I tried several times but for some reason it did not want to work.

Maybe it was in the stars. I do believe in climbing every mountain, but today this was like dreaming the impossible dream.

Postscript: I used my library's MP3 player to practice activity #2. It was fairly painless. Thank you, helpful coworker, for walking me through the steps.