Thing 8: Social Networking Sites

Oh my (space)! I set up my account with no problems, "friended" my daughter who has a myspace account, then searched my name for fun. Awesome result: 23 "Kim Kruegers" including some guy who's "currently incarcerated" popped up! He's looking for friends if anyone (else) is interested! :) This is the thing with social networking sites: ANYONE can join. Let the user beware.

I've already got a Facebook account; many protolibrarians in grad school are heavily into Facebook. It's silly & fun, though I can't forgive them for taking Scrabulous (a Scrabble-like game) off the site. Darn copyright infringement!

I've also already got a LinkedIn account, though I don't use it much. As a "professional network", it's stodgier & doesn't have the fun games etc. that Facebook does. Call me immature, but I want my "Scramble" game!

There was a semi-cranky article in the Chicago Tribune recently written by a younger (than me) person who hated social networking sites. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/nationworld/chi-talk-ahmed-facebookjan10,0,4787965.story

He bemoans the sites as encouraging superficiality and narcissism.

Don't these kind of complaints surface with every new technology, especially those associated with young people? Radio was going to be the death of reading and conversation, then TV was the demon, now it's the Internet.

Personally, I think new technologies can add to communication options, rather than replace them. My kids are both fanatic Facebookers, but they spend plenty of "real time" with other kids as well. Technology just offers another fun way to connect and keep up with one another. My 2 cents!

Dog Day Afternoon....and Beyond

Cue the "Miss America" theme:
Here he is....Mr. Butters...
or Butters for short.

A shelter mutt that I and my family--in a moment of extreme insanity--adopted last Friday afternoon. Butters is a 2 year old mix of lab & Australian cattle dog, with a sweet disposition and desire to please, but an intense separation anxiety problem. We tried to "crate" him on his first night with us...bad choice. He ate up his fancy (and costly) dog bed, barked us all awake at 12:30 a.m. & basically caused a ruckus on and off all night. So he's trained US not to crate him at night, and now snoozes in our bedroom. Yesterday we attempted the crate again while we were out of the house for a few hours, resulting in Butters doing the following:

• busting out of the supposedly "secure" crate
• chasing the cats & giving them the fright of their 9 lives
• knocking over a plant
• tearing down a curtain
• ripping 2 other curtains
• breaking an ornament

Result: General mayhem! The cats are now sequestered--and are being the nicest (to us) that they ever have been--nothing like a near-death experience to make you re-evaluate your attitude, I guess! The crate has been reinforced with plastic ties and heavy gauge wire, so we hope that will work someday.

Naughty dog Butters will be visiting the vet today for his check-up & rabies shot, and I plan to beg, plead, and weep if necessary to get him some anti-anxiety medication to try while we work on a little behavior modification training. Doggie Boot Camp starts next week; maybe that will help too! Despite all his destructive behavior, he is a sweet boy, and gives excellent dog kisses!

Thing 7: Lists, lists, lists!

I tried all 3 of the list-making programs: tadalists, rememberthemilk and thingamalist. Of the three, thingamalist was the least complicated to sign up for, in my opinion. rememberthemilk was kind of a pain; tadalists was pretty easy. I tried emailing the lists to myself & they arrived in due course--success!

Not to be a party pooper, but, honestly, I don't see this as a huge improvement over my scribbled-on-scratch-paper lists that I put in my pocket. I like technology when it improves things--e.g., opacs vs. card catalogs were a MASSIVE step forward. But online lists? To me, it's overkill...alot of steps (and electric power) for not alot of return. I'm afraid I'll continue on with my recycled envelope grocery lists!

Thing 6: Podcasts

I confess when I hear the word "pod", I always think of the old sci-fi movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers". There are PODS in the basement! :)



Anyway, I had no difficulty with podcasts (other than the usual unexplained Internet Explorer shutdown). On odeo.com I found animated New Yorker cartoons which were fun to watch. Just browsing, I noticed (but didn't have time to listen to) Garrison Keillor podcasts, which would probably be entertaining too! I continue to be amazed at the wild world of entertainment and time-wasting available on the web....and I thought watching the Anthony Bourdain marathon on TV was bad! Har!