Just in Time...Travel 2.0 (Thing 33)

I didn't see this one coming at all! Travel 2.0 is right on time though. Spring Break approaches in just two weeks and I still have a few dreams for taking a vacation. These tools just might help make it happen!



The first thing I started checking out was the Travel Blogs...A venue for the Novices or the Expert filled tips, tricks, and tidbits about seeing and experiencing the world.



I think my first article was fascinating (although maybe dealing more with the changing economy than travel specifics). It was about Lobster! I think that the last time that I ate lobster was in some ravioli while on vacation. I have always considered it to be a luxury food - so I limit myself to splurging on seafood for special occasions - Vacations being one of the few times that I permit such splurges! Tips from the T-List lead me to an article that may just have me shopping the seafood aisle at the grocery store! This blog filled with travel tidbits brought to my attention the striking similarities in prices between bologna and lobster in: Lobster…as common as bologna? yikes!. (And Yum!)


On the other hand, I am completely jealous of The Lost Girls who are taking a year of their life to travel and blog. The most current entry places them on the Outer Banks of South Carolina. I've been wanting to travel there too! So, now I am taking a deep breath and realizing that even if I can't be there now...I can use their great tips once I get there! Their blog entry is focused on seeing the Outer Banks on a budget! That is totally what I need! It is so quick and easy for people to share their personal experiences and to benefit from them as well. So, now I need to find a blog on budget trips to Britain - I'm sure there are quite a few and I still might get there one day if I take advantage of all the work others have put in before me to make my travels budget friendly.


I think that my laptop will be coming with me on my next travels and there are lots of Travel 2.0 tools to support this experience as well! I am bookmarking Hotspotr right now! This cool tool will help locate Wifi on my travels in the United States. I do have one question though - what is up with charging for WiFi Access Starbucks? (There is a "$" sign on the map for these locations).

I am on a roll and having fun with Travel 2.0...Now if only I can actually get on the Road. Check back in a few weeks - it might just happen!

Twittering....Again...and Not... (Thing 27 and 31)

I got back onto Twitter tonight and made my first Tweet - You can follow me at:

http://twitter.com/frenziedmedia

Now...I may not ever get beyond my first Tweet and that is a chance that you are going to have to take if you start following me, especially if I keep seeing this screen below:




At the moment, I understand the great love of Twitter - but I in a web full of tools, I am not sold that this is the one for me. It would be very different if "text messaging" was actually a part of my cell phone budget. The mobile networking capeabilties of Twitter are what I believe make Twitter so powerful.


So for the moment...I am mostly having fun looking for other people to follow in the world of Twitter.


I do wonder at the evolution of so many of these Social Networking tools. They start out with something so revolutionary and as the network grows, the power seems to get diluted. I want to get into this while it is still somewhat fresh and before the next revolution pulls users away - but I guess that is still when the glitches are getting worked out too...

I am hoping to explore a few more Twitter tools and uses for Twitter in the next few weeks.

Where I want to be! Tools to organize the information overload! (Thing 30, Part 1)

RSS feeds and readers are probably one of the tools of the Internet that I can say has changed my life!

Changes in information literacy and educational technology seem to occur exponentially and being able to tap into the information leaders and communicators sharing ideas in these fields is essential but incredibly time consuming. My homepage on my personal computer is set to open to my RSS reader, Bloglines. I love being able to grab the postings with a quick click and have the most recent updates at my fingertips.

The RSS enhancements suggested in "Thing 30" made me quite excited!

Feed My Inbox: I really want this one to work for me! I signed up for some updates on a website, but haven't received anything yet. I need to keep working with it to make certain that I can get it working.

Spoken Text: Multitasking heaven! I can do my dishes and listen to all the important news via RSS! (Now if there were only a solution to the pictures and video!)

Google Tools...I could learn to love you! (Thing 29, part 2)

So...Goog411 saved my life (or at least helped me find my way...) and now exploring so many more of the tools available from Google...I think I am learning to love them and all that they can do for me.

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E-mail is equally wonderful and overwhelming. Here are a few of my favorite "Lab" tools available in Gmail that would make my life so much easier from a productivity standpoint if other e-mail providers are listening.

Forgotten Attachment Detector
Seriously...how much time and frustration could be saved by a tool that checks to make certain that you actually remembered to attach an attachment. I've forgotten too many times.

Canned Responses
Unfortunately there are opportunities that this tool would be useful. Now...can I make them automated too!

Mail Goggles
I just love the idea of it! The safety net for sleep deprivation combined with e-mail.

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I may even be willing to revisit iGoogle now after exploring gmail a bit more. One of my biggest frustrations with iGoogle was the inability to connect to multiple e-mail accounts on my page! It looks like I can link a few Gmail accounts! So, iGoogle, you may just find your way into my heart too.

Saved by Goog-411 (Thing 29, Part 1)

Just when I started questioning whether round two of "23 Things" was going to yield some useful or enlightening new Web 2.0 tools, Goog-411 arrived and saves the day!



What a quick and easy tool. I used this one for the first time a few weeks ago. I was able to dial Goog-411 from my cell phone while driving in circles and competely lost. With only a few voice prompts I had the address of my destination and was able to connect to them via phone for more information.

Thank you Google!

I will explore more of Thing 29 soon!

This was almost "The One" (Thing 28)

A "Customized Home Page" is totally what I need (and want!).


I keep getting disappointed in these networking tools - finding more and more of them - and I'm sure that most of them are fabulous in their own right - but while adding a slightly different twist, none of them have made me drool with anticipation. This one has me drooling... but is just short of satisfying.


I tried Page Flakes and I tried iGoogle - and both of them (and probably others) gave me a taste of what I am really looking for in a "Customized Home Page." I want a place to tie all my networks together. These pages in theory are designed to do it!

Unfortunately some of the Web 2.0 and networking tools that I use don't mesh together on one of these pages like I really wanted to do. I started trying this out with just a few tools that I use frequently. I couldn't find a gadget for Shelfari and I have multiple e-mail accounts to stay connected personally and professionally. The pages just can't handle having multiple e-mail accounts displaying at the same time, unless they all happen to be with different hosts (ie. hotmail, gmail, yahoo, live, etc.). If anyone tell me what I am missing, I would be eternally grateful to your cleverness.

It has been convenient to keep my many e-mail addresses under one roof (ie. the same e-mail host) - that is too my detriment in trying to create a customized page that will give me a screenshot with access to all my networking accounts and tools. Argh!

Twitter...Not a good start! (Thing 27)

I set up a Twitter account tonight. To get started I tried locating a few Twitterers that I know. The site was down... I am concerned that like the "Ning," this tool might just be adding more to my networking world, without necessarily making it easier...especially if the site is down often. I'll have to revisit this "Thing" and see if there is more to it, but so far it was not a good start!

I'm so not into Ning... (Thing 26)

I really wan't too excited to return to the Ning for this second round of "Things." There are so many useful web 2.0 tools and I believe one of the most wonderful characteristics of the library professions is the networking. For some, Ning might be the one, but this is not different enough from all the other networking tools that I am playing with or using regularly to revolutionize my life (or make it any easier).

I equate it to my adoption of blogging (blog following, I mean). There were several blogs that I followed in the beginning, but until I became a user of RSS feed readers, I could only follow a few without going crazy and getting burned out. I don't need to belong to all the Library or Web 2.0 communities out there, but I do need to feel connected to those that I do invest in.

So, I can definitely see some use for social networking tools in both my personal and professional life, but for now, I am sooo not into Ning!

Widgimania.... (Thing 25)

So, there were several things that I got excited about when exploring "Thing 25." I added a Clustermap to my blog and while I just have a very (very, very) small dot on the map in a single location at the moment, I am inspired to see it grow!

Shortly, after trying a few more, I lost some of my excitement about them. I really liked the idea of ClickComments, and having a tool that helps make connections or suggestions for related content within my blog, but the excitement quickly disappeared once I added the widget. I found the widget to be bulky and while I appreciate the intent of the "Plant a Tree" link with this widget, it does not fit with my purpose or objectives with this blog. So, it had to go...

As for some of the other widgets, gadgets, and other tools explored in "Thing 25," I am a huge fan of Flickr, and love the ability to filter out the pictures that do not grant permission for use through Creative Commons using Flickr CC. I am always looking for images to use for myself and students in the classroom for multimedia presentations.

I really wanted to try the "Readabilty Test," but the link was not working. I love the idea of this tool.

The sheer number of tools available for my blog is astounding and overwhelming. So - I plan on returning to "Thing 25" and trying out more.

Hit Refresh!!! (Thing 24)

So, I played with my blog, and then played some more. What is the result? I really liked the colors of my blog! So, while the playing was fun. I don't feel compelled to hit save for these "inferior" blogs!

I also really tried to explore a few more Avatar generators. I'm not really attracted to the ones that are "too cartoonish," so I just stick to having lots of fun changing outfits, setting, and accessories as a Yahoo Avatar! I do want to take a look at Meez, but I couldn't get the site working tonight - Bummer....

On the other hand, I am curious about trying out some of the free templates that other web creaters have made available outside of the basic templates within Blogger. I haven't found the right one yet, but with thousands out there, there might be something worthwhile!

On the other hand - There are so many new gadgets that are useful and just plain fun! I started with a few basic, practical gadgets that actually let me consolidate and simplify the user experience of my blog. Blogrolls are one of my favorites. So simple, but so important to building and contributing to the Web 2.0 community. In the past I used a lot individual RSS feeds to my blog to create a blogroll, but it is so much better now with just one gadget!

I don't have any "followers" yet, but I like the idea of this gadget. I am exploring Web 2.0 in this blog for my own benefit, but it like all Web 2.0 tools, it only gets stronger as the community grows. So, I am going to be interested in seeing if I get any "followers." Anyone want to join my blog community???