Thing #11 LibraryThing

I could have spent all day in Library Thing just looking through other people's lists. I had been reading so many kid books that right now I am on an adult book kick and so that is what I concentrated on for my list. I loved this Thing. The only down side, growl, is that I really wanted one of those cute shelves that some people have to display their books on, but I am satisfied that I got my books listed in my blog.
I can see many uses for this Thing when I add this to our school website. I can put current new books that I have added to the library, books teachers are reading to their classes, books that I recommend for students to check out if they liked a certain book and want to read more by the same author or in the same genre. The list goes on and on. And it is all by tags. That is great.
I did check out several groups. I will go back and visit again when I have more time in a few days. I still feel like I am floating in a no gravity area and can't find a place to grab on. Maybe when I get home from Georgia on Thursday afternoon.

Okay, it wasn't so cool after all

Sometimes I just don't know when to quit. I was trying to change one color and changed about five. Then I couldn't read an entire entry for Thing 7 or was it 9? I don't remember because I couldn't read it! Then I couldn't remember what the original colors were to change them back. All I wanted to do was change the color of the words "A little roar, a little growl, a lot of purr" so that you could see the bloomin' thing over the title. Argh! Or should I say, "Roaarr!"
I stepped back (for a really long time) to think about it (before I messed it up further). I decided to just change the color scheme to match the title a bit more and put in colors I like. I'm not such a green person anyway. I can still play with it as I feel like it.
Now for the "Purr." I learned what all those different things are for when you go to change the colors around on the background. I tried several variations and found one that suited me for the moment. The big thing is that I am not frustrated any more and know that I can do it and not have to hurt my computer if I mess up.
Now if I can just learn how to move the words DOWN on my title I will be one happy Bearkat. Suggestions?

Thing #10B Happy Face Generator

Today I explored Happy Face Generator and went into the Logo Maker. I wanted to change the Logo for my blog so I did. It was very easy to make. I loved playing around with it. However, when it came to pasting it in and still keeping my description, that was another story. Still working on that. It changed the backgraound color scheme a bit and I'm not quite sure what to do with it. Hmmm... But it looks cool, right?

Thing # 10 A Comic Strip Generator

I decided to start at the top and work my way down the list. I liked the idea of taking a comic strip or picture and putting my own words with it but found that when it came time to decide what to write I had no creativity left and spent all my time looking for that perfect picture. I think if I used this idea with students I would limit the choices of pictures so that they wouldn't have the same problem. Anyway, here is what I came up with. I went with a historical theme for this one. I am in Georgia right now visiting an old college friend and we just visited Stone Mountain. We have talked a lot about traveling and Mt Rushmore was one of the places we both said we would like to visit before we die (like we are two blocks from that intersection, right!).

Thing # 9

I enjoyed reading Cool Cat Teacher's blog entry. She had some very useful advice on blogging. That is one I will go back to and read again periodically to remind myself what it's all about and what I need to be looking for as I read others' blogs and as I write my own.
I explored the resources available and found that I like Topix.net best to use. It was the most clear cut and easiest to understand for me followed by Technorati. The layout of those two were better. I am a visual person so pictures definitely helped. The boxy layout as well. Of course I can always use Atomic Learning to help explain what I don't understand. I found Syndic8.com the most confusing and never did quite figure it out. Maybe I just need to go back and give it another try instead of writing it off.
As far as uses for the newsfeeds go, I'll have to do some thinking about that. I am not a huge reader of the news and need to explore how I can use it more in my teaching as well. Once I start reading it more, I will begin to develop more ideas for uses of the news, current events, and the technology of newsfeeds.

Thing #8 RSS

This is a whole new ball of wax for me. I am just now starting to spend any time reading blogs so managing them has never been a concern. However, this is great because now they come to me. It is just taking the time to read email everyday, I can read the newest entry on my list of blogs and learn what others are doing, get some great ideas, educate myself in just a short amount of time. I gave myself several library blogs to read, several technology blogs (ones I could actually understand) and one for fun that is written by an ex-student's mom. I think that is all I can handle right now. My biggest problem was deciding which email account to set it up for. If it was my school account, I don't know that I would ever get any work done besides reading other people's blogs... not good. So I decided to use my home account and let this be something I do in my pjs.
I can see many uses for this feature at school in that I can forward specific blog entries or an entire list of great blogs from any number of different categories on to the teachers in my school or post them on my library web page for parents and students to take advantage of. Our school slogan this past year was Knowledge: Get it! Got it! Give it! This definitely fulfills several of those statements. I like to share new or useful information and ideas with others so I know that I will find many times to use this.

Thing #7 Google

Google was always somewhat one dimensional to me until I discovered Google Earth, but now I am seeing more and more resources that are available. There were some interesting ideas to learn about today.
I did end up registering for a Google Alert. I am hanging my head as I write that I signed up to be alerted about a summertime upcoming reality show that I have gotten sucked into over the years. I know I could be doing better things with my time, but it's just too entertaining to pass up. So now I will be alerted when some juicy piece of gossip comes up or they announce who the contestants are so I can figure out who I will be spending time with this season.
On to a more serious way to use this, I can keep up with the Bluebonnet and Texas 2x2 authors. I can find out if they will be touring in our area this year or what they are currently writing or some other news that I can pass on to my patrons. The best part is that it will be sent to me, I won't have to go searching for info about every single author.
I also explored Google Calendar. I like this feature because I can let my kids and my parents know what my schedule looks like without me having to call them or have my dad call me to find out if I am still alive or not. I can also have another calendar for school to let teachers know what is going on during the month and when I will be out of the building or at a regularly scheduled meeting. For patrons and their parents, I can attach a link to the library webpage and have a calendar that lines out the author visits, special events, book fair, or if the library is closed for voting, etc. This seems like a lot of work to keep up with so it is something that I will have to check out a little more and try using for a while to see if I can make it work for me. The concept is great though.

Thing #6 Trading Card

Okay, I really like this one and it was so easy. I can see so many uses for this next year. During 4th grade's oceanography unit, 1st grade's insect unit or 2nd grade's bird unit are just a few. I may even start out the year by making one for myself to put in all of the teachers' goodie bags. (Can I use my avatar picture?) this will be fun to demonstrate on an Activboard too. The bigger the better. And the possibilities are endless: Colonial America, presidents, states, a character from book report books. I know, I am preaching to the choir. I haven't even begun to really go beyond the surface yet with the possibilities, but I also know that we don't want everything to end up being on a trading card. That happens every time something new comes along like Life Maps did years ago. Then everyone and his dog has to do one and so the students are doing the same thing every year in every class. But it is a good quick way to make sure students are getting the main ideas of a unit and can visualize a representation by selecting an appropriate picture. Not to mention the technology skills they are using. Rambling!
Okay, here is a trading card using my youngest son who just (and finally, hallelujah) graduated. He helped come up with the categories. Some of mine were outdated. Then we had too many and had to delete some. See what great stuff this is... it makes you want to do more than you have room for. Ooooh, summarizing skills and finding just the main ideas, not the details. I digress.

Thing #6A Playing around

I couldn't resist. While exploring Thing 6, I had to stop and make a Mosaic of the most beautiful sight and my favorite place in the whole world - the area around the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. This area near the Opera House (minus the buildings, of course) is actually the oldest inhabited part of Sydney called The Rocks because the first people there (the convicts from the 1770s) had to dig into the rock to build taverns and barracks and such. Visit Sydney if you ever get the chance. It is something you will never forget. End of tour. I'll get back to business now.

Afterthought

Okay, importing the picture wasn't the easiest thing in the world for me, but I always make things harder than they should be. I just need to get used to my blog "toolbox" and then I'll be set. Can I go home now? Yes, I still have no Internet at home, but they are promising that it will be tomorrow. We shall see!

Thing # 5 Flickr

Very cool, very cool... I love looking through photos. I have zillions of my own as well. Flickr looks like a great place for me to share my travel photos.
I hope importing the photo into my blog goes well. We'll see in a few minutes. I chose a picture that reflects the name of my blog, Tiger Talk. My photo is by bubble_gum and I found it under the tag "tigers."

I can see many uses for Flickr in my job and I can see even more times when I can recommend it to the teachers I work with instead of Google.

Thing #4 Registering My Blog

This was the easiest one. For once I really have nothing more to say except that I feel much better now that I have these first four things finished.

Thing # 3 Creating a Blog

Wow! What an experience that was! How long can it take a person to come up with a name for a blog and for herself? I had all these great, clever ideas like Techish Delight (a play on The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) or something equally as witty with my last name, but after hours of thinking, my brain hurt and I caved in and went for the simple solution. Once I got started, it was a relatively painless process until I hit the part where I had to create my avatar. Once again, I stressed over what to wear and which glasses and jewelry looked best when I was visiting the Sydney Opera House.
I really didn't find it difficult to import the avatar into my blog. I made myself a breadcrumb trail using the directions and they got me there with no worries. I did get a bit confused when it came time to change the settings. I had no idea what some of those were. Good thing there was a PowerPoint to help with that (thanks Vaughn). I know there are more changes I want to make, but they can wait until I have time to play around a bit and get used to this.
I have made a comment or two. I need to dedicate some time to reading others' blogs as I am working on a Thing to see what I will be up against before I get started. Then I can go back and comment on it after I have finished that Thing. Sounds like a plan to me.

Thing #2 7 1/2 Habits and Lifelong Learners

I am finally starting! Whoo hoo! Long story short, I have no Internet at my apartment and I've lived there for over a month and a half. I am dying! But the service provider keeps putting me off, and I couldn't even get on at Panara Bread this weekend. So now I am having to come up to school to do this until they finally get around to hooking me back up to the world. Waaaa!
With that said... I will say that the hardest habit is number 4, having confidence in myself as a competent, effective learner. Once I have mastered a skill, the easiest habit is number seven, teaching and mentoring others. I knew from a young age that teaching would be my profession and no matter what it is that I am teaching to others, I try to have patience with them until they have mastered the skill as well. I know from an early experience what it is like to be humiliated in front of others for not being good at something and swore I would never be that kind of teacher. However, because of that, it takes a lot to get me to a level where I do feel that confidence in myself. What a Catch 22, huh!
I know that the 23 Things will do a lot to build up my confidence level and in turn, I will feel great about sharing them with others (all of the other habits combined!) I can't wait to have my Internet back!