Learn the Joy of the Moment

excerpt from- Learn the Joy of the Moment by Leo Buscaglia, Ph.D.

Death teaches us--if we want to hear--that the time is now. The time is now to pick up a telephone and call the person that you love. Death teaches us the joy of the moment. It teaches us we don't have forever. If teaches us that nothing is permanent, It teaches us to let go, there's nothing you can hang on to. And it tells us to give up on expectations and let tomorrow tell its own story, because nobody knows if they'll get home tonight. To me that's a tremendous challenge. Death says, "Live now."

http://www.journeyofhearts.org/kirstimd/buscagl2.htm

Death, Dying, and Caring

I am now searching for ways to help my brother with his impending death. I am wondering how to comfort him. What to do for him when I am so far away. He is alone on the opposite side of the country. I want to be with him but struggle with leaving my own family and my obligations to them and my two jobs. When I call and talk he just says he is fine. Now I have found out he does not tell me the truth.

I am just looking for answers to make his last days on earth peaceful. I want him to go quickly, painlessly, and feel the love and happiness we shared as kids. He has had such a hard life. I am looking for some answers and guidance to help him.

I am not sure why I am writing all this down... I hope I find some answers for him.

iPad

Today I got my own iPad. Now to learn how to utilize it well.

ACPL Mock Newbery: First Reading List for 2011 Newbery Discussion

ACPL Mock Newbery: First Reading List for 2011 Newbery Discussion

Must get these books and review them. Also keep my eyes open for further reviews of these titles. Look for them in book fair.

Kagan Cooperative Learning

WOW! Great week long conference on learning good teaching strategies.

Waiting for Normal

Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Waw nomination book for grades 6-8.

Story of a young girl who is raising herself. She has been separated from her two half sisters and stepdad. She lives in a run down section of town with her mom in a small trailer by the train tracks. Mother goes away for days at a time. Addie makes friends with the owner of the minimart.

Story is quite sad. I am not sure the students I work with would identify with the character. It might be good for exposing them to other cultures and ways of life.

View all my reviews >>

Summer Ending

Acck! My summer is coming to a close. This is the last true week of summer. I still have LOTS of books to read before school starts. Need to get those WAW books done.

Next week, conference on cooperative learning.

Summer Reading List

Some titles I want to look at and add to my read list.

Fat Kid Rules the World by K.L. Going award winner?

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson YA

WAW Lists

Week 16 - Final Week

Reflect on the “23 Things” and post a link to it in the comments section of 23 Things for others to read


What was your favorite creation?


What would you like to see happen next?

Week 15- Wiki

Activity #1
edit a wiki (and blog about the experience). OR explore some examples of wiki use and write about your experience in your blog.

Activity #2
use a wiki to collaborate with your peers!

1. Visit the 23 Things Kansas wiki -add a new page link
Tell the group what you enjoyed most about 23 Things Kansas and feel free to spice up the page with a photo or embedded video.

2. Link your new page from the 23 Things Kansas Participants page

Week 14: Library Thing, Etc.

Create an account on Shelfari. Add to your profile and bookshelf as much as you wish. Explore the site and write about your experience on your blog. Easy Get Started Guide.

Or B) Choose your own project. Explore any of the sites above further. If you already have an account, add to it, or try something new. Write about your experience on your blog.

I created an account on Shelfari. Now I am trying to figure out whether I like goodreads.com or shelfari better. I have used goodreads for over a year and created several groups on it. However I like some of the features of shelfari and will now need to reassess and figure out which one to keep up with.

Week 13: Slide Sharing

Choose your slide sharing website. You can pick from the websites showcased above or pick any other slide sharing website you like. (Check out 10 Useful Online Presentation Tools to Promote Business if you want to sample some other slide sharing websites.)

Create a slide show of 5 or more slides. You can create your slide show offline and upload it to your selected slide sharing website. Or you can create it online using Zoho Show, Animoto or any other slide creation website you like.

Share your slide show. Use the slide sharing website’s sharing tools to share it. Put a link on your blog so you’ll have a record of it and post your slide show link to the comments area of this lesson and/or the 23 Things Kansas mail list at 23thingsks @ googlegroups.com (No spaces.)

Week 12: Jing / Screencasting

Activity: Let’s keep it simple – share a link to a screencast you created in the comments. Then, post it on your blog and write about the experience. How can you see using screencasting at the library?

I used Jing to create a lesson on using the search station. It is embedded to my wiki.

Week 10: Video on the Web

Activity #1: Find a Video and Embed it into your blog
I did this see below for the video: Gotta Keep Reading.

Activity #2: Make a video!

This might be challenging … and I challenge you to do it anyway.

* Step 1 – video a 30-second book review or other activity. Use Jing and make a quick screencast. Anything goes.
* Step 2 – Do some basic edits, like add a fade in and fade out to your video. Then save it in a YouTube-friendly format.
* Step 3 – get a YouTube account and upload your video.
* Step 4 – embed that video on your blog

I have done the video of students book talking. Still need to upload into You Tube and embed to blog.

week 9- Instant Messaging

Talk about your IM experiences on your blog. Tell us what you think of Instant Messaging; Do you like it?
I like to discuss and send messages, however the down side to it is speaking without the facial and body language to accompany it. And more importantly speaking/ writing without thinking. It is best to give some things time to think and reflect before responding.

What concerns do you have using a tool like Instant Messaging? Has it changed the way you work at all? It has not changed much yet but think it will, as more and more colleagues connect and become tech users.

From 23 Things KS
Common IM shorthand -
* LOL – Laugh out loud. Also: ROFL (rolling on floor laughing)
* ty, yw – Thank you, and you’re welcome. Also tyvm (thank you very much), np (no problem), and yvw (you’re very welcome)
* j/k – just kidding
* bbl – be back later. Also ttyl (talk to you later)
* afk – away from keyboard (most commonly used in the middle of a chat when you need to leave your desk for just a moment)
* For those of you really interested, here is a much more comprehensive list

Sharing and Productivity
* Discussing projects without leaving our desks.
* Quick communication with co-workers
* Talking, solving problems, and sharing links
* Sharing interesting links

Gotta Keep Reading

Gotta Keep Reading

This is fabulous and you will want to share it with students. A music video of importance of reading. Great stuff!!!

Check it out.

Week 8- Cloud Computing

Collaborating with others on a single project.
Choose a project, invite at least ONE "23 things" friend and ONE work colleague to use a tool with you.

* Alternatives for Word documents: Google docs, Zoho docs, Buzzword
* To use for presentations: Zoho show, Google presentation
* For wikis: Wikispaces
* For websites: Wetpaint, Weebly
* Some online calendars: Google

Fortunately I have already done some of these things. I have a wiki and am working with others through that. I use google docs to collaborate on projects. I also use goodreads.com to have groups work together virtually on committees and projects with books and reviews.

I just never knew it was called cloud computing.

I am guessing that my circulation sytem is a cloud computing system since it is run via the internet and works for me from any internet connection.

So I think I am good to go on this topic.

Week Seven- Microblogging

Twitter- Plurk- Google Buzz

Assignment
1. What do you think about using one of these microblogging tools?
I tried using Twitter and Plurk last year. I did not find it useful. I really don't want to keep up with the communications. I know my spouse loves it as do my adult children. I find FB and email easier.
2. Did you find it easy to find people to follow, especially after a list of examples was given?

3. Who are three people or organizations you starting following this week and why did you follow them? Have you found their posts helpful?

4. What kinds of uses do you see you might have for microblogging? Have you already found some uses for it?

# Bonus Activity: Use the hashtag #23thingsks on some of your tweets this week. They will then appear in the sidebar of the 23 Things Kansas blog,


I will be interested in seeing what other people think of Twitter and microblogging.

Week Six- Social Bookmarking

This was awesome. I learned a lot this week and am utilizing the info already with colleagues. I have several teachers interested in having learning sessions.

Not Enough Time!!

There is just not enough time for me to get everything done I want to do. It is book fair at our school. There are cool things to learn and reflect from the conference I just attended with KASL District 1. There are books to review so I know whether to buy them from the book fair. There are lessons to put together. Books to read and book talk. YIKES!!!! So much to do so little time....

Social Tagging and Bookmarking- Delicious

Just read this weeks assignment and viewed video. I think this is something I definitely need. I have tons of bookmarks but I have to remember their icons to find them. This is just in time for all the cool things I am finding and saving. More as I get into delicious. Unfortunately I don't have my yahoo password at home today. I keep my memberships and codes at school. Maybe it is time for open id so I don't have to remember all those different codes and then they are accessible where ever I am.

Life in the Boreal Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson

Life in the Boreal Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Discusses the chain of life in the boreal forest going through a year in how animals adapt and survive. N the back there are notes about the impact of the boreal forest on our environment. Ties in with environmental studies, habitats, ecosystems, and global warming.

View all my reviews >>

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L Swanson

Great book. This book really fit in nicely with two other books I just finished My Last Skirt: The Story of Jennie Hodgers, Union Soldier by Lynda Durrant and also Undersiege by Andrea Warren. I enjoyed how they seemed to dovetail together creating a better picture for me of events during the Civil war and after. I would highly recommend this tile. It reads as a nonfiction rather than a story. My Last Skirt read as a novel but Undersiege and Chasing Lincoln's Killer were finely researched and written to bring life to the events. I think students will enjoy them. I also think they would make good read alouds for a history class. The photos of actual people and items is a huge bonus for readers.

Chasing Lincoln's Killer by James L Swanson

RSS Feed

I have a feed up on my igoogle home page. It is great. I love having easy access. Think I will add some others that I go to regularly. Yes I can see the value of having them where you check frequently rather than having to remember to go to their site. I get busy and forget but this way I can check on an article when it catches my eye when I am on home page.

Thanks

Check out Tammy Worcester's Tech Tips.

on another note.. my igoogle page started making noises when it is open. Where is the control to make it stop? It drives me crazy!

Mrs Yollis Blog site

Wow! This is an award winning blog. Check it out. So much to learn from.

RSS Feed/ personal note

Well this week the info was over my head and out of my comfort zone for sure. I will see how much time I have this week to attempt learning about RSS feed. Clearly it sounded like it could save me time but the learning curve without direct intervention may be too tough this week.

On a personal level I am working on getting a friend out of KU Med with a brain surgery gone awry and into rehab. His wife needs lots of support. I am learning a lot about hospitals, patient advocates, family mtgs in hospitals, and various levels of care. Friday I spent the day touring rehab facilities. Fortunately my friend is able to finally move off the Neurology ICU and into progressive and today is moving to LMH for their rehab. A key component of recovery is the time and commitment of family and friends in spending time with them and getting them to do the little things that constitute a day. If you have time and could say a small prayer, my friend is Roger and his wife is Jan. Thanks for reading.

Vote for KS Library Make- Over

Please vote for Neosho Elem, Oswego, KS!

Please spread the word. We are one of the top ten finalists in the nation for a library makeover, and we need everyone to spread the word because the winner will be determined by the number of votes they get. You can vote once from each e-mail address. Please go to http://professional.us.acer.com/edu/LibraryMakeover

to place your vote. We are the only school from Kansas, so please help us. Thanks for your help.
Cindy Sanders, Principal
Neosho Heights Elementary
Box 129
Oswego, KS 67356
620-795-4541

"Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege than the raising of the next generation." - C. Everett Koop, former U.S. Surgeon General

Online Photos- Flickr and more

I posted a photo of my library. I have a flickr account set up. I like the idea of creating a photo tour of my library and am working on that project. I hope to get that completed by next fall or earlier.

I want to try to post video as well. Find some book trailers.

Social Networks

I use several social networks. Facebook, Goodreads, classroom 2.0., plurk. I am sure there are even more I joined, if only I could remember them. I took a class last year that required all these networks. I love having FB and have reconnected with lots of friends and family from by gone days. I am able to keep up with friends who live by and send messages about things I am interested in. I want to know who is looking at my information so sometimes I wonder about privacy etc, however I could not keep up multiple sites. I used FB to communicate with my son while he was in Iraq.

On Goodreads.com I am the moderator and creator of several groups, both for professional and personal reasons. I have a group for the Bill Martin Award committee. I have a group for school librarians who want to talk about titles and what activities they do with them- School Reads. A personal and small book group of my friends- Book Club Buzz. I have a group MPHM Library Links specifically for parents and students of my school. Some of the groups are private and it is by invitation and others are public. I must admit I am having trouble getting students and parent actively using the site. However I enjoy using Goodreads to keep in touch with friends and share some of the books we read. This site gives you an opportunity to write reviews and share with friends.

Hoping this class helps me learn more skills about using the networks and making them useful.

Post to igoogle home page

Did you know you can have an igoogle homepage where your blogs come up and you can post instantly on it? It is very helpful to just write a quick sentence or two as you want.

Bill Martin Jr Award Promotion

I am on the nomination committee for the Bill Martin Jr Award. I created a wiki to promote use of the titles chosen. Please find activities, blurbs, author info and more for the current list. I want to encourage you to use these books in your library programs.

I would also like to request titles to be considered for this next year if you have read and liked a particular book. I will look for it and add it to my list of reading and it could be next year's winner.

I would love feedback about the site and whether it was useful.


Bill Martin Jr Picture Book Award

And so it begins......

Took me a bit to see that I needed to create a blog specifically for this class / learning experience. I have a blog created for my library but since I want to experiment and have random thoughts and sharing I think this may be best.

Please check out my library blog----------> MPHM Library Links at mphmlibrary@blogspot.com Also see my library wiki, MPHM Library Wiki.
Both are linked to the right of the posts.

Thanks.

I want to hear your thoughts, advise, and get cool ideas as well.