"It's the Holiday Season"

So far my Christmas break has been great. I received a Kindle Touch and I am looking forward to reading more this year. Some set goals for themselves. I will start low and shoot for reading 50 books this year. I'm looking forward to some books that have been recommended. One is a Stephen King book, called 11/22/63. Last year it was in the top ten of many reader's books read in 2011. I think I'll start with that. I am very persuaded to read books that others enjoy.

My best friend and her husband recently bought a house that's about 100 years old.

That's her locking up. 

We've been painting and her husband has been refinishing the upstair hardwood floors. It was an awesome buy for them. I'm excited for their future there. They have already met some pretty amazing neighbors. 

It's been nice visiting with Family and Friends. My cousin recently got married to a lovely girl from Bulgaria. I was able to meet her over the break. 

It's the last night of 2011...time to start thinking about New Year resolutions, I suppose. I'll let you know what I come up with. Do you have any New Year Resolutions for 2012? Are you doing in fixer up projects?

Bon Voyage!

Haven't updated in awhile. But, I figure that since I've opened up my blog to my students and parents, I should probably keep up with it.  A lot has happened since my last post. I looked back and saw some of my goals. The number one goal I'll focus on in this post is! MY CRUISE!
I turned 30... (not a goal...but a nonnegotiable)...so why not celebrate with a cruise! I can check that off my bucket list....if I had one. Next goal, make a bucket list.
The cruise was a blast. We left out of Galveston... we being my myself and my three closest friends, who we'll call K-Love, Dinge, and Kiki. They are the best! I couldn't have chosen a better trio to tag along with on my birthday cruise extravaganza!  Kiki made some awesome t-shirts for us! I got the celebrity treatment when we wore them. Everyone knew it was my birthday, my name, and who was with me!
All in all it was a great get away before the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Dinge especially needed a getaway! She left her hubby with her two kiddos for the first time ever! Way to go dancing queen!

I'll leave you with some of the favorite photos of the ship...

And we're off!

Bon Voyage!

Dinge and I on the Catamaran...headed to our beach excursion.

First night at dinner...

Pictures were a must. (K-Love and Kiki)

At night when the staff turned down our beds, we always had a different towel animal! 

K-Love and Kiki at the beach

Palm Tree

Kiki found a turtle 

Lobster and Shrimp Dinner

Funtogrophy with K-Love and Dinge

K-Love making funny faces

Our waiters gave us a dancing show every night.

Kiki even joined in one night.

My favorite view of the ship!

The Carnival Triumph from Cozumel Coast

The Closing of a Class

Well, it's time to close out my time in my my Masters class. It was called Instructional Materials Production and Use. My first blog about the class was to evaluate and discuss my strengths and weaknesses in technology. I stated that I am a quick learner of new technology but struggle with learning the little details of a technology. If anything, now I feel like there are so many different types of technologies out there that I may not know about. I feel like part of my weakness may be that I will try and guide someone in the right direction when they are seeking information, but I may be missing a newer and better technology that could save them a lot of steps.  I have to find a way to stay updated on the newest internet and information portals. I won't always have a college class to lead me to newer technologies. Thankfully, I work for a school district that provides many opportunity to continue educating myself. The district seems to be pretty well advanced in many technologies. I plan to utilize this as long as they keep offering.
In my class I have created a blog in which I am setting up my classroom library with video reviews of books. After students have read and enjoyed a book they can write up a review and record themselves reading their review. Eventually, my students will be able to go on the class blog and choose a book that they are interested in reading and watch the video for it. Hopefully they will see that other students liked it and they will want to respond by reading it themselves. I'd like to also start a wiki in which my students can respond to skills and information they are learning.
I've learned a great deal in my class this summer and I hope the remaining classes have the same outcome.

The Job of Organizing

My professor asks us the question, Organizing books and materials used to be in the domain of professionally trained catalogers and indexers. Now, through Web 2.0, it is in the hands of everyday "folk."What are the implications of this trend for librarians?

I believe that the catalogers and indexers job has expanded. They need to be more knowledgable when it comes to the web. Over the past 2 decades our technologies have become much more broad. It would be silly to have just a computer catalog system within itself. When I say within itself I mean no outside sources, no mashups with other internet or web 2.0 technologies. With the upcoming generations being already so knowledgable in the web and networking, I believe if they tried using only an isolated catalog system they would get frustrated. The searcher would desire to expand beyond the library for research.
The idea of tagging allows the user to find their resources more quickly and thoroughly compared to simply  a subject heading.

Who is Using Who?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

I've seen this video several times in the past. It evokes thought on our current cultures and it's use of the computer. By use of the computer I mean the web. Who really gets on the computer anymore and has no use for the web? I don't even have to worry with having Microsoft Applications when I have Google Docs.     Which brings me to the answer of a question my professor has given me. Why do I think the title of the video is the title? The Machine is Us/ing Us. Well I believe we have created (not me personally...I take no initial credit) this computer and the web. Everything we do on it links to other things. We tag pictures of people and things that connects us to other people and things, creating an even bigger web or connection.

I've recently been into a website called www.pinterest.com. If I ever come across a picture on the web I can link it (pin it) back to my account to share with my circle of friends. This is just another new way of linking and connecting with other people on the web.

So all we do on the computer is making the computer smarter. Hopefully we won't create a computer to use legs and arms... oh wait...sounds like a movie I've seen.

$10,000 for Handheld Devices

The following is a blog update scenario given to me for a class.

I have been asked to purchase handheld devices for my library. I have been given a budget of $10,000.  I have thought about a few different devices that I am planning on purchasing. One type of handheld device is the ebook reader. The libraries in our school district have begun to incorporate a digital library. If librarians choose to participate we would need the ebook readers for the students to make use of the digital library. I plan to purchase 4 ebook reader per grade level. We typically have 4 teachers per grade level. If I purchase 28 ebook readers, each teacher will be able to check one out. The teachers could use it as a reward for students to use. This should cost me approximately $6,000.

With the remaining $4,000 I plan to purchase several internet tablets. I would like to purchase ipads in order for the students to access the internet. This way the students could access applications such as Google Maps. The students could view parts of the world they may never see otherwise. They could access the internet and play interactive learning games. I will purchase 7 – 8 ipads. Depending on how much money is left over from the ebooks.

Hopefully these devices will enrich our schoool's library and allow students to learn in different ways. The devices will also be available for teacher check out. The ipads would be available for check out especially for teachers to use at home in order for them to familiarize themselves with the new technology. Hopefully then, the teachers could incorporate the ipads more into their classroom. 

Summer Camp!

Summer has arrived. Just like clock work, exactly 2 weeks after school is out I am off to Jan Kay Ranch for teen camp. I attended teen camp my sophomore year through my grad year. I've now been going to camp as a counselor since the Summer of 2005. There have been some great memories. Once we were caught in a storm with straight line winds. We were trapped inside a building with no power for a long time and rain most of the week. You're probably thinking, that can't be a great memory. Well, it definitely changed a lot of our plans at camp, but in so many unexpected and wonderful ways. We were able to get to know people we were not intending to get to know. We worshiped in the dark, which can be very...well... I don't know what it can be? But, you should try it. It's almost as if I feel more transparent to God. No one else is looking...well because they can't see you.
I'm excited that my niece and nephew have been going to camp. This will be their 3rd summer. I like that they enjoy it. Honestly, I don't know what draws them back to it. Well, I do I think. God. Yeah, the social aspect of camp is always fun. But, we do a lot of sitting in the Town Hall listening to speakers. Speakers for missions, real life stuff, and bible preachin'. Yeah, a lot meaning like 3 times a day often times for an hour or more each time. I guess my thoughts are...that doesn't sound like a summer camp teens would want to go to because it takes away from their social life. But, surprisingly enough many youngsters like C&B are drawn back each summer. I pray they are touched and moved in ways that will ruin them for life.
Every year I attempt to be a super counselor. Then, I get there and I am always out-shined by one of the others. She's amazing...and the girls all want to be in her cabin. She's got cool snacks, decorations for her themed cabin, goodie bags, sweet tunes for fun a late night dance party, and loads of fun nail polish. Man oh Man...I think I want to be in her cabin too! Well, we'll see how it goes. I look forward to ooing and awwing over your cabin again this year, K! ;)

Here's a few pics from last year at Impact 2010

 B swinging

 My B.F.F. - I'll miss you this year at camp!

B's friend for the week...attached at the hip...we'll miss you this year C!

 The swing that will keep one entertained for hours.

The Lake

Dancing in the rain

JoJo

Taradacdules  pardon my spelling

Time for banquet 

Oh V...

Rocco, Kiki, & Bam Bam

So here's to another great week at camp!