In the fall of 2006, I traveled with my childhood friend Nancy to Bulgaria. We were there just over a week on a tour led by Rebecca Miller, my friend from library school. One of the remarkably beautiful places we visited was Rila Monastery, tucked in the mountains south of Sofia. A thirty-second video hardly does it justice, but perhaps it will whet someone's appetite for more. Take a look:
Rila Monastery, Bulgaria
April 07, 2010
April 05, 2010
Through the Looking Glass
...and into the Land of Jing! Screencasting is really fun--especially if you have working microphone jack, which apparently I do not. Plan B meant a silent movie, and here it is:
http://screencast.com/t/NjdmMmJhMGQ
I welcome your feedback--all except "nice cradle."
http://screencast.com/t/NjdmMmJhMGQ
I welcome your feedback--all except "nice cradle."
April 02, 2010
Editorial Philosophy Regarding Children's Books
From Leonard S. Marcus' interview with Jean Feiwel (children's book publisher)in Horn Book :
LSM: You once summed up your editorial philosophy in the words "blind/orphan/pony." What exactly did you mean by that, and has the mantra changed?
JF: It still holds up pretty well. "Blind" refers to children's empathy for the bad things that happen in life. "Orphan" we know is one of the great categories of hero in the literature. And "pony" stands for all the animal stories, stories of animals in jeopardy, to which children respond so strongly. To that extent, I am a fan of tried-and-true themes. I should probably add "friend" to the list.
Ms. Feiwel has been in children's book publishing more than 30 years. She was an editor at Scholastic and was responsible for several popular series, including The Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, and Harry Potter. The interview is worth reading in its entirety: HB September 2009 issue, pages 465-478.
LSM: You once summed up your editorial philosophy in the words "blind/orphan/pony." What exactly did you mean by that, and has the mantra changed?
JF: It still holds up pretty well. "Blind" refers to children's empathy for the bad things that happen in life. "Orphan" we know is one of the great categories of hero in the literature. And "pony" stands for all the animal stories, stories of animals in jeopardy, to which children respond so strongly. To that extent, I am a fan of tried-and-true themes. I should probably add "friend" to the list.
Ms. Feiwel has been in children's book publishing more than 30 years. She was an editor at Scholastic and was responsible for several popular series, including The Babysitters Club, Goosebumps, and Harry Potter. The interview is worth reading in its entirety: HB September 2009 issue, pages 465-478.
March 20, 2010
Two Great Videos Too Good To Pass Up!
Yes, it's another 23ThingsKansas class posting--this time for video on the web. One of my colleagues sent a link to this wonderful Rube Goldberg send-up by the musical group OK Go.
The other great video, which should also make you smile if not guffaw, is a parody of movie trailers. Thanks, Lisa, for the link. You know who you are!
What? You're a film aficionado and you're not amused? So sorry...
The other great video, which should also make you smile if not guffaw, is a parody of movie trailers. Thanks, Lisa, for the link. You know who you are!
What? You're a film aficionado and you're not amused? So sorry...
March 08, 2010
Instant messaging and the telephone
We use Google Talk instant messaging at work. It is very helpful because our two buildings are across town from one another. It's great for quick questions or to verify where someone may be--provided they change their status line (something I'm guilty of not remembering to do!).
I discovered this weekend that Facebook also have a chat function. I noticed that a good friend from grad school was online, so we chatted for several minutes. It was really good to catch up. Was it satisfactory? Yes. Was it as nice as talking on the phone? Not really. I am a great fan of the sound of my friends and loved ones' voices. They stir my heart in an excellent way that chat and email cannot. An emoticon is just not warm, not as good as a belly laugh or a smiling chuckle (that chuckle that insures that the person is also smiling).
So what's great about instant messaging? It's quick (no kidding!) and can be quite efficient. There is another facet that may fall under the heading of unintended benefits: when the chat list pops up, it can serve as a memory jog. "Gosh, I haven't spoken with them in a long time." or "I wonder what's new with hiim..." As one who has lived many places in my life, I have friends strewn across the world. This is one small way to stay in touch.
I discovered this weekend that Facebook also have a chat function. I noticed that a good friend from grad school was online, so we chatted for several minutes. It was really good to catch up. Was it satisfactory? Yes. Was it as nice as talking on the phone? Not really. I am a great fan of the sound of my friends and loved ones' voices. They stir my heart in an excellent way that chat and email cannot. An emoticon is just not warm, not as good as a belly laugh or a smiling chuckle (that chuckle that insures that the person is also smiling).
So what's great about instant messaging? It's quick (no kidding!) and can be quite efficient. There is another facet that may fall under the heading of unintended benefits: when the chat list pops up, it can serve as a memory jog. "Gosh, I haven't spoken with them in a long time." or "I wonder what's new with hiim..." As one who has lived many places in my life, I have friends strewn across the world. This is one small way to stay in touch.
Let's Hear it for Reading!
Check out this great video.
Reading is the greatest single skill we can possess. Make no mistake: reading is power.
Reading is the greatest single skill we can possess. Make no mistake: reading is power.
March 02, 2010
Cloud Computing--How Cool Is This!?!
This week's 23ThingsKS module is on cloud computing...and until I started the unit, I had no idea what cloud computing was. Well, it's a marvel of cyberspace, to say the least! Cloud computing allows users to store material elsewhere/offsite, collaborate on a variety of projects with any size group (just invite them), and get organized with a single calendar that can be accessed from any computer.
No longer will I need to burn the library's summer reading program Power Point presentation on a CD then deliver it to the school district because the file is too large to get by the district's firewall, not mention our own firewall! I can upload it to Google Docs with a click, email the library media coordinator, and she can access it and download it on her end of town.
As I surfed through the various options offered in the realm of cloud computing, I was pleased to see that many are FREE. However, if one is serious about using it for business, there are some fees attached. I thought of a use for online calendars: at our library we plan the weekend rotations far in advance (we're trying a year's forward plan at present). We also keep several weeks of desk schedules for reference coverage on our intranet. The current system for the desk schedules is pretty clunky and requires training. It would be terrific to use Google calendar, which can be embedded on one's website, then grant access to all pertinent staff so they can check the schedule from home. It's not possible with our intranet at present. I mentioned this to the branch manager, and we're going to pursue the matter. I love the immediate benefit of 23ThingsKS!!!
No longer will I need to burn the library's summer reading program Power Point presentation on a CD then deliver it to the school district because the file is too large to get by the district's firewall, not mention our own firewall! I can upload it to Google Docs with a click, email the library media coordinator, and she can access it and download it on her end of town.
As I surfed through the various options offered in the realm of cloud computing, I was pleased to see that many are FREE. However, if one is serious about using it for business, there are some fees attached. I thought of a use for online calendars: at our library we plan the weekend rotations far in advance (we're trying a year's forward plan at present). We also keep several weeks of desk schedules for reference coverage on our intranet. The current system for the desk schedules is pretty clunky and requires training. It would be terrific to use Google calendar, which can be embedded on one's website, then grant access to all pertinent staff so they can check the schedule from home. It's not possible with our intranet at present. I mentioned this to the branch manager, and we're going to pursue the matter. I love the immediate benefit of 23ThingsKS!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
