Enough already!

Im sick of these horror movies like the new one coming out called Unborn that use creepy looking dead kids to terroize people. Please just stop! We get it. I can understand a couple movies copying the idea, but since The Ring came out there has been quite a few movies where the centerpiece is some creepy looking kid with big eyes that scares people. Enough!

Update on snow pic

Well, I found one of Pasadena City College covered in snow. I tried posting some pics that I saved to a disk from a machine that reads newspaper microfilm, but it did not go so well. Since I'm not that computer literate maybe that's why I could not figure it out. Apparently this snowstorm that occured in Pasadena happened in 1949.

The more cold the better

I wish it would snow. I know that it is an impossible request for sunny California. The closest is hail and I can't really describe what hail is. I like the cold. I like wearing shorts in the cold even though some people look at me like I'm crazy. Don't care. It's fun. I heard that it snowed in Pasadena years ago. I even saw some pictures. City Hall was covered in snow. I will see if I can post a pick of it.

Impulse buy update/Christmas

So I waited. I bought what I wanted at a much lower price, and think I'm pretty satisfied. I'm hoping that alot of kids and people in general who thought they would get nothing for Christmas are going to get exactly what they wanted and more. I know that with the economy and stuff we might not be as generous as before for good causes, but hopefully all of us can contribute in some way. I like the fact that the weather is nice and crisp too. Ah, another Sunday of work. I can't wait till I get off work and go home to watch the Giants.

Impulse buys

I almost made an impulse buy today, but I decided against it. It will be there in the future, so who cares? Its funny how people will buy stuff without much thought. Usually I try to think about it before I buy it. There have been though occasions where I have bought something right on the spot without thinking about it. Anyway I hope my self-control continues until I'm absolutely sure that I want to buy anything.

I don't get it....

People actually died on the day after Thanksgiving because of stupid sales that were going on at the stores. I understand the fact that there are going to be bargains, but why limit it to only a few hours? Why not just make it the whole day? A guard got trampled because people had to rush into Walmart. I don't get it. Just make the sale the whole day, the whole week, something that stops the insanity of people. I don't know if that will help either. Someone told me that since its hard times people are desperate to get bargains and will do anything to get gifts for their family. I sort of get that, but is it really worth throwing your life away or someone elses to get that one product?

EW

It's pretty cool that Entertainment Weekly has a section devoted to book reviews. I always check it out to see what new books are coming out. I won't say I find something every week, but it does seem like at least every month I find an interesting book to read through the magazine.
What is also good is that it contains a variety of book reviews from books on cooking, fiction, autobiographies, etc. I have found that I'm always interested in a book if the review says there is a twist ending, or an unbelievable ending. However, sometimes when I read the ending I go, "That's the twist?"

Library Cat!

I read this book called Dewey about a cat who was found at a library book drop in Iowa, and then basically stayed in the library being cared for by the library director and staff. It was a funny and sad book because it talked about how silly the cat would act, but also about how the director went through alot of problems in her life. She overcame alot with help from Dewey. In his own way he gave her alot of comfort and support. Apparently across the country there are alot of cats that reside in libraries. I think it would be cool if the libraries I work at allowed this.
It could even be a library dog. I don't think its feasible however. Even in a small library in Iowa there was some opposition to adopting the cat. I can only imagine what the opposition would be if it was in bigger libraries. I think it can be done, but it has to be a team effort. Staff in pitch in someway big or small. You know what would be funny but cool? If there was a library zoo! A section that had a bird, cat,dog, reptile, etc. If a kid was doing a report on a certain animal, they could go to another section where real animals were kept and just observe them. Anyway this is all wishful thinking on my part.

Are you having fun?

So the stuff I ordered from MOMA arrived:

They got a lot of cool and interesting stuff. Very eclectic

Funny invention

A wearable blanket: http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.detail/params.item.828395/walk.yah.UKHG-U077

A friend and I were watching The Soup where they were making fun of this. After dying of laughter for five minutes, my friend goes: "A wearable blanket? You mean a really big robe?"
I'm sorry it is just too funny for me.

Yo MoMa

Wow that title is just bad..,Anyway I'm trying to figure out if I should order anything from:
http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/StoreCatalogDisplay_-1_10001_10451_
They seem to have alot of interesting and eclectic items in their catalog. Some of the prices are way out there, but there is alot of stuff that is priced somewhat reasonably. I always like searching for new and interesting things. You never know what is out there.

Dachshund!!!

There are times when I wish I had a pet. Unfortunately my apartment does not allow pets. I think I might get some tropical fish. There was one time though when I got one beta fish, and he was so freakin paranoid that he jumped out of his bowl and died on the carpet. I came home one day and my bowl was empty, and the moron was lying on the carpet all dried up. (Don't ask me why I'm calling a fish a moron, it just sounds funny) I like both cats and dogs. I can't stand people who pick one over the other, either to prove they are macho or that they are sensitive. Both cats and dogs have bad and good qualities. So people, if they really wanted to, can get enjoyment from both animals. I like cats in that they are quiet and tend to take care of themselves. I like dogs because they really show their affection for their owners. I like particularly pugs and bulldogs. I remember my friend had a dog that was part dachshund and rottweiler, so he was a small dog. Man, he was so freakin cool. He would jump around and would let you pet him as much as you wanted. Unfortunately he got ill as he got older, and had to be put to sleep. I know that is something that is part of life, but it still sucked. Events like that are always going to suck. Who knows, maybe one day I will be able to get a cat and dog. That's right I want to have both. It should be good times for me, if it ever happens.

Homer who is Homer? I'm Guy Incognito....

Ha, ha that was a funny line from the Simpsons. Its weird I use to always watch The Simpsons and Family Guy, but not so much now. I guess everyone goes into phases where they are really into watching something or into a particular hobby, then they lose interest. Oh well. I was pretty bummed that the Giants lost on Monday night. We'll see how it goes the rest of the season. Hopefully they can get back on track. Anyway in closing, thanks to b for suggesting 3:10 to Yuma. Christian Bale was really good in it. He played a character that you really were rooting and pulling for. It will be interesting to see how he will do in the latest Terminator, and other roles.
Alright, hope everyone enjoys the last debate tonight. I'm sure there will be nuggets of comedy from that.

Plague Ship

Probably one of the best books I have read is Plague Ship by Clive Cussler and Jack Du Brul. Its a book about a group of mercenaries that go on missions guided by a ship that has all the latest technology and equipment. While reading it, some of the plot elements might be far-fetched, but I really enjoyed the fast-paced sequences and dialogue between the characters. I liked the fact that it showed these mercenaries not only as tough, rugged individuals, but also as flawed ones. There were scenes where they admitted their faults, and tried to work their way through them. By the way the name of the ship is the Oregon. I can't wait for the next book in the series. There are also previous books in the series as well, so I might check those out. Hopefully a book like this can be made into a movie or series.

No, thank you but what I would like to talk about...

Yesterday, I went to the Huntington, and walked around a bit. I figure I have a membership, so I might as well use it. It came in handy because there was this entire class trying to get through regular admission, so I all I have to do is go on the member side of the entrance pavilion and got right in quick. Membership has its privileges I guess. I basically just went for a long walk enjoy-
ing the sounds and sights of nature. I always tell myself I'm going to go inside the library or other galleries and look at art, but I never do. I think I get more out of observing nature anyway.
It was a really good day to go. This is what autumn should feel like. The sun was out and there was a nice breeze, so it wasn't too hot. Plus my calves weren't giving me searing pain. Usually when i got out on long walks, my legs hurt especially the calves. Maybe I'm getting in better shape.(or at least I like to convince myself that I am) I also drank this tea that was apricot flavored. It was really good. In fact I bought a tea canister from the bookstore that had a Chinese painting on it. I thought I was buying just the canister, but to my surprise there was actually Jasmine tea in it. It was good to just go out and unwind. I like gardens alot beacuse you can just go and be by yourself. The Huntington has alot of benches, so even though plenty of people go there everyday, you can still find a place and sit in silence.

Cooking

I really got try to cook more difficult recipes. I always check out books about food and barely try any of the recipes. I think I'm worried that I'm gonna create something really crappy. Its not that I haven't tried. I once attempted to make Pad Thai, but lets just say it left alot to be desired. I mean I cook basic things like fish and rice. Also other types of seafood like scallops, and clams, so I'm not totally inept at cooking. In fact I have some frozen snail meat in my fridge that's been there like since when Hillary was running for Prez. (By the way don't ask me why I'm using words like totally and like, it just be that way sometimes.) I guess I should try cooking more often. I mean learning is part of the fun right? So anyway, on a totally unrelated topic(there's that word totally...Like totally dude!) A funny image came to my head. The image of when a cat stands on its hind legs trying to grab at something. That is just too damn funny. Maybe its because of the fact that I like the cartoon strip of Garfield, where he walks around all the time, that I find the image of a cat trying to stand up so freaking hilarious. Alright enough of my nonsense

Appaloosa or lollapalooza? That is the question...

Yeah, I came up with that one on my own. Anyway, I watched Appaloosa on Tuesday and I have to say it was a really good movie. Ed Harris was excellent, and Viggo Mortensen was too. I had read the book before watching the movie, and it was pretty much right on the nail with what was on the screen. Sometimes it can be hit or miss when books are made into movies. It's difficult to capture everything on screen from a book. Usually its best to leave a book to ones imagination instead of trying to portray it visually. I think it was also nice to watch a western movie. I have not watched too many, but when its done right, the scenery, the acting there is nothing like it.
Anyway, all I got to say is Go back inside...No go back inside.(Yes,yes another inside joke.)

Ah what a beautiful day Azrael...

I love it that the rain is finally here. It's awesome. The bad part is trying to drive in it. Oh well.
By the way here is an interesting spot: http://boston.langhamhotels.com/dining/restaurants_boston.htm#Chocolate
http://boston.langhamhotels.com/pdf/decades_of_decadence_sept08.pdf
Its an all you can eat chocolate bar. Need I say more? Hmm... maybe I should plan a trip to Boston.

Autumn

Autumn is finally here. Even though its still a little bit hot here and there. You can feel fall in the air. Its awesome to be able to watch football games. Giants are 3-0 after today. Hopefully they can continue their winning streak. Fall also brings us another season of Bizarre Foods on the Discovery Channel. I like the show, but the host really needs to stop talking about how certain animals reproductive organs taste so good. Everytime he makes those comments he ends up on The Soup. Its too funny. But its a cool show. I can tell he feels very happy and fortunate to have a job where he can go across all the world and taste all these exotic foods. I wonder if he goes to any exotic gas stations on his trips.(another inside joke.) Anyway, I hope the weather stays cool and mild.

I'm done.... No I'm not

I was just about to write a self-pitying blog bitching about everyone and everything. To hell with it, I'm not gonna do it. Instead I'll talk about giving blood to the Red Cross. It was a pretty cool experience. It was my first time giving blood. I can't believe it took me so long to do it. It was a fairly long process, maybe because there were people ahead of me. But nonetheless it was a good experience. Besides the fact that it will help someone in need of blood, I also got to get free juice and Famous Amos cookies. You can't beat that. I'm glad I did it. The Red Cross was stationed outside of my work, so I had no reason not to do it. Well, this was close. I was gonna post a blog that I probably was gonna delete anyway. My mantra is gonna be: Don't be negative. People around the world are going through stuff that is really hard and tough, so there really is no point for me to gripe about stuff that pales in comparison to what other people go through.

Mission Accomplished...

Well, I finally had my first taste of Bird's Nest soup. It is basically a soup that is made from the nests of a bird found in southeast Asia. The nests are found in dark caves, and it is made from the saliva of the bird. The bird is called a swift. They are harvested from the caves, and are sold at restaurants from the U.S. to Hong Kong. So I asked a co-worker to order it for me who spoke Chinese. Because the last time someone offered to order it for me they spoke in English, and the order ended up being egg-flower soup. Now I'm not blaming the restaurant or the person who ordered for me. These things happen because of a simple mistake or language barrier. So to be on the safe side I asked someone who spoke Chinese to order it for me. I must say I was really satisfied with the soup. It was really good, and surprisingly filling. Yeah, the cost was high for soup; it came around to $32, but I think it was worth it. There is a store next door to the restaurant that sells herbs, that had packages of bird's nests and the prices were crazy. Some were like a thousand dollars. I'm glad I was able to finally try it. I don't think its the last time I will have it either. Hopefully I can find some places that might have the soup for a little bit less. However, I do sometimes splurge on stuff that I'm interested in so I'll probably end up paying the same price or maybe even more.

Eerie...but kind of cool

As I was bringing in the book chute today, I was telling a co-worker about a book I read called The Shack. I told him it was a religious book, but I must correct myself it really is a spiritual book. Anyway I told him the basic premise of the book, he said it sounded like it was worth checking out. So as I'm pulling the books out of the chute, I see there is a donated copy of The Shack in my hand. I know it was just a coincidence right? Anyway I showed my co-worker the book, and he said "Okay that's it. I'm definitely gonna read it." Don't worry all you Library police out there, he said he's gonna donate it back to the library after he finishes reading it. Like the title says eerie..but kind of cool.

Finally....

Well football is upon us. Actually if you think about it with the whole Brett Favre drama it never really left. However actual games will be starting next week(I know, I know there is preseason.) The New York Football Giants( my favorite team) will be taking on the Redskins next Thursday night. I got my Sports Illustrated Football preview issue yesterday so I'm good to go. Last season was especially sweet because of what the G-men did in the Super Bowl, I'm hoping they can repeat or at least get close to it. It does king of suck that I work every other Sunday, so I'll probably miss some really good games. Nowadays though the highlights that they show on the sports channels are so complete, its like you basically have seen the game in a few short minutes.
So let it begin. It should be a good one.

Zankou Pollo!

Ha, ha.. sorry I just wanted one of my blog titles to be that. Another inside joke.

Summer Reading

I have read some interesting books this summer. I have read The Fruit Hunters: a book that talks about the trade of fruit, the love of fruit, and the many different kinds of fruit around the world. Ernie: a book about the actor Ernest Borgnine. Real interesting. He is a pretty funny, but also a down-to-earth kind of person. I have read fiction like Bright Shiny Morning. It's a work of fiction that discusses the daily adventures or misadventures of people living in L.A. It was a long book. Something like 500 pages, but it did make you care about what would happen to the main characters in the book. A book called the Fifth Angel. One I'm reading now called The Camel Bookmobile. As you can see I have read books that cover a diverse range of topics. So I'll see if I can keep finding more interesting ones.

More Buffet!

I tend to like to eat at buffet places. I don't know, I just like the fact that you can just pay upfront or afterwards and get your own food and drinks. I love places like Todai which is a Japanese seafood buffet place in Arcadia. They have great sushi and sashimi. Also they have this green tea ice cream that is amazing. Also in Arcadia is Sir George's which is kind of like an oldstyle buffet cafeteria place. But that doesn't mean it does not have good food because they do. I tried Menudo there for the first time, and I really like it. It also had stuff there like chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes, different kinds of salads, so it has something for everyone. I like restaurants that have a variety of different foods. Some people might not like buffets thinking that they might over do it, and eat too much food. There are people who also don't like it because it just doesn't fit in with their personality. Whatever. Anyway I think there should be a movement where a particular city or section in that city has a row of buffet restaurants. I'm talking about Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Korean,Cuban,vegetarian, seafood,Mediterranean, dessert,etc,etc.
Maybe there are places like that. Call it something like Buffet city or The Gorge yourself silly section. Oh, I almost forgot a buffet that's completely barbeque would be awesome. Alright I know I'm going overboard, But I believe such a movement should be pushed forward. Remember the food must always be piping hot!(another inside joke)

Reflections

I think I'm going to hold off on griping about stuff on this blog. I don't want to be perceived as a whiner or complainer. So I will make an effort to just concentrate on the positive. Just finished reading The Fruit hunters and it was a great book. Its amazing how many diffrent types of fruits there are out there. Anyway, like I said I don't want to dwell on negative experiences and people in this blog because heaven knows I've done enough of that in life . I don't want it to be my personal bitching session. So hopefully my blogs will focus on the positive

Kimchi!

I don't what it was but Friday and Saturday I just got down on some Korean food. Friday I had dinner with co-workers at a Korean restaurant where I had galbi and bibimbap(which I wrote about in my last post, I know,I know I'm being redundant) The next day after work, I was craving it again, so I went to another Korean restaurant in the area and ordered some food to go. I had this tofu soup with beef and octopus that was really good. I don't know what it is, but they have a way of making tofu edible. I think tofu can be an everyday staple of a diet if its made right and seasoned right. After I got my food. I went to a 99 ranch market where I bought several jars of kimchi. Maybe i was going through withdrawal or something, but I needed to get some kimchi. So now I don't have to worry about my next craving because I'll be well stocked up. I know, I know its a sickness but what are you going to do?

Bibimbap!

I can't tell you how much I love this particular Korean dish. It has alot of ingredients, but the concept is simple. Its a bunch of vegetables mixed in together with thin strips of meat, and an egg on top. Plus you add in rice and Korean hot pepper sauce. Man, it is so damn good. Actually all Korean food that I have had is excellent. Kimchi or gimchi is really good. It is basically fermented cabbage that has been seasoned with a bunch of spices. Some people don't like the smell or the taste. Believe me I don't like cabbage on its own, but when its made like this its awesome. From what I have been reading Korean food is really healthy as well. So hey anything that tastes good and is healthy than all the better. Plus saying Bibimbap multiple times can turn a bad day into a giddy day. (like giddy chicken)

Mountain Dew is giddy chicken

The new Mountain Dew flavors are awesome, especially the one called Voltage. Its a raspberry flavor mixed with citrus. The other two are good as well. I like that Mountain Dew tries to come up with new flavors. apparently these new flavors come with a touch of ginseng(Edit: "A touch of ginseng?"...Man, I gotta come up with a better way of writing. What's next? A dash of carbonated water?). So I gotta be careful so I don't end up being an owl at night. I remember a few years ago they had the upside down 7-up, and the color was green. You know it was really good but they got rid of it. Sprite had their remix flavors and they were giddy chicken too. The soda industry needs to know that people want variety. Anyway enough of sodas, actually I'll have one now.....ahhhhh.

Man, its hot in here!

I'm wondering why the AC is not in full Artic blast at either of the libraries I work at. I'm just wishing it goes on the fritz the good way, and just continually blast cold air. Wishful thinking right? I can't tell you how much I hate hot weather, now I know why little kids are so fussy in this kind of weather. Plus there is NOTHING to watch on TV. Oh well at least I've read some good books like the Last Chinese Chef, Fortune Cookie Chronicles. I always look for books that have interesting covers, usually they are pretty good. I know that's very simplistic. Anyway, I gotta go and continue to melt from this heat

Summer Reading or Summer Dreading club

Ah yes the joys and perils of shelving during Summer Reading club at all libraries. Its amazing how many books kids, parents go through, to get prizes like hamburgers or something equally exciting like a life size eraser. For a page like myself, it can get frustrating when it seems like you have shelved the same Magic School Bus book about their trip to the volcano, like for the fifth time that same day. I can only imagine what it will be like at libraries like the Los Angeles Public library or the New York City library. Parents really go all out it when they participate in this event. Another thing that happens, and you can attribute this to the hot weather as well, is that the library gets packed. I work at two libraries, but one in particular really gets filled up on hot days. This is really apparent in the children's room where the amount of people and the sometimes stalling air conditioning make it feel like the Sahara. I like shelving alot, sometimes it can be overwhelming because it seems that the books that need to be shelved multiply like a virus or alien. Also sometimes there is a time crunch when its closing time and you try to pick everything up, but all in all I like the job. It should be an interesting summer, I can't stand hot weather, so I'm hoping that the AC is on super Arctic blast at the two libraries I work at.

Tea, soda, and Larvae?

Well about a week or so ago I had some time off and just basically relaxed and ate some interesting things. I went to an Asian supermarket where I bought several different types of tea, including Pu-erh which is suppose to be one of the highest grades of tea in China, I also bought a type of Oolong tea, and something that was labeled Chinese restaurant tea. Apparently it is a blending of green tea, oolong tea, and black teas. They were all pretty good. Pu-erh had a earthy taste to it. It takes awhile getting used to. I also bought something that was called Frozen dade. I think it was basically some kind of insect larvae, maybe I will post a pic of it, and gross everyone out. I basically cooked it vegetable oil, and I have to admit, it was not that bad. I went to a place called Galco's which has hundreds of varieties of soda. I got a cucumber soda, and I just have to say Cucumber is NOT meant to drunken. Its funny I love eating it, but drinking it is a whole different story. I also tried a dandelion and burdock soda, again that left alot to be desired. However, I'm willing to try anything. I even tried Durian once, maybe my next post will be on how awful that fruit really is. But hey there are plenty who like it, so you never know what people's tastes are.

Hey Pho...

I had Pho this week. Its a Vietnamese dish. It was very tasty.(someone told me it was because of all the MSG in the soup, oh well) It was hot, savory, spicy, all flavors bursting out at the same time. They had some meatballs in it or what looked like meatballs, anyway I just took those out. I can't stand meatballs. I don't know why. When someone says they had a meatball sandwich I feel like throwing up. I know its weird, but I just hate them. What I liked about the place I went to, was that it was small. Usually the small places have really good food. I don't want to call it a dive, because some owners might take offense. The funny thing is some places enjoy being called a dive. I have to say I was worried I would not like Pho, but overall it was a good eating experience.

Official name change

So I've changed my blog name...Not that anyone cares. I think its earth-shattering myself. Anyway, "Cool it!...Cool it!!! Cool it!!!!.

Tur-duc-hen!

Last Sunday I baked a Tur-duc-hen. It was already seasoned and all I had to do was warm it up. That took five hours and it was hot as hell that day so that made it even more "fun", but oh well it was worth it. I recommend anyone to at least try it. It was expensive...I don't even want to say the price, because I still can't get over that I forked that much. Anyway it was good, but it wasn't as good as Chicken wing!!!!(sorry, inside joke, and sorry about the multiple exclamation points, I personally think using more than one is pretentious, but I think in this case it was appropriate.

Week 12-Final Reflections

First off I want to thank David, Danielle, and Kathy for helping coordinate this project, I'm sure it was alot of hard work for you guys, so thanks. I think the most important thing I learned in this exercise is how many web tools are out there that I don't know nothing about. Tools such as Del.icio.us and subscribing to RSS feeds are things I have never done before. I think it was important for me to find out the many web tools that are out there because it will just help me understand how to use the web better, and find information better. I think the most challenging exercise for me was trying to find out how to put pictures on my blog. It was challenging in that I had to go to different options, and try to find out how to put pics on there without getting frustrated. I think the blogger was helpful in trying to guide you if you wanted to put pics from the web or from a camera. My favorite exercises were using Flickr and Library Thing. I like them because it was real interesting to see the different types of pictures people post, its fun to see the places around the world that people go to. Library Thing was fun because it showed to me how varied people's interests are when it comes to books. I think the library really needs to heavily promote these technologies on the website, they need to put the websites as links on the front page. Also I think instructional classes on these technologies would be helpful as well. These sources can help the library improve their collection and find new sources of information for people. I liked the self-directed model, but I think if it is someone new to technology it can be a little difficult to follow the instructions. I do think its a good why to encourage staff development because its something different. It involves staff getting into new discoveries, and helping them develop their skills or acquire new skills. I think in order to improve the program's concept maybe you can having exercises where people can get into groups and work on a particular subject. Maybe a future challenge could be reduced to 4 or 5 weeks. Its difficult to say what could improve the program, I think some people might feel they don't have enough time and think its just an extra work assignment and give up. So if maybe there was group activities and an emphasis that this something to help staff and just include fun activities it could entice more people to join in. I think I would participate in another discover program in the future. I would have to look through it to see if I could do it. There were some spots in this Library 2.0 Challenge where I had difficulties, but I somehow managed to get through it. It would be interesting to see what future discover programs would be. So thanks again to everyone who coordinated this program.

Week 11-Library Thing

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/lukewarmsoda To the left is my bookshelf for Library Thing. I really enjoyed this exercise. I know we were suppose to add at least five, but I just kept adding books. I liked the fact that you can change the view of your bookshelf to a cover view. Also the fact that you can go to the authors pages and see what else they have available. There are even links to their home pages. I also like the fact that it shows stats on where you found the book if it was through Amazon.com or Library of Congress. There is also a gallery where you can see the authors photos which I thought was cool. I did not really find it difficult to use. Adding books was pretty easy. I guess there are people out there who probably have more of an elaborate setup, but overall it was easy. I think a feature that the library could use, is showing what other patrons think of the book. With LibraryThing you can see what other members think of the book. I think this would be a good feature in the library catalog. Also I think maybe allowing the ability to create a club for the book would be a great idea to put in the catalog as well. You can interact with other people who read the book and see what their ideas and feelings are about it. I think posting the rating for the book among readers would be also be a good idea. Not just by its number of sales, but by also how much its been read and discussed about. Like I said in the beginning I really had fun with this one. I mean even the name is funny too.

Week 9

My name is lukewarmsoda on You Tube. http://www.youtube.com/user/lukewarmsoda. What I like about the site is its variety. It includes cartoons, music videos, clips from old TV shows. It really is nostalgic come to think of it. You can spend alot of time trying to find funny videos or even informational stuff.What I don't like sometimes is how you might save a certain video to your account, like from an old TV show, and the next day its been removed because of copyright infringement. I understand though that YouTube does not want to be sued for putting on videos that are copyrighted. I also don't like the gaps in between watching videos. sometimes it takes a long time just to watch one five minute clip. it could depend on the computer that you are using. But I have noticed in the past it happens alot. I posted my video on the blog, here is its URL as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s50K65PNeBU I selected that video because I think Charles Barkley is funny as hell. That to me is the best golf swing ever. He is in other video clips on YouTube as well, doing and saying funny stuff. He also happens to be a good writer as well. I looked at Google videos, a little bit. I did not think the layout was better than YouTube. I think it was much more simpler in its design I think the most important thing I learned is that this site can be fun and informative. You can watch all the silly stuff you want, and also watch and participate in important thing like the presidential debates. As far as the library is concerned I think if they used the feature that is on YouTube, where you submit videos to a contest, that might be interesting. The library can ask patrons to submit videos of funny experiences at the library, or how to improve things at the library. The concert could be designed to be fun or informative. I think the library, if it has not done so already, could post on YouTube the classical concerts that they have. Also maybe book readings, or children's shows.


As far as podcasts go I discovered, http://www.podcast.net/cat/23 There is on link there that had a whole bunch of football podcasts. I found a really interesting podcast on food from podcastalley, http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=2279# It was fun seeing how many different programs there are out there. What I notice from other libraries was podcasts that featured guest speakers and book reviews. In fact there was a library, that featured teen reviews on books, CD's, movies. The name of the library was the Thomas Ford Memorial Library http://podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=15007 So basically other libraries had podcasts that had authors discussing their books, and even some describing a particular genre. I think this library could use podcasts to feature events like the book club meetings, children's storytimes, and maybe even do teenage reviews of CD's, books, like that library I had mentioned above. Some patrons may not be able to come to these events, so the library could make it available on podcasts. By looking at what other libraries offered through podcasts, I found that there is alot of variety that you can put out there that could attract a diverse group of people.

Food Blog

Here is a food blog I came across while watching TV: http://chezpim.typepad.com/ Ah, thats the life, to go to other countries and taste their food.

Week 8

Here is my MySpace link: http://www.myspace.com/gossk34 As you can see, I was fooling around quite a bit. Honestly, I'm not a fan of MySpace at all. So lets see, as far as pros go for social networking sites, I think it does help you get in touch with people who you have lost contact with and it can connect you with people who have similar interests to yours. I think sites like these can even be useful in improving computer skills, like finding out how to post pics or videos. The cons are various, I think its difficult to completely trust these sites. Strangers could add you as friends, but you can always set your profile to private to keep away the undesirables . I mean it is another way to keep in contact with your friends, and maybe, maybe make new ones. But you have to be careful, because people can always give misinformation on these sites about themselves. I think sites like these are popular because of the fact that celebrities are now having myspace pages. But even then there are those claiming to be a celebrity when they are not. So at first sites like these were geared for everyday teens, and people in general, but now TV networks, celebrities, sports stars are all following the trend. I think that is a major reason why its popular, and gaining popularity. Also if a friend has a myspace page or a page on another social network site, they can tell their other friends about it, and that might make them go and get a profile too. As far as the library goes, by having a myspace page you might attract teens who normally would not go to the library, it can be used to tell events that the library is having, and what books are available to teens or to the general public. I think also the library could hook up with other libraries that have profiles on these sites and see what types of programs they are offering and get ideas. I think there can be ways where these sites can be beneficial, but personally its not my cup of tea. Ha!, I knew on one of these posts I would get in a tea reference!

Week 7

Here is the URL to my document: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfwjqxx6_0hhxm67dt
I found that it was pretty easy to set up an account, and it looked it was easy to use because of the way it was set up with tabs that showed how to insert pics, and links. Honestly I don't know if it is something I would use on a regular basis unless I had to type a letter or create a document from some group activity. I think it could be used to help people improve their typing skills. I think my favorite feature on Google Docs was the tab that was marked insert when you open up a new document, and then it gives you options like insert an image, link, or I saw you can even add a comment. I don't know what my least favorite feature was, I think maybe it was doing a spreadsheet. Maybe I just have to spend a little bit more time on it, to figure out how to do formulas, and things like that. I think the library could use Google Docs as another option for patrons who want to type documents that will be more user friendly. Sometimes patrons might have problems using Microsoft programs, so this could be another option.

Week Six:Flickr, Don't call me Flicka

To be honest, I was not sure if I would enjoy this exercise, but it turned out to be cool. I think my favorite feature on Flickr was going to the explore option, and checking out the world map. I though it was real interesting to check out pictures that people have taken across the world. I actually put two photos from Flickr on my blog, one was of the library, and the other one was a bamboo forest from Japan. I picked both pics, because I think it just gave off a peacful setting. I especially liked the one with the bamboos. I also somehow manged to put a photo of a plant at my home that I took with my camera phone. If you scroll all the way down its there(along with the library pic). It's not much, but I was suprised that I figured out how to put it on my blog. I think tagging is important beacuse you can discover so many new pictures, and also you can keep track of your pics, if you happen to take alot. To be honest I did not look at any mashups, I do think its interesting that it is something that can be used as a single tool but that it can get info from different sources. I think the most interesting thing I learned was how Flickr had so many options to explore, you can explore the world map, see what pics were put a year ago, what your friends have put as photos. I just found there was alot of cool things to discover, and learn. The library could use this site as a historical tool by putting pics from the past, such as how the building use to look like. It could also be used to show the public who have not been to the library how it looks, and what programs it offers. From looking at the pics through Flickr, it seems there are a diverse number of photos showing the outside and inside of the library. In closing this turned out to be a fun exercise.

Week 5

I have used Wikipedia before to look up info on subjects, but have not really tried to edit or add content which your wiki challenge showed. I think wikis can be useful when you want to clear up any mistakes factual or grammatical mistakes that you find in a particular article, or if you want to add more information to the article. I found the Library Challenge wiki easy to add content to. I added favorites to books, restaurants, movies, travel destinations. I did not find the process difficult at all, I thought it was kind of interesting when it showed to the right when new content had been added. As far as how the library can use wikis for internal uses, I think it could be used as a brainstorming tool. For example it could used to ask staff what ideas they think could be helpful in improving library practices, what books should be ordered, and concerns they may have overall. As far as reaching out to the public, I think also questions should be asked on what their favorite books are to read, why they use the library, and what things can be done to improve library practices. There is always concern on how much access should be given to add or delete content to a particular web page. You always have to be sure that the content is correct. I know for example with Wikipedia, that they have had alot problems with content that had been added which turned out to be faulty, so sometimes they have to put a disclaimer noting this. I think its a double-edged sword. With sites like Wikipedia, its easy to get information on subjects, but you have to make sure its backed up with other evidence.

Week 4

I thought starting an account with Del.icio.us was an interesting experience, never really heard of it before this challenge. I think by using the site you can access a world of information through their search engine, and through other people's accounts. It was easy to set up, but I had to try several different computers at work, before one allowed me to install Del.icio.us buttons on the toolbar that made it easier to bookmark and post items on my account. I think by using this site you can find out what other people are interested in. Also you can see what tags they use to identify a site, I found that people had lots of tags on their account, I guess it is something that can be addictive once you get into. What I found most interesting was how many people bookmarked other sites such as Yahoo. In a span of 5 minutes thousands of other people bookmarked Yahoo to their account. I guess that's to be expected with a popular site like Yahoo. On the other hand only 27 people bookmarked the National Park Service website. Don't know what that reveals if anything. One thing I'd like to share is when seeing what other people had as tags through their del.icio.us account I found an interesting site. The person had a tag listed as NYC, it had this site there: http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/sections/home.htm This might have been something I could have found through some other means, but by exploring del.icio.us. I was able to come across this site. As far as how the library could use social bookmarking, and tags. I think it would be interesting to open up accounts realating to a particular subject, a staff member could open a del.icio.us account and type in subjects related to travel or sports, and see what other people have bookmarked on their accounts. There are always hidden gems somewhere to be found on the net. It could be something the library can use to help people with research assignments, who need more than just books or articles. I think it could help people better their research skills.

RSS:Okay...oh okay...okay,okay

The five feeds that I subscribed to are: http://bizarre-blog.travel.discovery.com/ It is basically a travel channel show, where the chef tastes unique foods. Its a pretty cool show.
Number 2 is, http://www.bonsaitalk.com/ Its a forum where people talk about taking care of bonsai plants, and there is also a photo gallery of plants. Number 3, http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/ Basically talks about unexplained stories, and mysteries around the world.
Number 4, http://www.latimes.com/sports/football/nfl/?track=rss A feed that talks about football related stories, injuries, stats. Go Giants! Number 5, is a news feed about the country of South Korea, http://www.topix.com/world/south-korea I have been interested in this country in recent years particularly relating to its food and culture. I found that adding subscriptions through the Google Reader account was the easiest, also the LA Times site was helpful. I did not like Technocrati at all. You know I might keep up to date with some of the feeds such as the football news and the unique foods one. I think the library could use, and most certainly they do, feeds that pertain to library practices such as Library Journal. There could be ideas that could help improve library services. Also subscribing to book review news, and getting an idea of what books to get for patrons. There might be feeds out there that pertain to what teens like to read as well. I think it would be a good idea to try a variety of news feeds that are popular, but also look out for the ones that are kind of low-key and underground because they might include good ideas as well. GK

Library Challenge

The reason I took part in this challenge was to just experience something different. I have never really done a blog before. I hope to learn how to make a blog, and hopefully learn how to fully use web sites such as YouTube, and Wikipedia. So far I have found that it really isn't that difficult to set up a blog, I guess my concerns would be how to make it look more jazzy or whatever. I don't think that I would be a regular blogger, I mean I do have some interests that might be cool to write about, but I don't know if I could do it on a consistent basis. As far as the Arcadia Public Library, I think it can use blogs to tell people about upcoming events at the library or even put staff review of books they have read. They might also went to set up blogs on such topics as cooking, and they list titles of books that pertain to a style of cooking. For example a staff member could give a review of a restaurant they went to and then list books that the library has on that type of cooking, be it if they went to a Mexican or Japanese restaurant. So I think if the library did it on topics like that it would appeal to alot of people.
GK