Thing 9--library blogs and such

I like to read blogs. I've liked to read blogs for a long time. It's funny--sometimes I almost forget that I don't actually "know" the people whose blogs I read, since I have been reading them for a long time.  I read Library Bytes long before Helene Blowers came to work for CML. I've read Librarian in Black for a long time. I still don't think I am going to use a RSS feed to read them, though. I like my "folder of links" methid just fine. Every once in a while, I save the links as a text file in my computer, so if something happened, I should be able to get my blogs back. But otherwise, I've been reading the same sets of blogs for so long that I should be able to remember which ones I want to read anyway. I don't like feed readers. I want to see the original blog--pictues formatting, sidebars.... Call me a fuddy duddy if you must, but that's the truth about that.  I have my folder of library blogs, and I read them when I get a chance. I didn't need Learn and Play to make me a library blog reader. I've considered it part of my professional duties for a while. 

So it's been 8 months....

So, it's been 8 months since I posted last. I almost considered just starting a new blog, but then I thought that would be cheating. I did want to finish the whole Learn and Play exercises that everyone else did while I was out on maternity leave. Our meeting with digital services yesterday prompted me to get myself started again. Before I go on posting about my opinion about Thing 8, let me show off the reason why I didn't finish Learn and Play on time in the first place. Blogosphere, I would like to introduce you to my son, Douglas James.

He is my pride and joy, and the love of my life. It breaks my heart being away from him while I'm at work. It's a good thing I like my job a lot. (I used to say "love", but now that I know what love is, I know that my job only ranks a "like a lot." Still pretty good, as far as jobs are concerned.) Anyway.....

Back to Thing #8--Bloglines, RSS, and all that.

I don't like Bloglines at all. The only reason I used it for this exercise is because I was supposed to. I do love to read blogs. A lot of blogs. My son has congenital heart disease, and there is a whole network of "Heart Mommy" blogs that I read all the time. Bloglines and other RSS aggregators don't work for this kind of blog reading, because it leaves out all the pictures. I love to see the pictures of the other Heart Babies so I can see how they are doing. Instead of using an RSS aggregator, I make a folder labeled "Blogs" on the toolbar of the computer, and save all the URLs in that folder. I know when I am not at that particular computer, I am missing some of my links, but that's OK with me. I use the same computer almost all the time, so my method works for what I need it to do. And that's all I have to say about that.

I've been induced!

I'm at the hospital right now. I had my last doctor appointment today at 3:15 in the afternoon, and the doctor said that she thought I was ready to be induced. I was figuring she would give me a day or two notice, but she told me to come in at 7:00 tonight! Less than 4 hours notice! Luckily the hospital bags were already packed, so it wasn't too hard to get here. We even had time to stop and eat at Panera. I've been hooked up to the Pitocin for about an hour and a half so far. I've been having contractions, but nothing I can't handle so far. The nurse just came and upped the Pitocin, so we'll just have to wait and see. The next time I post anything, I will be a mom!

Just in case anyone was wondering....

No, I have not had the baby yet. Yes, I plan to work until he comes. Yes, I am a bit large and uncomfortable. I'll be sure to let people know when anything changes.

I am a cell phone dinosaur

I have never sent a text message before. There. I said it. Somehow that makes me feel so old. The thing is, very few of my friends send text messages either. When we want to talk to each other we actually pick up the phone and dial (gasp!). Most of the people I know who send text messages actually are a bit older than me--the people who have teens and tweens who use their phones to keep up with their kids. My friends tend to be of the age where their kids are babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. We don't need text messaging to keep up with our kids, so we don't use it. And since texting wasn't around when we were teens ourselves, we don't feel the need to use it to communicate with each other, either. I am sure, though, that in ten years or so, I will be up with whatever the latest cell phone technology is so that I can keep up with my son (who is due to be born in 11 days, not that I am counting or anything!)

Having Fun with Flickr

For Discovery Exercise #6, we are supposed to learn how to have More Flickr Fun. My husband and I took a cruise on the Carnival Miracle in February, 2007 (over a year and a half ago, boo), and I had some pictures posted on Flickr from our trip. I decided to try one of the tools over at Big Huge Labs to make a cool mosaic from some of my favorite pictures from the trip. I was a little surprised at how easy it was to do. I had seen other websites with mosaics like this posted, but I never knew how the people made them. Well, now I know. And I have a feeling that once the baby is born, I will be making more mosaics of cute baby pictures instead! In the meantime, enjoy this mosaic from my cruise vacation. And don't make fun of me for wearing a life preserver! I don't know how to swim!

Potluck food at the Library

Potluck food
Originally uploaded by PurrBox

On August 15th, the staff at my branch held a beautiful baby shower for me, my husband, and my soon-to-be-born son, Doug. It was a wonderful party, and I got to see some old friends from places I used to work, too. Everyone brought food for the shower, and it was so yummy, I could hardly decide what to eat.

As a part of Learn & Play, we are supposed to blog about a picture that we took at the library. I am lucky that I am able to include some pictures of the wonderful celebration that we had. I feel very loved.