I created accounts in flickr and librarything since my last posting. I don't get flickr, despite the enthusiastic posting by one of my library colleagues. Is there more to it than just posting photos and sampling others' pictures? Librarything looks more promising, a chance to follow links to new reading.

I hit upon a way to modify the display of the blogs in bloglines.com. I created a folder called "L2 blogs" When adding friends' blogs to "My Feeds", I specified that they should be located in this folder. That way, instead of having 20 lines each showing one new post, the folder shows as one line with 20 new posts. And all the new posts from different blogs are displayed in the same window. One click and you can scan ALL the new postings of blogs you group together.

Hoo-wee! How 'bout that?

Now if only I could figure out how to include a screen shot, like that cool Questing Librarian.

Registered for a bloglines account. I did find one good blog: the Shifted Librarian, which talks about Web 2.0 technologies. The Cherry Hill Library in New Jersey has "ripped" its entire CD collection to a hard drive for borrowers to download as MP3's. I wonder how they cleared copyright on that? Perhaps users can listen only in the library. Also, how do you browse through a catalog of disaggregated singles? I rely on the CD liner to guess whether I'd like the contents or not.They also lend IPods preloaded with particular kinds of music.

Dave's Long Box was on Blogger's list of "blogs we've been reading." I followed their link and read Dave's comments on a comic book reissue - "The Haunted Tank."
I noticed the little link at the top of the page saying "Blog This!" I clicked and it automatically opened a little window in which I could enter comments that would be added to my blog. I like the shortening of the distance from impulse ("I've got to tell someone about this blog.") to action (actually blogging it).

Checking out other PLCMC blogs, I find that I like useful and visually appealing blogs. The authors of these blogs seem to have a purpose to their writing and an understanding of their audience. I've learned about Web 2.0 tools, Charlotte literary events, and the threat of DOPA. Thanks for the lessons, Martin, Lesley, and Ian! I will blog again when I have a discovery or a funny story to share, and maybe an illustration.

I'm a lifelong learner who has imagined many learning possibilities, started some, and finished very few. Once I get past the initial thrill of a steep learning curve I have a hard time keeping going.

The PLCMC presentation on lifelong learning gave me one explanation for this pattern when it pointed out that one's fellow learners are a resource. I think I have too often tried to teach myself something on my own, waiting to share it with others until I have a finished product or a polished skill. Going solo, I can kill a project and no one's the wiser. Letting people in on one's learning secret provides a reason to keep working at it.