More Things on a Stick: Thing 44 The Economy

Find anything use in any of these sites?
Many of these sites were useful, some more than others. Most of it is common sense. We do most of our banking & bill pay online, so that's nothing new. Some of the sites are targeted more toward urban/suburban areas, and not so much rural/out-state places, so that had to be taken into account as well.

What was your favorite(s) site(s) and why?
Out of the ones listed, U of M Extension Gardening Information was one of my favorites. We're landscaping the front yard, and it's a great resource for me to figure out what the native plants are, and how to grow them. Another promising site is Mint.com, a site that lets a user see all his/her accounts in one place, although I'm not sure I'm really keen on the 'recommending savings' feature.

Did you find any new sites that you'd like to share?
Some of the sites that I use that would fit nicely into some of these categories are:

• Currentcodes.com: It has savings codes for many online retailers.


• Financial Calculators: Calculators for almost any financial need.


• Living Like No One Else: A free site that follows the precepts of Dave Ramsey.


• The Dollar Stretcher: Just a good all-around site.

What are your favorite money management/money saving/shopping tips?
Uh...subscribe to the 'ant' philosophy instead of the 'grasshopper' one?
I'm not sure I'm in any position to give advice, considering I still have some debt to pay off. :)

More Things on a Stick: Thing 43 Online TV and Video

1. Did you discover something that interested you enough to watch? What was it and how did you feel about it?
I tried Hulu because it seems the most straightforward. It wasn't a question about if I found something that interested me enough to watch...it was more "Wowie kazowie, there's a bunch of programs on here I'd like to watch."
I watched parts of a couple documentaries, and part of a movie. It seemed odd, watching them on my computer screen, while sitting at my desk, though.


2. Do you feel that having free on-demand access to TV shows and full-length feature movies will change your viewing behavior?
Not really. I've been in school the last 6 years (and have 1 more to go), so mostly I don't watch a whole bunch of TV because I have homework to do. Even during the summer, when I'm not taking classes, I mostly read for fun more. We only have 1 TV, and I don't seem to get the remote very often.

3. What do you think the impact of free Internet video entertainment will be on broadcast or cable TV?
We're already seeing the impact on broadcast or cable TV shows. Since I don't watch much TV on a regular basis, when I do, I notice the increase of product placement in the shows themselves. Maybe that's to do with impatience with commercial breaks (if the commercials are even watched at all, thanks to TiVo and the like), or maybe it's just another source of revenue for the stations. Either way, there's definitely been a sea-change over the years.
Some of my friends have looked at getting rid of their cable because most of the shows they watch are on Hulu, or can be watched elsewhere. I think that a person's home system/laptop would have to be able to stream well, otherwise it gets just too frustrating to watch anything.

4. What do you think the impact of free Internet video entertainment will have on your family?
Eh, not much of a change, I think. It'd be me who would use it most, probably, and like I said, I'm not much of a television viewer. The ability to see some of the shows that maybe I didn't have the VCR timer correctly set for is great--there've been a few times that I've missed the beginning or end of 'Survivor' (the only show I watch on a regular basis) and have gone online to watch. For that, though, I usually go to YouTube first. I'll have to see if Hulu does anything like that when the new fall season starts.

All in all-this is very cool. I can see how this really could take the place of regular broadcast/cable TV, especially for sporadic viewers such as myself.

More Things on a Stick: Thing 42 Music 2.0

Have you used any of these services previously? What do you think? Will Internet radio replace broadcast?
I had not used any of these services previously; I use my iTunes or just go to a specific radio station online and listen to it there. Any of these options would be good, but I decided to test-drive Songza because I'd not heard of it before. Even as I'm doing this post, I'm listening to the 'One-hit wonders' playlist. As for whether Internet radio will replace broadcast...who knows? Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how technically savvy the user is, I guess. There are plenty of people who don't equate 'radio' with 'Internet',and there will always be the Luddites who will wish for the "Good Old Days."

Can you recommend any radio stations that you found?
I don't listen to many online radio stations because I do have my iTunes.

Any problems with any of this--technical difficulties, finding a station difficulties?
Nope, no problems. It's always nice to have new avenues opened up, though.

More Things on a Stick: Thing 41 Mashup Your Life

Do you think these services make life easier? Are they productivity boosters?
Maybe and maybe. I think services like this can make things more streamlined. Instead of going to each individual site, all the content can get funneled to one central location, which might make it easier to keep up with everything. On the one hand, they could be considered productivity boosters because of that, but for the most part, I'm leaning toward "No."

What did you like or dislike about these services?
I liked the idea of having everything come to a central locale, but not the actual practice. It was a bit overwhelming to see the different sectors of my social media life all coming together like that. I know people who love things like FriendFeed, and others who hate it. I guess I fall into the middle of the two. Each site has something to offer, and it could be just that I'm so not ready for them. Some of it, too, stems from me not wanting to know Every. Single. Detail. of what my friends are doing. :)

More Things on a Stick: Thing 40 Mashup the Web

Which mashups did you explore? Were they useful?
I looked at Walk Score, and was pleasantly surprised that my hometown of Winsted scores a 77/100 (even if the nice people spelled Winsted wrong...). I also looked at a Walk Score for Paris, France to see what the comparison would be, considering Paris is, oh, a gazillion times bigger than Winsted. It scored a 94/100, and is a "walkers' paradise". Huh. Good to know.

I also liked the "Let Me Google That For You" link. Ah, the fun that could be had with that...but I will resist using my super librarian powers for evil. This time.

And I love love LOVE Interestingness by Flickr! I love looking at photos, especially if they're well done. *click* Favorites.

I went to the link for the Last.fm + YouTube, but it isn't working anymore.:(

Can you think of any uses for mashups at the library or at home?
There are always uses for mashups. There's probably a mashup for about everything, so, yes.

Which of the make a mashup tools did you use? How were they to use?
None...I'm good. Really.

Did you find other mashups we should know about?
It's not so much a mashup as it is a site that I like: Mashable: The Social Media Guide.

More Things on a Stick: Thing 39 Digital Storytelling

Can you see a use for this in your library? At home?
I don't scrapbook in real life--I'm happy enough that I remember to upload the pictures off the camera. I spent more time with this than I thought I would, just trying to get the highlights of the season. I can see this would be really neat in the library, maybe for StoryTime or Summer Reading. I can also see where this would be a major time suck at home. ;)

Which of the services did you use? Did it work smoothly?
I used Smilebox because it didn't have a ton of extraneous stuff on the site. Oh, and it was free, which is always good. I liked the easiness of use-one step lead to the next, and once I figured out how to get pictures uploaded, I was cooking with gas.


So, here's the finished product, and yes, she really did break her thumb at Nationals, during the semi-final game. To turn the page, look for the little arrow in the lower right hand corner (the only thing I didn't like about this layout)

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

101 Things in 1001 Days: June 2009

It's just been one of those months. Noticeable progress? Not so much. But, there's been progress nonetheless.

1. Take boxes of books to Half Price (Done 10/19/07)
2. Donate hair to Locks of Love (Done 1/3/08)
3. Summer Break 2008- see 5 first run movies in theater (5/5)(Done 9/1/2008)
4. Build new house (Done 10/11/2008)
5. Get mutual funds transferred (Done 4/1/08)
6. Donate $1000 to Higher Ground (Done 12/8/07)
7. Watch Season 2 of 'Digging for the Truth' (Done 7/19/2008)
8. Choose 2 kids from church's Jesse Tree @ Christmas and buy them presents (Done 12/6/08)
9. Replant plant on towel shelf (Done 6/6/08)
10. Listen to Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
(Completely Done 3/20/08)
11. Edit a Wikipedia article (Done 9/4/2008: did the Winsted, Minnesota article)
12. Type out Goodwill donation tax slip (Done 3/4/08)
13. Get eyes checked (done 8/26/2008)
14. Make a 20 item anti-procrastination list (done 7/15/08)
15. Do all 20 anti-procrastination list items within the month (done 8/15/2008)
16. Do Advent readings and wreath (Completed: 1/7/09; Advent lasts through Epiphany)
17. Over Christmas Break 2007 see 5 first run movies in theater (5/5, done 1/7/08)
18. Clean up computer document files (Done: 12/30/08)
19. Read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" (done 8/19/2008)
20. Catalog 25 books on LibraryThing (done 7/14/08)
21. Walk to work 30 times (30/30: Done 9/12/2008)
22. Send my mother in law flowers just because (done 8/5/2008)
23. Read all the Josephine Tey books (Done 12/23/08)
24. Read entire Inspector Rebus series (1/18)
25. Graduate with MLIS degree (target date: not sure now...)
26. Watch 101 movies in theater or at home (37/101)
27. Complete 23 More Things
28. Read 20 of 100 All Time Classics (Modern Library) that I haven't read already (4/20)
29. Visit 5 art galleries in Minnesota (3/5)
30. Watch 10 documentaries (4/10)
31. Upload all my CD's to my iTunes
32. Update FLYControl Journal (waiting for life insurance information)
33. Write 3 letters complimenting good service (2/3)
34. Write 3 letters pointing out bad service (2/3)
35. Complete a crossword puzzle book
36. Visit 10 other libraries in my system I haven't been to yet
37. Write wills
38. Have new family picture taken
39. Send Christmas Cards with family photograph
40. Design library webpage & link to system and city
41. Beat PSX2 game Galaga
42. Watch all the seasons of '24'
43. Go to a Latin Mass
44. Plant trees in yard
45. Clothing 1
46. Learn how to play Cribbage
47. Bike around the lake
48. Get important documents in fire proof box
49. Fly first class as a family
50. Go see 5 Minnesota Tourist attractions
51. Get new glasses (or contacts)
52. Host big family Christmas
53. Frame tree picture
54. Watch a Cowboys/Vikings game in Dallas
55. Watch Cowboys/Vikings game in Minnesota
56. Read 5 Biographies
57. Frame black & white pictures of the ocean and hang up
58. Learn the Rosary prayers
59. Walk everyday for 30 minutes for 1 week.
60. Host a Summer Croquet tournament
61. Link library webpage to librarysites
62. Health 1
63. Health 2
64. Health 3
65. Health 4
66. Watch all Seasons of MI-5
67. Read Twilight Series (3/4)
68. Read 5 Non-fiction books
69. Read Inspector Lynley Series
70. Read Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee series (Hillerman)
71. Draw a master landscaping plan for yard
72. Get a chair for my library
73. Donate 1,000,000 grains of rice on FreeRice
74. Donate 5 trees from answer4earth (3/5)
75. Up Emergency Fund to 3 months salary
76. Get rockers/outdoor furniture for front porch
77. Make a 10 item anti-procrastination list
78. Do all 10 anti-procrastination list items within the month
79. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2004 (0/5)
80. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2005 (0/4)
81. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2006 (0/15)
82. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2007 (1/13)
83. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2008 (0/14)
84. Read all books on saved page a day calendar pages for 2009 (2/22)
85. Get curtains hung in last 2 bedrooms
86. Get a new desk/shelving unit for home library
87.
88.
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
101. Finish writing this list--Again