Thing 29: Google Tools

Thing 29!
Alerts were the first tool that I explored for this thing. I set up an alert for anything about D.J. MacHale. He is (if you follow this blog you know this!) one of my favorite authors and now I can get fast info about what he's got coming up! I also set up an alert for Scott Westerfeld as I am currently waiting- not patiently - for another book like the midnighters books.
**This is a feature that I think could be beneficial to the library ~ we could set up alerts for authors on upcoming book releases and visit dates - only to scratch the surface of this tools usefulness.
Calendar was the other tool that I explored. I mentioned the calendar in thing 28 - but really found it to be a great tool when I checked it out more. I love the event feature that pulls from your email! I tried the quick add button on the calendar, but I don't like it as well as the create event spot.

Thing 28 - iGoogle

Thing 28 was fun to get started! I had a great time choosing what to put on my personalized home page! I have chosen the fractal background. I have added the calendar, the weather, the time/date window and such. I just added a widget from scholastic called Teacher Book Wizard. It was easy to set up - easy to work with - and I love looking at the different fractals each time I go there. One thing that is inconvenient is the time it takes to load when you have loads of games and videos coming up when you open your page. I love the calendar feature - I live by my calendar and now I can check it online! I added Bloglines RSS feed and del.ic.ious to it so I can check on my blogs that I started with 23 Things on a Stick. This is one thing that I feel like I will use a lot!

Thing 27 - Twitter

I don't know that I will use this thing. I am not on my computer enough, nor do I have the time to "tweet" with people I know - who don't have the time either. I joined Twitter, I made a profile, I changed my settings, and picked a background. I know one other person that has also joined twitter as part of the More Things program, but I know that she doesn't have time to "tweet" with me about what I am doing in my everyday life. I will try it sometime and see. I do like the opportunity to follow some of the choices that they give you. I will check the google news first.

Thing 26 - 23 Things Ning

This thing was a repeat - but not - from the original 23 Things. I joined the Ning in the original 23 Things. This time around I did different things. I added the badge to my blog - which I didn't do last time and I added a photo with a comment. It took me three tries to get the badge - why??? But I got the photo and comment on the first try. Leaving a message for another ninger was super easy. I am glad that I am working on more things at the same time as a friend is - that way we have the chance to leave messages for each other and talk through some of the things. She is much more tech saavy than I am - so our conversations are always somewhat one-sided.

Thing 25 - Bloggers' Toolkit - - - Widgets

I have been so very busy that I have let my blog slide.
I will be working hard to complete all my things by the deadline.

Widgets ~ okay this wasn't my favorite thing so far - but I am only starting back into the things. I added four different widgets to my blog. First I watched the videos about widgets, then went out and found some and added them. I started with Sitemeter. I thought it might be cool to see how much viewing my blog gets - I can't imagine that it gets much - I don't believe I blog about anything that amazing. I signed up for the sitemeter - but realized after I embedded it in my blog that it is not a counter on the blog, it is a site that you go to and check the stats from your blog. I should have checked it out more - I probably won't use this one much. I also added an optical illusion widget and a bubbles game. These two are strictly for fun. I think that these are great - but the illusions take a long time to load. The last of my four widgets is one I got from another site - the Pendragon site. If you have followed my blog you know that I love the Pendragon books - even got to meet and hang out with the author last year - so it is no big surprise that my last widget is a countdown to the last book in the series. I spent way more time on this thing than I thought I would - around an hour.

Had to change the layout back!

Greetings again! I have been too busy to work on my blog or my more things - soon I will get more time. Right now between work, family, sports, work, the reading club, and the upcoming bookfair there aren't enough hours in the day. I am currently stealing this time from the night and sleep to post. I had to change my blog layout back to the old one - I really liked the way it looked before. I am not sure if it is the same now that I have switched it back - but it's close. I will post more hopefully very soon - happy reading - have fun with the things!