Instant Messaging

Like any good soul I have reconciled my situation and all is well. I am on facebook and I have had many a chat where people I actually like chit chat BRIEFLY. The conversation is as thin as Christmas paper wrapping but I do participate in that. I have convinced myself that that is o.k. so as long as I don't have to install something else chat is o.k.

On the other hand we have chat at work. It is not a hot property but perhaps we need to sell it much like Walmart sells its stuff. After all, I look for the Target ad every Sunday like a mother cat looking for its kitten. I assume that ad suggests I need to buy something. :) If Target can do that perhaps chat for students as a means of reference services can be sold!

Instant Messaging

I may have to "pray" over if I want to follow the rules and do this NTRLS 23. I have been adverse to doing any IMs. I do NOT wish to be contacted unless I really want to be found. I sourly assume many other people don't want to be found instantly either. I need to think long and hard about this because my gut says opt out. Keep in mind I don't even have a camera on a cell phone cause I avoid some techno charms 'cause I think I don't see the value and I don't want to be found, to be contacted. Part of me says I'm sorry to be a Luddite. Part of me says we can find more ways to be engaged and yet not connect with people.

Ning thoughts

I looked but did not inhale (library humor) by joining. I tried the following groups that I could imagine myself interested. I really like the late actress Natalie Wood and was delighted that a fan club of sorts for Nat exists. I was tempted and looked around marvelling at great photos and other teasing moments. I tried another activity am interested in and that's Alice in Wonderland collectible. I like the variety of illustrations, the imaginative story telling and of course the variety of crass and high minded stuff one can acquire. Now I did NOT look well or Alice is missing. If Alice is missing I could perhaps create a group but had no interest and no time to do so. The last group I tried was black librarians which on a bad day is akin to unicorns, a rare specimen. I was happy to see such a group but right now again have absolutely no time to explore.

So there's something, perhaps, for all but the question remains who has time. In all seriousness some little quirky part of me says we are all on the electronic friend trail but these relations may be as shallow as rain in West Texas. That's just the curmudgeonly part of me.

More facebook

I have changed my profile just a smidgen. I join for fun varioius quasi-political groups, artsie endeavors. I have enjoyed catching up with my old high school buds. I visited facebook just to see what I've been missing. It sort of reminded me of that high school reunion. Some folk I was just happy to have avoided other it was good to see. It's not all good but for a while when I used to check my facebook account it was addictive. I rather was hooked during the political season but now I am not quite willing to share my political thoughts with some of my long lost school buds. Many seem right wingish and I can read my local newspaper if I want that kind of noninsightful. In short the social network may not always be people you truly like that much!!!

facebook

I already have a facebook account. I thought at first that it would be a great vehicle to attract people to library programs/events (NOT!). So far that has not happened well. I have friended myself to various campus groups when I was attempting to ingratiate myself to student body groups. What needs to happen is my library needs to take its inactive facebook institutional account and figure out what and why and how we need to use it.

I have mixed feelings about its use. I like my foray into facebookdom but I don't know if it really can connect with official institutions dissemination. Perhaps, what needs to happen is to really use the existing Moffett account and to try to see if we can befriend students, etc... .

As for the privacy issue I have limits of who can befriend me. I have ignored people who I did not know how they made contact. I notice some people (individuals) who befriend into the 100s. I am amused/frightened at that but that may say as much about my caution on the very nature of friendship. I know we have a new generation that would be amused. Lately, every old high school acquaintance of mine has begun to show up out of the woodwork. Frankly, the contact I have made through facebook with them is better than when I went to a real world class reunion. Attending one reminded me why I did NOT like some people in the first place so much for the attractions of the real world.

Blog reading/RSS feeds

I'm back to feeling confused. Stuff does NOT show up on my blog but it's on my subscription list. This is my first day back. I'm tired and my brain is sluggish so right now I will exit and fool with this on Saturday when I feel fresh and enthusiastic.

RSS feeds

I now have officially subscribed to several. The process was simple enough. I already feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I have to look over to at least claim to stay up to date. Here's hoping this helps me stay non-inundated. I will after the fact give my thoughts if it makes a difference.

Blog readers

I started officially following 2 happenstance before I read the directions. On my own accord there are some blogs that I bookmarked because I enjoy reading them regularly. Now that there is a "better way" I will revisit this and either during the 23 things experience or on my own volition so that personal blog reading can be done more efficiently I would use this. I will admit the directions for some reason seemed somewhat confusing to me. Probably now that I am back from a mini-vacation and we have I gather a bit of a break to catch up with "stuff" I might decide to clean up my blog reading in one gulp.