Playing with my iPhone G3; watching someone walk through the Apple APP process (Geopher)

It has been interesting to read the blog of someone trying to get an Application approved for posting and distribution at the APP Apple store for the iPhone. The APP will be used for geocaching, and is called Geopher Lite- I am rooting for this fellow- the Geopher application will be very slick!
.....

Speaking of iPhones, I've been having a pack of fun exploring my iPhone.

I've gone from carrying:
-a cell phone (for podcasts and music), and of course, text messaging,
-a GPSr (for geocaching);
-and a PocketPC (for scheduling, logging caches, reading eBooks, keeping gradebooks, listening to audiobooks, and watching short video clips) with a bluetooth GPSr for additional geocaching fun.


Will the iPhone change my life in amazing ways? We will see. I don't think so. However, it is more convenient to have an all-in-one device. And only one thing to charge at night is wonderful. And the white color is pretty. It is a "consolation prize" of sorts for the total loss of hearing in my left ear in May compounded with the exceedingly pesky tinnitus.

Oh yes. Now I can Twitter in my pocket easily.

One downside is that the iPhone does not play windows media files, so it seems that I have taken a big step backwards on some of the video clips that I was able to view on my PocketPC.

Librarians who Geocache....

A fun activity that has taken me and my family on little adventures since 2003 is Geocaching: "The sport where You are the search engine". (Sounds like a perfect fit for the library profession, no?)

I discovered it by accident the year that I was pink-slipped from my position in the library and ended up teaching Earth Science to high school students at Poly High School in Riverside. Geocaching, and the connections with my students, the staff at poly, and my daughter (who swore that she was going to kill herself or me when she heard I would be on staff at "her" school) were some of the amazing "aren't we glad we showed up for life" things that came out of that year.

I know that Amber Clafin, LMT at Etiwanda School District, Geocaches with her family. Anyone else? I thought it might be fun to do an event other library folk......

Shiny Webtools Place (webtools4u2use)

Fantastic site with all sorts of webtools in one easy place. Most comprehensive list (with links) of anyplace that I've seen is webtools4u2use. It has lists and links and how-to:
•Audio & Podcasting
•Blogs (Weblogs)
•Calendars, Task Management & ToDo List Tools
•Drawing, Charting & Mapping Tools
•Photo and Photo Sharing Tools
•Portal & WebPage Starting Tools
•Presentation Tools
•Quiz & Polling Tools
•RSS, News Feeds & Aggregators
•Social Bookmark Tools
•Social Networks
•Video Tools and Video Sharing
•Wikis
•Word Processing & Productivity Tools

How to Tackle ARCs?

Man alive! A nice problem indeed. I have so many ARCs and no idea where to begin in earnest.

So far I have just been moving the bags of books around, from car to garage floor, back to car, into house.

Thinking I would take them to school, but not wanting to leave them there for the rest of the summer untouched, because (of course) I want to read them ALL! Knowing that there are other things that are supposed to fill my days. Here is the guilty tug of war of my mind, books versus the projects that I've put off all year.....

Let the reading fun begin :)

Fourth of July- What a Difference a Year Makes

This year my family is again scattered- oldest in Seattle, middle in New Orleans nearing the end of her 6 week volunteer project (I'm looking forward to giving her lots-o-hugs!) and the youngest is just a few blocks away. We are expecting him to descend with his friends for a barbecue soon.

Last year, Rachel and I celebrated our country's freedom in Cambodia with an awesome family from America. I took a suitcase of books for the children, and some Mp3 players loaded with audiobooks. Living differently, like the Lewis family, certainly requires sacrificing things that one enjoys, such as books. They founded Action to Restore Hope- Cambodia to provide safe water, medical supplies, and educational materials to a remote area in the northeastern part of Cambodia.

Books- wow! I scored at ALA! Huge tote bags full of ARCs- thank you to all the generous publishers! I'm set to read for weeks!

ALA 2008 California Girls Book Cart Drill Team Video, Librarian Tattoos

Unedited version of the competition from Sunday's ALA 2008 Book Cart Drill Team competition. California Girls. We made it through the entire routine without falling over.

Decided to leave the emcee's comments- priceless banter and ribbing from noted children's author/illustrators Jon Scieszka and Mo Willem. Mo even drew one of his famous birds on team mate Tammy's midsection. Such a nice tattoo!

Our team was comprised of school librarians from around Southern California- Agoura Hills, Long Beach, Los Angeles, and Riverside, we represented CSLA Southern Section. Have fun watching- the routine begins about a minute and a half in.