It's in Japanese, but the footage is incredible!
I Heart BrisVegas is Moving!
15 years ago
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Stand By Me
I found this beautiful version of Ben E King's Stand By Me on the ABC Radio Queensland blog.
It's from a documentary called "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music" and features musicians from all over the world singing the one song.
Grandpa Elliott of New Orleands and Clarence Bekker of Amsterdam are my two favourites.
It's from a documentary called "Playing For Change: Peace Through Music" and features musicians from all over the world singing the one song.
Grandpa Elliott of New Orleands and Clarence Bekker of Amsterdam are my two favourites.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Almost Time to Say Goodbye 2008
Can you believe it's almost 2009? I am amazed at how quickly the year has flown past, it seems each year passes faster than the last. It's been a year of ups and downs for me, some awful things, some amazing things. From a relationship breakup, a beloved friend being diagnosed with cancer, and a lot of other stresses to a promotion at work, the tail end of my awesome trip through the US, meeting new friends and getting to see old ones after a long time, and generally just growing more comfortable in who I am.
I have some goals for 2009. I don't like the idea of resolutions because if they don't happen, there is this sense of failure that I don't feel is healthy. But I'm setting some goals to work towards. Let me see:
I have some goals for 2009. I don't like the idea of resolutions because if they don't happen, there is this sense of failure that I don't feel is healthy. But I'm setting some goals to work towards. Let me see:
- Get more creative. More writing, more photography. I've already bought myself a two year subscription to FlickrPro, (http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_sleepydumpling/ for my photostream) in the hope that I will keep adding photos as I go. I want to purchase a good quality digital SLR camera before too much longer. I've got my eye on a Canon one.
- Spend more time on me. I love my job and am passionate about it, but I would like to focus some more on my own life outside of work.
- Find a church that suits me. That's probably the hardest one!
- Read some of my mammoth TBR pile (To Be Read) before I add to it.
- Not date any jerks ('nuff said).
- Generally just read more than I did in 2008. I lost my reading mojo a bit this past year.
- Buy a bicycle.
- Go to Perth for Christmas
I'm sure there are lots of other things I'd like to have happen over the next 12 months, but these are the ones that pop into my head at the moment.
What would you say are your goals for 2009? Post a blog to tell me about it.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Thank God for That!
I'm sorry but I just have to share this one. WHO mistakes a burrito for a baby???
I've heard of some dodgy burritos before, but never one that cries or poops.
I've heard of some dodgy burritos before, but never one that cries or poops.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
A Window Into My Mind
Probably a scary concept right?
Well, I'll give you a little bit of insight into my mind and what drives me. In my Google searches, I got a hit on Adam Savage from Mythbusters for this video of a presentation he gave some time ago. I have seen it before, or a version of it anyway, from a hackers convention he was a guest speaker at some time ago.
Just an aside, the word hacker has been unfortunately taken to mean something negative, a malicious person who breaks into computers, systems and other things they don't belong in to either steal information or cause damage. In fact, a hacker is someone who likes to disassemble things to gain an understanding of how they work, and to modify them to work better or more elegantly or to look different. I am quite proud of my budding hacker status.
Anyhow, back to the video that I found. As I said, I found a version of this on YouTube some time ago, recorded by someone at the hacker convention, and it was pretty good quality, and I've blogged about it on my other blog before, mostly because of some controversy that was around some statements he made in the Q&A after the main presentation.
However, I found this beautiful quality version of the presentation, and shall share it with you here:
Adam Savage on Obsession
It's a long piece, but basically it's about obsessions and passions. And while I was listening to Adam talk about his obsessions and passions, a lightbulb went on in my head, because that's EXACTLY what I am like. I have folders in my computer of things that I am fascinated/obsessed with. I buy/make/collect things that replicate things I'm into. I collect a thousand little bits of trivia and factoids on things that I am passionate about. And the end result isn't really what it's about. It's the process of being totally immersed in something that interests me.
For a long time, I thought that I was the only one who got like this over things that interest me. But with my explorations on the internet, I've found that a HUGE percentage of people actually have minds that work this way. Quite often it's suppressed because we're told we're obsessive or fixated or that it's somehow a bad thing to be completely immersed in something.
But it's becoming very apparent to me, that this kind of drive and passion needs to be encouraged and fostered. Things get DONE by people who are totally fascinated by what they are doing. Whether it be someone recreating a prop from a movie, someone designing a beautiful garden, someone inventing an item that is otherwise unavailable, someone proving a scientific theory that had been unproven, someone drawing attention to a cause or just someone working on a piece of art. That kind of focus and drive is what changes the world.
So that's one of the amazing things that the internet has brought to us, with the advent of what is collectively called Web2.0 - the way the internet allows us to create and communicate in ways it was not possible to do so in the past. With these tools, we can learn, explore, discover and SHARE our passions. We can do things we would never have had the opportunity to do in the past, because now all of this information is at our fingertips.
What are your passions? Do you get fascinated with things that consume your thoughts and life? Have you found that this has grown with your use of the internet? Blog about it if you have, and leave me a comment so I know to go and read it.
Well, I'll give you a little bit of insight into my mind and what drives me. In my Google searches, I got a hit on Adam Savage from Mythbusters for this video of a presentation he gave some time ago. I have seen it before, or a version of it anyway, from a hackers convention he was a guest speaker at some time ago.
Just an aside, the word hacker has been unfortunately taken to mean something negative, a malicious person who breaks into computers, systems and other things they don't belong in to either steal information or cause damage. In fact, a hacker is someone who likes to disassemble things to gain an understanding of how they work, and to modify them to work better or more elegantly or to look different. I am quite proud of my budding hacker status.
Anyhow, back to the video that I found. As I said, I found a version of this on YouTube some time ago, recorded by someone at the hacker convention, and it was pretty good quality, and I've blogged about it on my other blog before, mostly because of some controversy that was around some statements he made in the Q&A after the main presentation.
However, I found this beautiful quality version of the presentation, and shall share it with you here:
Adam Savage on Obsession
It's a long piece, but basically it's about obsessions and passions. And while I was listening to Adam talk about his obsessions and passions, a lightbulb went on in my head, because that's EXACTLY what I am like. I have folders in my computer of things that I am fascinated/obsessed with. I buy/make/collect things that replicate things I'm into. I collect a thousand little bits of trivia and factoids on things that I am passionate about. And the end result isn't really what it's about. It's the process of being totally immersed in something that interests me.
For a long time, I thought that I was the only one who got like this over things that interest me. But with my explorations on the internet, I've found that a HUGE percentage of people actually have minds that work this way. Quite often it's suppressed because we're told we're obsessive or fixated or that it's somehow a bad thing to be completely immersed in something.
But it's becoming very apparent to me, that this kind of drive and passion needs to be encouraged and fostered. Things get DONE by people who are totally fascinated by what they are doing. Whether it be someone recreating a prop from a movie, someone designing a beautiful garden, someone inventing an item that is otherwise unavailable, someone proving a scientific theory that had been unproven, someone drawing attention to a cause or just someone working on a piece of art. That kind of focus and drive is what changes the world.
So that's one of the amazing things that the internet has brought to us, with the advent of what is collectively called Web2.0 - the way the internet allows us to create and communicate in ways it was not possible to do so in the past. With these tools, we can learn, explore, discover and SHARE our passions. We can do things we would never have had the opportunity to do in the past, because now all of this information is at our fingertips.
What are your passions? Do you get fascinated with things that consume your thoughts and life? Have you found that this has grown with your use of the internet? Blog about it if you have, and leave me a comment so I know to go and read it.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Days are Ticking By...
So we're winding down for the year, winding down for 23 Things and I'm winding down in energy! Though I think that is predominantly the heat that is causing the energy lag.
Two weeks from today, this project run of 23 Things will end. I hope to see the majority of people have finished the training modules, because this is an awesome opportunity we are being given to learn a lot of useful tools. Particularly as unlike most formal training, you're not being told how you have to use the tools once you've learnt about them. You learn what they are, how they work and then apply them to your own work and life. None of us will use Web2.0 technologies in the same way or even use the same tools.
Already I've seen some wonderfully creative and innovative ways to use Web2.0 technology from my colleagues. I've seen that you are artists, musicians, gamers, cooks, storytellers, fashionistas, model makers, writers, poets, travellers and so much more. Working in public libraries we need to draw from a really broad knowledge base to help our customers, and this project has really highlighted that we HAVE a broad knowledge base right at our fingertips. With a bit of collaboration using these great connective tools that we now have, we can share that stuff easily, and save ourselves so much time and effort. Plus it's fun to find out what our colleagues are interested in, and share common interests. I haven't found any fellow Mythbusters fantatics amongst BCCLS yet though!
It's been a huge learning curve for me too. Maybe not as much in the tools themselves, because I've been tinkering around with them for awhile now, but in the way people can use them and how they apply to libraries. I think we're probably at a huge tipping point right now into a whole bunch of innovations and shifts for the way we do business. WHAT we do isn't going to change, but HOW we do it is morphing into new territory. It's pretty exciting times, particularly as it's influencing things like telecommunications infrastructure, education methods and entertainment.
I for one am looking forward to being part of it.
Two weeks from today, this project run of 23 Things will end. I hope to see the majority of people have finished the training modules, because this is an awesome opportunity we are being given to learn a lot of useful tools. Particularly as unlike most formal training, you're not being told how you have to use the tools once you've learnt about them. You learn what they are, how they work and then apply them to your own work and life. None of us will use Web2.0 technologies in the same way or even use the same tools.
Already I've seen some wonderfully creative and innovative ways to use Web2.0 technology from my colleagues. I've seen that you are artists, musicians, gamers, cooks, storytellers, fashionistas, model makers, writers, poets, travellers and so much more. Working in public libraries we need to draw from a really broad knowledge base to help our customers, and this project has really highlighted that we HAVE a broad knowledge base right at our fingertips. With a bit of collaboration using these great connective tools that we now have, we can share that stuff easily, and save ourselves so much time and effort. Plus it's fun to find out what our colleagues are interested in, and share common interests. I haven't found any fellow Mythbusters fantatics amongst BCCLS yet though!
It's been a huge learning curve for me too. Maybe not as much in the tools themselves, because I've been tinkering around with them for awhile now, but in the way people can use them and how they apply to libraries. I think we're probably at a huge tipping point right now into a whole bunch of innovations and shifts for the way we do business. WHAT we do isn't going to change, but HOW we do it is morphing into new territory. It's pretty exciting times, particularly as it's influencing things like telecommunications infrastructure, education methods and entertainment.
I for one am looking forward to being part of it.
Monday, December 15, 2008
A Blast from the Past
I found this song on YouTube:
How many of you are old enough to remember it and the TV show? I loved that show!
How many of you are old enough to remember it and the TV show? I loved that show!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Why I Love Jamie Hyneman
I know, it's been awhile since I've posted anything Mythbusters on this blog. Or in Spanish... Cazadores de Mitos.
Recently YouTube held a live event in San Francisco which they streamed out over the internet. They had lots of famous guests and infamous ones too - some the creators of those viral videos that become a big hit were there too.
Because it was held in San Francisco, home of the Mythbusters, and one of the most played videos on YouTube was Leonardo the robotic paintball artist by the Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam were invited to participate.
What they came up with, is this:
How awesome is that? ONLY Jamie Hyneman would have the cajones to stand in front of a high pressure machine that fires over 1100 paint balls across 15 feet of space at him, while wearing a suit of armour. I love the man, he is just a total legend.
And while we're talking the mighty awesomeness of Mythbusters, I have a new favourite explosion. It's the "Water heater of death":
It's the ultimate stress relief. One can totally shed all the tensions of the day by watching Jamie and Adam blow stuff up.
Recently YouTube held a live event in San Francisco which they streamed out over the internet. They had lots of famous guests and infamous ones too - some the creators of those viral videos that become a big hit were there too.
Because it was held in San Francisco, home of the Mythbusters, and one of the most played videos on YouTube was Leonardo the robotic paintball artist by the Mythbusters, Jamie and Adam were invited to participate.
What they came up with, is this:
How awesome is that? ONLY Jamie Hyneman would have the cajones to stand in front of a high pressure machine that fires over 1100 paint balls across 15 feet of space at him, while wearing a suit of armour. I love the man, he is just a total legend.
And while we're talking the mighty awesomeness of Mythbusters, I have a new favourite explosion. It's the "Water heater of death":
It's the ultimate stress relief. One can totally shed all the tensions of the day by watching Jamie and Adam blow stuff up.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Guys in Las Vegas Never Enjoyed Reading, Until Now...
I just have to blog this photo. I'd love to see it at night all lit up. I wonder if the owner of it will allow me to use it as an avatar?
Perhaps we could put neons like this outside our branches, to get the punters in the doors?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
She's Beautiful...
I found this video posted on Boing Boing today:
Sara is a walrus that tangoes and mimes playing the saxophone. I think she's beautiful.
Sara is a walrus that tangoes and mimes playing the saxophone. I think she's beautiful.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Wanna Collaborate?
I have officially finished 23 Things some time ago, but I realised I needed to take a little time to revisit a few things that haven't fully gelled with me. Online applications were something that I knew what they were, but didn't really think about using them myself.
So I've gone back for a play and have decided to create a document that any of you, my readers, are welcome to join and co-create with me.
Fabulous New Things I Have Learned from 23 Things
The link above goes to a document I created about the cool things I've learnt, specifically that I like to use, not generally for what they CAN do. So if you want to co-collaborate with me on this document, and share the groovy stuff you have learned, let me know and I'll hook you up with the access.
For those of you friends who aren't doing the 23 Things but are reading this blog too, you are also most welcome to collaborate. The subject is about those cool Web2.0 things that are out there. What ones do you use (eg Facebook, blogging, YouTube, Flickr, mashups... all that stuff) and what do you do with them. I'm interested in hearing all the innovative, cool and fun stuff people do, and when we get going I'll turn the document into something I can publish here on this blog.
Let's play!
So I've gone back for a play and have decided to create a document that any of you, my readers, are welcome to join and co-create with me.
Fabulous New Things I Have Learned from 23 Things
The link above goes to a document I created about the cool things I've learnt, specifically that I like to use, not generally for what they CAN do. So if you want to co-collaborate with me on this document, and share the groovy stuff you have learned, let me know and I'll hook you up with the access.
For those of you friends who aren't doing the 23 Things but are reading this blog too, you are also most welcome to collaborate. The subject is about those cool Web2.0 things that are out there. What ones do you use (eg Facebook, blogging, YouTube, Flickr, mashups... all that stuff) and what do you do with them. I'm interested in hearing all the innovative, cool and fun stuff people do, and when we get going I'll turn the document into something I can publish here on this blog.
Let's play!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Yes, I am One of THOSE Women...
... who wants to see the Twilight movie.
Yes, you can sneer at me for wanting to see that "teeny-bopper romance vampire thing" but have any of you read the books? Or does that get the sneer treatment too?
I have to say, I used to avoid certain genres or scenarios when reading and watching movies, but I never really bothered if other people were watching them. But after a few times where people who's taste often mirrors my own have challenged me to read or see things I normally wouldn't try, and then I've loved it, I've really learnt to never make any assumptions until I've read or seen it myself. If someone recommends it and I know they tend to like the same things as I do, then it's worth giving a try.
That's what happened with Twilight. My friend Melissa in the US, who has recommended a lot of fantastic stuff to me before, practically begged me to read Twilight. She was sure I would love it as much as she does. And she was right!
When I heard that Robert Pattinson was going to play Edward Cullen, I knew I just had to see the movie. He's so physically beautiful, which is the whole point of Edward. And ladies, if you haven't read the books, I can tell you, they are sexy as. Whoowee.
If you'd like a bit of an idea into the books/movie, here's the movie trailer:
It feels to me that they've captured the whole atmosphere of the movie really well.
Yes, you can sneer at me for wanting to see that "teeny-bopper romance vampire thing" but have any of you read the books? Or does that get the sneer treatment too?
I have to say, I used to avoid certain genres or scenarios when reading and watching movies, but I never really bothered if other people were watching them. But after a few times where people who's taste often mirrors my own have challenged me to read or see things I normally wouldn't try, and then I've loved it, I've really learnt to never make any assumptions until I've read or seen it myself. If someone recommends it and I know they tend to like the same things as I do, then it's worth giving a try.
That's what happened with Twilight. My friend Melissa in the US, who has recommended a lot of fantastic stuff to me before, practically begged me to read Twilight. She was sure I would love it as much as she does. And she was right!
When I heard that Robert Pattinson was going to play Edward Cullen, I knew I just had to see the movie. He's so physically beautiful, which is the whole point of Edward. And ladies, if you haven't read the books, I can tell you, they are sexy as. Whoowee.
If you'd like a bit of an idea into the books/movie, here's the movie trailer:
It feels to me that they've captured the whole atmosphere of the movie really well.
Friday, December 5, 2008
OMG! It's Christmas!
Yes, it's that time of year where we're all shocked to find ourselves in December again. The Christmas decorations have gone up, the cards are starting to arrive in the mail from very organised people, it's getting hot and stormy and the kids don't disappear off to school in the morning and leave you alone until 3pm.
I took this photo the other morning on my way in to work the sky was just lovely and the tree and Treasury Casino looked so good, I whipped my camera out of my bag (I take my camera everywhere) and snapped off a couple of shots.
I was in the US this time last year. San Francisco on the 5th of December, which was awesome. Mythbuster territory. It was clear and cool and rather delicious.
I spent Christmas in Michigan, and was lucky enough to have a white Christmas. Christmas in the US is absolutely magical, they really know how to do it over there. It's like one of those Christmas specials you see on TV - all warm and fuzzy and merry. I'd happily spend every Christmas in the US, no problem at all. Mostly because I hate Summer.
So who is coming to the BCCLS Christmas picnic next Sunday? The email went out to everyone a couple of weeks ago, but if you need the details, email me. I'll be there, and I hope to see lots of other folks there.
I took this photo the other morning on my way in to work the sky was just lovely and the tree and Treasury Casino looked so good, I whipped my camera out of my bag (I take my camera everywhere) and snapped off a couple of shots.
I was in the US this time last year. San Francisco on the 5th of December, which was awesome. Mythbuster territory. It was clear and cool and rather delicious.
I spent Christmas in Michigan, and was lucky enough to have a white Christmas. Christmas in the US is absolutely magical, they really know how to do it over there. It's like one of those Christmas specials you see on TV - all warm and fuzzy and merry. I'd happily spend every Christmas in the US, no problem at all. Mostly because I hate Summer.
So who is coming to the BCCLS Christmas picnic next Sunday? The email went out to everyone a couple of weeks ago, but if you need the details, email me. I'll be there, and I hope to see lots of other folks there.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Librarian Shoes
I found this fantastic image pool on Flickr. It's called "Librarian Shoes". Basically, librarians take photos of their shoes (while they're wearing them) and add them to this pool.
What a fun idea. If you want a look, or to contribute, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/librarianshoes/pool/
What a fun idea. If you want a look, or to contribute, go to:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/librarianshoes/pool/
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