It has been fun...it has been a labor of love...it has been labor...it has been frustrating...it has been uplifting...it has been learning at its best...it has been new opportunities...it has been exciting...but most of all, and yes, I'm repeating myself...it has been F-U-N!
It's my blog, but did I set out to write about many things professional and share them with anyone in my sphere of influence who would read it. I have included some purely personal posts, but not too personal.
I personally know four people who have taken up the sport, the craft, the fun, since I started. I don't take all the credit...I think I just nudged them in the direction...I think they would have gotten there anyway. But just like the little girl in the old, old chicken commercial... "I helped."
I owe some others for inspiring me, making it look easy and fun, and I hope I have paid it forward by showing groups of librarians, teachers, parents, and any one in my friendship or family circles who would stop long enough for me to talk about blogging! I have really enjoyed speaking with others about blogging and hearing their adventures.
I truly hope I have proven to some doubting Thomases and some very uninformed persons that many, many, many blogs, bloggers, and the act of blogging are NOT bad things and deserve to be recognized for their postive contributions to information-sharing and learning.I have had fun blogging from a couple of conferences and sharing the information as it was happening. It really showed me the power of the activity. Plus I know have record of what I experienced or learned all neatly put in one place. No more worries about all those loose pieces of paper with the scribbled notes!
I have enjoyed getting comments from friends and colleagues, but it has really been fun to have one pop up from someone half way around the world or from someone who is a "star" blogger!
To think I wrote something that someone thought was good enough or important enough for someone to comment on is pretty cool! and by the way....bloggers LOVE comments..have I told you that?
My best discovery....Animoto...I just love that little powerful, cute program!
My 2nd best discovery...free music...with no copyright issues!
My "fun-est" discovery...Statetris...despite being total fumble fingers with it
My best soap box post....my reaction to all those who want to do away with Dewey.
My 2nd favorite soap box post...reacting to the idea that books are not important after attending a campus library fair night.
My favorite blog find (not related to libraries or technology)...American Presidents...it is almost addicting!
It really is hard to just mention a few because I pretty much like all of my posts or I would not have written them! That is the best part of this whole thing...I can choose to write or not...although in my quieter times, I have been told on more than one occasion that I have been missed. I even was told the other day that I write well...both of those acknowledgements are special because I have NEVER liked my writing and torn up pen & ink "diaries, etc. because I could not stand to read them...I think I have been able to create a year's worth of blog posts because I have had "purpose" behind most of my posts and I left out the personal, "hoaky" stuff...ok, most of it!
What do I hope for in the next year?
1. That ANYTHING that I choose to blog about is available to anyone who reads this blog from any location.
2. That I learn more from the readers and the other bloggers I read...o, yes I forgot...thank goodness for Google reader...I could not have kept up!
3. That I figure out why sometimes my pictures won't behave and go where I want them to or why I can not make an empy space stay in place!
4. That readers will please (pretty please with sugar on top and some chocolate thrown in) comment ON THE BLOG so that we can have some good conversations online and not just in passing.
5. That I continue to have fun...and a few laughs!
and...
6. That I make a difference somewhere for someone for a minute or two about something.
