PAVEing a Blog

“I woke up, to the feeling of moving, like seriously, I was MOVING – like down the street.  I wondered WHAT THE HECK is going on as I noticed that before I knew it, I realized the electricity was off and I was on total darkness,  the stereo was off and had stopped playing.  This is the odd thing, I was too tired to worry about it and just stayed where I was, laying in my bed, I didn’t move a muscle.  Honestly, the next thing I remembered, (not being woken up or anything), was the fact that I was in a line of people, a literal line in a very very dark and dismal movie theatre-looking lobby.    Everyone was pretty much emotionless, colorless, and I turned my head and there was….Megan Ver Duin?  Yes?  She turned to me and I noticed she was the only one that had color, red lipstick, I remember red lipstick,  and she said super slowly and softly to me, “There IS a line, and I will represent you.  This is so much easier with you not having any previous court cases, this make it SO much easier.”  I asked, “Why?” and she replied, “With you having no previous scuffles or conflicts you should be in and out, that is why”, the whole time speaking super slowly as she realized either I was still asleep or still waking up.  I remember looking down at my dilapidated shoes  afraid of what the honorable judge would think or say to me.

Didn’t matter, because the next thing I remember was paying, and I had no money but I did have my credit card, the total came to almost 350 pesos and I was relieved, – that paid the amount I still owed for back payment and the impoundment fee of my RV)  – I had THAT but not the 2-3000 pesos I thought it would cost.  I worried though, would I be able to a)Find my way back home from where I was since  I was asleep during the trip and b)make it home without my RV being impounded again since I did not have a license plate on the RV, I mean, it was an RV after all and I never intended for it to be removed from its permanent spot.”

There, everyone tells me I need to stop, wake up, and write down the dreams I have, so as soon as I woke up with worry about how I was going to get home and not be pulled over by the police, I decided to record my dream.  1) I do not OWN an RV, 2) the threat of being over is ever present in Mexico City some days to me, and 3)Megan was the only thing that settled my fears in this dream, so what does that dream mean folks?

LOL, in the middle of trying to get all the Conference ideas out and into the open before I forget the last week, *it feels like a dream trying to get it all down before I forget the details!* yes, there has been things going on – other than dreaming, promise.

The puppies have become attached to me and do not want to leave my side, I have been able to introduce them to the outside and they have started to realize going the bathroom outside is MUCH better than inside (and the newspaper supply has been dwindling!) – this has been only going on for one week and they already are learning, I think there is hope…).  I have figured out a how to walk all three, (we get stopped every block because people have to croon over them, they so get the attention) –  I did get all their shots minus the rabies, so that is next on the list.  They were SO WELL taken care of when I was gone, for a week in Chicago at the ALA Conference,  if you need a caretaker, Walking Dog is AWESOME !  

I haven’t quite gotten used to the retainer but it feels so amazingly good to have my braces off, Cynthia Castro is a MASTER – MASTER at Orthodontics and she took a 10+year ordeal for me and within 1 1/2 years made magic, she is A M A Z    I N G.

The weather is beautiful, I love the long days I spend with Kinah, Wriggley, and Amaya outside in the different parks, we pick a different one every day! I talked to my friend Natalie and about 1/4 convinced I can run the marathon with her in Disney in January, that is closer to being convinced than I ever have so that scares me…

I have to say, my apartment is FINALLY getting organized, cleaned and I am motivated to do so a little every day, and with working on the Repentino. magazine details with new and returning staff, planning our New York trip details now already for March, I think it will be a year where I can be vacant on the weekends, VERY excited.

Okay, honest a few more posts about the Conference, AMAZING again how much I came across and away with in one week, but hope it can be used by others!  Hope your summer is AWESOME so far!

Believe it or not, despite the awesome workshop and meeting Oliver Stone moment on Monday, there was more, I mean, major cram day but one of the BEST days!

http://alicewalkersgarden.com/new-books/

Get this – Meeting and hearing Alice Walker and getting an autographed book from her, AND meeting Janis Ian, who honestly I had NEVER met or known before this – Before my time but my GOSH – her performance AND session was truly

worth the Monday it fell on.

I was amazed at the soft spoken Alice Walker yet her powerful message that was so much larger than her name even.  Seeing the excerpts of her video in the notes below on Alice and Janis Ian make this worth checking out and THEN some…

Monday special speakers

So you can image, after the workshops, meeting special speakers, and trying to absorb it all was a little overwhelming.

http://thetinymouse.com

The messages of peace, the hysterical moments that Janis Ian talks about commissioned to write a story/song about a mouse to sea, the selflessness

of Alice Walker and the time she was willing to give to people.

I knew I forgot one session from Sunday!

I attached the notes below, but this workshop, titled,

Second Session on Sunday –

Collaborate  21 – Admin – teacher – Librarian – Technologist Collaborative Team can integrate common core, AASL, STATE, and National Standards

on Sunday, June 30, 2013 – 3:00pm to 4:00pm was

pretty informative.  I liked the fact that one of the presenter’s elementary daughters was on the presenting staff, to show and explain in details of her project.  This is a great way to expose students to seeing how their work is appreciated by others!

Using Ipads, students did a genealogy project and captured details verbally to videos.  It was excellent to see how they matched standard and admin, teachers, and librarians worked together, an among different school buildings as well.

This project sounded hands on and was fun, letting students and teachers meet standards effortlessly.  GREAT session!

And I though Mondays were boring!  NO WAY!  LOVED, loved seeing, hearing, and meeting Oliver Stone and Petter Kuznick, amazing amazing stories and connections to libraries.  Sure sure, the comments that he is always on the controversial side of thing, but, I LOVE the fact that he is unwilling to roll over and accept things at facevalue as well.

The notes

Monday Sessions Stone and Kuznick

cover the whole time and questions asked, as well as my links to videos that appeared on UTube following this opportunity.

A GREAT way to end Monday! 🙂

June 01 Midday Session

The Sacred and the Profane : The Library and campus Identity in the 21st Century BES-BCUL

AMAZING!   This was a GREAT GREAT look at how architects, administration, and libraries work together  (and not) and the international perspectives as well.  I could have sat here all day this was so technical but interesting!

This is the Prezi presentation:

And the web address for the Prezi if it freezes!

http://prezi.com/gop1oq5gzn1n/academic-libraries-in-context-the-international-perspective/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy#

and the notes from the Workshop that ROCKED!

MONDAY SESSION Sacred and Profane

I like these two quotes to summarize the libraries and how they should be as well:

The best libraries are the ones that support the campus via architecture and the mission of the school relate to the feel of the campus through the library.

and

in response to this question:

Why do we need them (comfortable spaces) in the library?  Library space is expensive compared to other spaces.  Why important?  Multifaceted spaces – places students can record using microphones, digital media, and can have spaces to read as well.

Need social spaces as well.  Reading rooms made for groups as well.  Small and large learning groups, communal spaces, etc.  Different functions of the library, traditional groups studies, students reading, lounge area and open – transparency.

That’s right, no matter where you are Monday is Monday.  🙂

However, I found out the amazing workshops I found began to occur Monday, I had been able to find workshops that were powerful and effective moreso after the weekend if I sought hard enough.

The first workshop was again packed and out the door, but I was able to do alot of followup and obtain many many resources the following were able to present:

Rachel Fershleisher      rachelf@tumblr.com | rachelfershleiser.com    @rachelfersh

Molly McArdle      mmcardle@mediasourceinc.com | tumblr.libraryjournal.com  @mollitudo

Erin Shea   eshea@darienlibrary.org | darienlibrary.tumblr.com     @erintheshea

Kate Tkacik    katelyn.tkacik@bmo.com | thelifeguardlibrarian.tumblr.com  @lifegdlibrarian

Here the the really brief notes I took as again, the lines was out the door…

MONDAY SESSION Tumblarians

and the very very priceless links that would prove, and do prove worth following up even more:

http://tumblr.libraryjournal.com/post/54393731900/tumblarian-101-a-starter-kit-welcome-to-tumblr

http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2013/06/in-the-bookroom/post/the-library-is-open-a-look-at-librarians-and-tumblr/

and the Powerpoint for this presentation:

Tumblarian101

I like the following quote:

“WE’RE SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANSHIP WITH THOUSANDS OF NONLIBRARIANS.”

and the following is very good to know after reading one of the above articles:

THE TAGS

“Tags are what make Tumblr go round. The tags Tumblarians primarily use are #libraries,#librarians, and #tumblarians, with an occasional helping of #politics, #history,#education, #lit, and #tech. (You can find a list of popular, curated tags at tumblr.com/explore.)

One important tip to keep in mind is that Tumblr only makes your post searchable by the first five tags you include. You can go over that number, but your post won’t appear in searching for keyword number six and beyond. Choose wisely.”

I can testify to the power of Tumblr as we used Tumblr thanks to Alia and a few others to collect submissions for the magazine and our submissions SOARED for Repentino.  As anything, I feel with a strategic plan, this becomes a powerful tool!  I loved this workshop even though I did not catch all of it and it DID make Monday so much worth waking up to.  Wait until you see the next workshop and information – AMAZING and very inspiring!

Waking up at 5:00 AM on Sunday normally, you’d think, “Am I crazy?!” Yet, I did this on Saturday thinking THAT was the 5k, dressed, waiting for the shuttle outside, THAT was great!  🙂   I actually made it back out to the same spot today, still nervous, and ta da!, a shuttle was waiting!    There were four people From the Chicago Hilton as well, so it was easy to start a conversation in the morning with them.

This particular 5k, was as you read last post, was the Think Fit 5k exclusively for ALA members.  The whole way there I wondered, “I wonder how many librarians run?  Or will run?  Turns out we have between walkers and runners, a total of 158 ready to roll.

It was odd doing stretches without the XC team, yet I ran through the same drills as we used to.  The location was the McCormick Bird Sanctuary, and a GREAT view of Michigan Lake.  The wind was up and I was grateful for the wind.  The course was an easy down and back, slight inclines, but nothing compared to the hills and routes that were marked in PA we used to run.

The event was timed and organized by To the Finish, LLC, and they did a great job of informing everyone, timing with chips overall, and just the management of the race itself.

I have to say overall, with the state of my shoes, and the lack of preparation for the 5k, I was pleased with a 29:15 finish, with under 30:00 being my outset goal.  I was 15th of 22 males, and felt I could have done better in that department.  I still did not have a mastery of my breathing, which made me stop and walk for about 20 seconds three times but it did give me much to be aware of and set to do better for next time.  I was very glad I pushed myself to get registered and follow through with this opportunity!

chicago 5k

We received some cool door prizes (pedometer, sunglasses, banana, awesome oatmeal and trail mix treat which honestly was DELICIOUS!) and we didn’t wait for awards so we could take the shuttle back to the Hilton to get showered and back to the Conference.

I have to say, I was proud and wanting to flaunt the fact I had gotten myself out of bed early and ran a 5k and was back again ready to head to the conference when I stepped off the shuttle and saw the conference attendees just getting up waiting to head to the conference.  I just always wanted to be that person that took the extra initiative to be healthy and have an all around lifestyle that promoted health, and I vaguely remember, an Intermediate High moment. I was in Home Economics, cooking, and we were discussing what we would be like as we were older.  I stated I would be athletic, more in shape, and conscious of my lifestyle, and the girls at the table laughed.  I was a total geek back in those grades, Intermediate at least and not really on grades, yeah, just a geek. So it was not far fetched to find this funny, but I am glad that the part of my life with being aware of the healthy aspects did turn true!

Sessions stopped today being Sunday at around noon, but the next session I did attend was …well, believe it or not I forget the title but I do remember the notes below:

Sunday sessions First one Emerging Technologies   LITA

http://www.ala.org/lita/    & http://connect.ala.org/lita (Library & Information Technology Association)

http://ala13.ala.org/node/11093

and I realized in some aspects, this was VERY technical, way over my head as far as what the speaker was doing, but LOVED the fact that the library as becoming an outlet for discovery and causing people to say, “I didn’t know the library did that!”

I met three awesome people at my table and we discussed what emerging technologies we were seeing our library challenges, etc.  One was the idea that some staff were jumping into technology while others were not, and the challenge to have that aspect to associate with the patrons.  One was the use of Dropbox among the librarians and how some feel uncomfortable with it so far.  We brought up the use of Camptasia, Jing, and the use of Libguides.  Also the old list of 23 things, a Gallaway list, of what would be most useful n technology, although outdated, we did see how this would be a good starting point for people that might feel uneasy at first with technology bursting at them all of a sudden.  While some of the topics brought up were way way into programming, this did let us discuss and exchange ideas, as well as what technology impacts us as a public school, community college, or high school librarian, even as an up and becoming librarian which was represented by everyone at our table!

The time after sessions ended, since early today, I took pictures and sampled the areas that Chicago had to offer for touristing.  I LOVE, LOVE the Chicago Public Library and you will see in the last post of what I left behind in leaving Chicago what I discovered!

Closing out Saturday night, as I had attended a few sessions but nothing record breaking, lol, I dived into the exhibit hall and searched for the information out of hundreds of vendors that would benefit us in Latin American the most.  From archiving/digital saving of records to Ebooks, to database and online services, I managed to organize ad grab at least 36 vendors’ information and have organized them in a spreadsheet below:

Exhibitors Information

I always ended up coming home with business cards and flyers, as well as packets and forgot half the information that interested me in the first place.  This way, I organized it before I forgot the purpose!

I settled in after exhausted from visiting so many vendors and passed out in sleep, ready for what Sunday had to bring!  (Oh, did I mention I had signed up for the 5k, and though when I awoke it was Saturday morning, when in reality I could have waited to get dressed for running until Sunday, when the race actually occurred…:)   So Sunday would bring my first 5k run in years!  🙂