RSS Feeds

How did we survive without Tivo? Okay, I watched less TV which was probably a good thing, but I can now watch TV on my schedule. I can catch shows that I was unable to before (much easier than setting the VCR), I can skip the commercials, I can go back and and rewatch something if I get distracted. Well, RSS feeds are like Tivo for your computer. If there are blogs, news sites, etc. that you enjoy and follow, you can set them up as RSS feeds and they come to you instead of you having to go to the sites each time you want to catch up. Then you can read them when you have time, yet you don't miss anything. (If you feel overwhelmed because you got behind, just click the box "mark all read" and you start fresh.)

This is the RSS symbol:

Check http://classroomlearning2.blogspot.com/2007/08/8-week-4-learn-about-rss-feeds.html for more information and directions on how to get started. I use Google Reader (I also use gmail, Google docs and Google calendar for both school and home so everything is in one place). This is a great organizational tool.

Recharging

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Gary and I are just back from an amazing trip to Canada and Alaska where we celebrated our 20th anniversary. We took our Mini HP (I fully intended to post while on our trip) with us but only checked email once the entire time we were gone. Someone posted about achieving balance with technology and it really is important.

I am beginning my 33rd year in education. One of the best things about being an educator is that no 2 years are the same. As a career educator, education truly is a lifestyle, not just a job. As such, it doesn't leave us even while on vacation - I'm always looking for something that will enrich my lessons. This year, I bought some things that I will use in a display and took photos that I can also use (for instance, while the movie Twilight was mostly filmed in Oregon, some filming was done in Vancouver and our guide pointed this out - these pictures will also go into a display that I will be putting up as soon as Talk Like a Pirate Day is over).

Here is a picture of the Vancouver Public Library. They had a contest to determine the design.




Please share some of your photos on your blog if you have not yet done so.