Quest 4: Bloglines

Bloglines has been an absolute godsend.

I always had a hard time remembering blog addresses and names. When I wanted to follow up on something I had read about, I would try Googling what I "remembered," which was rarely what the actual name of the blog was.

I would also get frustrated with some of the blogs I started following when I would look them up and no new content had been posted.

It is so nice only having to remember one website name, and knowing that when I log into it I am receiving only blogposts posted after the last time I logged in.

View my blogroll at:
http://www.bloglines.com/public/lkwstewart

Quest 3: Instant Messaging

I can see how this could become addictive. I've never particularly liked talking on the telephone because I'm more comfortable expressing myself in the written word.

We had a limited form of IM in the secretarial service I worked in just after college - we could send messages between individual terminals. When business was slow, my colleague and I would make up stories, each person posting one line and then the other responding.

In the phone center, I've only received a few non-spam IMs. If I tell the patron at the beginning that it may take a minute or two to locate the answer to their question, it helps them (and me!) not feel rushed and panicky.

On to Bloglines . . .

Quest 2: Create a blog

Well, here it is!

I thought about blogging anonymously, but then decided I would be more likely to do it if I had to blog as myself. Blogger does make it very easy to do for those who are short on time or have problems with playing :)

Onward to instant messaging . . .

Quest 1: 7 1/2 habits response

The easiest habit for me is habit 2: accept responsibility for your own learning. Our overworked educators and training supervisors have enough to do without trying to tell everyone exactly, step by step, what they should be learning. I'm always happy to receive guidance, but I am the only one who knows what I know and I have to take the initiative to fill in the gaps. If I waited for someone to intuit that I need help, I wouldn't get anything done!

The hardest habit for me is habit 7 1/2: play. It's programmed into us from the beginning that we work during work time and play when work is done. Without the freedom to play, work can become a burden.

Thanks to those who came up with this idea - I hope to learn to play!