It's difficult to settle down and write an extended posting, when life is so interesting. So here are a few bits and pieces, shiny thoughts that distracted me today while I skimmed and skittered through my various social networking sites.
Dance (from Facebook)
A high school classmate quoted
William Butler Yeats: "Come Fairies, take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you
upon the wind and dance upon the mountains like a flame!" which, in turn, reminded me of the
Celtic variation on a 19th century Shaker tune,
Simple Gifts,
Dance then, wherever
you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the Dance, said He!
I love the idea of the deity as a dancer, joyous and brimming with vitality.
Conferences (from a librarian ListServ)
An academic library assistant wrote:
I am in the process of applying for scholarship funds to attend the ALA
conference in Chicago from little old New Zealand. I need to justify
why I should go, the benefits of attending for myself and others in
libraries as well as education in general and what I'm likely to get out
of it.
My response was:
I would say the number one benefit for me is the face-to-face
networking. That helps me to deepen understanding of, and forge new
collaborations with, professional colleagues from around the world.
Sessions can be viewed virtually, but nothing compares to being able to
carry on an extended conversation with someone whose ideas help expand
your thinking. Social networking helps me to maintain relationships, but
meeting f2f is what expands them, turning acquaintances into friends
and learning partners.
How would you have replied?
Grandparenting (inspired by various blog postings and articles shared online)
One of my chief "distractions" these days is my new granddaughter. She is surrounded by books and toys and boasts an extensive wardrobe. But, more importantly, her world is filled with people who love and cherish her. Morgan will always have literature, and technology will be part of her life; her digital footprint began when she was a tiny entity, months before her birth day. Our baby will have what she needs to survive and thrive, physically and mentally. It makes me even more aware that this is not universally the case.
Embedded Librarianship (from Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Flickr, email)
Opportunities abound for "retired" folks like me to remain active and involved in library pursuits, both formally (collaborating on a White Paper for
AASL, helping to plan
Fall Forum) and informally (gathering, creating, and sharing resources for friends and colleagues on a variety of topics). I have the gift of time now, and still enjoy a reference challenge. Being a librarian is a lifetime job, and I love it!
Photography (from Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, Skype)
Part of the aforementioned embedding is sharing my passion for photography. I've
Skyped into classrooms to answer students' questions about taking, editing, and sharing photos. My Flickr tagging sometimes results in interesting interactions. I've been contacted about locating headstones in area cemeteries for amateur genealogists; fielded requests for permission to use my shots on various websites (most of my photos are Creative Commons licensed); received inquiries about my availability as a wedding photographer (that was a "no" - too much responsibility!) and a free-lance operative (maybe). Most fun of all has been hearing from "long lost" cousins on Facebook. We initially connected on the
Troy, NY Memories page and have since shared information and images of our common ancestors.
Quotations (from social networking sites and Google searches)
I love a good quote, frequently pairing them with my 366 photos. So I will leave you with some thoughts about "journeys"
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
-Ursula K. Le Guin
"We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls."
-Anais Nin
"One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." -Henry Miller
"Not all those who wander are lost." -J. R. R. Tolkien
"Twirling Princess" by dmcordell
"Heaven: Morgan and Grandma" by dmcordell
"The Balthazard Family" by dmcordell
"Walk in the woods" by dmcordell