Thing 2: RSS

On RSS/newsreaders:
Having never used RSS or newsreaders, they seem incredibly useful for following different blogs, the news, sports, celeb gossip, or whatever it is in which you're interested. It's a great idea, and the technology is fairly easy to use! Theoretically, they should be time-savers: get lots of the info you want in one place, at one time. However, I've already subscribed to way more sites/blogs than I previously checked on a regular basis. I'm afraid I'll just end up using my new blogline account to try and stay informed on more topics than I really need to, and end up spending more time going through blogline feeds than I was by going to separate sites. Watch the point of RSS feeds backfire and take up even more of my time!

On library/personal use:
Well, see above ;-) For me, keeping informed/up-to-date on a variety of subjects could be helpful for both professional and personal topics. I haven't poked around bloglines too much, but I imagine there is some way for me to separate feeds so that I can check only library-related info or only personal/news-related. That would allow me to use my time more wisely and only check feeds related to what I need to do/find out.
...Done! Have created separate folders for various topics: Professional, News, Sports.

On new blogs:
Personally, I think everyone should subscribe to Blue Gray Sky, but I'm probably the only one actually interested in frequent updates on Notre Dame football.
I mainly added from the popular feeds from the site. While I usually check cnn.com, I do recommend the BBC News feed because so much happens in the world to which America doesn't pay attention. I like hearing what non-Americans think on different issues.
And Woot is a fun site from which you can buy the item of the day (often electronics) at a discounted price. I'd heard of the site, but never followed it. (Today's woot is a digital flip camcorder for $79.99) Find out what a Woot-Off is too! Their What is Woot? page (FAQ) is quite entertaining as well.

Must go catch up on my 10(!) feeds so I don't fall behind!
Playtime, did you really need to teach me new methods of procrastination? ;-) ...but I'm learning tiny tiny bits of html, too: yay!

Thing 1: Blogging

On Blogger:
I've discovered that (for me, at least) the hardest part of setting up a blog is naming it. So many options, so many characteristics that I could use to identify myself. Simple is better, or easiest: La Rubia = the Blonde. It's also what everyone called me when I was abroad in Spain because there were two of us with the same first name.

Other than the name, setting up a blog was pretty simple for me. Just fill in the blanks and click "create blog." My only problems with Blogger have been personal issues with remembering passwords for Blogger Book Club, but that's my fault, not the internet's.

On library blogs:
I hadn't really looked at library blogs before, so they were interesting and amusing to read. Michael Stephens' Tame the Web blog is one I had heard of, but never checked out before. It was a bit more technical than I was looking for, especially after the really funny "A Librarian's Guide to Etiquette." That one was quite amusing to read and gave me better an idea of what crazy things people experience in public libraries. The others were somewhat interesting, but these two stuck out in my mind the most.

On our library:
For our library, blogging might be a good way to keep in touch with other staff and stay informed about what's happening. I don't see blogging as an effective way to reach out to the community beyond building the Social Network in its current form. Perhaps within the social network, blogs could be created on different topics/genres/book discussions, but the message board currently functions in that role. Staff blogs kept up for professional (and personal) use might be nice to promote staff unity/effectiveness/relationships.

On blogs (and talking to myself):
And blogs are a great thing, if that's what you're interested in. I, personally, have never successfully kept a diary or journal because I never really have much to say to myself (which is how it sometimes feels to me). If I had something interesting to say, then maybe I would keep/use a blog. The good thing about Playtime is that you'll tell me what to write about!