My final post - it's been a blast, Ive learnt alot and ranted a little. I've hated Twitter but loved Facebook. Youtube is always full of fun. I've played devil's advocate on a Wiki, trying to remember to organise my bookmarks on Delicious. Meandered through Librarything for too many hours and explored through Flickr. I've discovered Geocaching although I prefer real easter hunts! Mmmmm chocolate! I've listened to the travels of Voyager and discovered that there are so many Podcasts to listen to.I've been inundated by RSS feeds. So much to learn. So much information out there and how important it is to organise it. And how easy it is to be published! To put your thoughts in cyberspace and maybe, just maybe someone will read it. I realise that in the last 20 years the world has changed profoundly, what will the next 20 bring I wonder.
So much to learn..... RANT ON!!

Thanks to the organisers and Lawley for opening my eyes a little more...Cheers

Oh! and remember "Free the little fish"

Fingernails on a chalkboard - that's what twitter is to me. Why would you bother to hold a conversation restriced to 140 characters

I mean we work in a Library so there is some leaning to literature and the written word.

Still I suppose in times of floods and fire it could be invaluable - as long as all the hardware and infrastructure is running.

and it seems journalists and all the major news networks have embraced it. But as far as I can see as a Library medium I am at a loss.

It demands your time and constant attention. I have children to do that for me. So all I can say is I'll leave twittering to the birds.... and the young or time rich!

Is anybody out there? Don't you care about the fishies? Any way to GPS's. We don't have a GPS. We tried one once but it never included any of my partners shortcuts. His shortcuts are always scenic and never short. I don't believe he will ever allow a machine to tell him where to go. The one time we did use one I could hear the womans voice getting higher, shriller and more exasperated while the kids in the back thought it was a huge joke. No GPS's aren't for us...So this makes geocaching a bit hard.But I love the idea..Just like the Improv everywhere campaigns (check it out.) I think to apply this to a library situation, sure lets have a cache but it should run throughout the whole council and probably by the council with a stop in the different libraries.. What a great way to introduce new residents to the area! The only flaw in this plan is you need to have some type of equipment available from the library because need I remind you we are FREE to everyone because not everyone can afford high tech gadgets.

I have succumbed and added the fish to my page because so many have! And I started thinking about the fish. I started putting lots of food out for the fish and watch them swim around and eat it all. It was mesmerizing at first but then I started just putting one piece of food so I could watch them fight for it. And then I started thinking how recently they have proved that fish have memories longer than 20 seconds. And I started thinking how cruel it was for these poor little fishes have such a small place to live and how crowded it is. So now I think I must start a campaign to free the fishes. A campaign like "Get Up" runs. But then it came to me! I'll start a Facebook campaign to free the fishes! And it will go global and I will have millions of facebook friends all working towards freeing the fishes and they can send donations to help fund the campaign to Free the fishes. And it will be like a movement!! People I don't even know will encourage their friends to join and we will make Tshirts to Free the fishes! And the network stations will pick it up as news and I will be the spokesperson and I will become famous. I'll go to trendy parties and meet Oprah and end up as a cover of New Idea kissing Warnie! My fifteen minutes of fame... all because of Facebook and my little fishy friends.
How can we apply facebook in the library? Well, let them try to cut funding or close a library! Librarians can mobilize fairly well nowadays.

Back to ranting.... Great Television ranters of our time. The first that comes to mind and probably the most recent would be George Costanza. But perhaps even more impressive than George would have to be George's TV father. Who could forget "Festivus", where the family would gather together and recount all the ways they disappointed him.
Australias outstanding contribution to ranting would have to be Ted Bullpit from Kingswood country. "Not the Kingswood!" was a familiar cry as well as a few others which I won't mention due to "code of conduct" alert. I should perhaps mention a personal favourite - Paul McDermott whos delivery is full of sexual inuendo and smugness. Compared with his early rantings in DAAS which were delivered with finely honed aggression. But undoubtedly the greatest ranter of our time on television would be Basil Fawlty. 12 ranting episodes of borderline breakdown. Who could forget "Don't mention the war" or "Basil the rat."

Anyway I should be talking to you about podcasts I have heard and a Libraries application of the medium. To continue with the ranting theme I'm sure there isn't a library out there that broadcasts it's own "Speakers Corner". Just imagine, send in your own personalised rant. On any subject! No heckling - just rant away. Uncensored! Because libraries don't support censorship. Mind you we would probably need to have a few lawyers on staff. I think this idea is a real goer - conspiracy theories, politicians, local government, as well as a few of the classics like "when I was a boy..." and "kids today..." I tell you this is a winner!!
Just to add a footnote - if you want a podcast to listen to then try the "Jackie French at Monash Wordfest 2010 June 2 at Clayton Theatrette" The Jackie French impersonation of a wombat and how to speak wombat well... what can I say!

Libraries - The musical.... Here's a marketing idea Lawley, grab your tights, Marg, put on the Princess costume and let's whip out the puppets....Wotcha think? But wait, theres more - Clive as Hagrid, Megan could belly dance, Marie and her tricky rollerskates. Poetry readings and a live performance by Kevin. Can anyone juggle? I wonder if Duncan can tap dance? There's so much talent in the library!! The ideas are endless..Of course Tech Services would be heavily involved in the technical difficulties so we won't be able to perform, but, for the rest of the Cockburn Libraries team - start warming up your act!

Librarythang... it's so pretty. All my fav books with there pretty covers turning over on my blog, It just catches your eye doesn't it. I think that was the idea though. To suggest, entice, lead you astray - away from your purpose. It's almost seductive - urging you to open one title after another, exploring, discovering, wandering through rows and rows of books. Passing the hours.Subtly being guided through titles of their choice, placed in front of you for your eyes to embrace.....mmmm...I think I need a cigarette.
As for the relevance to the library, well I think I just answered your question!

MMMMmmm... DELICIOUS. Wouldn't it be nice to be that organised. To live in a cyber world where my bookmarks are organised - tucked neatly away for me to share with my colleagues at my choosing. Where at the drop of a keystroke I could access all my favs..Alas if only I could remember to dogear that page!!! Sorry am I talking to a Library audience - I would NEVER dogear a page!!! Bookmark, bookmark! I am converted. I promise to bookmark all my pages now that delicious has made it so simple. 2011 I will be organised..... now if I could only find my desk!

MMMMmmm... DELICIOUS....take me there