Thing 23: Art

Muse: I browsed through several categories of art - who knew there were so many? I especially enjoyed the "Op Art" group, and saved a couple of those in my gallery. However, I think this would be a much more enjoyable experience on a bigger screen, such as an iPad. It is nice to have access to art galleries from around the world, though. And the Salvador Dali paintings that appear on my phone's lock screen are much more interesting than the default that came with the phone.

Bitstrip: Now I know where my friends have been getting their avatars! I have seen many of them on Facebook and Ravelry, my other go-to social media site. I tried out the Bitstrip app, and created an avatar of myself, but somehow it doesn't really look like me. I had tons of fun playing around with it though! I also played with building a comic strip, and can see how people can sink a LOT of time into this! It would also be a lot of fun to make avatars for my kids, husband, etc. I have to admit that whoever created this app is really clever.

Thing 16: Presentations

I have worked with PowerPoint for many years, and have even shown students how to create slide shows during some of my school-age technology programs here at CCPL. It is nice to know that the app is available on mobile devices too. The one thing I really don't like about PowerPoint is its tendency to turn presenters into "PowerPoint Slide Readers" - something I try really hard NOT to do as a presenter!

I am working with a couple of other members of the Children's Staff on a presentation for the CYPD Conference coming up at the end of August. We explored the possibility of using PowerPoint, or maybe Prezi, but finally chose Haiku Deck as our presentation tool. Since we are working as a team, we were planning to all export our slides onto Elizabeth's presentation, which apparently was working in the past couple of weeks. However, now it seems that we cannot export without paying for the "Pro" upgrade. The GoogleSlides look like they might be a nice option for our "sharing" purposes, but it's probably too late in the game to make the switch.

I really like the professional look of the Haiku Deck slides, but I wish it doesn't auto-save quite so quickly. And I tried editing and adding slides to my presentation using the app on my phone, but didn't find it nearly as easy as just working on my laptop,

Here is my presentation so far:
Take Me There!

Thing 22: Languages

I have used Pronunciator before, and have recommended it to a couple of patrons who were looking for World Languages materials. So for this Thing, I decided to try Duolingo, something brand new to me. One of my big goals in life is to learn Spanish - I actually taught in inner-city Houston and didn't make the effort to learn it then, which is something I have always regretted.

I downloaded the Duolingo app to my phone, set up an account, and completed the "Basic Lesson 1". Each lesson is supposed to take approx. 10 minutes, which is perfect for my short attention span. I learned the difference between "el" and "una", and heard the correct pronunciations of several phrases. I moved the app's icon to my main home screen, and really do plan to continue with one or two lessons per day. The reviews are somewhat mixed, so I don't know how far it will actually get me in my functional language learning, but it certainly cannot hurt!

I took quite a few German classes in college, and might also try Duolingo's "placement test" to see where I fall in their German lesson sequence.

Thing 21: CCPL

I just had a major "Aha Moment" with this Thing. I learned how to add a shortcut to a website on my home screen! I access a knitting website called Ravelry several times per day, and now I have a little icon on my home screen to click on to go to it! I also added the CCPL site to my home screen. I don't think I will use it very often, but I would recommend it for parents who like to check the Children's Calendar for programs throughout the week.

I like the mobile version of CCPL's web page. I need to remember to recommend this to patrons more often.

Thing 20: Email

When I tried to download the Acompli app on my phone, I noticed that it came up as Outlook. Sure enough, when I went to Acompli's website, it says that "Acompli is now Outlook." So I guess I will talk about Outlook instead! The one thing that I noticed right away when I opened Outlook is that I have access to all of my husband's files as well, which is nice. He stores things like bills, bank statements, and other boring but necessary documents in Outlook, so now I won't have to ask him to forward them to me when needed. I also connected all three of my email accounts onto the Outlook app, which I might like from time to time, but I generally like to keep my emails separate.

I have had CCPL Webmail set up on my device for many months. Since I only work part time, it is really nice to be able to check in and be able to respond to quick questions. Tech Services staff often have small questions about an item that I have ordered for the Children's Collection, and by answering right away, their work flow is not held up.

Thing 18: Calendars

I didn't know anything about Sunrise before starting this Thing. I already occasionally use the calendar app that is built into the phone, but after downloading Sunrise and signing in through Google, I can see that it is something I will use all the time. I love that it links to Google+, which means I will see all of my family's other activities. And more importantly, they will see MY activities, so I won't have to keep answering questions like, "Are you working on Tuesday night?" (although I have worked just about every Tuesday night for the past, oh, 7 years or so??)  :)

Since I have special friends' and family members' birthdays included in my Google calendar, it's nice to see it already loaded onto my Sunrise calendar as well. I don't plan to add any of the "special days", as I don't want to clutter my calendar, but it might be interesting to play with some of the others, such as the "TV" category.  I think my dad would love to play with the "Stock Market" category.  I also practiced adding several events to the Sunrise calendar, and found it to be much more streamlined even than the Google calendar. It just seems easier to view events for the upcoming week and month in Sunrise too.

Thing 17: File Sharing and Cloud Storage

We have used Google Drive in the Children's Department for a couple of years now, and I really, really like having access to all of my documents wherever I am. I also have the app on my phone, but haven't used it very often in that format. I have tried to access our desk schedule through my phone, but I have found it to be cumbersome. After some trial and error, I learned that by giving the desk schedule a "Star", it rises to the top of the list of items in my Drive, making it easier for me to find.

I have just begun to explore storing and accessing my photos in the Drive. Up until fairly recently, I uploaded all of the photos off my phone onto my Shutterfly account, which also has a sharing feature. We just returned from a vacation with our neighbors, and I decided to share the photos we took in Google Drive this time.

I also looked into Dropbox for this Thing, but the reviews I read indicate that it has many of the same features as Google Drive. I think I'll just stick with Google Drive, as it is great to use just one login for photos, documents, calendars, etc.

Finally, I used the Google Drive app to share this photo from our trip.

Thing 15: Games

Ah, the Games. I have tried Candy Crush Saga, and do not understand the addiction. I have also tried Tetris on my phone, as I used to love to play it when it was a stand-alone handheld game. It's just not as much fun on the phone for some reason. The one game that I have tried and stuck with is Words With Friends. It is the perfect way to pass time while waiting in line at the grocery store, carpool line, etc. I always have games going against my husband and a couple of my friends, but nowhere near the "20 games at a time" limit. And I have definitely found it much more enjoyable to play on my Android phone, with its slightly larger screen. I used to have an iPhone, and it was more difficult to manipulate the letter tiles.

One other game that I play once in a while is called Flow, and it looks like it is similar to the Dots game shown in the 23 Things list. It is a somewhat mindless "fill in the screen" type of game, and is perfect to have on an airplane trip, because it does not require internet access.

I also tried the game "Trivia Crack" for a short while, but it is also not for me. It was making me much more addicted to my phone than I care to be!

Thing 19: Communicating

Thanks to Google Hangouts and the Facebook Messenger app, I have been able to (sort of) keep tabs on my son, who is in Taipei for the summer. I was forced to learn how to use Google Hangouts when he told me that he prefers that to Skype for communicating. I found it to be very easy to learn, and it still blows my mind that I can talk to someone who is on the other side of the world so easily! And just this morning, he called me on my cellphone via the Facebook Messenger app, because apparently it is free, while a standard phone call costs money. And the reception was even more clear than a regular phone call.

I have the Snapchat app on my phone, but haven't used it. I don't think any of my friends use Snapchat, and I'm also not a big "picture sharer". I do share photos with my mom via text message, and sometimes send random photos of my pets to my sister, but not much beyond that.

Thing 14: Hoosier Helpers

VisitHC: What a wonderful app to know about! Since the Children's Reference Desk is often a new patron's first stop in our library, I will definitely keep this app in mind to recommend for more information about our community. The categories are laid out nicely with beautiful photographs, and there is a very full list of venues, parks, etc. For example, the "Eat" category alone has 18 sub-categories! A patron with a gluten-free diet is in luck - there is a HUGE list of restaurants they can visit. I am also very impressed that there is a "Locally Owned" category. In the "Explore" tab, I have found another huge list of places I want to check out in "Nature and Outdoors". I wonder if our new director knows about this app? (Not that she is going to have a ton of time to explore Hamilton County!)

Indiana DNR: This app also has beautiful graphics, and is a lot more fun to use than the clunky IN.gov website. My husband and son love to fish, and I will show them all of the fishing opportunities that are out there!

Thing 13: Education

I had heard of Khan Academy before because the math classes were recommended to me when my kids were in elementary school. But today I downloaded the app, and am completely impressed! My son saw me playing around with it, and mentioned that he has gone through much of their math content. He is sort of a math snob, and said that among his "math nerd" friends at CHS, Khan Academy has a really good reputation.

The category "Partner Content" caught my curiosity. Within this group there are many sub-categories, but I chose the one called "All-Star Orchestra" because my kids have both been involved in orchestra. Within that topic, I clicked on "Masterpieces Old and New", and finally I viewed the entire 10 minute video clip of "Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 5, analysis by Gerard Schwarz. It was actually fascinating, hearing some great background information about that one very familiar orchestra piece.

One other interesting thing I noticed that under "Test Prep," there are practice tests for both the current SAT and the new SAT, which will start March 2016.

I can see that there is a LOT more in this app that I want to explore. NASA? Stanford School of Medicine? I am going to be super smart by the time I'm finished!

Thing 12: Hobbies

Craftsy: I set up a Craftsy account about a year ago, when I actually bought an online class on how to knit an intricate cableknit sweater. (I think I used a groupon to buy it?) Needless to say, I never completed the class. I just haven't had the time. But I did complete the first couple of sessions, and found the site and videos to be very user-friendly. Now that I have downloaded the app onto my phone and signed in, I see that my class is still there, waiting for me to complete it. I know Craftsy offers plenty of free classes too, so I do think I will use it more often, now that it is on my phone.

Epicurious: This is my first time to try this app. Up until now, the only time I have used my phone to access recipes is when I go to Allrecipes.com, because that is where I find a lot of recipes that I like. The Epicurious app seems a lot more streamlined, and I like that I can see which recipes have been most popular with other users by seeing the ratings on the first screen. For example, I did a search on French Onion Soup, and was given 103 recipes. It was very easy to swipe from one recipe to the next, and I quickly found one that received over 134 user reviews, with 91% of respondents saying they would make this recipe again. I also like the clear and simple browsable categories, and then my favorite categories: "I cook like a pro" and "I can barely cook". Something for everyone!

RetailMeNot: I am using my phone more and more often to access coupons, mostly from emails that various stores and restaurants send to me. I downloaded RetailMeNot, and clicked on the "Nearby" icon to see what deals are close by. When playing around with the app, I found a LOT of deals that were online only, and I don't do a lot of online shopping except through Amazon. But I see that listed as one of the retailers too.

Thing #11: Audio and Music

I have had the Pandora app on my phone for a couple of years now, and use it mostly at home because I've heard that it uses a lot of data and/or battery if I listen to it on the go. At home, I cast it to my TV speakers, and have set up several stations that I really enjoy, such as Bruno Mars, Bruce Springsteen, etc. It is kind of genius, as it is really good at "choosing" music that it thinks I will like! And if it comes to a song that I don't like, I can click the "thumbs down" button on my phone, and it instantly takes me to a different song. (Plus, it records the fact that I don't like the song it was playing.) Of course I am too cheap to pay for a subscription, so I have to listen to ads from time to time. I can live with that.

And for this Thing, I also signed up for a Spotify account and downloaded the app. The first question that came to mind is, "What are the pros and cons for Pandora vs. Spotify?" And of course, Katherine H. provided us with the article comparing the two. It seems that Spotify is a lot more limited unless you pay for the subscription - I'm not sure I would be happy with just listening to everything in Shuffle mode. If I don't like the song that is currently playing, I just have to live with it. (As my teenage son would say, "First World Problems, Mom.") One sentence in the Pandora vs. Spotify article caught my eye: "One killer feature of Spotify Premium is the ability to listen to songs offline."Maybe I could justify paying for a Spotify subscription? I do have some Amazon gift cards to use...

2 Hours Later...
Wait! I do not have to suffer through a song I do not like on Spotify. I quickly figured out that I can click on the little "fast forward" button next to the Play button, and it skips on to the next song. AND, I found that one of the playlists I can select is "Decades" - there is a category for the 70's and for the 80's. That's all I need!

Thing 10 - Augmented Reality

I had never heard of Augmented Reality before exploring this Thing, so I have definitely learned something new! I started by downloading and trying out Aurasma. It took several tries before I was able to create my own Aura. I am more of a "trial and error" kind of person when it comes to these apps - I am too impatient to read a lot of instructions. I found that this is not a "trial and error" kind of app. I also tried out the to the classroom projects posted by Theresa McGee, and can kind of see how Aurasma could be used in the classroom, but it just doesn't seem very intuitive.

Then I explored Layar, and will definitely keep this app on my phone. I used it to read a QR code in Whole Foods to access their coupons and calendar of events. One question I still can't find the answer to is whether or not you have to scan an actual Layar logo to access data. In the article "Why Layar is the Coolest iPhone App in the World", the author makes it seem like you can scan the buildings in front of you to access information, and that the app uses GPS data to show what is nearby. This is something I will try when I am in San Francisco in September.

So in summary, Layar is a keeper, Aurasma is not for me.

Thing 9: Video

This "Thing" has taken me way too long because I could not figure out how to access the Animoto video I had already created! Thanks to Katherine H, I am now able to link my project to this blog. Full disclosure: I did not use my mobile device to create the video; I used my desktop computer. But this is worth watching - I am super proud of it. :)

Also, I have been using the YouTube app on my phone for a long time now. When I am working on a knitting project and get stuck because I don't know how to do a particular stitch, YouTube is my go-to app. I even have my favorite "knitting help people" highlighted, so there is no more stress in trying to figure things out. There are literally thousands of video clips out there on YouTube for all things craft-related.

Animoto Video:
My Fabulous Video

Thing 8: Health and Wellness

I recognized MapMyWalk - it is just like MapMyRun, which I have already used quite a bit.  This is a very helpful app that I would recommend to anyone.  Very user-friendly, and I just learned that it can connect to my fitbit.  (We get Amazon gift cards for all of the steps/mileage we log, through an incentive program with my husband's health insurance program!)

I decided to learn something new and download the Omvana app onto my phone.  I have been trying to be more "mindful" in everything I do, and I think this app will really help with that.  I especially like the "mixer" feature - pairing the ambient sounds with a person's voice leading me through the meditation.  Many of the tracks are free, but I see in the reviews that there are many paid-for tracks that people seem to love.  I see that "Balance and Heal" costs $.99, and it claims to be able to "balance the right and left sides of your brain so you can function at an optimal level."  I could certainly use some more balance!

I think I've found another "keeper" with this app.

Thing 7: Books and Reading

I started this Thing by downloading the Kindle app to my phone.  I knew right away that this is an app that I will use all the time.  I borrow a lot of library books on my Kindle at home, so I already have an account set up through Amazon. The best part about using the app is the "Whispersync" feature - the app took me to the exact spot in my Kindle book where I left off last night!  In fact, the whole interface looks exactly like a miniature version of my Kindle's screen, which is still very readable on my LG phone.  Yay!  I'm very comfortable when things are familiar like that.  I also discovered that the app makes it very easy to highlight sentences and paragraphs to refer to later.  This will come in handy when I get ready to type up the book's review in my Goodreads account. It will be good to have all of these tricks in my back pocket for my ebook visits to the schools, where kids are using all kinds of devices.

Then I tried accessing my Zinio account on the staff ipad.  (The app was already downloaded for me.) I have not found Zinio to be user-friendly in the past, and did have a tough time getting to my account.  Luckily Erika is here today and helped me persist until I figured it out - I felt like I needed to give it an honest effort since there are patrons who will want to know about Zinio.  I finally accessed my account, and now am super excited to get my monthly copies of Taste of Home and Reader's Digest, without having the "dead tree versions" lying around my house.  I hate creating clutter for magazines like that, that I will read once and then feel guilty for wasting the paper.

Thing 6:  Notes and Productivity

I used to have an iPhone, and really loved having Siri available.  However, when I switched to an android phone, I knew that I would miss Siri.  I didn't think to try a "voice to text" app until 23 Things came along!  I downloaded the Dragon Dictation app, but soon realized that that app doesn't work with the androids.  Katherine was super helpful me access the Dragon Mobile Assistant instead.
It took just a little experimenting to figure out how it will work for me, but I think this is something I will stick with and actually use.  I learned that Dragon doesn't like to "take notes", but is really good at listening to me remind myself to do something later and then sending it to me in a text, all without my having to type.  I also practiced dictating things to add to my calendar (also in an app on my phone), and asking Dragon to find places nearby, such as restaurants.

I don't love typing on my new android phone - I think my hands are too small.  So I will continue to use Dragon.  Also, Katherine says that it will get more used to my voice as I use it more, and like anything else, practice makes perfect!

Thing 5: Maps

I thought I was already an expert on using Google Maps on my phone, but after doing some more exploration for this activity, I learned some new things!  I discovered the "Explore Around You" link that shows up at the bottom of the map when you type in a search for a destination.  It gives you choices in distance categories - places of interest within 5 or 10 minutes of walking, or 10 or 20 minutes of driving.  I could definitely see myself using this when I am in an unfamiliar area and am looking for a coffee shop, book store, gas station, etc.

I tried using the microphone to navigate to someone's house I needed to reach in the Geist area.  For me, it is really just about the same thing as typing in the address, since I am not coordinated enough to talk into my phone and drive at the same time.   But overall, when I am on the road, I definitely prefer the Google Maps' navigation to the app that my LG phone provides.  I haven't figured out a way to make the LG navigation "talk" to me, and I am very comfortable with Google Maps' audio directions.  I have to admit that I am finally a convert when it comes to the map app.  For many years, I had insisted on using physical maps that I had printed out, but I have moved past that.

I briefly looked at the other activities listed for Thing 5, but decided to just stick with Google Maps for my phone.  I will tell my husband about Waze though, as he has a fairly brutal commute down to Speedway every day, and traffic conditions are definitely an issue for him.

Added note:  I just saw an article in the January 19, 2015 edition of Publisher's Weekly, titled "Map vs. App".  Very timely!  Map vs. App  I guess the printed road atlases are still quite popular.  I agree that it can be very handy, not having to worry about GPS signals or a dead cell phone battery.

Thing 4: Social Reading

It was easy to decide which activity to try for this Thing.  I have used Pinterest for many months now - mostly for gathering ideas rather than storing them on my boards.  Most of my preschool storytime ideas come from Pinterest these days, especially crafts.  It seems that I can always find exactly what I need.  I think I need to start pinning more of the things I find though.  For me, this is much more useful than storing ideas in the network (in files) on my computer.  I prefer the more visual format in Pinterest.

One thing I really like about Pinterest is that when other people find interesting ideas for me, they can send me a note within Pinterest, and then I can easily transfer the idea to one of my boards.  For example, Jennifer H. has led me to some really fun knitting projects, such as this mandrake root:


Doesn't every Harry Potter fan need one of these knitted up for them?

Back to Pinterest though.  I hadn't updated my profile picture for years and years, so I finally put in a new photo.  I also included some basic info for the "About Me" section.  I was happy to see that you could only use 160 characters so it was quick and easy.

Thing 3: Utilities

I can see that I am going to like using the Key Ring app.  Downloading it was very easy to do, and thanks to the issues already brought to my attention by Holly and Christy on their blogs, I went right to the correct self-check stations to practice checking out materials from our library.  (Apparently not all of the self-check stations work well with this app.)

I also loaded my key tag numbers for LA Fitness and Kroger, the other two places that I frequently need to scan my bar codes.  Then I went to my Key Ring "dashboard" on my computer, and clicked on the "Weekly Sales" tab.  I really like this feature - all of the paper ads in the Sunday newspaper really drive me nuts.  I would love to be able to throw all of those ads right into the recycle bin.  (I do still like to read the print newpaper though.)

About the Weather app featured in "Thing 3" - I tried the Weather Kitty app that Katherine H. mentioned in her blog, and I am completely hooked.  I think everyone should have this app on their phone!  The kitties are adorable, and I like the format of the weather updates.

Thing 2 - Photos

For this "Thing," I downloaded Instagram on my phone and started playing with it.  I can see the appeal for this app for people who love to share their photos.  However, I realized that I am more of a "play with the photos and make a collage" kind of person, so I also explored Pic Stitch.  I had a lot of fun with all of the borders, stickers, overlays, etc.  I was happy to see that a lot of these are free, so I could at least try a few out.

For my "Weaver Pets" collage, I experimented with all of the options.  I especially liked Vignette border - you can see it really well in the photo of Wonder Woman (the black cat).

Then I exported my collage to Instagram and Tumblr, in my effort to get it onto this blog.  Of course, then I realized that I could have skipped those steps.  I'm hoping to take less time to get it all together when it comes time for Thing 3!

Thing One

I created a blog back when we did the Web Adventure, but honestly haven't given much thought to it once that program was over.  Now that I have a smartphone, I do see that a blog is something I would actually enjoy posting to from time to time, as I definitely need to do something with the photos that I take!  For now, the photos just sit there on my phone.  But like others, I do prefer typing on the desktop keyboard to using my phone.  I follow several librarians' blogs for storytime ideas and to find out about new materials to add to our collections.   Here are a couple that I follow:

Anne's Library Life

Ask a Tech Teacher

For Thing One I also explored Tumblr, set up an account, and even installed the app on my phone, but decided I just feel a lot more comfortable with Blogger.  I'm not giving up on Tumblr yet...