Stumbling around the web
It's Sunday evening; we have another snow day tomorrow so I thought I'd blog.
I've been taking classes since last summer. I love taking classes; I should probably just be a professional student. Most of the classes have involved using technology in the classroom. One class in particular focused on Professional Learning Communities (PLN)--those things we had in the old days when we'd call up a friend, parent, aunt, mentor and ask a question. Now with the world wide web, we can be connected to anyone. One purpose of the class was to set up a PLN and organize it somehow. We learned about all kinds of cool tools for organizing stuff on the web like delicious and pearl trees. I wasn't too hip on any method of organizing my web searches. I just use bookmarks and go from there. Every so often I go through my bookmarks and weed and organize. A colleague showed me that I could use google bookmarks--that way my bookmarks are where ever I can sign in to my google account. I like that idea and am slowly converting over. But recently I discovered stumbleupon. I can't even remember how I discovered it but it is a fantastic site for just what I want. I created a free account and then started stumbling. I love the name! I answered a few questions about my interests, clicked stumble and up popped cool web sites that I might be interested in. I click like or dislike and it fine tunes my stumbling. I installed the toolbar so when I find sites on my own, I can mark them as favorites. I have found some really interesting things.
One in particular is a blog about practical living tips. One post was titled "50 things Everyone Should Know How to Do." That post really intrigued me.The blog is more than a list; it has links to sites on how to do those 50 things. I've just included the list. Here's the list, commentary to follow:
I've been taking classes since last summer. I love taking classes; I should probably just be a professional student. Most of the classes have involved using technology in the classroom. One class in particular focused on Professional Learning Communities (PLN)--those things we had in the old days when we'd call up a friend, parent, aunt, mentor and ask a question. Now with the world wide web, we can be connected to anyone. One purpose of the class was to set up a PLN and organize it somehow. We learned about all kinds of cool tools for organizing stuff on the web like delicious and pearl trees. I wasn't too hip on any method of organizing my web searches. I just use bookmarks and go from there. Every so often I go through my bookmarks and weed and organize. A colleague showed me that I could use google bookmarks--that way my bookmarks are where ever I can sign in to my google account. I like that idea and am slowly converting over. But recently I discovered stumbleupon. I can't even remember how I discovered it but it is a fantastic site for just what I want. I created a free account and then started stumbling. I love the name! I answered a few questions about my interests, clicked stumble and up popped cool web sites that I might be interested in. I click like or dislike and it fine tunes my stumbling. I installed the toolbar so when I find sites on my own, I can mark them as favorites. I have found some really interesting things.
One in particular is a blog about practical living tips. One post was titled "50 things Everyone Should Know How to Do." That post really intrigued me.The blog is more than a list; it has links to sites on how to do those 50 things. I've just included the list. Here's the list, commentary to follow:
1. Build a Fire
2. Operate a Computer
3. Use Google Effectively
4. Perform CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver
5. Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle
6. Do Basic Cooking
7. Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention
8. Win or Avoid a Fistfight
9. Deliver Bad News
10. Change a Tire
11. Handle a Job Interview
12. Manage Time
13. Speed Read
14. Remember Names
15. Relocate Living Spaces
16. Travel Light
17. Handle the Police
18. Give Driving Directions
19. Perform Basic First Aid
20. Swim
21. Parallel Park
22. Recognize Personal Alcohol Limits
23. Select Good Produce
24. Handle a Hammer, Axe or Handsaw
25. Make a Simple Budget
26. Speak at Least Two Common Languages
27. Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly
28. Give a Compliment
29. Negotiate
30. Listen Carefully to Others
31. Recite Basic Geography
32. Paint a Room
33. Make a Short, Informative Public Speech
34. Smile for the Camera
35. Flirt Without Looking Ridiculous
36. Take Useful Notes
37. Be a Respectful House Guest
38. Make a Good First Impression
39. Navigate with a Map and Compass
40. Sew a Button onto Clothing
41. Hook Up a Basic Home Theater System
42. Type
43. Protect Personal Identity Information
44. Implement Basic Computer Security Best Practices
45. Detect a Lie
46. End a Date Politely Without Making Promises
47. Remove a Stain
48. Keep a Clean House
49. Hold a Baby
50. Jump Start a Car
I can, in some form, do all of the above except 8, 10, and 41. I hope I can avoid a fistfight but I really don't want to test that one. I know I should know how to change a tire but that's what I have AAA for so it's probably not gonna happen at this stage of my life. And I don't know or see a need to know how to install a home theater system. I think I can live without that one. I also don't need #22 but I do know my personal alcohol limits--that would be none! Interestingly I learned #1,4,19 as a teen from LDS girl's camp. I also learned #42, typing, in high school. I count my class in typing as the most important and most used class I've ever taken. That skill got me through college in the pre-word processor days. Also in college I learned #5 and perfected #36--thank you Roy and Ms. Shaw respectively. I am not fluent in 2 languages (#26) but can understand and speak some Spanish. #33 I learned as a five-year-old--thank you LDS Primary. No comments from my children about #17. I've been stopped by the police, due to my speeding inclination, more times than I can count. But thankfully I've never been hauled away in their car. And #49 is my all-time favorite thing to do. Can there be anything better than holding a baby? I would include to the list adding an attachment to an email. How many can you do and what would you take away or add?
Comments
49 is my favorite too.