I am a life tracker and I mostly track my health. I use a couple of apps:

1. Runkeeper - to log my walks, runs and rides
2. Mynetdiary - food diary and calorie tracker

to monitor my progress and keep me on track. 

Recently I have joined Fitocracy it is a social network and game that encourages you to get fit. Essentially for every activity you undertake you get points. If you complete a quest or reach an achievement you get extra points and badges.  If you use Runkeeper you can share data with Fitocracy and you can log your activites more easily. I am currenlty on level 6. Oh yeah! 

I haven't been on there for long but it is much more fun with friends and there are quite a few library folk there. I have joined a number of groups mostly scifi related. Yes I am a geek! So if you are interested in giving it a go. I have invites. 

this is a *happy dance* 100 people registered for #libcampoz! #library #unconference librarycampaustralia.com - see you there?

— LibCamp Australia (@LibCampOz) January 8, 2012

Today I learned how to embed a tweet into a blog post thanks to my colleague @bonitoclub who sent me the link to a tutorial on Lifehacker. Very useful.

Try it!

 

One of the best ways I have found to learn about new technology and apps is to play. I know for many play is a loaded word. For me the play is semi-structured. I have joined two challenges for 2012. 

The first is the 2012 Photo a day Challenge. Last year I participated in Daily Image 2011 and I actually really enjoyed it. I am less afraid of the camera and being the subject of photos after a year of taking self-portraits. I have found that I am still taking self-portraits in 2012 but with the #2012pad challenge I can add photos with any subject matter. 

The second challenge is another photo challenge. It is called Friday Photos 2012 where each week you can post up to three photos on a particular theme. The first theme is beginnings, apt for the new year. 

Recently I joined Path. It is a great social network for me as it really is photo-based. As you can probably tell - I love to take photos. I am an avid Instagramer (IGer) too! I have met some wonderful local people on instawalks.

I don't have many friends in Path yet as I have just joined however I will let you know how it goes. 

My three tips for learning about new technology are: 

1. Learn with friends/peers
2. Set yourself a challenge
3. Learn about technology that has something to do with one of your passions! 

Below is a collection of the images I have taken over the last week. It is not too late to join these challenges if you are interested. 

Peace.

 

 

In 2011 I participated in #dailyimage2011 where a bunch of library folk from around the globe posted daily images. This is my last for the year.

To see the whole set visit: http://www.flickr.com/groups/dailyimage2011/

Happy new year everyone...

When I walked down the laneway at the end of Bowling Green Street I was delighted to see new street art. It made my day... I love Melbourne. 

 

Inspired by my visit to Bryon Bay here are the haiku I wrote while there:

Be well.

Today my gratitude goes out to the the lovely @jessincanberra who I met at the New Librarians' Symposium in Perth. As well as sharing a passion for libraries we share a passion for craft and a love of buttons. 

Jessica was wearing one of the most beautiful vintage button chokers on day 2 of the conference. I adored it. I am so grateful that she agreed to make me a choker in exchange for one of my amigurumi. 

Be well. 

 

 

Today I am grateful for the stealthful street artists of Melbourne. Nearly everyday I discover a new piece that has magically appeared in a laneway or street. I am partial to paste-ups and sticker bombs. Although I saw a council worker cleaning stickers off a lamp post the other day and did feel really sorry for them. It would be a thankless task.

Recently I had a chat with a crew who is responsible for some great art in Footscray. They ask permission of local store owners to put art on the side of their buildings and most are supportive. Places like Hosier Lane are incredible and for an iphonograher like me heaven. 

Take a walk around Melbourne and you will see numerous examples of awesome street art. I have also noticed more yarn bombing appearing on the streets, as a crafter I must say I am a big fan.

Whatever your views are on graffiti are, one of the things that makes Melbourne such a vibrant and livable city is street art. I am fortunate to work close to a new gallery in Prahran called Rtist which specialises in street art. Every few weeks when their exhibitions change I get to see some incredible street art.  

 

A big thank you. Peace.

Today I did a wonderful, guided walking meditation. Essentially, it was like being in a computer game where I shot positive feelings at people I passed on my walk. It made me smile to think of positive-thought lasers hitting people rowing, walking, running and riding past me. 

I also realised that I often make judgements about people as I past them. Who I am I to judge? I am going to make a real effort to stop and focus on using my postive-thought laser. 

If I see you on my walk I may be shooting you full of positive feelings, just imagine swimming in "positive slime" like the closing scenes of Ghostbusters II. 

The meditation is part of a series of guided meditations on my favourite new app buddhify.  I am so grateful that I get to walk along the Yarra River most days. It is incredibly beautiful and sets me up for the working day ahead. 

Be well and send me positive feelings I am off to do a reference desk shift. 

 

 

Today I am grateful for my daughter's dog Yumi because she loves us all unconditionally and is always so pleased to see us. Her favourite place in the world besides with her parents is lying on my bed looking out the window. 

When Boo passed away I couldn't contemplate getting another dog but as fate would have I didn't have to, Billie came home with Yumi. She is now 9 1/2 months old and huge. 

She can be really annoying but I do love her. My other daughter Lucy rescued a dog recently, his name is Bundy. I have only met him once but I am sure he will enrich our lives too.

Peace