Technology

I was going to just go ahead and let my Flickr post count as my technology post (Thing #7), but that felt like cheating to me, especially because I was already familiar with Flickr. So instead, I've decided just kind of ramble and pose a question to you.

I'm getting in on this topic WAY late, but here I go anyway. It's been widely discussed that technology, with all of the conveniences that it provides, will be the downfall of our society. I'm just wondering how others feel about this subject.

Those who argue against technology say that while gaining technological advancements, we're losing freedoms. Without technology, would anything like The Patriot Act even be possible?

German philosopher Martin Heidegger made the consideration that we were "...chained to technology, whether we passionately affirm or deny it." Many of us can relate to checking emails several times a day, or not being able to leave the house without our cell phone. I get strange looks when I tell someone that I don't have cable, and I have a friend who gets it even worse when she mentions that there's no television in her home.

Others say that certain technologies make social interaction far less personal. Email, texting, chat rooms, and online forums make having to actually get out there and meet people less appealing. It's easier and in many ways more comfortable to sit at home and converse on your own terms. Do you think that we're raising a new generation of socially inept children? Will our children suffer because of the amenities we're providing?

I'm still unsure as to how I feel on this subject. I don't really have strong feelings either way. While I use many of today's modern conveniences and will say that I do have a great appreciation for technology, it does seem that sometimes life feels burdened with the "conveniences" we've chosen to use. Your thoughts???

Fun with Flickr

I've been using Flickr for a while now, after having seen it being used on friends' blogs. I admit that I don't upload my pictures to Flickr regularly, as that requires extra time and effort that I don't usually allot to myself. I do like that Flickr makes sharing photos with family and friends easy, but my family and friends didn't like the fact that when I invited them to view my Flickr account for the first time, they had to register for a Yahoo! account in order to become a member.

I'd never checked out the mashups or 3rd party sites associated with Flickr, and now I'm sorry I didn't! There are some really cool things available to mess around with. I figured out how to make a photo bar and I was able to place it at the bottom of my blog. It has a few random pictures from my Flickr photostream, and a link to my Flickr photos. Check it out! My children and I had fun making up thoughts and conversations for people and things in pictures that we found on Flickr using Bubblr.

Bubblr is a fun way to create comic strips using pictures that you find on Flickr. All public photos on Flickr are available for your use, all you need is a little time. We made a really funny strip using a few pictures of horses playing. One of the horses had a crazy looking mane that stood straight up, kind of like a mohawk. We had him trying to impress the filly by having Sanjaya style his hair. It was funny, but we accidentally closed out the window and lost it forever. So we made another one, just one panel, using a picture that we found after searching for photos by using the word "reading". It's not as funny, but this is what we came up with:



So I guess having done that, I've accomplished things 5 and 6 on the list.

I've completed the first two items on the list. I read the blog about the program, and must say that I'm looking forward to learning those things on the list that I know nothing about, as they are things that I've always wanted to learn but never given myself the time to do so. I also watched the Lifelong Learning tutorial.

Lifelong learning is a huge priority for me, as my grandmother's mind has been ravaged by Alzheimer's and I plan to do everything I can to preserve my cognitive abilities. Lifelong learning is the first key offered in staying mentally active in the Alzheimer's Association's Maintain Your Brain campaign. One of the points stressed in the Lifelong Learning tutorial that really stayed with me is that with lifelong learning, YOU are in control of YOUR outcome. That's really important to understand. It seems that many people in this area have been bitten by the cynicism bug. In an area that at times seems filled with pessimism and depression, it's often difficult to find people that follow up their complaints with action. One of my pet peeves is when people whine about their circumstances, but do nothing to change them. If we can only get people to grasp the fact they THEY control the outcomes of their lives, our world could be a very different place.

The easiest of the habits for me is number three: View Problems as Challenges. I strongly believe that adversity breeds strength, and while it may be difficult to realize while you are dealing with a "problem", every situation offers an opportunity for growth and learning. It took many of those adverse situations for me to be able to come to the point where I now realize that I am a better person and appreciate things in life more because of the challenges I've faced to this point in my life.

Habit number four (Have Confidence in Yourself as a Competent, Effective Learner) is the biggest challenge for me. While I have great patience for others, I have very little for myself. I get very easily frustrated with myself if I don't catch on to a new concept quickly, and oftentimes will just give up or avoid situations in which I don't think I will be successful. Somewhat hypocritical after having stated previously that I know that every situation in life is a learning experience, but hey, why frustrate myself if I don't have to? Haha! I lack confidence in my abilities and knowledge, and realizing the root of my fears, it's something I'm working on to change.

I did briefly go through the Learning Contract, and what seemed most important to me were the goal and the signature. My goal is to be able to complete and become proficient in all twenty three things. The signature struck me as being important because it means that I am making a commitment to myself. As a wife, mother, friend, sister and employee, my societal roles leave me little time to do anything for myself. Realizing that this is a choice that I make, rather than something that is forced upon me, I am making the choice to give myself the time to learn these twenty three things, and hopefully be inspired to learn more once I am finished.

Let's do this!

I'm eager to get started learning the 23 things!

I've been a blogger for a few years now, and have actually used blogger.com as a host for my blog in the past. I currently use MSN Spaces and MySpace for online communication and keeping in touch with friends and family. I was far more active in the world of blogging when I was a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) and had a bit more time on my hands. Having re-entered the workforce a little over a year ago, I've had to put blogging (among other things) on the backburner.

I'll be working on the 7 1/2 Habits and will post again once I complete the tutorial. Happy learning, everyone!