I had experimented with Animoto on exercise #20 in the original iHCPL. The instructions on the site are easy to follow.
I was amazed at how versatile the Jump Cut site is. Remixing is lots of fun. I thought the editing tools were easy to use. I added color and spin to a video of 3 little kittens on the site to give it a more interesting look. The kittens had red circles floating around them.
I like the feature on Windows Movie maker that allows you to create a video greeting card. What a clever idea.
Using the editing tools in Windows Movie maker for library projects would be a great idea. We could create a video and put it online from an author event. Patrons will be more aware of what they have missed and want to attend the next time a similar event is held.
Being told to put on your seatbelts and hang on because this was a lengthy segment was such a true statement. This segment was very, very long. The voice and the mouse movements in the demo were not in sinc so that was challenging just to follow along.
But I did it. I finished it and I even made a short movie clip. I am so thrilled.
It can be seen at YouTube
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
#44 Consumer How to & Make
My topic of choice was: How to hang Drywall on walls and ceilings. Hummm!! Does that tell you anything about what’s happening in my life. Although I would not physically be able to complete such a large project on my own or even with help, the visuals and printed instructions were extremely well done on some of the sites. I will highly recommend these sites to my favorite handyman. A person could understand how to get the materials and necessary tools for their project with the information provided on these sites. At the very least, they would have an idea what a project of this magnitude would cost after researching these sites for information.
Instructables didn’t appeal to me. I was not impressed with this site; the search engine did not provide information specific to my project.
I thought eHow and WikkiHow were the best sites. They both have excellent search engines. HowStuffWorks includes illustrations with their printed instructions.
Quamat did not have a good search engine. It found results for Dry Wall such as “dry the wall with a clean dry cloth”.
Video Jug had incredible color and topics but not what I needed. The search engine found these results for dry wall “installing shelves on dry wall”.
Expert Village had pictures and audio that were amazingly clear on the videos, but like Video Jug did not have results for the topic I wanted.
For the do-it-yourself person, there is a wealth of great information on the internet today.
Instructables didn’t appeal to me. I was not impressed with this site; the search engine did not provide information specific to my project.
I thought eHow and WikkiHow were the best sites. They both have excellent search engines. HowStuffWorks includes illustrations with their printed instructions.
Quamat did not have a good search engine. It found results for Dry Wall such as “dry the wall with a clean dry cloth”.
Video Jug had incredible color and topics but not what I needed. The search engine found these results for dry wall “installing shelves on dry wall”.
Expert Village had pictures and audio that were amazingly clear on the videos, but like Video Jug did not have results for the topic I wanted.
For the do-it-yourself person, there is a wealth of great information on the internet today.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
#43 Consumer's How to - Buying and Selling
I have used Ebay a lot and I love it. It is easy to navigate within the site. As a new buyer or seller, you have to build up your reputation. When you are quick to pay, you earn points for that. When you are quick to ship an item and it is received as advertised, you get points for that as well. The better your reputation is, the more others want to do business with you. Feedback is important because everyone sees it on the Ebay site. I have bought everything from shoes to DVDs.
It is a great resource for Christmas gifts and saves on shopping at the mall. Setting up a paypal account is the best way to purchase items and the fastest. The seller does not have to wait for payment through the mail and you do not have to wait longer for items to be shipped out.
I have used craigslist to a lesser degree, but have searched on it a lot to see what is available. I have been looking at materials in the Houston area to use in a personal home construction. I found flooring, light fixtures and kitchen cabinets. I can see the pictures of the items and then decide if it is worthwhile to go view and purchase them.
It is a great resource for Christmas gifts and saves on shopping at the mall. Setting up a paypal account is the best way to purchase items and the fastest. The seller does not have to wait for payment through the mail and you do not have to wait longer for items to be shipped out.
I have used craigslist to a lesser degree, but have searched on it a lot to see what is available. I have been looking at materials in the Houston area to use in a personal home construction. I found flooring, light fixtures and kitchen cabinets. I can see the pictures of the items and then decide if it is worthwhile to go view and purchase them.
Monday, January 12, 2009
#42 Staying Well
The symptom checker seemed accurate for my purposes. I selected particular symptoms related to TMJ and to Ear Infections because these are disorders I am familiar with. It appeared to be right on target as to the diagnosis of the symptoms.
I was surprised there were numerous resources to assist with TMJ within 10 miles of my apartment. When I lived in West Houston, there was only one dental specialist who could assist with TMJ.
Connecting your medical profile with genealogy can show your predisposition for certain illnesses. When I found the cause of death for one of my mother's grandfathers(Pneumonia and Asthma), it showed me the origins of my past medical history of childhood asthma.
Documenting personal medical history and info is important for your family. My husband would not even know my doctor's name or who to contact in an emergency.
I was surprised there were numerous resources to assist with TMJ within 10 miles of my apartment. When I lived in West Houston, there was only one dental specialist who could assist with TMJ.
Connecting your medical profile with genealogy can show your predisposition for certain illnesses. When I found the cause of death for one of my mother's grandfathers(Pneumonia and Asthma), it showed me the origins of my past medical history of childhood asthma.
Documenting personal medical history and info is important for your family. My husband would not even know my doctor's name or who to contact in an emergency.
#41 Going Green Part 2
I have just recently begun to recycle aluminum cans again. The price varies but it sure feels good to know I am doing my little part. My daughter and her sons began recycling about the same time I did and use the money to buy special treats. We all feel it is a great way to teach children ...and ourselves to be more environmentally conscious.
When we lived up north, there was no trash pickup service unless you paid a hefty price for it. We had to recycle all our paper, plastic, cans, foil and sort it out when we got to the recycling center. If you had common kitchen trash, you had to buy special trash bags from the grocer to put it in. It would take a much bigger committment on my part to go back to total recycling, but I know I need to do it again and the world needs me to do it.
A great way to handle junk mail is to take it to a recyling center after it has been shredded, then they can sell it to businesses for packing purposes.
When we lived up north, there was no trash pickup service unless you paid a hefty price for it. We had to recycle all our paper, plastic, cans, foil and sort it out when we got to the recycling center. If you had common kitchen trash, you had to buy special trash bags from the grocer to put it in. It would take a much bigger committment on my part to go back to total recycling, but I know I need to do it again and the world needs me to do it.
A great way to handle junk mail is to take it to a recyling center after it has been shredded, then they can sell it to businesses for packing purposes.
#41 Going Green Part 1
My green lifestyle numbers(carbon footprint)are:5.3 metro tons of CO2 per year and the usual is 9.44.(2.4 at home, 1.8 on the road and 1.2 in the air.)I do not drive very much and only fly twice per year on short trips. I am conservative with the heat and air as well as washing dishes by hand instead of using the dishwasher.
One of the ways we save on electricity is very simple. We asked our apartment complex to install 2 light switches on the inside by the front door. If I am coming home late at night, I can switch an outside fluorescent bulb on but turn it off on the days when I come home in the daylight. The other switch is for a floor lamp so I can turn it on as soon as I walk in the front door so I do not have to stumble in the dark. That way I do not have to leave lights on all day just to assist my entrance into the apartment when I come home at night.
We changed all our light bulbs to the new green fluorescent bulbs not long ago. They are not only more efficient but do not burn out as often as regular bulbs so that takes fewer replacement bulbs.
It's the little things that count. GO GREEN!!!
As to greening my diet: When I was growing up, my family and I always went to the Farmers Market. We lived in the city and only grew a few tomato plants in our backyard. The fresh fruit and veggies were wonderful. Quite often we would take a weekend outing to pick peaches and berries right from the trees and vines. Those were some great family times as well as ways to get fresh items for our meals.
I have to admit I frequented the farmers market much more when we lived in the New England area. That was partly due to what a treat farm grown food was as opposed to buying at the grocers. It was also a way to celebrate the onset of warm weather and the absence of snow and the cold.
I have gotten away from visiting the farmers market because it is just easier to run to the grocer and be done with it, but I sure miss the fun and the taste of fresh veggies and fruit. Pennington Farms in East Texas are known for their fresh items, so I make sure to grab a watermelon at the Melon Shed when they are in season(June through September). They advertise themselves as having the freshest peanuts and melons around.
One of the ways we save on electricity is very simple. We asked our apartment complex to install 2 light switches on the inside by the front door. If I am coming home late at night, I can switch an outside fluorescent bulb on but turn it off on the days when I come home in the daylight. The other switch is for a floor lamp so I can turn it on as soon as I walk in the front door so I do not have to stumble in the dark. That way I do not have to leave lights on all day just to assist my entrance into the apartment when I come home at night.
We changed all our light bulbs to the new green fluorescent bulbs not long ago. They are not only more efficient but do not burn out as often as regular bulbs so that takes fewer replacement bulbs.
It's the little things that count. GO GREEN!!!
As to greening my diet: When I was growing up, my family and I always went to the Farmers Market. We lived in the city and only grew a few tomato plants in our backyard. The fresh fruit and veggies were wonderful. Quite often we would take a weekend outing to pick peaches and berries right from the trees and vines. Those were some great family times as well as ways to get fresh items for our meals.
I have to admit I frequented the farmers market much more when we lived in the New England area. That was partly due to what a treat farm grown food was as opposed to buying at the grocers. It was also a way to celebrate the onset of warm weather and the absence of snow and the cold.
I have gotten away from visiting the farmers market because it is just easier to run to the grocer and be done with it, but I sure miss the fun and the taste of fresh veggies and fruit. Pennington Farms in East Texas are known for their fresh items, so I make sure to grab a watermelon at the Melon Shed when they are in season(June through September). They advertise themselves as having the freshest peanuts and melons around.
#40 Wellness - Fitness
I was not surprised at my BMI. I know it tends to be a bit high.
I enjoyed answering the life expectancy questionnaire. In spite of my tendency to be too sedentary,my health age is 20 years younger than my actual age since I have no diseases or health issues.
The articles that were particulary helpful were the Office Exercises and the Five quick exercises you can do at your desk including leg and arm lifts as well as stress relievers. Flexing the neck muscles is a real tension reliever and works well for me.
Combining these ideas with the nutritional ideas has me more willing than ever to move forward with my fitness goals.
I enjoyed answering the life expectancy questionnaire. In spite of my tendency to be too sedentary,my health age is 20 years younger than my actual age since I have no diseases or health issues.
The articles that were particulary helpful were the Office Exercises and the Five quick exercises you can do at your desk including leg and arm lifts as well as stress relievers. Flexing the neck muscles is a real tension reliever and works well for me.
Combining these ideas with the nutritional ideas has me more willing than ever to move forward with my fitness goals.
#39 Wellness - Nutrition
I took some time to study many of the features at NutritionData.com, and I was very impressed. I have known for some time, I need to walk on a more regular basis. I have an indoor area where I can walk so the weather is no longer an excuse for not exercising. I was so motivated with this website, I ordered a Pedometer so I could measure all my steps. I even got free shipping. The SPORTLINE 340 GO WALKING model I chose had good reviews. It said I had to walk 10,000 steps per day for 4 weeks and I would be on my way to being a fitter person. That means about 1 1/2 hours per day. The suggestion was to walk 30 minutes at lunchtime and 30 minutes at dinner. The remaining 30 minutes of activity during the day could be using the stairs and walking whenever possible. I usually have to park far from the building at work anyway, so that will get in a few more steps. After the first week, I need to step up my walking plan to include hills, inclines and additional stair climbing. Another suggestion was to wear a backpack to add some weight as I walk so I burn more calories. So I will let you know in 4 weeks what is happening in Fitness Land.
One of the snacks I love are nuts of any kind, without salt added. On the website, it said they have 51 grams of fat for 1 cup but you have to analyze that further. They are very low in carbs and although high in fat, they are low in Saturated fat and have no trans fats. They are a relatively good source of protein and have a decent fullness factor. I discovered they are also a good source of some vitamins and minerals. So in moderation, nuts are not as bad as they are portrayed.
My recipe on Recipes.Sparkpeople.com,was guacamole. Here are the results for 4 servings using one avocado and fat free mayo: Calories 98.8 per serving
Total Fat 9.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.6 g
Cholesterol 0.4 mg,Sodium 34.6 mg,Potassium 293.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.5 g,Dietary Fiber 4.0 g,Sugars 0.4 g
Highest in Vitamin B-6 8.3 %,Vitamin C 8.4 %,Folate 12.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.4 %
One of the snacks I love are nuts of any kind, without salt added. On the website, it said they have 51 grams of fat for 1 cup but you have to analyze that further. They are very low in carbs and although high in fat, they are low in Saturated fat and have no trans fats. They are a relatively good source of protein and have a decent fullness factor. I discovered they are also a good source of some vitamins and minerals. So in moderation, nuts are not as bad as they are portrayed.
My recipe on Recipes.Sparkpeople.com,was guacamole. Here are the results for 4 servings using one avocado and fat free mayo: Calories 98.8 per serving
Total Fat 9.0 g
Saturated Fat 1.2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.6 g
Cholesterol 0.4 mg,Sodium 34.6 mg,Potassium 293.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5.5 g,Dietary Fiber 4.0 g,Sugars 0.4 g
Highest in Vitamin B-6 8.3 %,Vitamin C 8.4 %,Folate 12.8 %
Pantothenic Acid 8.4 %
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