I am all about saving a couple trees here and there and I find online banking suitable for my needs. I spend the majority of my time in front of my computer and I never carry cash. I use online banking to send myself reminders when bills are due and automatically transfer money to savings twice a month. My bank does not charge for online banking and I feel it is beneficial for both parties because you save them paper, ink and postage AND you save time. However, this may infringe on the need of bank tellers thus creating a job shortage and such.
I am not too worried about using sites to manage my accounts b/c I feel that my online information is already susceptible to tampering and third party views. This may be naive of me but most banks have some level of protection against identity theft. I decided to create a profile with Mint and received a couple of emails about my weekly expenses. I haven't seen the full potential it offers and plan to cancel the account b/c I don't have time or interest to add in monthly bills that do not extract from my bank account. I think online banking is sufficient use for now. I set up automatic transfers from my checking account to my savings and I also get email reminders when I have bills to pay.
After reading the Consumers Report on spending less, I feel a bit more confident about my spending habit. I recently purchased a water pitcher for myself and my mother for Mother's Day. We constantly purchased water bottles and I've been told that is one habit good to nix b/c of the plastic waste. I definitely think I can be more careful with my debit card as well. At times, I withdraw money but don't make an effort to find my bank's ATM. I've noticed the fees add up fast.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
#55: Facebook Challenge
Unfortunately, I have a Facebook account so that I can tinker with the library's page. Its not that I don't like Facebook; I jumped on the social network bandwagon with Myspace and I am used to their layout and features.
But I do admit, I get sucked into the endless memes in Facebook and write my status practically on a daily basis and leave comments on other people's profiles.
Today, I used the Friend Finder for my high school classmates in 2000. I found a good number of people and sent requests to add them. I don't really know if "knowing" them on Facebook will deem beneficial but it never hurts, right? Besides, either party can choose to ignore the add or the user entirely. It is nice to have someone find you though. Recently a friend that I knew in my art class befriended me in Facebook and she is now a missionary. I feel that it was kismet to cross paths b/c I am contemplating volunteering abroad when I graduate.
As for applications, I have trouble deciphering these. I've taken the occasional quiz and when I try to send it to friends or get my results, I get an error page. However, when I go back to my homepage, the results are posted. I recently added the Living Social: Books application which I haven't perused much but I like sharing my reads with friends. I also updated my Flixster application and added a couple of my favorite movies to my list. I want to see if I can add my Netflix info onto FB which would be great!
I know some people feel that social networking is lame or for losers. I am even reading articles for class that debate whether the internet is a good or bad thing for individuals. In my opinion, I think everything has good and bad in it and everything can be enjoyed in moderation. Either way, Facebook and other networks make everyday life a little more lively.
But I do admit, I get sucked into the endless memes in Facebook and write my status practically on a daily basis and leave comments on other people's profiles.
Today, I used the Friend Finder for my high school classmates in 2000. I found a good number of people and sent requests to add them. I don't really know if "knowing" them on Facebook will deem beneficial but it never hurts, right? Besides, either party can choose to ignore the add or the user entirely. It is nice to have someone find you though. Recently a friend that I knew in my art class befriended me in Facebook and she is now a missionary. I feel that it was kismet to cross paths b/c I am contemplating volunteering abroad when I graduate.
As for applications, I have trouble deciphering these. I've taken the occasional quiz and when I try to send it to friends or get my results, I get an error page. However, when I go back to my homepage, the results are posted. I recently added the Living Social: Books application which I haven't perused much but I like sharing my reads with friends. I also updated my Flixster application and added a couple of my favorite movies to my list. I want to see if I can add my Netflix info onto FB which would be great!
I know some people feel that social networking is lame or for losers. I am even reading articles for class that debate whether the internet is a good or bad thing for individuals. In my opinion, I think everything has good and bad in it and everything can be enjoyed in moderation. Either way, Facebook and other networks make everyday life a little more lively.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
#54 Social Networking Through Books
Part 1: My thoughts on Book Clubs
I would love to join a book club but I never have the time to do so. I also think whenever I plan to read a book, I lose interest. The same applies for dieting and other stuff like mowing the lawn. If I say I will do it, I inadvertently don't. A close friend of mine started a book club that was supposed to read a book each month but we would meet every week and read short stories. As interesting as this was and fun to see friends every week, I was unable to commit to it.
Part 2: Implementing a Book Club
I think it would be easy to start up a book club, however, getting people to stick to their guns is another story. I feel like that my opinion and ideas are biased b/c I know the process of setting up a book club. The general public is unaware that they can book meeting rooms at the library. If I had time, I would love to set up a book club on romantic comedies or possibly books that were made into movies. I know one of branches does the books/movie adaptation and there is a database (Mid Continent I believe) that lists the books and movies.
The Houston Great Books Council site is useful; however I am sure they are many more book clubs in Houston. I looked at Meyerland Borders book selection which is appealing. They are currently reading The Best American Short Stories by John Updike.
Part 3: Testing
I decided to use the Dictionary of Failed Relationships as my test subject (and that is collecting dust somewhere in my home)and see if anyone has written reviews about it. On LibraryThing and Facebooks' Living Social, the book has a ~2.5 rating (out of 4). There were a couple of reviews on Facebook that state the women are whiny and the other states its different and interesting.
From my experience, most chick lit books do deal with whiny women. But I enjoy that kind of stuff.
I would love to join a book club but I never have the time to do so. I also think whenever I plan to read a book, I lose interest. The same applies for dieting and other stuff like mowing the lawn. If I say I will do it, I inadvertently don't. A close friend of mine started a book club that was supposed to read a book each month but we would meet every week and read short stories. As interesting as this was and fun to see friends every week, I was unable to commit to it.
Part 2: Implementing a Book Club
I think it would be easy to start up a book club, however, getting people to stick to their guns is another story. I feel like that my opinion and ideas are biased b/c I know the process of setting up a book club. The general public is unaware that they can book meeting rooms at the library. If I had time, I would love to set up a book club on romantic comedies or possibly books that were made into movies. I know one of branches does the books/movie adaptation and there is a database (Mid Continent I believe) that lists the books and movies.
The Houston Great Books Council site is useful; however I am sure they are many more book clubs in Houston. I looked at Meyerland Borders book selection which is appealing. They are currently reading The Best American Short Stories by John Updike.
Part 3: Testing
I decided to use the Dictionary of Failed Relationships as my test subject (and that is collecting dust somewhere in my home)and see if anyone has written reviews about it. On LibraryThing and Facebooks' Living Social, the book has a ~2.5 rating (out of 4). There were a couple of reviews on Facebook that state the women are whiny and the other states its different and interesting.
From my experience, most chick lit books do deal with whiny women. But I enjoy that kind of stuff.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
#53: Finding Books Online
For this exercise, I looked up bookstores in my area and reviewed their online presence.
Doing a Google search for "Bookstores 77054," I retrieved a list of stores. The closest are Half Price Books, Brazos Bookstore and Inner Harmony. Half Price has a general website that lists their locations. This store is my favorite bookstore b/c 1)they're discounted books and 2) they have a wide variety of topics including my favorites: art, fiction and graphic novels. Brazos' site is aesthetically pleasing but hard to navigate and takes too long to upload pages. I am impatient; if I'm going to browse, I'd rather do it in person. As for Inner Harmony, no site or online reviews are provided.
To test the search features, I chose to look for The Dictionary of Failed Relationships. Brazos does have this title online and provides a short synopsis of the book. I searched HCPL's catalog and Bartleby, both do not own copies. Amazon does have this title as an eBook for as little as $8.80. Luckily, I went to Half Price recently and stumbled across this book in their CLEARANCE section for $2.00! Although it is convenient to purchase online, I do enjoy visiting real locations b/c it is rewarding when you find great deals. I use Abebooks.com frequently which has books as little as $1 and most sellers will lower their shipping and handling for multiple purchases.
I briefly reviewed the book swapping sites and I am weary to try those b/c I would have to pay for shipping and there is still a chance that someone may not honor your service.
Another part of the exercise is to explore eBooks. I downloaded the required software to read ebooks from Harris County Public Library's Overdrive and started reading a non-fiction book. This isn't my preferred method of leisure reading (on my computer screen) but it is convenient for when I have to be online for long spurts and am interested in testing out a book before I buy it.
I don't ever intend on purchasing ebooks b/c I enjoy having a book at hand and getting the tactile experience. I don't know if its being old fashioned or resisting change, but reading the traditional bound book is more appealing than reading an electronic version.
Doing a Google search for "Bookstores 77054," I retrieved a list of stores. The closest are Half Price Books, Brazos Bookstore and Inner Harmony. Half Price has a general website that lists their locations. This store is my favorite bookstore b/c 1)they're discounted books and 2) they have a wide variety of topics including my favorites: art, fiction and graphic novels. Brazos' site is aesthetically pleasing but hard to navigate and takes too long to upload pages. I am impatient; if I'm going to browse, I'd rather do it in person. As for Inner Harmony, no site or online reviews are provided.
To test the search features, I chose to look for The Dictionary of Failed Relationships. Brazos does have this title online and provides a short synopsis of the book. I searched HCPL's catalog and Bartleby, both do not own copies. Amazon does have this title as an eBook for as little as $8.80. Luckily, I went to Half Price recently and stumbled across this book in their CLEARANCE section for $2.00! Although it is convenient to purchase online, I do enjoy visiting real locations b/c it is rewarding when you find great deals. I use Abebooks.com frequently which has books as little as $1 and most sellers will lower their shipping and handling for multiple purchases.
I briefly reviewed the book swapping sites and I am weary to try those b/c I would have to pay for shipping and there is still a chance that someone may not honor your service.
Another part of the exercise is to explore eBooks. I downloaded the required software to read ebooks from Harris County Public Library's Overdrive and started reading a non-fiction book. This isn't my preferred method of leisure reading (on my computer screen) but it is convenient for when I have to be online for long spurts and am interested in testing out a book before I buy it.
I don't ever intend on purchasing ebooks b/c I enjoy having a book at hand and getting the tactile experience. I don't know if its being old fashioned or resisting change, but reading the traditional bound book is more appealing than reading an electronic version.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Still Exercise 52- Pt. 3
A customer tells you that he's read every book written by Dean Koontz and asks you to find an author who writes similar books. Using two of the sites listed above, find three new authors to recommend to your customer. Post the sites you used and the results in your blog.
Dean Koontz is renowned for his suspense novels and there are many authors like him. I used What Do I Read Next and Novelist's Read-alikes to find suggestions. Other authors the patron might enjoy include Clive Cussler, W.E.B. Griffin and John Saul.
A customer has read Alanna: the First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. She would like to read the other books in the series in order. Using one of the above resources, post the series title, the order of the books in the series, and the resource you used.
This one took an extra step to find b/c it does not specify if the series is for adults, teens or children. I used Mid-Continent Public Library's series finder. I searched by author and found the series Song of the Lioness which is comprised of four books:
Alanna: the first adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman who Rides like a Man, and Lioness Rampart.
Dean Koontz is renowned for his suspense novels and there are many authors like him. I used What Do I Read Next and Novelist's Read-alikes to find suggestions. Other authors the patron might enjoy include Clive Cussler, W.E.B. Griffin and John Saul.
A customer has read Alanna: the First Adventure by Tamora Pierce. She would like to read the other books in the series in order. Using one of the above resources, post the series title, the order of the books in the series, and the resource you used.
This one took an extra step to find b/c it does not specify if the series is for adults, teens or children. I used Mid-Continent Public Library's series finder. I searched by author and found the series Song of the Lioness which is comprised of four books:
Alanna: the first adventure, In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman who Rides like a Man, and Lioness Rampart.
Friday, February 6, 2009
#52 What to Read- Pt. 2
Using one of the resources listed above find two books suitable for a fourth grade girl interested in animals and another two books for her thirteen year old brother who is interested in ghost stories. Post which resource you used and the books you located.
I used Novelist Plus because it allows you to search by subjects, age level and other terms. This comes in handy because patrons do not always have a specific title or author in mind. I used their advanced search which allows me to search by subject (animals), determine age and grade level (older kids + 4th grade) and choose what types of titles to pull (books, series and reading lists). I found a number of options but I chose A Dog's Life: the autobiography of a stray and Urchin of the Riding Stars which borders on Fantasy Fiction.
For the teenager, I used Ghosts as my subject search and chose The Restless Dead that is short stories and Restless: a ghost's story.
I used Novelist Plus because it allows you to search by subjects, age level and other terms. This comes in handy because patrons do not always have a specific title or author in mind. I used their advanced search which allows me to search by subject (animals), determine age and grade level (older kids + 4th grade) and choose what types of titles to pull (books, series and reading lists). I found a number of options but I chose A Dog's Life: the autobiography of a stray and Urchin of the Riding Stars which borders on Fantasy Fiction.
For the teenager, I used Ghosts as my subject search and chose The Restless Dead that is short stories and Restless: a ghost's story.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Books, Readers and Beyond: #52 What to Read Pt. 1
I am back exploring the infinite where cyberspace and libraries coexist. For this exercise, I played around with Reader Advisories.
I am a huge fan of Novelist, an online database that helps find books by author, title, genre, etc. I used it frequently to find new stuff to read. For this exercise, comparing databases and what they retrieve, I used Steve Martin's Shopgirl as my test subject....
In Novelist Plus, the top three results were Shopgirl (tsk tsk), Undead and Unemployed and Wolves in Chic Clothing. On my current reading list is Undead and Unemployed, which is the book preceding Undead and Unemployed. However, I don't see a direct resemblance between Shopgirl and the latter.
My second test involves What Should I read Next? The results were odd because it retrieved graphic novels. I enjoy graphic novel but I don't see any correlation between Shopgirl and graphic novels unless it was made into a comic book, in which case I would be thrilled! It was not a complete failure as I have found a book within these results that caters to my taste: The Dictionary of Failed Relationships.
Finally, I tested Library Booklists and Bibliographies with the same novel. This site appears to be the more difficult of the three to navigate but I like how titles are divided by themes and the themes are divided into more themes! Searching Steve Martin's name brought me to a list of Humor lists but not all links worked. I tried Dark Comedy, Contemporary Humor and a third that were not accessible. The general Humorous fiction did work and a few titles suggested included Jennifer Crusie whose novel I have read and enjoyed.
All in all, these sites are very entertaining and more engaging for the users. I think using these sources for patrons to use will allow them to get a better variety and a higher exposure to lesser known authors.
I am a huge fan of Novelist, an online database that helps find books by author, title, genre, etc. I used it frequently to find new stuff to read. For this exercise, comparing databases and what they retrieve, I used Steve Martin's Shopgirl as my test subject....
In Novelist Plus, the top three results were Shopgirl (tsk tsk), Undead and Unemployed and Wolves in Chic Clothing. On my current reading list is Undead and Unemployed, which is the book preceding Undead and Unemployed. However, I don't see a direct resemblance between Shopgirl and the latter.
My second test involves What Should I read Next? The results were odd because it retrieved graphic novels. I enjoy graphic novel but I don't see any correlation between Shopgirl and graphic novels unless it was made into a comic book, in which case I would be thrilled! It was not a complete failure as I have found a book within these results that caters to my taste: The Dictionary of Failed Relationships.
Finally, I tested Library Booklists and Bibliographies with the same novel. This site appears to be the more difficult of the three to navigate but I like how titles are divided by themes and the themes are divided into more themes! Searching Steve Martin's name brought me to a list of Humor lists but not all links worked. I tried Dark Comedy, Contemporary Humor and a third that were not accessible. The general Humorous fiction did work and a few titles suggested included Jennifer Crusie whose novel I have read and enjoyed.
All in all, these sites are very entertaining and more engaging for the users. I think using these sources for patrons to use will allow them to get a better variety and a higher exposure to lesser known authors.
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