Author: kathleen

Today must be blog day <smile>

I’ve been blogging for a long time, my diabetes blog is the longest living diabetes blog.  It’s at http://www.kweaver.org/blog

I use Typepad for all my blogs.  Yeah, I have this one, one on the dogs, the one on diabetes, and set up a microblog when I want to write about something that doesn’t fit the others.  Especially with the 140 character limit of Twitter.

Typepad is awesome and I’ve blogged about it in the past.  Right now, I want to talk about blogging tools.  My original blogging platform was Movable Type but it was a pain to maintain.  Typepad does all the work, I just have to post.

My favorite mobile phone blogging app is Typepad’s that runs on the mobile phone.  Don’t use it a lot, but it’s great when I’m out and about and want to write a short blog post.

Lately I’ve been using the Window Live Writer Beta the most, and I’m using it right now.  It’s simple and easy to use and has lots of plug-ins.  It’s really great when you are blogging about code.

I also like the online blogging tool that is provided with TypePad.  Again, simple and easy to use, just login to the site.

I’ve blogged with Word 2010 and it is also awesome.  Again, easy to set up and easy to use.  Adobe Contribute isn’t bad either.

Some things I wish worked better:

Just make a movie with Windows Movie Maker Beta, and while it was super easy to put the video on Facebook, I couldn’t figure out how to make it a blog post automatically.  I also wish that Camtasia 7 and / or Screencast did a better job of that.

I think SnagIt works pretty well with blogging – have to play with that again.

Yes, I like to blog, not sure why.  Which is real interesting as I ran into the person I consider to be my opposite in the school district – we’re both computer science teachers but look at it from opposite point of views.  I mentioned I read a blog post by an mutual acquaintance that mentioned her, and she made a comment that indicated she thought blogging was distasteful.  Oh well.

I’m ALL about customer service.

Today’s a really good example.  Went to the McDonald’s down the street, and when I got to the first window, the gal there recited my normal morning order.  “GOOD JOB!”  or as we would say in dog training, “CLICK!”.  I jokingly told her, finally got you trained.

If I can go through a drive through or go into a restaurant and get good service, you can bet I’ll be back.  Lousy service, and you will never see me again.  Greet me, it doesn’t have to be my name, and remember what I usually order, and you’ll get a good tip, a smile in return etc.

I feel the same way about my classroom.  When I have a group of students, I’m all about them.  I get irritated at interruptions, because I want to focus on my students, and what they are doing.  I’m project based, so I get my kiddos in, give them instructions, then cut them loose to do their thing.  I’m all about helping them achieve that’ days’s goal.  I’m also all about grading and returning work promptly.

I was even about customer service long before I taught – my high school jobs were all customer service jobs – Krystal’s, McDonald’s, a grocery story.  My college part time job was also about customer service – I worked for Kelly Girl and was a tutor.

So what brings this on? 

Of course, a lousy customer service experience.  I have a membership at a customer oriented business.  They did something almost unforgivable and if they had a competitor, I would be completely out of there.  When I complained, they said, “it’s not all about you”.  Well, sorry, for the time frame I am at your business, it is.  Especially when I am I paying for your time.

I still say customer service is extremely important for teaching, not matter what subject you teach.  As a teacher, you need to stay focused on your student’s learning, and their needs both in and out of the classroom.

But it’s summer, and for a few weeks, it’s ALL about me.

It’s a tough issue.  The Dallas Morning News has been talking about it here:

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/062810dnmetnuundocgrads.1c4739b.html and own of my favorite diabetes bloggers here:  http://lifeafterdx.blogspot.com/2010/06/illegal-aliens.html

I’ve actually dealt with it.  I’ve had students who were brought in to the country for our education.  One in particular, actually called me “Mom”.  Here’s the deal:

One day in class, he accidently called me “mom”, instead of Miss.  Wasn’t sure why at the time, probably one of those slips, but he needed helped.  One of the other kids started teasing him about it, and so I sent along with him and said, “sure I’m his mom”.  We had a really good student/teacher relationship, and he started calling me mom all the time.

Well, come to find out, he’d been snuck in with his cousins, I didn’t learn about this until he was a senior and was about to be deported as he had been caught.

This is on aspect of the illegal immigration issue that is tough the way things are.  I honestly do believe the children of illegal immigrants who have been here all of their lives, and the ones that have been snuck in, should be given a free pass.  We should capitalize in what we’ve invested – we’ve educated these kids, and many of them can and could be great contributors to our society. 

Yes, the parents should be sent back, but if the kids have gone through our education system, they should be granted legal status.  We should take advantage of that education we paid for.  However, if and when they break the law, the legal status should be rescinded, and they should be deported.

The more I use it, the more I like it.  I tried it on the treadmill yesterday and it worked quite well, better than reading with a computer and with a book itself.  To turn a page, you just press a button, which is easier than turning a page, or pressing the right button on a keyboard, or using a stylus on a table PC.  (I have all kinds).

It’s looking like a keeper.

Last night I was reading a sample of a book, decided that I wanted to buy the book, and it was quite easy.

Still wish there were more magazines and more newspapers, but I am sure that will come.  Also wish PDF’s were a bit easier to read, but I suppose if I really want to read something, I could pay to get it converted to Kindle.

I’m about to break down and buy it a reading lamp.

I have been anti-Kindle (the device) because of the cost.  When the price went down to less than $190, I jumped on it Monday and it arrived on Wednesday.

I’ve been playing with it ever since. 

I have been using the Kindle software for the PC and have purchased and downloaded several books.

The things I like about the Kindle hardware vs. reading on the PC, is the quick availability.  The Kindle boots much faster.  It’s also easier to hold and read the kindle when you are out and about.

I like the ability to read magazines and newspapers and I wish there were more choices.

Love the ability to read PDFs and I have already transferred some items I want to read to PDF as I own a copy of Acrobat, and have put them on the Kindle.

So far, it’s been a good experience.

First, I think the smartest thing that Microsoft has done, is the public betas of Windows 7 and Office 2010.  I downloaded and tried both, fell in love with both products.

I’ve gotten a free copy of Windows 7, and ended up buying 3 other copies for other machines.

I’ve done the same thing with Office 2010.  Downloaded the beta, and then immediately went out and bought two copies of Office 2010.  I will tell you I am now completely hooked on Outlook 2010 and can’t wait until they integrate it with Facebook.

And the best news!  I got a free copy in my inbox, so I can even load Office 2010 on my test machine.  I’ll take it off when school starts and load it on my machine at school.

As always Microsoft rocks!

(and I have at least one former student working for them). 

Just finished talking to a really nice lady at ATT and confirmed, yes, I bought a HTC Pure as an upgrade for $40.00.  Awesomeness.

I plan to switch the phones back and forth and am working on setting the new phone back and forth.  The other phone is the Tilt 2, which the keyboard is nice, but it is huge.

I couldn’t decide between the two when I bought the Tilt 2, so this is quite awesome.

One good thing – the software appears the same, and the marketplace, etc, items I have bought appear on both phones. 

Lesson learned – WinMoSquare has to be loaded early, along with Audible Air or they just don’t work.

The fun thing about it is that I keep trying to “slide” it.  It also doesn’t have the modem ring tone I have on the other phone.

XBox demonstrations….

Seriously most of the good XNA and XBox stuff is blocked by the school district because it is ….  Games.

One of the fun things about facebook is finding old students.  And I just found one of my first AP Students on facebook.  It was really cool to find out he was a hardware guy with Microsoft.

I found through another one of my former students – Jay .  Jay and I have kept in touch through the years, and in fact, everytime I buy a new vehicle, he’s the first place I go so he can install my ham radio in it (yes, call is N5EZQ).

Grant was hooked up and corresponding with Jay on Facebook, so I friended him and put him in my former student list.  Hope to hear more from him.

I’m always happy to see my kiddos grown, successful and happy.  From his facebook timeline, looks like he might be.

And if you find me and are a former student, feel free to friend me, email me, Twitter, etc.  I always love to hear from former students.

I always get a few toys in the summer – partly because i got paid for being campus tech, partly because i get summer pay and finally because of good deals. got a chumby for my classroom since it was $119 and free shipping, the mobile phone for $34 plus free shipping and now the kindle for $189 plus free shipping.

okay it sounds like the free shipping is the reason but still the pricesthemselves are good.

love toys and besides i already have a free library of kindle books