Thing 1: Updated: Photo and Blog List

Today I did several things to my blog:
1. added a photo of me and my wonderful book-reading granddaughter;
2. explored some of the blogs of others in the 23 Things project and started following about ten;
3. started a blog list and added two blogs;
4. added a couple of news feeds; and
5. signed up at Sitemeter for stats.

One of the other blogs I read today talked about how much time all of this takes. I agree! I can't agree more. I'm a reference librarian and on the desk most of my work time in a busy college library. As soon as I start to write anything, even a short email, I am interrupted. All of my activity on this blog has been done on my own time from home.

I am attracted to all of the Web 2.0 possibilities, but it does not seem to be a priority where I work. In fact, there have been few comments from co-workers to whom I have send the link to my blogs - I have two now - and one Twitter account. In fact, one colleague criticized my English class blog by saying I had done all of the work for the students, implying that they need do nothing now. That is not the point, I replied. The object is to provide current content to keep the students coming back - to see the blog as a resource - and to use the links to do a better job with their research efforts.

If employers do not see this Web 2.0 communication, then they will not provide time for staff to focus on product development and content creation. All of this takes thought and time to do a good job, and I do not do something that is not a good job. The point: if my efforts are not appreciated and I am not given time at work to do creative things that add value to the services provided, after a while the question arises: "Why do it?" If I do it at all - at the point - I'll do it for myself and not for work. I believe that is why some people do not indulge in efforts like this. They know not to begin, because of the lack of support they will get where they work.

I am not as pessimist, but a realist. I know that after years of working and being a hard-working optimist, a person gets tired. As time gets precious, you give more thought to how you spend it.