I have just finished reading the gaming lecture. It certainly hit close to home since I have two boys aged 11 and 14. They, and my husband are avid gamers. We own two computers, a WII and an X-Box 360.
My older son Dylan, has been critically thinking about video games for years. "A good game needs to be first and formost fun and as well as visualy stimulating. For a game to be truly great it must strike a balance between creating an atmosphere through a compelling narative, well produced effects and graphics, and a control scheme that is relatively easy to get a hang of but hard to master."
My younger son Eric, does not read novels. He reads graphic novels. However, most of his reading comes through gaming. There are menus of different attributes, battle locations, and strengths and weaknesses. Eric plays one game that has an on-line component to it. He chats with one friend in Spain, another in the U.S. and a third in France. Chatting with the friend in France means he is pulling out his English/French dictionary to translate.
My husband has been playing games since the early 1980's. In the past 18 years the only time we didn't have a computer with games, he played a game of baseball with playing cards. The need to stretch his mind with strategy and luck is there.
One thing I find about video games. There are no small pieces to get lost. Each game is one disk.
In playing these games, a lot goes on: role playing, problem solving, being rewarded for each achievement, the chance to retry a situation, the chance to be different characters,the chance play a sitation from both sides, consequences for making poor choices or not having the best skill, working co-operatively with others. These are classic game playing and role playing activities from any era. Gaming is a different venue for it, one that isn't limited by pieces that will fit in a box.
As for me, I also play games. I'm very selective about which ones I play, but the ones I like can absorb me for hours too.
As library staff, we need to know that this world is out there. It is a different kind of literacy, but then again, novels were once dismissed as being newfangled fluff.
Cheers!
Janer
Friday, July 25, 2008
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sudbury and the paddling was windy
I've returned from the Sudbury Dragon Boat Festival with a bronze medal.
Cheers to the team who with their hard work managed to get not just third place (out of seven competitive teams) but progressively faster times during the day. Our fastest time for the 500 metre race was 2:02:83.
Thanks to our coaches Annie and Chris for helping us get to this point. In the second race we were hit by a big wake and we only lost one or two strokes before everyone was back to race form. Thanks also to our steersperson Scoop Adams for keeping us on course and not crashing into other boats.
I'm also thankful that the forcast of cloudy, rainy, and thunderstorms did not appear. We did get lots of cloud, and a short shower, but the thunderstorms moved out of the way. The temperature was also perfect.
It was windy, and some of the community teams crashed, and swamped. It just goes to show how important good steering is.
Now it's paddling for fun, until we gear up for the Great White North Competition in September.
Cheers!
Cheers to the team who with their hard work managed to get not just third place (out of seven competitive teams) but progressively faster times during the day. Our fastest time for the 500 metre race was 2:02:83.
Thanks to our coaches Annie and Chris for helping us get to this point. In the second race we were hit by a big wake and we only lost one or two strokes before everyone was back to race form. Thanks also to our steersperson Scoop Adams for keeping us on course and not crashing into other boats.
I'm also thankful that the forcast of cloudy, rainy, and thunderstorms did not appear. We did get lots of cloud, and a short shower, but the thunderstorms moved out of the way. The temperature was also perfect.
It was windy, and some of the community teams crashed, and swamped. It just goes to show how important good steering is.
Now it's paddling for fun, until we gear up for the Great White North Competition in September.
Cheers!
RSS
This week I watched the RSS lecture. RSS seems like a good idea for people who keep track of multiple accounts. I talked with my husband and he uses an RSS feed to link his blog and his facebook account. Whenever he writes a new entry on his blog a notice appears on his facebook account notifying people of the new entry.
On facebook I've been able to make "friends" with my cousins who I don't see very often. (The range includes Pickering Ontario, Florida, China, B.C., and Quebec for the moment.) I'm going to try to see if I can get their new entries to appear for me.
My only concern is that this form of technology needs to be used to make life simpler and not more complicated. Ulitmately I really want to be able to log onto as few places as possible and get the maximum amount of information. In some cases it may be simpler to have people use e-mail, or that old fashioned form of communication, the telephone, or meeting in person.
On facebook I've been able to make "friends" with my cousins who I don't see very often. (The range includes Pickering Ontario, Florida, China, B.C., and Quebec for the moment.) I'm going to try to see if I can get their new entries to appear for me.
My only concern is that this form of technology needs to be used to make life simpler and not more complicated. Ulitmately I really want to be able to log onto as few places as possible and get the maximum amount of information. In some cases it may be simpler to have people use e-mail, or that old fashioned form of communication, the telephone, or meeting in person.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Creative Commons
Today I found out about the world of Creative Commons and flikr.com. Having copywrited material makes sense. People who create pictures, and music should be able to own them, and not have to worry about them being claimed by someone else, or have someone else make money off them. On the other hand the internet is a wonderful tool for sharing information.
The Creative Commons sight is easy to use, easy to understand and legally sound. Each user is given options to click on. The options are then written in laymans and legal terms. The options are then shown by icons attached to the material.
Flikr.com is a fantastic source for photos. I had fun doing my class assignment looking for photos. I also found more than 7,000 dragon boating photos. Some of them are cupcakes and I'm not sure why they are in the collection, but others are truly beautiful and creative.
The Creative Commons sight is easy to use, easy to understand and legally sound. Each user is given options to click on. The options are then written in laymans and legal terms. The options are then shown by icons attached to the material.
Flikr.com is a fantastic source for photos. I had fun doing my class assignment looking for photos. I also found more than 7,000 dragon boating photos. Some of them are cupcakes and I'm not sure why they are in the collection, but others are truly beautiful and creative.
Friday, May 23, 2008
"It's all about character" or truths I've learned from paddling
The motto of the Collingwood Dragon Boat and Canoe Club is, "it's all about character." There are truths to be learned by spending hours on the water training for a race that takes less than two and a half minutes.
1. The boat only moves forward if everyone paddles at the same time. This means you have to watch what your team mates are doing and match your pace to their's. If you are too slow your paddle will get hit from behind. If you are too fast you will hit someone else's paddle.
2. Learning the stroke is easy. Mastering it takes years.
3. You can only focus on one thing at a time when paddling. Just paddle the boat. Whatever is going on in your life on shore stays on shore.
4. You need a strong core to be a strong paddler. Paddling may look like a sport that involves the arms. In fact it involves every muscle in the body from the feet up. The most important muscles are the big core muscles (everything from the thighs to the chest). If they aren't strong you won't have the stamina and strength for a race. In fact, you will probably get injured.
5. Getting stronger hurts. Muscles have to be ripped apart (gently) to grow stronger.
6. Once you can do the long distances the short ones are easy. That's why practices are an hour long and we do six minute pieces at 70 plus per cent power. To make the two minute race seem easy.
7. Every position in the boat is important and has a role.
8. If you don't practise you won't be able to race. You can't just show up on race day and expect to join the team if you haven't put in the preparation. You won't be familiar with the team, or the race plan.
9. It's not the result it's the journey that counts. Races are fun. They are the reward for weeks and months of training. However, just being out on the water on a calm morning as the sun is coming up and the only other marine traffic are the geese and ducks makes is truly magical. It makes the experience worth while.
10. When the waves get big, and the wind gets strong keep paddling strong. If you stop the boat could swamp. You have to keep the strokes long and strong. However, a good coach will also know when the wind and waves are too strong and it's time to head for the dock.
11. There are no stars in a dragon boat. Because everyone is seated and paddling together against resistance, no one person's strength stands out. This means even junior paddlers can paddle with experienced paddlers and still be part of the team.
12. With hard work you can do more than you thought you could. I've never been into competitive sports as a kid. In my 30's I've been able to win medals, and compete with some very good athletes.
13. Teamwork makes frienships. I've not just discovered a new sport, I've made new friends. They also help me to get down to the dock at 6 a.m.
1. The boat only moves forward if everyone paddles at the same time. This means you have to watch what your team mates are doing and match your pace to their's. If you are too slow your paddle will get hit from behind. If you are too fast you will hit someone else's paddle.
2. Learning the stroke is easy. Mastering it takes years.
3. You can only focus on one thing at a time when paddling. Just paddle the boat. Whatever is going on in your life on shore stays on shore.
4. You need a strong core to be a strong paddler. Paddling may look like a sport that involves the arms. In fact it involves every muscle in the body from the feet up. The most important muscles are the big core muscles (everything from the thighs to the chest). If they aren't strong you won't have the stamina and strength for a race. In fact, you will probably get injured.
5. Getting stronger hurts. Muscles have to be ripped apart (gently) to grow stronger.
6. Once you can do the long distances the short ones are easy. That's why practices are an hour long and we do six minute pieces at 70 plus per cent power. To make the two minute race seem easy.
7. Every position in the boat is important and has a role.
8. If you don't practise you won't be able to race. You can't just show up on race day and expect to join the team if you haven't put in the preparation. You won't be familiar with the team, or the race plan.
9. It's not the result it's the journey that counts. Races are fun. They are the reward for weeks and months of training. However, just being out on the water on a calm morning as the sun is coming up and the only other marine traffic are the geese and ducks makes is truly magical. It makes the experience worth while.
10. When the waves get big, and the wind gets strong keep paddling strong. If you stop the boat could swamp. You have to keep the strokes long and strong. However, a good coach will also know when the wind and waves are too strong and it's time to head for the dock.
11. There are no stars in a dragon boat. Because everyone is seated and paddling together against resistance, no one person's strength stands out. This means even junior paddlers can paddle with experienced paddlers and still be part of the team.
12. With hard work you can do more than you thought you could. I've never been into competitive sports as a kid. In my 30's I've been able to win medals, and compete with some very good athletes.
13. Teamwork makes frienships. I've not just discovered a new sport, I've made new friends. They also help me to get down to the dock at 6 a.m.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Introduction and why the paddling bookworm
Welcome to my blog. I'm Janet Adams. I have my share of interests; motherhood, wine, prayer, politics, the future of my town, my friends and family, books, libraries, and paddling. The two that I'm putting the most energy into learning are books and paddling.
First the books. I've loved stories for as long as I can remember. I can easily spend an morning, afternoon, or evening reading. Just add a cup of tea or a glass of wine and I'm content on even the most miserable of days. For the past three years I've been a distance education student at Mohawk College learning to be a library technician. Or in other words how to operate a library day to day. I'm currently volunteering at the front desk of the Collingwood Public library as well. I love books, and I love my studies and volunteering. I've found a vocation.
Next, the paddling. Four summers ago the Collingwood Dragon Boat and Canoe club had an open house. I stepped into a boat and found it was easy. Ha! Ha! Ha! Since then I've discovered it's not so easy to master. I'm paddling with the Collingwood Sidelauncher's competive dragon boat team three times a week. It's hard work, but I love the rhythm of the stroke, the team work involved, and the feel of being on the water. I also enjoy paddling in the club's flatwater kyaks. It's fun exploring the harbour at the same level as the geese and ducks.
I'm doing this blog as part of my library technician's course work. I'm looking forward to sharing more of musings with you. More about me in later posts.
Cheers!
First the books. I've loved stories for as long as I can remember. I can easily spend an morning, afternoon, or evening reading. Just add a cup of tea or a glass of wine and I'm content on even the most miserable of days. For the past three years I've been a distance education student at Mohawk College learning to be a library technician. Or in other words how to operate a library day to day. I'm currently volunteering at the front desk of the Collingwood Public library as well. I love books, and I love my studies and volunteering. I've found a vocation.
Next, the paddling. Four summers ago the Collingwood Dragon Boat and Canoe club had an open house. I stepped into a boat and found it was easy. Ha! Ha! Ha! Since then I've discovered it's not so easy to master. I'm paddling with the Collingwood Sidelauncher's competive dragon boat team three times a week. It's hard work, but I love the rhythm of the stroke, the team work involved, and the feel of being on the water. I also enjoy paddling in the club's flatwater kyaks. It's fun exploring the harbour at the same level as the geese and ducks.
I'm doing this blog as part of my library technician's course work. I'm looking forward to sharing more of musings with you. More about me in later posts.
Cheers!
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