Watch Cat??

Image via WikipediaI posted a few weeks ago about planting our garden. Within a few weeks, the beans, squash and tomatoes will be ready to picked and eaten. The beans, squash and peppers are in the main garden which is surrounded by an nine foot wired fence. The tomatoes, on the other hand, are on our back deck. As the summer continues, Georgia's historic drought continues. The wild animals are starting to feel the consequences. A couple days ago, Paul and I found several deer in our back yard. We saw our first buck in several years!!

As the deer are also looking for things to eat. They are visiting our property where things are watered as much as possible and able. The tomatoes on our porch are in danger of being eaten!! Last year was the first time that the deer ate the tomatoes. This year since the tomatoes are on the back porch they are probably more endangered.

From the sky, no make that across the grass... comes super cat. Tigger, our oldest cat, has taken to sleeping on the railing next to the tomatoes. It is rather comical to watch the deer approach close to the tomatoes and then spot the cat. The deer will back out and get back to the middle of the yard. I guess we have our new watch cat. Who would have known??

Learning Technology with Teens

Last year, the library conducted a survey of adults over 55 about their knowledge of our services and programs. Can you guess what one of the top areas was? If you said technology, you were right.
With the help of the Senior Advisory board, we created an inter-generational program called "Tech Talk: Exploring 21st century technologies with teens". Two of the Senior Advisory board members specifically mentioned that seniors are on fixed incomes and wanted to learn about and how to use new technologies. Often they hesitate in purchasing new technologies unless they know if it will make their life easier or more enjoyable. This program pairs up teens with older adults to explore and learn about new technology.

Members of the Teen Advisory Board volunteered to be trained and to share their knowledge about a variety of technologies. The two hour training involved exploring learning styles, how to communicate technology concepts and included a demonstration between an older adult and the trainer. The training was an eye opener for not only the teens but also the trainer (me!).

I was not aware of the different types of cell phones that are currently available, the teens straightened me out about about them. The older adult in the training asked "what is an iPod or an MP3 player and is there any difference?" The teens explained that the difference was the software used to play audio files. The older adult said "Oh, they are similar to a Walkman." The teens then asked " What's a Walkman?" I replied, " Oh, they played audio cassettes." To which the teens replied, "What's an audio cassette?"


The program was held a few weeks ago and was attended by four older adults. These adults were interested in how to use a digital camera, what is an iPod, and how to download audio books. The adults not only learned about the technology they were originally interested in, but also about additional technologies as they talked with their teens.

The older adults expressed their appreciation and were generally impressed with the teens knowledge and ability to show them how to use the various technologies. One adult even brought in her own camera to be shown how to use it. Another person had been wanting to download audio books from the libraries website but didn't understand how or what equipment she would need. She was very proud at the end of the program and was headed off to the store to buy an MP3 player that would allow her to play audio books.

The survey and the Tech Talk program was my leadership challenge project for the Urban Libraries Council's Executive Leadership Institute. I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to participate and grow as a leader and hopefully in a small way impact library service to older adults. There have been two other staff members who have participated in this program previously. Their leadership challenge project continues in the form of Library Take-Out.

Thanksgiving

Tomorrow is a day of thanks. We are headed down to Lakeland Florida early in the morning. We should be there around 2 p.m. I took the baby boy to the vet to be boarded to day. He was so good. They let me take him back to the kennel room and put him in his cage. He walked back with me, I opened up the cage and he walked right in. I put his baby blanket in there and he just sat on it.

Today we were slammed at work. I guess everyone was getting last minute DVDs and books on tape. I looked to see if there was anything Paul and I might enjoy but it was pretty picked over.

Sweating and Chilling

Yesterday it was almost 80 degrees here. We still don't have air on my floor at work so it is really starting to smell with all of those body odors. Today the high was 55 at midnight and the temperature is dropping to 30 degrees tonight. The one good thing is that with the cooler air the floor should be a little more bearable. We also are dealing without phone service. ATT has said that there is either equipment failure or software failure. (This means that they will have to probably look at getting a new phone system??)

Paul had to come home yesterday at 4:00 p.m. to get some sleep. He had to be back at work at midnight to cover a shift because someone had called in sick. He will be off Friday and Saturday which will be nice for him. I have to work this weekend. The Autumn leaves have finally come out in full color and they are pretty for today. By tomorrow they probably will all be on the ground.

Vacation!!

This is my last day of work after 11 days straight. After tonight Paul and I will be on vacation. We will be going down to the woods for 6 nights. We are taking Seamus with us. This probably will be the last time he will share the woods with us. He has really dropped the weight, and I suspect that he won't be with us come summertime. I want to make his last foray into the woods and with the family a good one. We are taking a leash this time. He has gotten a little senile and we are afraid that he might wander off and not find his way back home.

I'm not sure if it will just be Paul and I or if the other guys will be down for the week. Last Friday, I had dinner with Paul and the guys. They shared what they did the entire afternoon. They discovered that there is a cone shaped ant hill that contains ants that don't like fire ants. They continued to find fire ants and place them on the hill and watch them attack the fire ants. (Thanks Froug for giving them the idea!!) Men will be such boys, but I do love spending time with them.

I'll post next week when we get back, unless I find sometime during the week.

ELI

Well today was the last of ELI. I will not miss all the extra work but, I do look forward in pushing the project forward. I am going to miss the contact face to face with all of the fellows. I have never gotten so close to a group of people so quickly. My peer group plans to continue and for me I know it will be one of the things that can keep me sane in my insane world. I hope to bring back parts of this experience with me and share and encourage others. That's it for me know. I am going to share final moments with those staying tonight.

I am looking forward to seeing my family and spending some down time before my 11 days straight stretch. The only thing that is getting me through the next week and a half is that when it is done, I will spend seven great days with my best friend and lover. I do miss is insite and support when we are apart.

On another note- I look forward watching Auburn play on Saturday night. Go Tigers!!

Baltimore

Well I got in from Atlanta. Paul let me sleep in a little later this morning. I sure needed it. I know that it made him much later to work than he wanted to. I just received an e-mail from Karen saying that she was in town. I called her and she is already on the harbor. Terrilyn and Kari are on their way to the conference center. Once we hook up we plan to head out to the harbor for the afternoon. I try and post a few more times this week. I need to run through my presentation one more time.

War Eagle!!

It's great to be an Auburn tiger!!
How about Auburn beating Florida at home in the swamp. Paul and I went to small group last night so we got home for the 3rd quarter. I was tired and when Florida started coming back from a 17- 3 deficit, I decided to go to bed. Paul stayed up and woke me up when they won. I need to finish up my stuff for my presentation next week. I did submit my resume and cover letter earlier this afternoon.

The past and the future...

The past -
Last night Paul and I went to my 25th high school reunion. It was nice to see a lot of old classmates. I haven't seen some since graduation. I was able to catch up with one of my close friends from those days, Michelle Wright. I haven't seen her since her wedding day some 16 years ago. Saint Pius has changed in a lot of ways.. no homecoming floats but in other ways it seems just like yesterday. No matter how long it has been or how infrequent I go to the school, it is really home and community is very tight and alive. There were three sometimes four generations back and tailgating like a college team. Go Golden Lions!! St. Pius

The future -
I am continuing to get all my stuff together for the final intensive in Baltimore for ELI. I have been working on my resume and cover letter for one of the final exercises.
I am also working on my scrapbook wiki. You can see it at
My wiki scrapbook

On the home front..
A couple of days ago, I woke up to see one of our deer targets had lost it's head. Apparently, a buck had gotten in the back yard and decided it didn't like the targets. It attacked them leaving them in various forms of disarray.

Hot and Hotter

Yesterday it reached 104 degrees in Atlanta! It hasn't been this hot since 1980. At least this time around I have air at home. Only three more days and we take off for the mountains. I hope it will cool off like they are promising. We had one of our last conference calls for fellows in my ELI program yesterday. We got our last assignments. The hardest one looks to be finding five jobs that I would realistically apply for that are a step or two ahead of where I am. There are really no jobs in this area open at this time that are a step or so ahead of where I am. Paul and I have made the commitment to stay here in Covington. I love where I live and the opportunities for outdoor activities. So I really wouldn't consider any jobs farther than where I am right now. Oh well.. I may have to do some stretching. I've got to run to work. I'll try and post before we head off to Maggie Valley. If not when I get back.

Summer

As you can see I still haven't been updating real regularly. Summer is passing me by right before my eyes. In Covington it has been hot and dry. The entire end of July and beginning of August has seen little rain. Now it has been extremely hot (over 100 degrees) for nearly two weeks now. Paul's schedule and my schedule for work has left little time for us to spend together.

On the project front- The final report is in and has been distributed to all. The pilot project has been determined, now it's a matter of getting people on board. The end of July and beginning of August has been spent letting people know about the project and getting support and help from different departments. The project will entail 10 teens teaching/tutoring 10 active seniors/adults on a specific technology. One example might be a teen showing how to create an address list for a cell phone or how to use an ipod.

Busy

I have been busy over the last few months. I need to try and find time to post more often. In early May I went to Baltimore again for ELI. It was a productive week. On the project front- all of the surveys are complete and I'm in the process of producing a report of the results. The staff focus group was held and a lot of good information was gathered. The Senior Advisory board will meet later this month to review and discuss the report. I just need to finalize a pilot project to conduct.

We finally received a little rain yesterday. It has not rained in over 2 months. It was the 2nd driest May ever here in Covington and Atlanta. The temps have been good without the humidity but we definitely have needed the rain. Maybe this coming up weekend I can go fishing. I haven't been since early May and it was not productive at all.

It's been a crazy few months. Richard finished up with the addition. It looks good and Paul and I are enjoying the added rooms. My ELI project has kept me very busy. The surveys are complete and are now being distributed. Next week the branches will conduct the surveys. We will also have a staff focus group. As I sit here writing this the wind is blowing hard outside. Where did that hint of Spring go? Two weeks ago we were on vacation and we planted half of our garden. We lost it all last week in the frigid temps.

It's been a busy few days. Work on Tuesday was crazy. Was it a full moon?? Happy birthday Christopher (a few days late!) So you are finally 18. I went to choir practice on Tuesday evening and church on Wednesday. It was the first time all year I've been to 863. The dry wall guy is finished so now comes the finished trim. Hopefully Richard is doing ok and he'll be back later in the week to do the trim.