Week 6, Thing #14: Explore Technorati

OK, got through the Technorati site and to be honest, it's a little confusing. I finally figured out, after much searching, how to do the first "discovery exercise" (it's in the advanced search). Here are my results:

Top blog posts: 28,150 different hits
Tags: 3, but if you click on "view all", it takes you back to the top blog posts.
Blog Directory: 536

So yes, the results are different.

I explored the top favorites, top searches and top blogs, and found a few interesting things. I now have a new blog added to my bloglines account: Lifehacker, Tips and Downloads for Getting Things Done, and the top game was World of Warcraft: the Burning Crusade. It's all about the Warcraft ;)

Claiming my Technorati account

Technorati Profile

Here's the tag for MD 22
mdlearn2

Kittens!!!!

Just in case you haven't been to my other half's blog, here is the post that has pictures of our new arrivals. Our cat Sharess finally had the darn things.

Week 6, Thing #13: Tagging and del.icio.us

Went to del.icio.us and checked it out. Seems cool enough. I can see where it would be helpful with research, being someone has already done part of the work for you. I guess it could save time if your looking for information on a particular subject. This is another site I need to play around with more. Oh, I did a search On WoW links and I feel pretty good about the fact the top link is the one I use the most while playing, Thottbot.

I am starting to realize just how huge the "social networking" thing is. It seems a lot of people want to share just about everything about themselves. Being somewhat of a private person, I'm not sure how I feel about all this.

Week 5, Thing #12: Rollyo

Once again, keeping with the WoW theme, I created a World of Warcraft search box. It doesen't work as well as I would like though. I compiled a list of 6 sites I use the most, and every time I do a search I just get hits off one specific site, kind of defeates the purpose. I do like the idea, just haven't come up with a subject that works as of yet. I'll keep trying.

Week 5, Thing #11: Library Thing

Keeping with the WoW theme, I cataloged all the books I use while I'm playing (see right side of blog). We've already decided that if we want to catalog all of the book we have at home, I'm going to have to go buy a laptop and install a wireless router in the house. There's no way I'm carrying armloads of books (and we have a lot of books) down two flights of stairs just to catalog them. I course I don't know how I feel about just anybody knowing all the books I own. What ever happened to keeping some things private?

Week 5, Thing #10: Online Image Generators

OK, it's seems I've already done this. As I said in my last post, I created a Yahoo avatar, which you can find on the right hand side of the blog. And, like I said in my last post...don't really like it. It throws off the whole gaming vibe my blog has. I just had this wierd image of Baelgoul meeting my Yahoo avatar in some kind of virtual space, there would be a little chuckle from Bael, then the axe would swing...

I had already gone to BigHugeLabs and used their "Turn any photo into cool desktop or cell phone wallpaper with a monthly calendar" thing, which I had fun with. I quickly get bored with the wallpapers on my computer at home, so this gave me another creative way to make my own.

Week 4, Thing #9: Explore MERLIN and other RSS search tools

I liked MERLIN. Found a few things I want to explore a little more in depth such as "Library Success: A Best Practices WIKI" and the free courses at CNet. I also checked out the Gaming, Avatars and Virtual Worlds link, and just like everyone else, I made my Yahoo avatar...which I'm not too thrilled about. It kind of throws off the whole theme of the blog. Now, as far as the Second Life thing goes, I already had kind of a bad attitude about it. Yes, I realize I live in a virtual world in my spare time as a green skinned Orc Warrior, but why would I want a second "real life" (I like the real life I currently have). After checking out the web site, and doing a little digging, I've decided that while the thought of becoming a virtual real estate baron is intriguing, I don't need another time sink.

As far as the RSS search tools goes, I guess I liked Syndic8 the best. Added two new feeds to Bloglines. I'm now up to 22.

Week 4, Thing #8: RSS feeds

OK, I just created my Bloglines account yesterday, and I think I'm already addicted. I like the fact I can go to one place, and check on all the websites and blogs that I look at every day. This is definitely going to save time. The only problem is I started out with 11 feeds, and I'm now up to 16...this could get ugly.