Clear Blue Dei

I just finished an excellent book by Sheri Tepper called “The Margarets”. Sheri Tepper is one of my favorite authors. She frequently writes about interesting issues from a different perspective, such as matriarchy and women in “The Gate to Women’s Country” (another excellent book). She writes science fiction/fantasy, but from a distinctly female perspective. Being a woman, while I primarily read SF/fantasy, I prefer a female protagonist/characters. That is one of the downsides of SF sometimes, they are overloaded on male characters and the female characters are frequently just side characters or caricatures. That said, there are also many SF/fantasy books (usually by women authors) with female protagonists.

The Margarets starts with a female child named Margaret who has no other children to play with and makes up imaginary character versions of herself, such a Queen Wilvia, Naumi the warrior, the spy, the healer, etc. As she reaches various decision points in her life, one of her makes one decision and one makes another and they off and go on to various different lives on different planets based on their decision. There is a prophecy involved (isn’t there always :)) and the Margarets are the key to the prophecy.

Of course, it is interesting how the book resolves and it is done in a way that makes a lot more sense than most, but I especially enjoyed just reading the stories of the different decisions made. That is something I really appreciate about Sheri Tepper’s writing and what I look for in a book. While I like SF/fantasy, I prefer “philosophical” SF over “hard” SF. In other words, I prefer writing that explores different ways of thinking, living, society, etc. rather than the SF that concentrates on new war machines and fighting. I think that is more the male-oriented SF and I’m just not into it as much, although I have read some very well-written stories that I greatly enjoyed. I still like more characterization than I do great battles though. I like reading about warriors and their quests or battles, but not so much about soldiers fighting battles with the battles being the main focus.

In any case, if you think you might like what I like, I highly recommend the “The Margarets” and Sheri Tepper.

List of Sheri Tepper books

Also, on a Web 2.0 note, the links to amazon above were created using my Amazon Associates ID and a widget provided by Amazon. For every purchase on Amazon made through a link of mine, I get some (very small) percentage. I currently have accumulated $2.46 in my account so I’m not going to get rich but it is an interesting concept and someone could really create a good site with interesting Amazon content and make some money. Here’s a link to the Amazon Associate’s Information page.

Take care and enjoy!

~Susan Mellott

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This Tuesday I attended my first Library Camp at the Allen County Public Library. No, I am not a librarian, but my husband is the head of Technology at the ACPL and I have discovered through him that libraries can be very leading edge at using and incorporating the new Web 2.0 tools and at looking for new ways to connect with their patrons and to move their libraries into the 21st century. Web 2.0, Learning 2.0, Library 2.0, these are all concepts that many libraries have embraced.

Did you know that your library very well may have a presence in Second Life, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, IM, Flickr, YouTube, wikis, FriendFeed and more? Do a search in any of these tools on libraries and see what you find. Libraries, in my experience, are quietly paving the way for institutions to have a real 2.0 presence.

I had originally planned to do some examining of some of the ideas first, so I could provide some useful, additional information but then I realized that I would never get this post out if I waited until I had explored all of them. So what I will do now is give an overview of the library camp topics and discussions and go into depth on some of the ideas in future posts. After you see the agenda, topics, discussions and ideas, you will see why! So here is how my day went. If it seems a little scattered, it is because I was frantically scribbling on a handout and am trying to translate and organize what is essentially a completely covered paper, with writing between and around every line of print. So bear with me.

This post will be a general overview to what we did and how the day was divided up. Part 2 will contain specifics from the Pecha Kuchas and discussions and if that post gets too big, Part 3 will have the afternoon sessions and a wrapup observation.

ACPL Library Camp design was based on the Unconference model, with the addition of a guest speaker and Pecha Kucha presentations.

The event started at 8am (with continental breakfast beforehand) and lasted until 5pm when several people went down to J.K. O’Donnell’s, our local Irish Pub to continue visiting and discussing.

From 8-9am, David Lee King, the featured speaker, gave a wonderful and thought-provoking presentation Managing the Digital Branch. Here is his post re: Library Camp which includes links to his presentations and to some of the other library camp resources such as the wiki that was set up for Library Camp. Here is the ACPL Library Camp on FriendFeed.

And here is a link to the ACPL Library Camp 2008 twitter feed. This was used in a very interesting way as it was being displayed on a large screen at the front of the auditorium and updated as the event proceeded. That provided an interesting mix of information on the proceedings and “backchannel” talk amongst the participants and observers. I can see this being used more and more often as the idea proliferates.

Everyone had been asked to bring 13 (I think it was) business cards with them and after David’s talk, there was a 2 minute card exchange where everyone was to meet and pass out their business cards to each other and to get to know new people. I really liked this idea and it worked really well. People got up, mingled, met, made contacts and just generally interacted with each other. I don’t have “business cards” as I am basically retired, but I really wish I would have made up some cards with my Clear Blue Dei site and my personal information on them. I got one “personal card” from someone with their own personal blog site on it and I am definitely going to go take a look. Perhaps a sign-up sheet (or site) where people could add their blogs would be nice as I always enjoy finding and read people’s blogs. I think I would even do this twice, once at the beginning and once later in the day after people got a chance to discuss and share ideas.

Then it was time for the Pecha Kucha presentations. In a nutshell, the idea behind Pecha Kucha is to keep presentations concise, the interest level up and to have many presenters sharing their ideas within the course of one day/period. Therefore the 20×20 Pecha Kucha format was created: each presenter is allowed a slideshow of 20 images, each shown for 20 seconds. This results in a total presentation time of 6 minutes 40 seconds on a stage before the next presenter is up. There were several presentations during the Pecha Kucha session, which I will list and go into in more detail in Part 2. For now, I’ll just say that this was a highly successful and invigorating format and one I think people should consider trying at their next meeting, conference, staff day or event.

Then David Lee King presented his next talk called Climbing out of the Box: Mashing up our Community.
As part of this presentation, David had everyone divide into groups of 4 or 5 and gave us 10 minutes for each group to come up with an idea of a way to reach out to the community. Again, an extremely successful session with many new and innovative ideas in just 10 minutes. See Part 2 of my Library Camp posts for the ideas and discussions.

Following this, we continued the Unconference model (An unconference is a facilitated, participant-driven conference centered around a theme or purpose) by having the participants discuss what ideas they would like to meet and discuss and an ad-hoc agenda for the afternoon was designed by the group for afternoon. There were 3 sets of 1 hour sessions, 2 per hour (in meeting rooms A and C). A facilitator from the group was designated for each session.

Everyone went to lunch after David’s presentation at various places in town (we went to Munchie’s Emporium, aka Mad Anthony’s for microbrew and good food and conversation) and then we all met back, picked up the afternoon agenda and made our choices as to which sessions we wanted to attend.

Kay Gregg (ACPL videographer and Sean’s cohort in crime for all the creative YouTube videos, etc), Sean Robinson (Head of ACPL and my husband) and David Lee King split off to videotape a Conversation with David Lee King, one of the ongoing series of “Conversation” youtube series that they are creating. This should be coming out in about a month, stay tuned.

I attended some of the sessions but had to leave so I missed the wrap-up session 4:30-5pm, but I heard that Sean did a great job wrapping up and that he put people on the spot, asking them “what one idea from this camp do YOU plan to do?” I’m sure that was interesting… From some of the buzz I’ve heard afterward, people really enjoyed the Library Camp and found it invigorating and inspiring. I know I did!

Stay tuned for Part 2 and Enjoy!

~Susan Mellott

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I’ve been negligent in my blog posting lately, due to senior parent issues, but I am back and plan to start blogging again.  For a quickie first blog post though, here is the latest from Smart Car USA (did I mention that I LOVE these cars?!)

Vol.15 in this issue .01>> from the smart USA team .02>> the 2009 smart fortwo .03>> NYC parking specials for the smart fortwo .04>> fashion fleet: the ultimate urban trunk show .05>> smart owner events: here, there and everywhere .06>> we’ve got you covered

15.01>> from the smart USA team

Dear smart Enthusiast, Thank you for your continued interest in the smart brand. If this is your first e-newsletter – welcome to the smart USA family. It’s after Labor Day, and our 71 smart centers, including our newest additions, Cincinnati, OH and Birmingham, AL, have delivered over 16,000 smart fortwos into the hands of eager new owners. We also have three more smart centers scheduled to open before the end of the year – Las Vegas, NV, Jackson, MS, and Walnut Creek, CA – all exciting additions to better serve you through our smart center network. smart center contact information, including opening details, will be available on the dealer locator on smartusa.com. This past month, smart USA has had several important announcements. We introduced the 2009 model year update for the smart fortwo. Check out the new 2009 configurator and color selector on smartusa.com and your local smart center website. smart USA also formed several new partnerships, including discounted parking in the NYC area as well as unique Fashion Week exposure. Please read below for more details on these exciting new developments. Finally, the national enthusiasm is very visible on smart USA’s official social networking website for enthusiasts around the country, www.smartusainsider.com. Over 6,800 members are actively blogging, posting photos and videos, and participating daily in exciting discussions about their smart experiences, personalization, product questions and more. If you have not yet visited smart USA Insider, we encourage you to meet and interact with the thousands of smart owners, reservation holders and enthusiasts like you that gather there daily to discuss all things smart. Again, thank you for your continued enthusiasm and support for this amazing brand. Kind regards, Dave Schembri President, smart USA

15.02>> the 2009 smart fortwo

The 2009 smart fortwo models will begin to arrive in early November and will feature the same performance, safety, and design features that make smart so unique, but with a few changes.Here are some of the changes to our standard features, which are also available to see on www.smartusa.com: A vibrant and sporty new standard color, “rally red,” will replace “light yellow.” The cool and sophisticated optional color, “metallic gray,” will replace “red metallic.” The “design red” fabric interior available on the passion coupe and passion cabriolet will be more intense to match the exterior “rally red.” On the driver and passenger doors, the current built-in hard case door storage areas will be replaced with a net to for a more flexible storage space. A “Loose Gas Cap” indicator light has been added to the instrument cluster to inform you if your gas cap is not fully locked. The discontinued colors, “light yellow” and “metallic red” will continue to be available by purchasing full bodypanel freshup kits through your smart center. At this time, there is one new factory-installed option for the 2009 model. Customers can now order the smart fortwo passion coupe with a solid roof instead of the standard panoramic roof at no additional cost. The solid roof is the same resilient textured plastic roof featured on the pure coupe. Please note, however, the panorama roof upgrade option will no longer be available on the smart fortwo pure coupe. Any additional factory-installed options that become available will be communicated at a later date. Finally, the prices of the 2009 model are yet to be confirmed.* For more information on the smart fortwo’s standard features, options and colors, please visit www.smartusa.com. *Prices are for current model year only and are subject to change without notice. Prices exclude tax, title, registration, destination charge, options and other dealer fees.

15.03>> NYC parking specials for the smart fortwo

The smart fortwo was built for cities around the world. Its small size allows urban dwellers to easily maneuver heavily congested streets and squeeze into the tightest of parking spots. People are starting to take notice of those customers who make responsible vehicle choices like the smart fortwo, especially as an urban solution.Recently in New York City, Meyers Parking, the owner of parking garages near popular Manhattan attractions, has reduced its parking prices by 50% for smart fortwo owners. If you live in the tri-state area you can enjoy reduced parking rates at the following locations: Madison Square Garden Area 218 W. 31st Street/225 W. 30th Street (between 7th and 8th) 212.736.8233 340 W. 31st Street (between 8th and 9th) 212.594.1915 Javits Center 323 W. 34th Street/334 W. 35th Street (between 8th and 9th) 212.279.7310 Broadway/Times Square 141 W. 43rd Street/146 W. 44th Street (between 6th and Broadway) 212.997.7690 Empire State Building/Midtown 9 W. 35th Street/12 W. 36th Street (between 5th and 6th) 212.268.8572 Upper East Side 154 E. 87th Street (between 3rd and Lexington) 212.722.6500

15.04>> fashion fleet: the ultimate urban trunk show

Club Monaco, a global fashion brand, and smart USA are collaborating to bring inspiration and design to the urban professional with the launch of FASHION FLEET: The Ultimate Urban Trunk Show. The fleet showcases a caravan of chic Club Monaco designed smart fortwos and fall fashion, courtesy of Club Monaco.The Club Monaco smart fortwos, ten in total, will feature images from the newly launched Fall 2008 Club Monaco Campaign as well as the brand’s iconic black and white crest. The Fall Collection and campaign were inspired by the idea of the downtown aristocrat who brings uptown elegance a downtown flare.“It’s a natural partnership for us and one we feel aligns with Club Monaco’s core values – design, style, and function,” says John Mehas, President and CEO of Club Monaco. “Both Club Monaco and the smart fortwo are urban and sophisticated, and are geared toward meeting the needs of the modern consumer – one who has a versatile and demanding lifestyle, and is looking for affordable luxury.”The partnership will launch during Fashion Week in New York City with the ultimate urban trunk show. Club Monaco designed smart fortwo vehicles will cruise New York City streets making stops at the landmark Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week locales. 75 lucky New Yorkers will receive gift bags with iconic pieces from Club Monaco’s Fall Collection at each stop, including cashmere scarves, sunglasses from the newly launched collection, statement jewelry and small Italian leather goods.The ultimate urban trunk show will debut on Sunday, September 7 in the Meatpacking District and will continue with stops in SoHo, Wall Street, the Flatiron District, Midtown and Bryant Park on Monday and Tuesday during peak lunch-time hours. In addition, Club Monaco’s 57th Street Store window will be dedicated to the partnership throughout Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week featuring a unique design and one of the Club Monaco designed smart fortwos.“smart USA is excited to partner with Club Monaco for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week activities,” said Dave Schembri, President, smart USA. “smart is the brand at home on the streets of New York City providing drivers with urban mobility, great gas mileage and environmental responsibility. The smart fortwo’s iconic design also compliments the sophisticated style of Club Monaco stores and customers.”The Club Monaco and smart USA collaboration generates a design philosophy that marries functionality and style; tradition and modernity. The result is a dynamic partnership that is not limited by age, price or location. It’s about iconic style.For more information about the partnership, click here.

15.05>> smart owner events: here, there and everywhere

> Woodward Dream CruiseThe smart Michigan Users Group (sMUG) participated in Detroit’s annual Woodward Dream Cruise on August 16, 2008. Over 40,000 classic and future classic cars that cruised a 16 mile stretch of Detroit’s historic north-south avenue. Among them, over 60 smart owners showed up to cruise with their cars which provided an impressive parade down Woodward Avenue. In addition to the owner’s group, smart USA also took part in the event by setting up an on-site official display which included a smart fortwo four car high stacker. > Lombard StreetThis may be one for the Guinness Book of World Records. The smart Owners Group of Northern California participated in parking over 130 smart fortwo vehicles on Lombard Street in downtown San Francisco on August 17, 2008. It was the largest number of cars parked on the winding and picturesque street to date. > New York/New Jersey LookoutThe smart owners group from the New York and New Jersey area just had their second meeting at the State Line Lookout at beautiful and scenic Palisades, NJ overlooking the Hudson River. Ten smart owners made the trip to celebrate their unique cars at the state border. The owners showed off their radios, antennas, cargo organizers and vanity plates - everything that makes them enthusiastic about their new smart fortwo.To view photos from these events and many others, click here.

15.06>> we’ve got you covered

We know how excited you are to get behind the wheel of your new smart fortwo. That’s why we designed the >>Insurance foryou program (underwritten by Liberty Mutual) - to provide your smart fortwo with the insurance coverage it deserves.With this comprehensive insurance product, you can take advantage of the new vehicle replacement coverage, genuine smart fortwo replacement parts, 24-hour roadside assistance and more.  Get your free, no-obligation quote today.  Visit www.libertymutual.com/smart.

this message was sent by smart USA Distributor LLC 1765 S. Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield, MI 48302 1.800.smart.USA www.smartusa.com Please do not respond to this email. Click here if you wish to unsubscribe.

© 2008 smart USA. All rights reserved.All illustrations and specifications contained in this email are based on the latest product information available at the time of sending. smart USA reserves the right to make changes at any time, without notice, in colors, materials, equipment, specifications, and models. Any variations in colors shown are due to variations in monitor resolution. Illustrations may include test situations. Some vehicles may be shown with non-U.S. equipment. Some vehicles are shown with optional equipment.

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