Social networking

Have finally got onto doing my next post. As I have had a Facebook account for a couple of years I decided to try Twitter. The most difficult thing was finding a username that hadn't already been taken...I tried all sorts of weird combinations of my name and other names I liked...all taken! Ended up just making up a name. Found this interesting post about this very problem
http://www.netpreneur.com.au/secure-your-name-on-social-networking-sites/2009/02

I had a look at the Brisbane Film festival MySpace page....works really well I think as they can put on lots of film footage. http://www.myspace.com/brisbanefilmfest
Have been pretty disappointed in NLNZ's Twitter posts tho......

Wacky wikis

Well they're not really wacky...some might be...but I just liked the sound. I'm a bit behind with this so better catch up....s'posed to be up to social networking now! Anyway, have looked at some wikis. Tried the NZ Police Review wiki (of course) but couldn't get into it for some reason...might try again later. Had a look at the Mint Wiki...nice..lots of info on the different art exhibitions, a few more pictures would have been good though. Really liked the the idea of the Book Lovers wiki from Princeton Public Library - this is a static wiki though as it was done as a sort of project by the Summer Reading Book Club so only reflects the reading they did for that summer (2006). Just had to look at Wookipedia (I think that justifies my title!) I had no idea there was so much information on every little character in Star Wars...amazing detail!

For example, have a look at this article on K-3PO (a sort of work colleague of C-3PO) http://starwars.wikia.com/index.php?title=K-3PO&oldid=2500681

....all and more that you'd ever want to know about a droid!

Had a quick look at the Possible Next Generation Catalogs and was interested to see Nelsonville Public Library there with Koha, an open source library management system. Koha was actually developed by Horowhenua Public Library along with Katipo, a web development company from Wellington. My previous workplace, Kapiti District Libraries, decided to ditch Spydus and use Koha....it was a huge amount of work as the data from Spydus didn't transfer properly to Koha so we had to virtually redevelop everything from scratch..absolute nightmare!! Have a look at the catalogue http://library.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-main.pl . There were a lot of features that we wanted and weren't able to get - drove everyone mad! Good on them for trying something so new...pity it didn't work out as we wanted.

While on the subject of my old library here are some pics of Paraparaumu Library where I worked for 7 years before coming over to Oz. It also won a major architectural award (like SLQ) and really is a lovely space to work in.
http://www.kapiticoastlibraries.govt.nz/Paraparaumu.php

Boats, cars and a tow truck, alongside Lake Taupo, ca late 1950s

Boats, cars and a tow truck, alongside Lake Taupo, ca late 1950s, originally uploaded by National Library NZ on The Commons.

Found this on National Library NZ on The Commons. We always went to Taupo when I was a small child - Dad built a little batch and we used the lake in those days for swimming, washing, drinking, everything!! Bit different now!

Paraparaumu Beach

Paraparaumu Beach, originally uploaded by Debitha.

You can walk 40 kms on this beach if you want, from Paekakariki, to Raumati, to Paraparaumu, Waikanae and up to Otaki.
The dog loved it - we scattered his ashes in the water as it was his favourite place!

Rocky Raumati

I wish
Originally uploaded by - Devon ♫

Used to walk the dog along here all the time - you do get a good bit of sand on the other side of these rocks, but only at low tide. There's lots of erosion which is why some homeowner has planted iron posts in a vain attempt to stop the sea eroding all his property away.





This view (left) shows
Kapiti Island
in the background.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennyclark/

Sunset at Raumati

Sunset at Raumati
Originally uploaded by MeerkatNZ

Became quite homesick searching for images on Raumati South where I lived before coming to Oz. We lived about 10 mins walk away from the beach and sunsets like this are common.

My home town

As we're learning about photo sharing I am posting a few photos from Flickr showing the Kapiti Coast, where I used to live. (As always, when you are far away, you only remember the good things!!)