Week 2 - Exercise 4 - Registering Blog and Tracking Progress

I decided to be adventurous and try the editing software. Played a bit with the color palette for the page elements. The screen design makes it hard to see the changes, since the editing choices take up the top half of the screen, and the actual blog is barely visible at the bottom. One has to use the scroll bar on the right to check out what the "test" elements look like. Saving the changes and then viewing the blog is another option, but if one makes a lot of changes and isn't sure about them, that's a lot of going in and out. I can see where one can take a lot of time "designing" the look.

I'm assuming my blog will be registered this week, both on the Montgomery County blog page and in the Participants list for MC. I've downloaded the tracking log and have begun filling in the information requested.

The two exercises for Week One took me about 45 minutes to complete. The two exercises for week 2 (includng the editing of the blog mentioned above) took me about 1.5 hours. How does this compare with everyone else's time so far?

Week 2 - Exercise 3 - Set Up Your Own Blog

I had heard that the Blogger software made this easy and the rumors were right. The setup was simple - deciding on the name and the URL took the most time.

I decided to go with a personal interest as my blog URL name - tinyboxcollector refers to one of my hobbies - collecting miniature boxes (all shapes, sizes, and material makeup). Trying to incorporate that PLAY concept again:)

I really like the avatar personalization that Mary Ellen made a part of her profile. I'm hoping to add that to my personal profile as well, once I can figure out where and how.

Week 1 - Exercise 2 - 71/2 Habits of Lifelong Learning

Hardest habits for me:

• Play - That's the FISH concept of HAVE FUN. This is one that doesn't come naturally to me but I'm working on it!
• Use technology to your advantage - I'm not techno savvy so I forget about the tech tools that can help make learning easier and MORE FUN! Completing this training - 23 Things - will make me smarter about the possibilities.

Easiest habits for me:

• View problems as challenges - It's what makes my job FUN (honestly) because no two days are the same, and I learn something from every interaction and interchange I have with internal and external customers.
• Accept responsibility for your own learning - I want to do this more - I just need to make the time.

Week 1 - Exercise 1 - About the Program

Getting started has been a real learning experience in itself. It took several tries to get an English version screen to replace the Chinese characters on the Blogger Account Setup, but perseverance paid off. Registration complete and I am on my way!