Stats…
So, I’ve mentioned before that to increase your blog traffic, all you need to do is add a cow… And, after having written about the potential for Wordle to demonstrate the intricacies of work-life balance this week… I was looking at my blog stats and how people are finding my blog… And, well, in the beginning it was all very flattering… The majority of people searching were searching for: kim stymest. That’s me, and they found me! Lovely.
Then I posted my tongue-in-cheek post about volunteer work… And, well, I’ll show you what happened: Read more…
Data Mining… in Context
So, I decided a number of years ago that the way I would use my undergraduate degree would be to inform the work that I do. That is, rather than it being the work that I do. I mean, really, I am currently working as a Business Librarian… my back ground being in Women’s Studies and Social & Political Thought (two of the more left-wing programs at York University). I realized that in my work what I can offer, and where I hope that I stand out, is context.
Context is incredibly important to me. Context is incredibly important.
I may not have gotten across through my blog, however, that I also love data. Not always the numbers themselves, but the context of the numbers. And I really love the move into visualizing data and infographics. I think it provides an opportunity for people with diverse learning styles to see, learn and interpret data in really new and exciting ways.
Yes, that is my very long way of bringing up (an older project now) MIT’s Personas Metro(pathologies), an exhibit that was on display at the MIT Museum through to September 2009 (any updates on this?). The purpose of the site (and the exhibit) was/is to demonstrate how data mining functions and the oddities that can arise from it.
For instance, here’s me:
"Kim Stymest" searched January 20, 2011 by Aaron Zinman, via Personas | Metropath(ologies)
And, generally speaking I don’t have the same problem that a lot of people have searching their names online. I am, literally, the only Kim Stymest. (It’s a little frightening, really)
So, yes. I thought this was super cool. I think most things that bring together things that I love are cool. But this is cool. Check it out. See what happens. And please make sure that you read the information on why and how this was designed. It’s the context.
Do You Suck at PowerPoint?
Slide 38 from "You Suck at PowerPoint" by @JESSEDEE, via SlideShare
So, the other day I was going through my RSS stuff… yes, it took awhile… and I came across an interesting post from Stephen Abram regarding presentations. He was sharing here a presentation from @JESSEDEE and… well… I’m hooked!
I love that his presentations are so straight to the point… or as Jesse says, they use “C.R.A.P.” (check out slide 42, if you don’t believe me!). The retro images, the colour schemes, font choices; it’s all crisp, clear, and well… super awesome! I checked out the one presentation on Stephen’s Lighthouse and followed the link to more of Jesse’s work on SlideShare and, truth be told, I have looked through them all (in English) and as I said: hooked!
I think that in our profession we could probably learn a little from some of the ideas here. We teach. A lot. Often to students that don’t really care, or that don’t want to care. I’m not saying that we all suck at PowerPoint, I’ve seen some really great presentations in fact. But, I think that some of the main points that really come across to me in looking at these slides are to not be afraid… of colour, of empty space, of being bold, of creativity, really.
I believe that we are in an incredibly creative field. Why not show that off?!?
Please note: I know that a lot of us do… and are
Knowledge Ontario: ON YOUTUBE!!!
As I have blogged about in the past (here, here and here), Knowledge Ontario is currently under threat with a major cut to their funding. They have produced an AMAZING! video of why Knowledge Ontario matters. I’m especially sharing it here, as I really love the feel of it. Let’s just say it: the video’s got good vibe.
Have a look:
Love!
That Elusive Goal…
So, as in my last post, I will begin with how busy I’ve been. It’s hard to keep up at times. Granted, I like it this way; not quite hectic, but at least mildly uncomfortable.
I can’t just sit around is what I mean.
Sitting around could throw the balance off.
And I do enjoy balance.
Inevitably, I assume that all new professionals with blogs will post about work-life balance. And as the interest in work-life balance increases with the generations – lots has been written on work-life balance and generational divides, so I won’t go on that tangent – we are more and more in need of ways to determine whether or not we are achieving such a potentially elusive goal as ‘balance.’
That said, I would like to share something that was recently sent to me by a friend of mine. My friend Erika apparently slightly Twitter-stalks me and decided that I was utilizing Foursquare enough to warrant producing a Wordle of my activities.
This is what she got:
@GoodLibrarian, via Erika Heesen and Wordle
Though not intended, this has actually been a fabulous, eye-opening look at, and tool for me to analyze, my work-life balance. By looking at this, what my friend produced for me as just a joke, I have been able to realize that I am actually doing pretty well. I may get a bit stressed out at times (who doesn’t?!?), but I am definitely doing pretty well.
I work. A lot. It’s true. And I probably drink too much Starbucks. But I’m also getting in regular exercise, professional development (that I enjoy!), and a fair amount of time with my friends.
I think Wordle could be an excellent look into how we spend our time. To see what’s working and what needs work.
So, check it out and go Wordle yourself.
You Nerd!
I have been SOooooo busy. So, I’m stealing my own blog post. Can I even do that? Well, I sure did!
This is a little post about a post, but I think that it has some significance – and is very fun if you ask me. On December 7th, Joe Murphy wrote about the new Bookworm badge on Foursquare.
Do you want to be a nerd? Just check in to three spots on Foursquare categorized as a Library or Bookstore!
He has some interesting ideas (and I’ll bet more to come!) on the potential use of this badge and library promotion. I have wondered about such a thing before. Prizes for mayorship at your library, using Foursquare to promote activities, to promote research, etc. All very nerdy things. But really, what else could you want from a library and a badge that calls you a nerd!
I got my nerd on, do you?
On Job Searching…
Sweet Sorrow by Caro Wallis, via Flickr
So, I didn’t end up posting as often as I had hoped to over the summer. There is a reason for it, and really, I believe that it comes down to the general stress of job searching. Also, I had already written this post and upon saving experienced some difficulty, lost the whole thing, and gave up for a little while. So here goes.
How job searching is like dating.
When you are looking for work there is a lot of advice. So much advice, in fact, that it is often difficult to determine what the right course of action should be. And to complicate things further much of this advice is incredibly contradictory! Some of this is why I have found that searching for a job is like the worst kind of dating.
When you start out all you are really looking for is the right fit. You are looking for a partnership. Your enthusiasm abounds and you apply to jobs that will be perfect! You polish your resume putting your best foot forward. And then the inevitable happens. You spend a little while sitting by the phone. While waiting for the phone to ring, you begin to wonder if maybe you aren’t as great as your mom thinks you are. Read more…
Increase your Blog Traffic(?)
good question by e-magic, via Flickr
So, I’ve got a head scratcher for you on this one…
Apparently if you are looking to increase your blog traffic at all all you really need to do is add a cow.
Yes, that’s right. A cow. Ever since I posted a picture of a cow – an actual cow, I’m not being strangely metaphoric or speaking figuratively here – my blog stats have dramatically increased with traffic primarily coming from people searching “cow” in a search engine.
The caveat to this, of course, is the increase in spam, too. So, be warned. If you add a cow, you increase your traffic and you will increase the spam asking if you would like to increase your traffic. A bit paradoxical, I know. I just thought I would share that.
Strange, but true…
Why Buy the Cow…
Dutch cow in the grassland during summertime. by Dirk-Jan Kraan, via Flickr
So, you know the old adage…
Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?
Now, I’m not going to bring this up in an unprofessional manner. I mean, we know how I feel about that by now, don’t we? But I am going to use the thought to mention an interesting – or troublesome – idea that I recently had. Post-graduation, I am now relentlessly applying for work. In some cases, unpaid work even. As I put in an application for another volunteer position, this thought randomly crossed my mind: Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free? OR Is there such a thing as too much volunteerism?
KO Matters… With Buttons!
UPDATE: I figured out how to add the button to my sidebar. There is a Widget that text or html can be added to, FYI
So, just a quick update for you to be able to support the KO Matters initiative! Knowledge Ontario has posted this in the last couple of days so that we can all show our support. Please, if you know how – as I apparently do not – add a button to your page, use the hashtag (#KOmatters) and get on the agitating!
KO buttons
Show your support by adding a KO matters button to your website. Just grab the code and you’re ready to go.
Knowledge Ontario matters
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Join KO on Facebook
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Follow KO on Twitter
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