I Don't Wanna! 02/18/2012
 
I like to learn new things. If I could afford it, I would always be in some class or earning a new certification. Since I can't afford that right now, I take advantage of free classes whenever I find one that interests me. Classes are good for me because they provide more structure than when I try to schedule learning time on my own. I will stick with a class more than I will stick with a self-imposed schedule. I would like to have enough discipline to teach myself methodically and stay with it, but right now, I'm not there.

Learning new things frequently serves at least two purposes. One, I am happier. Two, I have a better idea of what my students are going through.

Oh, sure. I was a student at one time, but memories fade. Right now, I'm working on Code Year and learning JavaScript. I had forgotten how hard it can be to learn something for which one does not have a natural affinity. Coding reminds me of math. It feels easy when I'm in class, I do well on homework and tests, but as soon as I take the test and move on, I forget it all.

And then there is the disparity between time and energy. When I have time to complete class work, I have no energy. When I have the energy, I have no time. I can't imagine how much more difficult this must be for those who have a family, a job, and school to take their time and energy.

Most days, I get home from work, eat, and say to myself, "You should work on Code Year."

Then my mind screams, "I don't wanna!"

All kinds of other ideas insist that they are more important. Check my RSS feed for new blog posts. Check my email. Trim my finger nails. Watch NCIS. Read my book. Write a cover letter. Bake cookies. Take a walk. Stare at the wall. My head is so foggy, anything but class work sounds appealing.

I've found the only way into more energy is to begin working. Most of the time, after a few exercises, my head clears and I enjoy what I'm learning. Other days, I get more and more tired and then I stop and catch up another day.

In the end, everything gets done and I'm glad I decided to take the class. Still, when working with students, it helps to have a fresh memory of how hard learning can be, even when the person enjoys the class and wants to be there.

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February 13

5 Hours

Our library has volume zones. The green zone is for regular talking and groups, the yellow zone is for quiet talking and a few people together, and the red zone is for silent study. Today a group of about 10 were talking too loudly in the yellow zone. Sometimes students will monitor themselves, so I gave them a few minutes. I heard no whispered "you're too loud"s and the group progressively got louder.

I walked up, looked at the group in general, and said, "You're welcome to have whispered conversations here, but if you want to talk in full voice, you need to go to the other side," motioning towards the green zone. Then I made direct eye contact with a few of them and one answered, "Yes, ma'am." Because of where we live, this is a respectful response. I left them and they began to monitor each other's volume before soon leaving.

I know many people get upset when called "ma'am" or "sir" and I know that in some places these forms of address can be disrespectful, but in places where it is respectful, I don't mind being addressed as "ma'am." It doesn't make me feel old; it is the appropriate response to an authority figure. If I have the responsibility to direct someone's behavior, that means I am in an authority position to them.

Does accepting as my right a title of maturity make me hopelessly old fashioned and out of touch? I can't remember ever talking to or reading about someone who didn't equate "ma'am" with "old" and consider both to be an insult.

Questions of the Day

I need some books or articles to help me write a paper on these three poems.

How do I find a book?

This isn't the right screen for me to find books.

Where is the printer?

I need information on why people go to the theater to help me write a paper.

Do you know where this meeting is?

Where is the student class catalog?

February 15

5 Hours

Questions of the Day

Do you have glue and scissors so that I can make flash cards with my tutee?

How do I find name change information from the 2011 County X session?

I need information for a paper on the difference between reading and watching a play.

I need a book or article on the twelve disciples.

Student had several questions about printing.

My USB drive isn't showing up. Suggestions?

Where do prints go?

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Computer Class (2 Hours, 3 Students)

Class started with an introduction to PDFs. I used tax forms as an example because I couldn't come up with any other examples. We practiced rotating and zooming the document. We talked about what a PDF is, including the difference between forms you can fill out and forms that are read-only. I happen to strongly dislike PDFs and barely manage to keep from pulling my hair out when using them. I told them as much so that when they start to smash their computer when attempting to use a PDF, they might remember that the frustration happens to others, too.

That necessary unpleasantness over, we moved on to keystroke shortcuts for copy and pasting. But wait! Google Docs wouldn't paste pictures with the keystrokes. I tried earlier that day to make sure you don't have to use the mouse, but when I got to class it wouldn't work. On to Plan B. 

For those using library computers, I had them open Word and they had success copy and pasting pictures without using the mouse. For those using their own computers and not owning Word, I fussed with it a little to see if I could get it to work, but for some reason, no pictures would paste.

Then I switched everyone to copying and pasting text. This worked in Google Docs, so everyone was able to have a positive experience using keystrokes.

I had them start with pictures because highlighting text takes more mouse skills than clicking on a photo to select it. We used the sample photos from the computer hard drive and text from whatever web page they happened to have open.

Everyone caught on quickly and easily remembered the keystrokes. They also got to see how several copies will be pasted if you continue to hold down the keys and learned to use CTRL + Z to undo a paste.

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This recent post on Ask a Manager reminded me again of how difficult it is for a group of people to all be comfortable at the same temperature. Public buildings, including libraries, seem to be specifically designed to be either too hot or too cold. Sometimes I wonder if one cannot win the design bid without demonstrated proof that one can design a building specifically calculated to produce uncomfortable temperatures, but never a consistent, properly humidified average room temperature.

Musings aside, I have some experience in staying warm and want to share them. The most important thing I learned about personal temperature control is to experiment. What works perfectly for someone else might not work for you and what the "experts" insist is a bad idea may work perfectly. Educate yourself on the basics of how air insulation works, how the body regulates temperature, and the warming or cooling properties of various fabrics and then experiment.

I'm one of those people who's fingers and toes are almost always cold to the touch and who feel most alive and energetic in mildly humid weather that produces a thin sheen of sweat when one stays outside for more than five minutes. Over the years, I've experimented with staying warm in school and work buildings. Usually, not looking weird took priority over staying warm, so I didn't wear a winter coat and hat while everyone else was in t-shirts. I chose to shiver instead.

Now I am older and being comfortable is more important that what people think. Or perhaps more accurately, I have more control over my clothing choices and I have come to believe that one can be comfortably warm and [at least mostly] dressed like one's peers at the same time.

I first began to learn how to stay warm when I served in the Montana Conservation Corps. For the majority of May – October 2007, we camped in the mountains. If I remember correctly, one month my electric bill was $9 because I was gone so much. Anyway, being a person inclined to chilliness coupled with living in the woods at high altitudes equaled me being cold even more frequently than usual. When you are in the woods, there is no going inside to warm up. Even sitting next to a fire (assuming there isn't a fire ban) doesn't provide sufficient warmth. My front roasts and my back freezes and as soon as I move, my insides are cold again. Crawling into a sleeping bag did not warm me. More than ever, being cold in the woods for days at a time proved to me that no matter how many layers of clothing I put on or how warm the clothes, if I could not provide heat from inside of me, then the outside of me would stay cold. The good news was, if I could keep my outside warm, them my inside was slower to get cold. The bad news was, simply putting on a coat did not get me warm.

Through much experimentation, here are some things, in no particular order, that I have learned about staying warm. One note, I'm writing from a woman's perspective. Options for men may be different.

Eat. Even if I don't feel hungry in the "my stomach is growling" sense, eating at least a few bites every 90 minutes or so improves the ability of my insides to stay warm, thus helping my outsides to be warm. In sedentary jobs, I might drink hot tea with sugar instead of eating as often. The main thing is to find which foods or drinks help you to stay warm and consume them (in moderation with considerations for good health, of course). And when that coworker walks by and starts lecturing you about how eating fruit is so much healthier than eating crackers? Politely tell him that you are doing what is necessary to keep your body healthy and then don't let him bother you.

Fabric content matters. I am colder wearing three knit cotton/poly shirts (e.g. t-shirts), a cotton/poly hoodie, and winter coat than I am wearing a knit silk shirt (e.g. Terramar Sport Silks), a wool sweater, and a winter coat.

Layers matter. Simply wearing thin silk long johns on top and bottom under my clothes can move me from having muscles clenched so tightly I can barely control my movements to chilly, but not unbearably cold. Adding an extra tank (not cotton) over that base layer helps me stay even warmer.

Fit matters. Some people think large, roomy clothing is cozy, but for staying warm, more fitted clothing is ideal. Yes, you want to have freedom of movement and room to layer, but clothes meant for layering (e.g. blazers) are designed with that room in them. There is no need to buy a larger size unless you will be layering something unusually bulky under them. From my experience, a close fitting shirt and a more fitted winter coat are warmer than a close fitting shirt and a too-large coat. The same goes for any other layers. Larger does not usually equal warmer.

Socks material matters. After two hours in typical cotton socks, my feet feel clammy. If the rest of me is cold, this only makes me feel colder. There are affordable options for wool blend socks that are as thin as regular socks. Yes, wool socks are pricier than cotton, but they last longer and to me, are worlds more comfortable. When I wear wool socks, I can go all day without feeling clammy feet and when I take off my socks at night, they do not feel wet and limp the way cotton socks do after a day's wearing.

Sometimes the best thing to do is take off clothes. Finished giggling like a middle-schooler? Ready for me to explain? Good. 

When you are shivering, the last thing you want to do is get even more cold, but sometimes it is the best thing to do to create warmth. 

One time in Maine I was typically cold, so I sat down to build a fire, thinking to warm my feet. At first, I kept my socks on, but worried about scorching them finally took them off. Almost immediately my feet felt warmer. I have since experimented and realized that when my feet are cold, sometimes all they need are a breather and then they and I am warm when properly dressed again. In other situations, all it took was to change whatever clothes were closest to my skin. While layers matter, sometimes you have to take off clothes for a little while in order to be finally warmer.

Cover your head. Whether you use a hat, a pillow, a blanket, or a scarf, covering your head is one of the fastest ways to get warm. It is also likely one of the most work appropriate, after clothing considerations. (If anyone can take off their shoes while staffing the front desk, please let me know where you work.) 

I know, I know. So many people think they look strange in hats. But remember, 1) it takes time to get used to seeing yourself wearing something new and 2) not all hats are created equal. 

If you are wearing one-size-fits-all hats, then sure, they probably don't fit you correctly which would lead to them looking strange. Also, placement is important. A fedora worn an inch above the eyebrows will look different from one worn on the back of the head. Moreover, a hat will look different with your hair up than it will with your hair down. A bucket hat may be unflattering, but a beanie will be just the ticket. Experiment!

If you work someplace where appearances are less important, wrap a wool shawl around your head and shoulders. It keeps your head covered and warms your neck. Both pluses for staying warm.

Unlike a coat, a head covering will allow your arms to be unencumbered for working.

Wear a scarf. Scarves for indoor wear are all over the fashion blogosphere, so you shouldn't feel out of place trying this one. Can't stand a big, bulky thing around your neck? Try a narrow scarf out of thin material. Again, you may have to get used to seeing yourself wearing a scarf. I know that if I am wearing a bulky scarf, I need to make sure to knot it low so that it forms a long "v" shape on my chest. If I wrap it around my neck or tie it close to my chin, I look overwhelmed. Thin scarves, however, I can tie close to my neck. Experiment.

Use a personal heating device. Some of the comments on the original post talk about heated mittens and slippers that plug into USB ports. I find that a hot water bottle works beautifully. A heating pad is another alternative. I most often feel inside cold along my spine, so I put the heating device against the small of my back. I have also used the AC adaptor on my computer cord to warm my feet or back (the adapter is halfway up the cord, not near the plug). If you are uncertain where to put the heating device for optimum warmth, along the spine, under the arm near the armpits, or next to the groin are the places that warm me the fastest. Cradling a Nalgene bottle filled with boiling water (not the safest method for creating a hot water bottle) in the hip to body juncture was about the only way I could get warm while camping in the Montana mountains.

More important than doing what someone else does to stay warm is to experiment and discover what does or doesn't work for your body. Stand by what you learn; don't be intimidated by others' comments. Do you freeze when you wear close-toed shoes but are most comfortable when wearing sandals and a ski hat? Don't let anyone laugh you into being cold. Do wool socks give you blisters? Then wear cotton and try changing them two or three times during the day.

Of course, you need to be aware of what is appropriate for your work environment. You need to be able to do your job and project the image required by your position, but try to think creatively. Find out if what you think are rules really are rules. If your manager tells you that you can't wear ski hats, find out if it is the hat or the style of hat that is the problem. Maybe she will let you wear a beret instead. She doesn't think sandals are appropriate? What about peep-toe dress shoes? Of course, don't be contentious, but also don't consign yourself to being uncomfortable without first seeing if there is an acceptable solution.

Above all, educate yourself and experiment. Find what works for your body in various situations. Be open to change. Believe that there is a way to stay warm, that it's only a matter of finding it.

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February 5

6 Hours
I started the day by volunteering to lead two library introduction tours which were starting in, oh, five minutes. I put my things away and went to hang out at the front until the class arrived. These tours aren't detailed. They are of the 5-10 minute point-and-talk variety.

After I finished, several of the students came back for help with one of their questions, finding a call number in the catalog. Between my two tours and the two that were after mine, I spent the next hour and a half showing groups of students how to use the catalog, what the parts of results are (title, author, etc.), and showing them a call number on a physical book.

Actually, the group after mine said that they needed a call number for a reference book talking about one of their hobbies. Because there is only one catalog computer and some of the students already had a call number for a regular book and they only had 15 minutes for all of them to use the computer, instead of telling them to look through all the results until they found one labeled as a reference book, I looked at any call number they found, brought them to the same section in reference and tried to explain that they might be able to find a book on the same topic there. I wish we had more catalog computers so that I could better explain to them how to find a reference book in the catalog before they wrote down the call number. I think it would have been less confusing to say. I think that understanding that the same kinds of topics are in two different places is something that is better understood from exposure rather than a 30-second explanation when you are already a bit confused. 

Questions of the Day (Besides Helping with Call Numbers)
  • I need a book on Viet Nam protests in the United States, but not about the soldiers.
  • I need to introduce myself to a library staff member as part of my assignment. (This sounded like the hardest assignment for the students.)
  • I'm just walking around because I have to look at the library for class. 
  • Where do the prints go?
  • I have to introduce myself to a library staff member for class.
  • I need The House on Mango Street.
  • I need a book on how to write business letters.

February 8

4 Hours
I filled out more paperwork for HR, then started looking for Pulitzer drama winners from the past five years who fit a specified demographic.  

I sat in on a class that taught psychology first-year students how to search EBSCO, specifically, Academic Search Complete.

The third hour, I worked on some more searching.

The last hour, I taught EBSCO to another psych class. I know it can get monotonous to say the same things over and over, even though the audience is different, but I do enjoy teaching people and trying to help them understand how this knowledge will make their lives easier in the future if they take the time to learn the skills now.

Question of the Day
I only got one question, almost as soon as I arrived. There were no printer questions the whole time I was at the desk. What's up with that?
  • What is this word and how do you pronounce it? *Points to "parenchyma."*
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Computer Class (2 hours, 4 students)

I showed them Google Forms and had them practice making a two question form with answers in different formats (text, multiple choice, etc.). Because of sign-in difficulties, this took an hour and a half. The last half hour, I showed them how to change the desktop background and other display options. They had fun playing with that and sharing their reactions to the different pictures and color schemes.

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I keep wondering if I should post the actual questions I get. They are interesting and help show what reference is like at a community college, but I wouldn't want anyone to feel exposed if they happened to see their question here. For now, I've decided it's alright to post them because they aren't attached to any information that would identify someone. I don't think this is any different from saying the things that worked or didn't work in the classes I teach. 

January 30

6 Hours

I began by giving HR my paperwork. The rest of the time was spent at the reference desk. 

Questions of the Day
How much is it to print? How do I print? The computer isn't printing.

Do you have headphones so that I can listen to this online video for class?

Where do the printouts go?

I need a book on heart rates.

Do you have The Outsiders?

Do you have a computer that I can print from?

Where do the printouts go?

February 1

4 Hours

I asked if I could learn the circulation system and spent half an hour at the circulation desk. They showed me the system, but nobody came so I couldn't practice. It looks similar to other systems I have used and self-explanatory for the things that might be unfamiliar.

Questions of the Day
I need a book to learn how to find the main idea in a paragraph. Where do I check out books? How do I get a student ID?

Where is the rest room?

Is that my class in there? Where does my class meet?

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2 Hours


Because I now have paid temp hours at the community college, I had to limit how many hours I can give to the public library. For now, I'm only teaching the computer class. We'll take it one month at a time and see how things go.


Taught computer class (2 hours, 5 students): The entire class was spent on Google Docs. The first hour was spent getting everyone signed in. Most people have Yahoo addresses, so I'm thankful they could sign in with those, but getting the passwords to match both times they typed it in and then reading the spam protection sent a few people on a frustrating cycle. Those spam protection letters are hard to read!

After everyone finally got signed in, we took our break and then came back to look at what one can do with Google Docs. I started by showing them how to use the help section and then sending them on their own search in the help section. Next we went to a blank document. I showed them a sample of things one could do with font and alignment and let them experiment. At the end, we named our document, then deleted it. Maybe we should have named the document at the beginning. That was my plan, but I got side tracked.

Some of them were excited to realize they don't have to manually save their work. Others were most interested in the options for changing the font. 

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January 29 was National Puzzle Day. As I said before, I got permission to set up a display and also to host a puzzle making program for children.

Last Saturday, we had the hour-long program. We had five children and the accompanying five adults. As far as I know, the only advertisement was fliers around the library. The children ranged (from my guesses, I didn't ask) from 3 – 12 years old. I had instructions for making jigsaw puzzles, word search puzzles, and mazes. Everyone chose to make a jigsaw puzzle.

I was expecting at least some chaos and the need to clean up afterwards, but everyone was well behaved, even to the point of sorting their crayons into the appropriate section of the box and taking their scrap paper with them to put into recycling.

This was my first time creating a program for children at a public library. I know one time doesn't give an accurate perception of what it would be like if this was my job, but the experience was a positive one. When available time and appropriate ideas meet again, I would be willing to organize and host another program. 

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Introduction

I started this project out of my own curiosity, then I decided to make it into a blog post. Since I didn't begin with the idea of organizing the results, I didn't start with controlled vocabulary and a list of points to look for and all those other things that make good statistics.

Then when I realized I could turn this into a blog post, I became overwhelmed with the thought of having to start over (boring) or create perfect charts. Then I reminded myself that this is a blog post, not an academic articles, so naturally formed information is acceptable as long as people know what they are getting.

So here you are, obvious holes and all.

Background

What prompted this project is that I occasionally like to check and see if what I think is true, actually is true. It had been a while since I compared search engines and I wanted to see if anything had changed. I also wanted to see what the best search methods are (keywords, short phrases, full sentences). 

Notes and Methods

All search engines gave 10 results per page.

I only looked at the first page.

All search engines contained duplicate results, meaning same or different pages from the same URL.

Suggested Searches in Dropdown = Suggested searches that show while typing in search box

I did not count carefully which results were the same across search engines. I looked at URLs and decided if all, some, or no results were similar to Dogpile's results.

Compared all search engines results to Dopgile because it searches the other three.

I ran an organic search. That is, I started with the vague idea "I want to know something about painting my own car," and then refined the search based on what I wanted to know as I read the first set of results.

Conclusions

Helpfulness of suggested searches, ranked best to worst: 
  • Bing
  • Google
  • Yahoo
  • Dogpile
Relevancy of results, ranked best to worst by search type
Broad keywords:
  • Bing
  • Dogpile, Google, Yahoo
Short phrase: 
  • Dogpile
  • Yahoo
  • Google
  • Bing
Full sentence: 
  • Google
  • Yahoo
  • Dogpile
  • Bing
Search method, ranked best to worst: 
  • Short phrase
  • Full sentence
  • Broad keywords 

More Questions

Does the best search method depend on the search topic and/or the words used? Would keywords or short phrases be better for more common topics, such as a biography of an actor, while short phrases or full sentences are better for topics with less available information?

Chart of Results

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