tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47395647143497937512024-02-18T23:15:33.832-08:00Digital InklingsDenvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-70294241464185955222015-09-20T12:08:00.000-07:002015-09-20T12:08:08.808-07:00Wearables and beyondI can't remember the first time I heard the word computer. I do remember my grandfather, who read Popular Science, my dad read Popular Mechanics, I loved them both, talking about com-poo-ters. Yes, that was his pronounciation. <br />
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At the University of Wyoming there was a class, just a one-credit course, on computer languages that I took just for the heck of it. We used punch cards and a huge full-room computer called a Philco 2000. Because I had that knowledge of computers I was hired to initiate the use of computers in a federal office in Alaska. About that same time the son of a co-worker who worked with an engineering firm in Anchorage invited several of our office to see his IBM1140, I think it was. It was about the size of a deck, much smaller than the one in Laramie.<br />
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Later that year I traveled to the regional office of our federal department and saw the spinning tape and discs of an IBM360. Then the office bought an IBM selectric typewriter that could storage keystrokes on a magnetic card. By the time I left that job in 1977 we had a printer, the key punch for punching cards, and we used an computerized accounting program. The program was run on a computer in DC but we could print it in our office.<br />
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In '77 we moved to remote Alaska where we built a simple home and started making wooden toys for financial income. On a trip around the states in 1981, I saw my first desktop computer, a HealthKit using a audio cassette for memory. Soon after that we bought our first Apple II which we used to inventory our little wholesale grocery business. After that things moved too fast, an Apple GS, a Mac for Marc when he went to college in '91. A Mac at the new job at Jamestown College, a Mac laptop, it weighed a ton. Then there was a Power Mac, an iBook, several MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones.<br />
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If you jumped into the middle of this short history some place you may not have sensed the great changes from no computers, just manual adding tools to devices that you wear on your wrist and can be involved in almost everything you do.<br />
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I've remained intrigued with the possibilities of computers over the years but more recently have become frustrated with the gap between expectations and promises and reality. I don't remember the mechanical adding machine to ever make a mistake although my first electronic handheld calculator didn't do square roots correctly consistently. But now it's like a user is problem shooting almost constantly, or at least several times a day. Of course, in my attempt so be a diverse person with many interests, activities and skills, the computer becomes a part of almost each one of them.<br />
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So today I will prepare for the class that I will teach this fall, a class using computers, coding and the Internet, by using a computer. I will organize pictures from my past, using the computer. I will research and write family history using the computer. I will do several arts and crafts projects using a paintbrush, a bandsaw and, yes, the computer. I will send greetings, answer questions and ask questions of friends, family and associates using the computer. I will cook several meals in some cases with recipes from the Internet. I will calculate my exercise using a mini-computer, my iPhone.<br />
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As someone who played in the dirt with make-believe characters as a child, I still cherish those activities and work toward a balance of computers and dirt. I now leave the com-poo-ter to work in the dirt.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-11609747670651176922015-04-29T11:30:00.001-07:002015-04-29T11:30:37.404-07:00Wearables and MoreThe email alerts are full of articles about the AppleWatch ranging from "you must have" praise to "why bother." A novel thought was that when the watch first hit the market and people were skeptical about its grandiose features and didn't buy as predicted, the stocks would fall and one should invest in Apple. It may sound counter-intuitive but you've got to be a strong pessimist if you truly believe that Apple will not continue to lead the market in novel and creative electronics, such as the AppleCar. Now that the AppleWatch is on the market the only problem is that manufacturing can't keep up with demand. So don't buy Apple stocks today; it's still on the top.<br />
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It is a curious device, this AppleWatch, and while many people are eager to have one, they don't know why and probably can't afford the $350 or more price tag. It can monitor your heart beat and exercise habits but so can other less expensive devices. It can't take pictures and it depends on the iPhone as a companion to perform many of it's functions. Being on the wrist creates some interesting postures of the users, holding one's wrist up to one's face to talk to and view the watch. Its size will also create another set of skills for maneuvering its small screen and apps.<br />
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Probably an important draw and probably the most important cultural change will be that it is with us always. It will become a part of the individual wearer. It will mean that the wearer can and will be in contact with a mass amount of information about themselves and the world. We may have to be careful what we say because it will respond to voice commands. It will track our every move and record that information. But knowing the details about our health may be a motivation to live healthier.<br />
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Interestingly enough some articles talk about the sleek design of the case and band are more inviting than the technology. That could take one to the $10,000 or $17,000 version. Obviously that's in the category of luxury and extravagance and I don't know anyone in that category.<br />
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As for me, I admit the temptations are there but I think I will wait for version two and the reactions to the first version. Then decide. Maybe version two will have a camera. If it follows the pattern of the transition from the first iPad with no camera to the later versions with cameras, there will be a camera soon. For now I will return to the garden and watching the birds.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-37695394261705861062015-04-01T19:29:00.000-07:002015-04-01T19:29:09.044-07:00Spring Term - Day OneTwenty-two students of Western Oregon University are writing a blog on the same subject. It's my first assignment of the term for ED270 Technology in Education: setup a blog probably in blogger.com or wordpress.com and reflect on each day's class topic. Another twenty or so will do the same on Friday.<br />
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I ask them to include some thoughts on what they learned in the day. I too learn something, a lot as a matter of fact, during each class. Some may not think what I learn is worthy of college credit, probably because there are few or no big words or deep theoretical topics. I learned that preparation for class includes having batteries for the remote wireless mouses. Didn't have to deal with that when the mouses had tails of wires connected to the computer.<br />
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I confirmed that a typically solution to the problem of not being able to login is completely turning the computer off, which on these new Macs is a challenge because the on/off button is behind the screen and essentially flush with the entire surface. I learned that my students are for the most part digital native as they grew up with computers and cell phones in their homes. They all had cell phones and they all had regular interaction with computers, social networking and other popular computer programs. I learned from their blogs and reflections of the first day that much of what we didn't in our full busy day was not thought of as learning. Maybe it was the lack of big words or challenges beyond their enjoyment.<br />
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I affirmed that I can still make mistakes and I can still recover for the most part.<br />
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I learned that most of the students are first- or second-year students and appear to be very intelligent and willing to learn and engage with the subject matter and each other.<br />
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I affirmed that I still love teaching and working with students energizes me. I affirmed that working with students is where I'm intended to be. Life is good.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-13077169629484366582014-05-08T14:12:00.000-07:002014-05-08T14:12:03.133-07:00Past, Present and FutureIt's a question that won't go away: how is technology affecting our lives? While the question can go back to the industrial revolution with factories and machinery, or even back to metal replacing stones in tools, today our focus is on computers.<br />
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I smile when I think about men using computers because forever they could use tools in their dominant hand, but when they started to use keyboards on computers they needed to use both. As farmer boys moved to the cities to work in offices, their muscles weakened, their weights went up and their health went down. To get the exercise they went to the gym where more technology existed to counter the effects of other technology.<br />
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This morning as I sat in the doctor office the TV screen was running a short clip on the affects of computers, and screen time, on health; not just on children with the affects of obesity, lack of exercise and shortening of the attention span, but also on adults and old people ailments such as heart conditions, hypertension, stress, lack of sleep and more. They were recommending adequate sleep and a moratorium on screen time just before sleeping.<br />
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Some have never indulged in computers and some don't watch TV, but most of us use both and would never give them up. They are a part of our lives both as a necessity and leisure activity. Computers are here to stay. What we need to do is resolve how to use them best, how to counter their negative affects and to balance all aspects of our lives to healthy, and clear thinking.<br />
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I think I will go for a walk and check out the availability of the classroom. Walking is good; at least as good as writing this post.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-2544731046689311372014-04-17T14:25:00.000-07:002014-04-17T14:25:17.069-07:00Blogging is ArchaicBlogging seems to have been around for quite some time. So it's old, especially by technology standards. It may also be even old-fashioned when stacked up against the more recent interactive web applications, or it may just outnumbered by the plethora of interactive social media websites.<br />
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Blogging has been around since the late 1990's when interactive websites were becoming more available. Prior to interactive websites, a webpage was static and to put information on the Internet one needed knowledge of HTML and FTP. Blogs received their names as a truncation of web log, a log being similar to a captain's log or a personal journal.<br />
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Blogging websites allowed individuals to deliver their writings to the entire world which meant they were able to publish their daily activities, and far more powerful their opinions on a variety of topics, hence becoming their own editors, publishers and journalists. <br />
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In education one can follow the same pattern of logging and opining, or one can recognize the effectiveness of this tool and use it to benefit education, such as communicating with students about lessons, or parents about activities and students' work, or administration with suggestions and questions, or the community about just about anything; and allowing a response from the audience.<br />
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Currently there are numerous websites that allow one to create a blog, and typically for free. Over time the popularity of different sites wane and ebb. Google's Blogger was a hit for years; more recently it's Wordpress and Weebly. Fundamentally they're all very much alike, but each offers different features to entice users into their web. Individuals therefore can choose their own preferences based on their desires, interests and reasons for blogging.<br />
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Our challenge today as educators is to continue to evaluate the effectiveness of blogs among themselves and against other social media, and to evaluate its effectiveness in education. If you haven't noticed you're reading this in Blogger.com because I started it years ago and would just as soon not start more blogs elsewhere on the Internet.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-25806896725451139022013-06-08T07:27:00.001-07:002013-06-08T07:27:21.224-07:00Thinking AheadThere's no denying that everything ages. Some philosophers would exempt God but not computers and people, two items with which I am very intimate. People are much more durable than computers whose life expectance is around five years. I'm already in my seventieth year far beyond that five-year mark. Recently I claimed to feel like 35 but more recently I will claim 39 and that claim getting harder and harder to support.<br />
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The spring term at Western is a week away from completion, the same day of graduation. I have only two more meetings with students. Currently I am scheduled to teach only one course next fall and I'm planning to not teach the winter term. Spring term a year from now is completely up in the air. I'm gradually moving into not teaching or as some call it, retirement. There's an implication with that transition that I'm getting old and I'm not ready yet, so I need to redirect to a youthful exciting activity for the future.<br />
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One activity during these upcoming free days will be to plow through the piles that accumulated waiting for the day when there was time to tackle them. Another is to continue volunteering as we have in the past and add new volunteer opportunities. Certainly I need to keep in the agenda routine and regular contact with the world of technology so as to not get left behind.<br />
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Thursday evening was the last class of the CSE610 Computers in Education class. Everyone was there which is a positive stroke in itself, but again they behaved as if they were interested and eager to learn. The topic were Google Apps, what's available, how they interact and their advantages and limitations; navigation using hyperlinking by reviewing several website authoring sites and creating a website modeled after the portfolios that were presented the evening before. Several actually created websites as if they could be the beginning of their portfolios. A long week of trying to design this evening of class culminated in a meaningful and exciting evening which included the traditional end-of-term brownies.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-59798325701363345922013-06-04T13:13:00.000-07:002013-06-04T13:13:05.062-07:00Remember the future with iMovie on an iPadI still remember the day we introduced the iPod Touch to our classes at WOU. During a brief faculty preview straining to see the tiny screen and get my "what seemed like oversized" fingers to find the letters of the keypad, I remarked, "When will they make one of these so that older folks can see them?" That was just a little over year before the iPad.<br />
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The iPad was good but Apple and the tablet world decided that an iPad was a little too big so there came the Mini iPad. Now there's rumors of the Maxi iPad. I'll bet it's bigger.<br />
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Last week I did a "command performance" teaching iMovie, not on the desktops in the classroom like I've done for years, but on the iPad, which I have never done. It was a delight despite the fact my first reaction was that it was very watered down; no green screen, no fine tuning of color. After working with iMovie on iPad and having 20 students do the same, my reaction is much more in favor especially for younger students such as those in K-12.<br />
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A convenience is that you can take the video and stills directly with the iPad. An inconvenience is that it's more challenging and sometimes inconsistent gathering videos and pictures from other sources. It's a typical Apple philosophy: make it friendly, make it compact and don't sweat the small stuff like interfacing with other complex devices.<br />
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Most actions are intuitive, well, that is after you get the hang of it. Click on the handful of standard icons, click and drag clips and images from one place to another, touch and hold in some cases like when rearranging clips in the project. Touch clips and drag corners to shorten or lengthen chips, swipe your finger through a clip to split it or free a portion.<br />
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The younger I pretended to be, the more fun I had, especially with the trailers, which essentially give one a story board where one only need to personalize a little text and add my clips or stills which I can quickly gather with the same iPad. Saving is automatic but getting it to a more universal format annoyed me as I'm not a fan of youtube, facebook or iTunes. They work and with a bit more energy I can get them to be useful in a PowerPoint or webpage.<br />
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Now if only I had an iPad with iMovie. And the open mind of a third-grader.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-3704535709038034352012-09-18T10:13:00.003-07:002012-09-18T10:13:56.846-07:00It seems like the beginning of a university term is a time to post a blog entry; at least this term and last term. My life at this point is on the fence in so many different ways: which class will I teach this term, ready to retire and eager to teach, planning to travel and to relax at home. One at a time; I should know by later today if you will see me in Creating Websites class or responding to me online for the Internet for Educators class. The first is my dream class, the second a desirable and wonderful opportunity to learn more. <br />
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The iPhone5 is the craze this week and the mini iPad is rumored to be here soon. I have a dumb phone for which I buy minutes every other month. Even with a para-Luddite attitude with regard to cell phones, I am swept up in the current of society following these fads and trends. It's everywhere. The iPhone's been on the market through pre-orders for only two days and already all two-million designated for that purpose are sold, and people are forming lines for the first iPhones when the stores start to sell them in a couple more days. If this isn't craziness, it certainly borders on very fast moving trends and fashions.<br />
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Meanwhile we will plod along in our classes with the knowledge we now have, reaching for that next level of income, social status or just plain knowledge. Have a great term.Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-25037469658062150352012-04-11T09:06:00.002-07:002012-04-11T09:16:22.697-07:00What a week!That was last week when I refer to "What a Week!" It included the first week of classes for a new term, Holy Week activities and a funeral and memorial service for Professor Hank Bersani. The over the weekend was Easter with a great and longed for visit from the grandkids and family. This week is also "What a Week!" as we try to make up for what we missed last week.<div><br /></div><div>A modification to my classes this term is more use of the SmartBoard. Some claim that the public schools are filled with them and the teachers don't know how to use them. Yet, many students in class have never heard of them or seen them. I agree that more schools have them now than in the past but the point of saturation has not been reached. Using SmartBoards in class means more students doing more work on the SmartBoard including setting it up and that takes time from other also important skills and discussions.</div><div><br /></div><div>In timely opportunity one of the post-graduate students is doing in-depth research into the use of the SmartBoard and DualWrite Board by eInstruction to help all of us become more proficient at this use. Meanwhile this is an advanced challenge for me and several other instructors trying to bring this technology into the classroom.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-44439483255296103372012-02-05T21:18:00.000-08:002012-02-06T11:23:35.675-08:00A Digital DayThis weekend I facilitated a workshop for nine teachers in a couple small private K-8 schools near Banks. I was more anxious about this session than most because these were teachers of children, something I've never done, I didn't know them and I really wasn't certain what they expected. <div><br /></div><div>As I waited for the arrival of the students, the teachers, I noticed a coffee table type book on display on the upper shelf. It was called One Digital Day, How the Microchip is Changing our World. It wasn't fill with iPads and cell phones and robots. It was filled with pictures that appeared very routine, pigs on a farms, old women in a line in southern Africa, children in playgrounds. The pigs were being examined with computer equipment, the women were identifying themselves with fingerprints for their monthly government checks and the children were supervised by video cameras. Hundreds of pages of pictures showing how microchips affect our lives every day everywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a balance in everything we do, such as microchips versus trees, flowers, pets and family; such as family versus work and class. Someone will someday look back and notice the thousands of hours on computers but I hope they don't ignore the calluses on my hands, the mud on my boots, and the sand dust in my lungs. But most importantly I hope they don't ignore my children, my wife, my friends, my trips to China and Africa to help with whatever I could. I hope also that someday you will be remembered for the people you know and not the day you missed class or didn't post a blog entry.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-1744857316215413292012-02-03T19:58:00.000-08:002012-02-03T20:14:38.232-08:00Cool DownYears ago, actually many years ago, almost 30, a couple of mutual had a serious discussion about their futures. Their criteria included "something they would enjoy", "benefit society", and "earn enough more to survive." Their criteria wasn't far from mine and I have been very successful in most of those aspects, but it's sometimes results in a rather over relaxed attitude. That is one of my faults.<div><br /></div><div>The class has included most of every aspects that one might expect in a class. Some have overachieved with quantity, others have been creative beyond my expectations, while others have followed the expectations better than I would have done myself. On the other side some have been very tardy to the point of no involvement. In three weeks I have tried to guide the class in a direction which would result in hands-on experience, understanding the use of blogs and what technology is involved. In three weeks most of the class have done that and my job as guide was complete. So this week I have been listening and not talking. The race has been run and I'm just cooling down.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, by the way, I'm not a very good blogger for I have not continued to blog and claim your attention. I will visit you about one more time next week. Congratulations to all of you who have met your objectives.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-84146950150501823232012-01-20T16:22:00.000-08:002012-01-20T16:24:35.338-08:00<div>Have you been following the proposed laws governing the Internet? Check out this TED talk.</div><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/defend_our_freedom_to_share_or_why_sopa_is_a_bad_idea.html">http://www.ted.com/talks/defend_our_freedom_to_share_or_why_sopa_is_a_bad_idea.html</a>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-51045078848938351042012-01-20T15:57:00.000-08:002012-01-20T16:22:00.973-08:00Correlating blogging with ageOriental medicine has its place in the world. Blended with with Western Medicine it seems to make great sense but when there's a conflict between the two, my background suggests that Western medicine is better. One thing that I have observed about Oriental medicine is that if an action causes an affect, or seems to cause an affect, it is deemed as a fact and should be used forthwith. Here is one place where my thinking departs from the thinking in Oriental medicine; I lie controlled experiments before I draw conclusions.<div><br /></div><div>The same is true when observing behavior between individuals and technology. The seems to be a relationship between age and how technology is used. For example, most of us are at an age where assignments should be clearly defined and delineated. This class isn't doing that exactly. I build my expectations, my thoughts about what makes this a useful experiment into my blogs. Generally speaking all students of this level of class should be self-motivated and self-directed seeking some collaborative guidance to define issues and solutions more quickly.</div><div><br /></div><div>So here's a summary of a reasonable set of expectations. First hands on is going to be the best teacher so reading about creating blogs and how they work is only step one. Mainly we need to involving and doing.</div><div><br /></div><div>To be involved we need to setup a blog. You have done that. Well, most of you have. You need to read blogs to see how other use them, and then you need to comment. That's critical in blogging. </div><div><br /></div><div>We have done some research, in blogs and professional journals, and then we shared our reviews and reactions in a blog. And then we commented on them. What did we learn about how blogs are being used in general and more importantly what is professional research saying about the use of blogs in education.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I'm suggesting that we explore the gadgets and features of a blogs by setting up RSS's, lists of blogs we're interested in reading routinely, lists of websites we find interesting and think others may also appreciate. And lists of books and journals.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next step is to add some media such as images and videos. Maybe find some code from another website and include that code in the blog. Include links within the blog itself. Use more than words.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lastly we need to dive into marketing our blog. I know that just writing the blog, like writing a diary, can be satisfactory in itself, but having some read it is even many times better. How to start? Tell your friends and family and colleagues about your blog. Read other blogs and write comments including a link to your blog in your comment. Is there a portal online that lists blogs? Can you find that?</div><div><br /></div><div>In summary for this class:</div><div>Read and comment</div><div>Setup blog</div><div>Write relevantly</div><div>Research</div><div>Add features and gadgets</div><div>Add media and links</div><div><br /></div><div>I suspect a posting every of day is a good schedule.</div><div>Market your blog</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-37419074843530468432012-01-20T08:04:00.000-08:002012-01-20T15:56:51.843-08:00How weather affects blogging<div>One would think that blogging would be independent of weather, much like newspaper and mail delivery. However, when weather closes airports and floods roads and basements, blogging suffers, probably because bloggers are sandbagging or debating options for the next flight home. I hope all of you and your favorite people are safe and dry. We are but there have been distractions.</div><div><br /></div><div>I received an email with a blog blog that I am forwarding not so much for you to read in detail but so that you can see another use of blogging.</div><a href="http://wcetblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/forging-the-future-how-much-affordability-can-higher-education-afford">http://wcetblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/29/forging-the-future-how-much-affordability-can-higher-education-afford</a>/<div><br /></div><div>More from me after this morning's class.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-85312285990557964192012-01-18T11:30:00.000-08:002012-01-18T11:35:40.546-08:00Blackout by Wikipedia and othersI don't frequent Wikipedia but it does offer some quick information from time to time, such as the population of Tanzania. Today I visited the site to learn more about the blackout. Legislation is always hard to understand and this is no exception. I suspect I could find ways to argue both sides of this issue but it seems as if this may be an ill-constructed piece legislation missing the mark and causing more chaos then order.<div><br /></div><div>I did submitted a letter to our representative suggesting that education, what we're trying to do here at WOU, is more important than regulation. Take a look. Today only. What do you think?</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-41404432612894101772012-01-16T20:46:00.001-08:002012-01-16T20:46:31.292-08:00Subscribing with RSS and Atom<div>Some of you have been trying out the email subscriptions and similar features. Most of us can activate a subscription by clicking on "Scribe to: Post (Atom)" which should sets up something in you email or aggregator that notifies you when a new blog entry is posted. I use that to monitor your blogs.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are also options where readers can enter their email addresses, or you can enter it for them, and they receive an email when there's a new entry. Typically the recipient has to approve the option before the emails are received.</div><div><br /></div><div>Below are a couple links that talk about using subscriptions and RSS's.</div><a href="http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/howtoreadsitefeeds.shtml">http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/howtoreadsitefeeds.shtml</a><div><a href="http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/04/rss-10-rss-20-or-atom-how-do-you.html">http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/04/rss-10-rss-20-or-atom-how-do-you.html</a></div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-58099401250273323752012-01-16T16:39:00.000-08:002012-01-16T20:45:51.953-08:00Subscribing with RSS and Atom<div>Some of you have been trying out the email subscriptions and similar features. Most of us can activate a subscription by clicking on "Scribe to: Post (Atom)" which should sets up something in you email or aggregator that notifies you when a new blog entry is posted. I use that to monitor your blogs.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are also options where readers can enter their email addresses, or you can enter it for them, and they receive an email when there's a new entry. Typically the recipient has to approve the option before the emails are received.</div><div><br /></div><div>Below are a couple links that talk about using subscriptions and RSS's.</div><a href="http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/howtoreadsitefeeds.shtml">http://www.thesitewizard.com/faqs/howtoreadsitefeeds.shtml</a><div><a href="http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/04/rss-10-rss-20-or-atom-how-do-you.html">http://labnol.blogspot.com/2007/04/rss-10-rss-20-or-atom-how-do-you.html</a></div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-38831606568198211092012-01-16T08:31:00.000-08:002012-01-16T08:41:04.265-08:00Gadgets and tagsThis is the week of gadgets. Think of it as an adult playing with children's toys not only for the joy of playing with the toys to to better understand how the toy works and why it brings joy to the child.<div><br /></div><div>I'd like to see a blog list on each site with a link to my blog at least; so I can link back to my blog easily after reading yours. Also consider including links to your classmates' blogs. Also consider linking to other related blogs which may be a separate gadget for organization sake.</div><div><br /></div><div>I see some calendars, with advertising no less, and some news feeds. A list of favorite websites may be a gadget option.</div><div><br /></div><div>Consider adding tags to your postings so you can categorize or organize them. Have you wondered what the facebook, twitter, and other popular icons are on some blog pages? How would you use them?</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-14245465116956696112012-01-16T08:24:00.000-08:002012-01-16T08:30:51.495-08:00Reading other BlogsThe first advice for writing a good blog is reading other blogs. I hope that you are indulging your instructor and reading his daily, or at least every other day. I hope also that you are reading your classmates' blogs. They are offering some great insights into blogging. I just read the reviews from Elizabeth ( <a href="http://ealligood11.blogspot.com">ealligood11.blogspot.com</a> ), also linked on the left of this blog as "Elizabeth's blogging world."Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-28796227764579742502012-01-14T11:12:00.000-08:002012-01-14T11:28:52.951-08:00Thus ends Week One and Begins Week TwoIt's been a great morning reading blogs and stretching, not too far, my creative juices to comment on some of them. <div><br /></div><div>So the picture is forming. We've met most of our classmates, we've checked what others are doing with blogs, we've exchanged some ideas and reflections, we've gone beyond the "this is my first blog." We're ready to dig deeper into this media and technology.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's the challenge for the next several days. When you're logged into your blog (in blogger.com) select Design and add some gadgets. You have opportunities to create links to other blogs and I would strongly recommend links to all your classmates or more easily a link to my blog which has links to the blogs of all the responding classmates. Yes, I'm still missing a couple responses.</div><div><br /></div><div>Explore the gadgets. Try different ones. What do they do? How can they help me? How can I manage my students, my peers, my interests and my life better using some of these gadgets? Are you using "tags?" How could they simplify my complex interesting life (meaning your life is interesting, not mine)?</div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy you weekend. I'm about to shift gears and go bake chocolate chip cookies and clean the house for our Chinese guests these next three weeks.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-69890586649413953532012-01-11T11:49:00.000-08:002012-01-11T11:53:55.927-08:00Sample of how WOU TRI uses blogsTake a look at how Teacher Research Institute uses blogs at WOU. I don't expect you to read all these, but sample a few to see how many persons can share and cross reference information is a very easy way. This came to me as an email.<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Just a reminder that external grant opportunities are posted regularly on</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">one of several Sponsored Research Funding Opportunity webpages. These can</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">be subscribed to so that updates come directly to your email inbox.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">WOU Sponsored Research Updates (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wousponsoredresearch.blogspot.com/">http://wousponsoredresearch.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Business & Economics (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspbusinessecon.blogspot.com/">http://wouspbusinessecon.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Computer Sciences (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspcomputerscience.blogspot.com/">http://wouspcomputerscience.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Creative Arts (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspcreativearts.blogspot.com/">http://wouspcreativearts.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Criminal Justice (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspcrimjustice.blogspot.com/">http://wouspcrimjustice.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Health & Physical Education (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wousphealthpe.blogspot.com/">http://wousphealthpe.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Humanities (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wousphumanities.blogspot.com/">http://wousphumanities.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">International Opportunities across Disciplines (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspinternational.blogspot.com/">http://wouspinternational.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Natural Sciences and Mathematics (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspnaturalsciences.blogspot.com/">http://wouspnaturalsciences.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Psychology (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wousppsychology.blogspot.com/">http://wousppsychology.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Social Sciences (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspsocialsciences.blogspot.com/">http://wouspsocialsciences.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Special Education (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspspecialed.blogspot.com/">http://wouspspecialed.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Student Services (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspstudentservices.blogspot.com/">http://wouspstudentservices.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">Teacher Education (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a href="http://wouspteachered.blogspot.com/">http://wouspteachered.blogspot.com/</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><br /></span></div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-58000099363327960472012-01-09T17:12:00.000-08:002012-01-09T17:19:05.096-08:00What the World says about BlogsMaybe we're on the stoop of a big world of blogs and we're not certain what it's all about. We've heard rumors and maybe even had a taste one way or another. But what to the pros say about this media. Let's not sit on our thumbs and wonder or hope for one opinion from the instructor, let's hit the journals in the virtual library of Hamersley or others around the world, read some articles and report back in each of our blogs.<div><br /></div><div>Simply put: find some professional journal with articles, at least two, on blogging in education and write a summary and brief reaction on the articles. Then read each other's articles (they linked on the left of this blog, and comment on them, at least three other blogs.</div><div><br /></div><div>Focus to get this done by the weekend, January 12.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-73089274662840461982012-01-08T20:14:00.000-08:002012-01-08T20:40:05.091-08:00Starting SimpleThe last blog posting was "Why Blog?" This one is "What to write?" Let's start simple, something we can all handle very easily: an introduction of ourselves. <div><br /></div><div>For the first blog just write something about yourself. Tell us about your connection to education, are you a teacher; why you're taking this class, what are your expectation and goals; and some thoughts about how you might use a blog. You can also add something about your garden or last weekend's adventure or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Gabriel will be five weeks old Wednesday. We spent his second and third weeks of his life while visiting our daughter and her family in North Dakota. Angelmary, our honorary daughter, will be starting her first class at WOU Monday. Those are the highlights.</div><div><br /></div><div>I actually am a mathematician turned toymaker turned educator; a North Dakotan turned Alaskan living in Oregon. Although my birth date is long enough ago that I might consider retirement, but every time I walk into a classroom or exchanged ideas with students, I hope never to retire. Somewhere in my being is a story which may never be written so I write a blog. Blogs may be an great tool for teaching, learning and sharing knowledge, so I write a blog. Many days in my life have been routine but some have offered me great experiences which I hope to share, so I blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>After you have created your blog, introduce yourself.</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-35933730859060911882012-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:002012-01-04T09:32:22.113-08:00Why Blog?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqpPXT8ProWEk7YTnn9yXYNmrenIoZatitIgpvwNOVGzUPUJJ8wvfra3GzQa-uqaiuLT7atwbUqiH5-VBjPDNv4jmlAa7SNiIjYhswDqTnujQXHv9cyVvd0VYE2BY1YAwRpGdFT2gts8/s1600/952153409_d1801fcabc_m.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyqpPXT8ProWEk7YTnn9yXYNmrenIoZatitIgpvwNOVGzUPUJJ8wvfra3GzQa-uqaiuLT7atwbUqiH5-VBjPDNv4jmlAa7SNiIjYhswDqTnujQXHv9cyVvd0VYE2BY1YAwRpGdFT2gts8/s320/952153409_d1801fcabc_m.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693543661974619138" /></a><br />Living in the foothills of the coastal range has a major drawback for computer and gadget geeks. Cell phone reception is poor at best, satellite connections to the Internet are limited in speed and volume and television is limited, especially when the user doesn't subscribe to DirectTV. This of course doesn't outweigh the beauty of nature and the privacy this location provides and the unconditional affection shown by the livestock and pets.<div><br /></div><div>Monday, when one of the Oregon football teams was playing a famous game, we back-country folks had to wait for the evening news to hear what had happened. Or jump online to catch the score from time to time. The top hit on the Google search for the Rase Bowl score actually was a blog. Someone decided to blog about the game as it proceeded, or maybe it was a legitimate news media with a reporter writing a play by play article. Either way it had the opportunity for me to comment on the writing.</div><div><br /></div><div>This got me to thinking about how are blogs used these days and are any of these uses valid for education? Some writers are reporting an event like in a news column; others are expressing an opinion or promoting an idea or cause; while some just like writing and do a darn good job at</div><div>that. Some bloggers are actually journaling or keeping a diary for everyone to see and others are sharing information they think might interest others even if it's a select group. All invite comments and feedback.</div><div><br /></div><div>So how can educators, teachers and students jump into this maze and make it beneficial for teaching and learning? Yes, I am inviting your comments, suggestions and thought. What do you think?</div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4739564714349793751.post-84114323915479301532011-12-24T13:10:00.000-08:002011-12-24T13:38:44.288-08:00Starting your First Blog for EducationIt's not the first time I've read <i>Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts</i> by Will Richardson and it probably won't be the last. I've seen the chapter titles before and the ideas are familiar, but with this reading new ideas have come to my mind. For example, I realized how much I enjoy learning and discovering new concepts.<div><br /></div><div>I also was struck by the idea that the best way to get involved in blogging is reading other blogs. So I hope to be an example for this class and find and read blogs that interest me. Then I will add my comments and organize my life so that I access these blogs on a regular basis.</div><div><br /></div><div>So far I've started four blogs for the past several years each with a different purpose. First was a personal one (<a href="http://denvygail.blogspot.com/">denvygail.blogspot.com</a>) as an experiment to report what I do and think. It hasn't had a great past but I hope it's future will be better. </div><div><br /></div><div>The next was my professional one that I use for this class, related classes and for any thoughts about technology. It's called <a href="http://digitalinklings.blogspot.com/">Digital Inklings</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the undergraduate technology class each student creates a blog to track the lessons, programs and what they have learned each week. So a third blog connects to this process at <a href="http://fourtwentyoners.blogspot.com/">fourtwentyoners</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally I realized from my siblings emails and questions about our past and life as children that a better way of communications these stories would be through a blog. My audience is not into blogging so this failed miserably so far. I called it <a href="http://dakotafields.blogspot.com/">Binders and Draft Horses</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hindsight tells me that I could have created one general blog and used tags. I guess that a part of trying something, making mistakes and life-long learning.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most difficult step of almost any project is the first step, in this case coming up with a purpose for a blog and hence a name or title. That's your first challenge. Good luck!</div><div> </div>Denvy and Gailhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13558482155992782488noreply@blogger.com0