I’m totally due a think post, but my brain is somewhat fried tonight. So today’s post is a bunch of stuff I’ve read lately and been inspired by or that have caused a light bulb moment for me. Here they are.

• If you don’t read Luke Wroblewski’s blog, you should go and subscribe right now! For any library types who work on the web, Luke’s latest post, 10 things I learned in web school, is essential reading.
• I was involved in a debate recently over on Sophie’s blog about my contention that if students instinctively head to Google when they’re looking for information, then we should make sure our information is findable there (rather than forcing them back behind our walls. Lorcan Dempsey posted recently about the concept of ‘indirect discovery’, which says everything I was trying to say with a whole lot more eloquence.
• I know I’m starting to sound like I’m obsessed with productivity (and maybe I am), but I came across this post on Web Worker Daily about getting more done with a work buddy, and I love this concept. I think this could work for me.

Right, now I’m off to watch successive episodes of Relocation Relocation. Ah, Saturday night!

Concentration.

I was sitting here pondering finding a good book or a course to work on my concentration (at the suggestion of a friend), and the chant from the school game ‘Concentration’ started rolling round my brain: this is a game of concentration, concentration starting now!

This – and by this, I mean life – really is a game of concentration, and concentration is something I need to do some work on.

There are three parts to my job: teaching, research and service. Within each of these three areas, the range of ‘stuff’ I do on a daily basis is incredibly diverse (this is probably true for all of us, really…), and the reality is that this means there is always a distraction or five looming. So I need to get better at not getting distracted – at staying focused and concentrating on what I’m currently working on, even if there are 12 other things vying for my attention.

The proliferation of ‘stuff’ I do also means that my time is quite fragmented. I often have short spaces of time that I need to use productively. Sometimes it can take me a little while to settle in to a task, but I rarely have the luxury to give myself that time. Even in my personal life, I set aside chunks of time to get specific tasks done, but unfortunately I tend to be less disciplined about getting personal stuff done than I am about work stuff. So I want to learn how to make better use of my time by being focused and concentrating on whatever task is to hand.

I’m particularly conscious of this as the start date for my PhD gets closer and closer… When I add this into the mix, I’m really going to need to make the most of every minute.

Do you have any concentration tips to share? Any books or courses you’d recommend? Help me when the concentration game!

Ooops! This week, I promised myself I’d keep all three dates I’d made to catch up with old friends. In keeping one of those last night, I got home realllly late and forgot-on-purpose to blog (well, I remembered once I was in bed, at which point it was after midnight anyway). So this is technically yesterday’s post.

One of my favourite quick and easy meals is fried rice. I’ve modified a recipe I once found in a Donna Hay magazine (I think the name of the recipe was something like “Pea and chilli fried rice”).

What goes in it:

• Cooked jasmine rice. If I’m being careful with my eating, I usually measure out four cups of cooked rice, which makes about eight serves.
• Snow peas – about 300g trimmed and cut into halves or thirds.
• Sugar snap peas – about 300g trimmed and cut into halves or thirds.
• Kernels from two cobs of corn (frozen is fine but fresh corn off the cob really makes this taste amazing).
• About eight stems of shallots, finely sliced.
• Three eggs, lightly beaten and cooked as an omelet – cook til just cooked in quite a large frypan so the omelet is quite thin, then roll it up and slice it).
• Heaped teaspoon of jarred chopped garlic (because this is a *quick* recipe – I substitute for fresh if I have time).
• Three quarters of a teaspoon of jarred chopped chilli (ditto on substituting for fresh if I have time).
• Small amount of peanut oil.
• Soy sauce (I use Tamari because it’s gluten free – otherwise a mix of regular soy sauce and a dash of kecap manis is perfect). Can’t give you a quantity for this – I just tip and mix, tip and mix til the colour of the rice is about right.
• Two chicken breasts, marinated in sweet chilli sauce and pan fried. Cut into 1cm pieces when cooked. Alternatively, use the meat from a BBQ chicken.

The make-age:

1. So, I cut up the vegies in advance and cook both the rice and the chicken the night before. If you cook the rice the night before, it’s best to lay it out on a bread board or baking tray in the fridge so that it doesn’t clump together.
2. Heat a tablespoon or so of peanut oil in a wok. Stir fry the garlic, chilli, snow peas and sugar snap peas for a couple of minutes. Add the corn and cook for another couple of minutes.
3. Add in the rice and stir to combine.
4. Add in soy sauce – a couple of tablespoons I guess – then mix it through and check the colour. I usually leave about a teaspoon of soy sauce to add later.
5. Stir fry until the rice is warmed through, then add the chicken and the last teaspoon or so of soy sauce.
6. Stir fry until the chicken is warmed through, then add in the egg and shallots. Stir fry for another few minutes.
7. Serve with sweet chilli sauce.

I usually get about eight meals out of this, and it’s really filling and healthy. If I’m starving I’ll bulk it up with more veg. If you’re in a super-hurry, leave out the fresh vegies and throw in a packet of frozen peas and corn.

This post has been in draft since April, when Meredith Farkas first posted about the Davids and Goliaths in the eContent world. A post today from the Librarian in Black prompted me to dig this out and publish it.

I spent the last couple of years managing online collections for a large public library, and a big part of my time was spent supporting customers’ use of eBooks and eAudiobooks. I also own a Sony Reader and have bought and used eBooks from various places. So, like the Librarian in Black, I figure I should be able to use library eBook services, even if they are a little bit complicated. Apparently not. I recently tried to download an eBook from EBL, and I hit brick wall after brick wall. Notably, I’m pretty tech savvy, have lots of experience with eBooks and am willing to persist because eBooks are my preferred format. And in the end, even *I* gave up (the final straw was that Digital Editions (DE) wasn’t installed on my work PC, and of course, I couldn’t install it – but then, I’m fairly sure that should I have been able to get the software working, the DE authentication probably wouldn’t have worked, because typically it doesn’t in corporate environments. And let’s not even start talking about Digital Editions, which I cannot get working on my personal laptop, despite having totally uninstalled and reinstalled it several times.)

The Librarian in Black is right – it’s time librarians took a stand on this and I second the idea that we need advocacy and a united front. For too long, public libraries in particular have accepted broken models because we want to be able to provide *something* in these formats. We put up with the model because we have no alternative, and because we want to make some attempt to satisfy the needs of customers who want materials in these formats.

The situation is even worse in Australia, because not only do we have to put up with broken models, we also have to put up with a really limited range of content – geographic distribution rights means eBook and eAudiobook collection development is really hit and miss in Australia. We take what we can get, and what we can get is pretty limited (although, I do have to say that there are some vendors who are working to rectify this – but progress is limited and slow).

And it’s a similar story for consumers who want to buy eBooks – we just don’t get the range here. The much hyped recent release of the Kobo in Australia seemed likely to help on the content front, with new eBook stores opening to complement the release of the device. I had high hopes that the Borders eBook store would be the messiah for eBook readers in Australia, but what we ended up with was a meagre 12,000 odd fiction titles available there.

The problem really lies with the publishers, who are just plain scared and blinded by their fear. I think we’ve proved, now, through models like OverDrive’s DRM-free MP3 eAudiobooks, that library users will use content ethically. And I think it’s therefore time to start pushing publishers to allow distribution of DRM free content, so that vendors can implement models that *just work*. It would be wise for vendors to start working with libraries to provide a united front on this issue.

I’m not sure what the best mechanism for doing this might be – is it our associations, or is it, perhaps, our consortia, as Meredith suggested?

I know many librarians in Australia would be keen to be involved in the kind of advocacy group that the Librarian in Black has suggested. Perhaps we should be looking at forming such a group locally, to deal with the added issue of geographic distribution rights. Any takers?

Today’s post is my response to the two things meme that’s doing the rounds. I’ve added a question: Favourite places to get favourite beverages. I also interpreted one of the questions in two ways.

Two names you go by

1. Kate
2. Katie (original, huh)

Two things you are wearing right now

1. Favourite baggy grey tracky dacks (old and ugly and apparently not fit to be seen in public, according to my sister)
2. Too-small uggboot slipper things, complete with holes where my big toe wants to poke out

Two things you would want (or have) in a relationship

1. Ease
2. Space (clearly a single girl!)

Two things you like to do

1. Hang out with my family
2. Go out for breakfast, either on my own with book in hand, or with friends

Two things you want very badly at the moment

(Oooh, two interpretations here: stuff, and intangibles.)

1. A new really, really big desk
2. A digital SLR

And

1. More time to potter
2. Order

Two things you did last night

1. Marked assignments
2. Watched Relocation Relocation (I love Kirsty and Phil!)

Two things you ate today

1. Chocolate fondue for two at Max Brenner
2. Toasted cheese sandwich

Two people you last talked to

1. My mum
2. My friend Lissie

Two things you’re doing tomorrow

1. Working from home
2. Marking

Two favourite holidays

1. My little European adventure, January/February 2004 – best bit was a few days in Amsterdam (what a city!)
2. My Renovate the House in Two Weeks Flat holiday, last July (frantic and fun)

Two favourite beverages

1. Coke
2. Skinny latte

Two favourite places to get favourite beverages

1. Kingston Grind, Green Square, Canberra
2. Brother Espresso, Margaret Street, Brisbane

Two things about me you may not have known

1. I don’t eat really eat red meat, unless it’s hidden in bolognaise with loads of garlic – not for ideological reasons, but because it tastes too red
2. I often don’t make my bed in the morning – I wish I did, but I’m usually running to get out the door

Two jobs I have had in my life

1. Counter manager for a fragrance company
2. The person inside the Chomp dinosaur suit

Two movies I would watch over and over

(This is a tricky one… I don’t really watch movies over and over anymore. These are the ones I’ve watched over and over in the past.)

1. Girls just wanna have fun
2. Never ending story

Two places I have lived

1. Canberra (aka Can’t-bear-it – at least that’s what I thought for the first year)
2. Brisbane
   

Two of my favourite foods

1. Fried potato – hot chips, wedges, potato skins, hash browns
2. Pizza – preferably with potato on it

Two places I’d rather be right now

1. In Paris, buying a flat with the assistance of Kirsty and Phil (Relocation Relocation seriously inspiring me atm!)
2. On the lounge, staring at the tv

There are several tasks on my to do list that, for quite some time now, I’ve been rolling over each week onto my new to do list. Some of these only require a tiny bit of work; others are going to take some more effort.

Here’s what I’m going to do by this time next Sunday: (notably, these things are all related to my research, which probably reflects the fact that it’s the end of semester and teaching and marking have been a big priority for the last several weeks)

1. Complete my PhD research proposal. I just have about 100 words to write, and I’ve had that many to write for about two weeks. I’ve been lugging around all of these books on research methodologies and it’s time to pull them out, dust them off, and nail the last 100 words. I suspect the procrastination on this is due to the fact that, as soon as it’s done and approved, I actually need to start the PhD. Scary. Exciting. Overwhelming. Inspiring!
2. Develop a draft survey instrument for a collaborative paper I have in the pipeline.
3. Prepare a proposal for a book chapter. There simply hasn’t been time for this to make its way onto the radar yet, but it needs to be done this month, so it’s time to hit it!

But wait! There’s more contract to come!

For the whole first half of this year, I’ve been brandishing the “I’m too busy” excuse like a weapon. It’s allowed me to eat terribly, redevelop a ridiculous caffeine habit, let my house get messy, and just generally not do the things I should be doing in my personal life. So this coming week, I’m going to do all of the things I’ve listed below: (and again, I’m giving myself til next Sunday night to achieve all of the tasks on this list)

1. Stick to my menu plan for the week, with no exceptions, including taking my lunch to work every day and actually eating it, as opposed to letting it molder in the fridge in favour of take away. This means I’ll have to cook, but I’ve done the groceries and planned simple food for the nights I’ll be home late, so there really shouldn’t be any excuses. I *can* cook every day. It doesn’t really take that long. Right?
2. I will attempt (I know, lame, but it’s better than nothing) not to drink any Coke this week. I’m not sure that actually sounds as big a deal as it really is. I crave Maccas Coke pretty much constantly. I love Coke. There is nothing quite like it and Diet Coke or Coke Zero simply don’t cut it. So this will be tricky for me. I will also reduce my caffeine intake further by drinking coffee only when there is quality coffee to hand – no second-rate coffee this week!
3. I will keep all my personal appointments. I am very prone to last minute canceling when I’m feeling overwhelmed by what’s on my plate. I have three catch-ups with friends lined up this week, including one with each of my oldest girlfriends. Completely unheard of. Never in the history of Kate have I ever dared to even schedule that many outings in a week, let alone actually make it to them. It kicks off tomorrow with morning tea at Max Brenner’s with my very oldest friend and her delicious little boy, and another friend from school.
4. I will assemble the bed in the spare room, because I am sick of tripping over the frame on the floor to get to my desk.
5. I will also tidy up my desk so that it is usable, in order to restore my dining table to its proper duty.
6. I will get the train to work every day.
7. I will only hit snooze once every morning.
8. I will make breakfast before leaving the house every day, rather than buying it on the way to the train.

Right, I think that’s quite enough for one week! Wish me luck!

I’m in the middle of writing out the recipe for my favourite muffin mix, to stick on the kitchen bench in the hope the baking fairy might make them for me while I was at the office tomorrow. I thought it might make a useful-ish blog post, because trying to find gluten free recipes that aren’t loaded with fat to make up for the gluten free-ness can be a challenge.

This recipe is based on a gluten- and dairy-free muffin recipe I found over at Taste.com.au, but each time I’ve made it, I’ve made an alteration – firstly to get the balance of flours right (it’s really important with gluten free cooking to get the right flour mix – a single flour doesn’t cut it, and you’ve really gotta experiment for texture), and then to reduce the fat. I also substitute non-dairy milk for low fat milk (not skim – there’s virtually no other fat in these, and your need some!).

So here it is!

Continuing with the theme of moving the personal / professional line, I thought I’d do a photo post today, to describe what/who I am – what I like to do – outside of library-land (apt for a Friday night, right?). I’ve mentioned before that I have a serious case of work-bleeding-into-personal-space-and-time, so it follows that I do spend a lot of my time thinking / reading / talking / writing about libraries and technology. But I *am* more than a librarian / educator / gadget girl (though I sometimes forget that) and I *do* spend time on things that have nothing to do with libraries or technology (though sometimes not as much as I should).

tiniest, tiny, huge

The thing I love to do most in the world is hang out with my niece and nephew, Issy-B and Seba. I took this picture this afternoon, when we got home from a walk. We all wore our new sneakers – Nikes for me and Dunlop Volleys for the twins. I think Issy-B is jealous that mine are hot pink, while hers are pastel. We might have to rectify the imbalance with another pair of sneakers. Luckily, we’re going shopping tomorrow.

christmas chicken cooking on the webber

I really like to cook, although unfortunately I don’t have much time for it. I try hard to stick to a menu during the week, preparing as much in advance for the coming week over the weekend. I also try to keep some curry and some pasta sauce in the freezer for emergencies. But if I had my way, I’d cook something gourmet every night.

a few of my favourite shoes
(bummer about the blur)

I like to shop. A lot. In particular, I like to buy things for my niece and nephew (clothes! books! toys!), things for the house, and shoes. Unfortunately, I have super skinny feet, and it’s really hard to get AA fitting shoes in Australia. Oh, and I also love buying presents. In the past I have also been a big buyer of handbags and perfume (though my recently acquired mortgage has cured me of these two vices – handbags just cost too much [plus I'm a backpack girl these days] and I have enough perfume to last me about, oooh, 7 years [seriously]).

mushroom girl feltie
(on the front of issy-b’s first birthday card)

home made earrings (box one of too many)

From time to time, I make stuff. Recently, I’ve made a few felties, which has been rather a challenge, seeing that I passed my sewing class in grade eight by the skin of my teeth, and I do not even attempt to sew buttons back into their original positions. I also really like making jewelry, particularly earrings, but haven’t had much time for it lately. (Must confess there are two pairs in this box that I didn’t make – bottom left and second from the right in the top row, although the latter broke so I’ve done a repair job on them.)

I was going to add that I’m a fairly prolific reader, but that kinda goes with the territory, right? Oh, and I also like to sleep. A lot. But not really sure how to illustrate that one!

Photo courtesy herlitz-monster-talent under a CC attribution license.
Available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/monstertalent/3463025654/.

A colleague introduced me to a new term, recently, which perfectly describes my state of being today: “task monster”. To be a task monster is to put blinkers on, put one’s head down, and frantically power through your to-do list.

Huzzah for a productive Thursday, spent at my local public library. Notably the productivity was aided by being away from my laptop, with all its fun – and not so fun – distractions. Time now to deal with everything I missed while I was ‘checked out’ today.