Ummmm...Thing 24???

Well blog, it's been quite a journey!  We've had some good times and some bad, but in the end, we got through it all and learned a few things along the way! 

Before starting this post, I went back and looked through some of my older posts.  I remember how nervous I was to post my very first blog entry!  Well, through the journey of 23 Things, those feelings sure have changed!  I have found that I really enjoy blogging!  It's nice to have some creative freedom in writing that you don't always get when writing a research paper or other writing assignments in grad school!  I appreciated the fact that we are all in this learning journey together and I didn't have to give the impression that I accomplished all the tasks with ease or without a few obstacles along the way.  I like that this is a very real forum to express our learning achievements and pitfalls.  I like that I could be my quirky self and get away with it.  And I like that I learned a lot during this journey!

When I initially started this project, I began by glancing through the list of the 23 Things and instantly felt overwhelmed and out of my league.  Half of the items listed in this project could have been written in a foreign language!  Looking back at my very first blog post, I found this...

Use Technology to Your Advantage (Habit 6) would probably be the habit that I struggle with the most. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an idiot when it comes to technology, but I'm not a pro either. I like to stay within my "bubble" of what I use technology for, and I rarely seek out new technological advantages until they become mainstream and virtually everyone is using them.

Although this is a goal that is never officially completed, I feel that I am well on my way to improving in the area of technology both for personal and professional uses.  This journey popped that "bubble" and introduced me to a great abundance of new tools that I never knew I never knew!  The age old adage states "Never stop learning."  Well, this is especially the case when it comes to technology.  Sure we have all learned a great deal throughout the 23 Things, but this journey is one that will never be complete!  With the speed that technology is changing, this journey will be lifelong.  However, completing the 23 Things gave me the confidence to know that with a little work (and sometimes pulling out my hair and screaming at the computer), I can figure out any new technological tool! 

As with any major project, there are favorite aspects, and those that aren't making the list of "Things I can't wait to repeat again."  Thankfully, the latter is a shorter list.  Thing 11 "Finding Good Feeds" had me stumped, and I doubt I'll be giving that a go again anytime in the near future.  I also didn't really see the value in creating an online to do list.  However, the list of positives that I am walking away with far outweigh the list of negatives.  Some of my favorite activities allowed me to explore a tool that I was already familiar with such as Flickr and iMap Flicker.  Other activities introduced me to tools that I never realized were out there; bubble.us, Dealicious, Animoto, LiveBinders (still need to work on figuring that one out a bit more, but I'm loving what I have found so far), and my absolute favorite little gem from this journey, GLOGSTER!

And on that positive note, blog, I bid you adieu.  It's been a fun and productive journey that we have travelled together, and I have taken away the skills needed to feel confident with my abilities in technology.  I can now officially say that technology has been tackled!