Book nerds, unite!

This week on our Learn 2.0 adventure, we travelled the internet seas to see the various library and book applications available. I already have a Library Thing account, but I don't use it too often. However, Shelfari seems better designed, so I'm torn.

Some of the applications we were asked to explore seemed like too much micromanaging. In other words, it seemed like a lot of work to catalogue everything on Guru Library. Wouldn't you rather just read more books rather than spend time cataloguing everything? I guess it would be handy if, say, you have uberrare copies of books or DVDs, or if you just really, really, really like to keep track of every possible thing you own.

But I don't have time for it. I'm too busy getting new stuff, trading in old stuff and generally using my stuff to keep track of everything.

Something interesting and book-related that wasn't mentioned on this list from OCLS Learn 2.0: Book Crossings. This website is part book-giving, part scavanger hunt where people log in books they own that they want to pass on, then leave them somewhere, then say where they left it online for others to go find it. Care to do a bit of hunting in Orlando?

In other news, I'm up to six recipes on my Open Source Food account, including the super-duper tasty treat, Glazed Orange Spice Cake. It's good like nobody's business.

Welcome, new obsession

Now that I've graduated (although I'm still waiting to receive my degree, ahem), I have a bit more time to putter around and get into things that I originally couldn't do. I was pretty distracted from my schoolwork at times because, by golly, I just had to make a batch of banana muffins or a gang of cookies.

Now, I can be distracted all I want, and there's a website out there that's encouraging my baking predilection: Open Source Food. It's a website where you can upload photos and recipes of your favourite tried-and-true masterpieces and tummy-fillers, browse other recipes from other members, create menus and rate recipes. Not only is it super-functional and fun, but it meets Hao's approval for site design. And that's saying a lot.

I have three recipes up, and be on the lookout for more. I made what I've now called my "Bachelorette Pasta Bake" last night for dinner, and wouldn't let anyone touch it until I had some photos on a borrowed digicam. I can see it now:

Someone: "Can we eat it yet?"
Me: "No, not yet. I have to get a picture for the website."
*click*
Someone: "Okay, now can we eat?"
Me: "Wait, I need better lighting. Maybe I should put a scoop of ice cream next to it."

It would be funny if this scenario hadn't already played itself out. Twice.

My username is my first name: doreen. You'll see the little recipe image slideshow on this blog as well. If that doesn't tempt you, what will?