Jenitas Tango Blog

Tagging

2009-06-30T19:38:00.003+10:00

Some time ago I set up a Connotea account to store my work-related bookmarks so I could find them if I needed them when I was away from work. I know I could have use Delicious just as easily, but somehow the name put me off, although I could be tempted to store my recipes there.

Connotea has the subtitle 'management for all researchers, clinicians and scientists' has a decidedly non-popularist connotation, but I like it for its simplicity, look, and ease of use. Like Delicious it allows you to bookmark a website, give it a few keywords and tags, and share them with the rest of the world. You can also see who has bookmarked the same site, and then visit their library to see what else they might have found interesting.

One of these days I will export my IE7 bookmarks to Firefox, and then I can upload them all into Connotea.

RSS

2009-06-29T15:39:00.012+10:00

RSS was something of a mystery to me before I actually signed up to some to see how it worked. Now I am at risk of being over subscribed:

For work-related things I have 'Library link of the Day' which serves up a daily article relating to developments in the information industry; In Through the Outfield put together by the manager of the British Library's Business & IP Centre - interesting for following developments in the business information world and what the BL is doing to encourage entrepreneural new businesses. I also subscribe to Mary Ellen Bates's monthly Bates InfoTips, but that's by email.

For tango-related things my favourite RSS feed is to 2xtango, devoted to tango goings on in Buenos Aires. It's updated daily and nearly always includes a YouTube snippet. It's love these little videos for their inspirational value.

ABC Radio National and the BBC are my other sources of RSS feeds. They both offer a cornucopia of audio via podcast rss feeds. Nearly all ABC RN programmes are offered as podcasts, including my favourites - Background Briefing, Ramona Koval's Book Show, Lingua Franca, Street Stories and Radio Eye. BBC Radio 3 offers Arts & Ideas as podcasts to which one can subscribe via RSS. BBC World Service has the Interview which is also interesting. All these programmes now flow into my laptop as if by magic, get transferred to my elegant diminutive Ipod by more magic known as 'synching', and taken to bed for feast of late night listening.

Social Networking

2009-06-29T11:41:00.013+10:00

Recently I was forced to reassess my feelings about social networking sites. I joined FaceBook and LinkedIn a few years ago, at work, as an exercise in becoming familiar with social networking sites. I didn’t really make much progress with either of them, short of signing up and adding a few details, and visiting sporadically which usually meant accepting requests to be someone’s ‘friend’ on Facebook. Of course I only agreed to be a ‘friend’ of someone I actually knew, which seemed odd to me given that were already were friends. The others I declined, which invariably induced an unsettling feeling of being mean and anti-social. I admit to not having much enthusiasm for this way of expanding my contacts. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer talking to people I actually know rather than to people I’ve never met. But blow me down, two people I know but haven’t seen for years, both of whom live abroad, found me – both via the more business-related Linked In site which is where I had given the name of my current employer. Without the enabling technology of these social networking sites, this would have been impossible, as I didn’t have any of my real-world contact details on either site.

As for Facebook, I still don't really get it. It does seem to be full of blather. I'd much rather have a one-on-one correspondence at length with my friends, rather than have the feeling that I'm eavesdropping on all of their friends. I also steadfastly refuse to sent anything virtual - whether flowers or kisses or anything else - it's too silly for words (perhaps that's the whole point - no words necessary). Nor have I used either site to contact friends of friends, but I know when the time comes, there will be plenty of opportunity. Six degrees of separation and all that.

State Library of Queensland - Wikipedia

2009-04-20T11:54:00.016+10:00

While we're on the subject of libraries, I decided to have a look at the Wikipedia entry for State Library of Queensland.

The entry is quite dry, and cries out for some extra colour and flavour. I decided it needed some extra information about the architecture, so have added details about the accolades received by the architects for their wonderful refurbishment of the building, and given some suggestions for further reading in the architectural press. I've also added the bit about offering a free reference service at the top of the list under 'Services', given that that's what I've spent the good part of my adult life doing. We all know that Wikipedia's strength lies with the collaborative power of volunteer editors who are passionate and knowlegeable about their subject, but that we musn't refer people to it on account of its 'untrustworthiness' as a source. Here we have an opportunity to create an entry that puts the lie to that notion.

I notice the Wikipedia entry for the British Library has some topics that could be adopted to enhance the entry for SLQ - Highlights of the Collection, Legal deposit, Exhibitions and Newspapers. Any takers?

"There is no institution that matters more than a library" - David Malouf

2009-04-08T14:25:00.031+10:00

Photograph: Peter Marquis Kyle

Last Saturday David Malouf was in town – an opportunity not to be missed. In the morning he spoke to a gathering in the privileged upstairs space of the West End Public Library, on the occasion of its 80th birthday.

The charm of this little library, officially known as the Kurilpa Library, is due to its pleasing neo-Georgian proportions and interesting bell tower, which honours the fallen from WW1. It was opened in 1929, making it the first purpose-built public library in Queensland - something I gleaned from it's entry on the Queensland Heritage List. It continues to thrive as a busy community resource today.

David Malouf spoke in his intelligent and refreshingly modest way about the libraries in his life, their cultural importance, about reading, and about his childhood memories of growing up in West End. I remember scribbling down in my notebook one of the things he said that morning - "there is no institution that matters more than a library". It left me with decidedly nice warm fuzzy feelings about my chosen profession.

I am now in posession of a signed copy of his most recent work Ransom whose genesis dates back to a reading of The Illiad by one of Malouf's primary school teachers on a rainy Brisbane afternoon in the mid 1940s.

Borges and libraries

2009-04-01T19:20:00.012+10:00

The Borges Cultural Centre is on the top floor of the Galería Pacifico in the centre of Buenos Aires. It's a space for concerts, exhibitions and the Escuela Argentina de Tango. I noticed this piece from Jorge Luis Borges, Argentina's great literary luminary and Librarian of the National Library of Aregentina (how often does that happen in Australia or anywhere else for that matter?), etched into the ceiling of one of the levels. I discovered that it's an excerpt from his 'Poema de los Dones' (1959) and translates as 'I, who had always thought of Paradise in form and image as a library'. Nice. Also ironic, as the poem is about recieving the gift of books at the same time he was going blind. The full text of the poem, together with a recording by Borges himself, can be found at the PalabraVirtual site.

Twitter

2009-03-26T21:31:00.017+10:00

On the weekend, after swimming, I love to read the papers and have my little espresso on the back verandah. A particular delight last Saturday was Richard Glover's piece about 'twitter' in the SMH. Now I discover that our PM 'Kevin 07' and our Premier Anna are both twittering.. it looks like so much puerile vanity publishing to me.

If I was going to follow anyone's Twitter, it would be Mary Ellen Bates (independent information pro and guru of search). Her pronouncements are always interesting, as is her piece on twitter from her Bates InfoTips newsletter.

I wonder what the correct term is for one who twitters? Just for the record, if anyone's interested, it's 9.45pm, I'm back from Spanish class, and am making dinner - stir fry, greens and rice.

Blogging doldrums

2009-03-18T16:47:00.004+10:00

It's been nearly 2 years since I touched this blog, set up with a visit to Buenos Aires in mind. Once there I found I had no interest in adding to the blog - we were far too busy enjoying ourselves. So now will just add things occasionally as they happen, not necessarily about tango, but about work stuff and books and things that interest me, and as an exercise in documenting life in a haphazard way.

Quintetto Viceversa

2007-09-20T04:13:00.001+10:00

The other night we went to a concert given by Viceversa, a group of extrodinarily talented young tango players at La Scala de San Telmo - a very special little theatre in San Telmo. Their concert was stunning. This photo shows Lautaro Greco on the bandoneón.

Plaza Dorrego, San Telmo

2007-09-10T15:13:00.000+10:00

Today we went to the Plaza Dorrego for antiques and tango in the square:

Pablo Ziegler

2007-09-07T11:53:00.000+10:00

Pablo Ziegler & Quique Sinesi con Walter Castro
Notorious CD´s Bar
Av. Callao 966 - Buenos Aires, Argentina
9:30 PM
September 29

http://www.pabloziegler.com/

Rigoletto

2007-08-21T21:15:00.000+10:00

must go back to this great Italian cafe :

Rodriguez Peña 1291
Recoleta, C
Telefono: (54 11) 4814 4777

Pedro Benavente

2007-08-12T12:34:00.001+10:00

Pedro Benavente (El Indio) gives classes:

Lunes : 20.00 - 21.30 La Catedral (Sarmiento 4006)
Miércoles: 20.30 - 22.00 La Milonga de Fervor (Almirante Brown 736, La Boca)
Jueves : 21.00 - 23.00 Sexto Kultural (Av. Federico Lacroze), a la gorra.

ph (15)5061-3215
e tangoindio@gmail.com

I'm very much looking forward to having some classes with El Indio after seeing his performances in San Telmo at Plaza Dorrego last year.. he personifies all that is wonderful about the tango.

Bar el Chino

2007-08-12T12:02:00.005+10:00

The 'Bar el Chino' (Beazley 3566, Pompeya), subject of the much-awarded film Bar el Chino is recognised as one of the places of cultural interest in Buenos Aires . It is recomended by Pedro Benavente, aka El Indio, as 'un genuino espacio de tango con artistas populares'.. we hope to get there during our stay.

Cicerones

2007-08-02T20:30:00.000+10:00

Cicerones: provides a free guided tour services by 'porteños' who love their city.

Guerrin Pizzeria

2007-08-02T20:10:00.000+10:00

I've read that Guerrin in THE place to go for pizza.. although various others prefer 'El Imperio della Pizza' (Corrientes 5206), esquina Federico Lacroze (Chacarita neighbourhood) in front of the subte station.. pizza a la parrilla is the term for 'thin crusted'.

zapatos

2007-07-31T21:45:00.000+10:00

We hope to have some elegant and comfortable shoes made for us by Juan at Fattomano
Do let us know if you have heard of any other places to purchase good shoes.

Tango Nuevo teacher : Jose Halfon

2007-07-27T18:01:00.000+10:00

We've been told that Jose Halfon is a good nuevo teacher. He and his partner have a class on Wednesdays at 8.30pm in Anchorena 575, and their own blog, Tango Nuevo Salon.

Artistas de Buenos Aires

2007-07-26T15:17:00.001+10:00

Artistas de Buenos Aires : A blog devoted to Argentinian artists and happenings

Artistas de Buenosaires

2007-07-26T15:17:00.000+10:00

A blog devoted to Argentinian artists and happeningshttp://artistasdebuenosaires.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html

Museo Malba

2007-07-26T15:10:00.000+10:00

Malba: Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires
Av. Figueroa Alcorta 3415, Palermo

- a must see for the best collection of Latin American Art

where to rest weary feet in BA

2007-07-03T12:03:00.000+10:00

It was hard picking a place to stay in BA this September, so we decided to share our time between two places - Lina's Tango Guesthouse and Casa Maria Tango. Both come warmly recommended.

Tangodata

2007-07-03T11:23:00.000+10:00

This blog is called 'Jenitas' because we are two Jennifers.. this will be our spot to gather sites, pics and any other interesting things we become aware of while we are in Buenos Aires in September.

First posting is to Tangodata - a kind of catch all site devoted to tango maintained by the Argentinian government, giving teachers, classes, festivals, what's on.