Thing #2 Lifelong Learners

Lifelong Learning is something I value greatly. My mother raised me to value education and learning/knowledge as one of the few things that can never be taken from me. I was raised to be independent and self-sufficient, and obviously, lifelong learning is a key tenet of this philosophy. I value both curiosity and competence. I'm not afraid to explore and experiment with things, if I don't think it will harm anything or anyone.
I'm going to do so with the hidden link issue. After reading several different help articles on inserting various types of links, I am going to try one. I hope it works!
http://www.plcmc.org/public/learning/player.html
This is the actual link. Now I will try the hidden hotlink. Go to 7 1/2 Habits online tutorial developed by the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg Counties to access an excellent slideshow on lifelong learning and how to become a lifelong learner yourself. 7 1/2 Habits of Highly Successful Lifelong Learners
I really won't know if this works until I view my blog. I'm learning, though. Each time I navigate through my blog it gets easier.
Back to Thing #2, though. We were asked to select the hardest and the easiest of the habits. For me, the easiest one is #2, accepting responsibility for my own learning. I love learning, and I prefer to learn at my own pace and in my own way. I enjoy reading about the background of things in books. I prefer to view the task globally before I learn the specifics. Other habits I found easy to embrace were numbers 3 (View problems as challenges), and number 7 (teach/mentor others). I am an instructor trainer for the Red Cross and American Canoe Association. I teach other people who to become instructions. I enjoy mentoring other people and helping them learn new things and grow in the process. I am already planning how I can teach these Web 2.0 things to the teachers in our school so they can get the kids fired up about learning with the aid of technology. I want technology to be a tool, not just the end, but more like a means to an end. Attitude is important in maintaining motivation in learning. I want to instill the "I will, I can, I do" philosophy that is mentioned in the slideshow in all our of kids.
The hardest of the 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learners for me is # 6 (Use technology to your advantage). While my mind is very willing, my flesh is weak. I just don't yet have enough skills to be competent enough to teach these skills to others yet. But, I will. Practice will make perfect, or, at least, much improved.
I set my learning goal as "to become familiar with emerging technologies that patrons may ask about in a library or school." I can think of many applications. Now, all I need is the knowhow!