The Punch Line

wait for it...

wait for it...

so, the solution to my Picasa/Picnik woes...

Choose "photos" from the menu bar when logged into Google.

Seriously?

So, we're in class when Alee says, "I just got in by choosing 'photos'"

"Photos?" I ask, walking over to her screen "What do you mean?"

Sure enough, the google menu bar---the one with web, images, documents, videos, more (yeah, that one)---- choose "more" and select "photos," a newly and surreptitiously added option.

Click, and BOOM you're in Picassa, happily equipped with all of your photo albums. Click on any picture and BOOM, you're in Picnik, editing happily. Save the pic, and BOOM, you're back in Picasa, edited photo happily housed in the appropriate album. Click on slideshow, and BOOM, you're done. "Insert Picassa Slideshow" from within a Google Site, and BOOM, you have an embedded slideshow on your website.

Even easier than before.

It's just that Google didn't tell us.  What's the deal Google? Why the secret? Why the mystique?

It is the suave way to do things: Be awesome, but don't announce your awesomeness to the world.  But problematic if millions are counting on your transparency and consistency.

If you're cool enough, suave enough, the world forgives and loves you anyway.

Google is suave alright.

Google has Swagga.

I have relief.

My students have their embedded slideshows.

And there's the punch line.