I found some websites that do a great job of teaching you how to organize all the paper you accumulate with your genealogy hobby.
Genealogy Recordkeeping
To Organize Or Be a Genealogy Slob
Learn Genealogy - Organizing - Record keeping
If you decide to go into the digital age... Genealogy software is computer software used to record, organize, and publish genealogical data. At a minimum, genealogy software collects the date and place of an individual's birth, marriage, and death, and stores the relationships of individuals to their parents, spouses, and children. Additionally, most genealogy programs handle additional events in an individual's life, free-form notes, and photographs and other multimedia, and source citations. Genealogy software programs can produce a variety of graphical charts and text reports, such as pedigree charts, ahnentafel reports, or Register reports. Most genealogy software will allow for the export of data in the GEDCOM format, which can then be shared with people using different genealogy software. Do a Google search on "genealogy software" and look for a website that has done a recent comparison between the different genealogy software packages available. You can even look for simple but free genealogy software too.
I use my computers and Rootsmagic software but I also have backup hardcopies of important things like copies of wills, death certificates, etc. I have them filed by surnames.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Genealogy Tips
A Real "Family Tree"!
Here are some of my tips about genealogy!1.) First step is to contact your relatives. People usually love the attention and love to tell stories about their families (although some may still be reluctant or clam up on skeletons in the closet). If you have parents, grandparents, or be especially blessed to still have great grandparents, spend time with them and ask them questions to prod their memories. Take a notebook or recorder and jot down everything they say. Don't stop with just direct ancestors, talk to aunts/uncles, cousins, great aunts/great uncles, etc. You can ask them questions like:
Who were your grandparents? When and where were they born?
Who were your great grandparents? Did you remember them?
How did you/they meet? When and where did you/they get married?
Where did you/they live? Do you remember an address?
Where did you/they work?
What church did you/they attend?
Where are they buried? Do you remember the funeral?
What school did you/they attend or even how much education did they have?
When and where were you/they born?
Did they have any old family Bible records?
Do they have any old pictures? Can you identify the people in the photos?
Do you/they have any family memorabilia?
But even ask questions like:
Did they have a favorite pet? (My great grandfather had a favorite possum hunting dog and I got a great slice-of-life story about that.)
What were your interests? What were the interests of your grandparents (We call them hobbies now but back then they were usually too busy for "hobbies" but they did have interests like reading, poetry {my Grandma used to cut out poems and save them in a shoebox}, quilting, collecting recipes {again, Grandma cut out and wrote down recipes and kept them in a shoebox that I inherited and I still keep a recipe collection}, whittling, making furniture for the house, fishing {I have a funny story about my great grandfather going fishing on one of the last days of his life}, etc)
Were there any scandals in their neighborhood, community, church?
Were you/they ever in the newspaper? (My Dad was in the newspaper a lot in his little farming community because of his high school and 4H activities.) Here is my uncle's notice in the newspaper about his being commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army.
What do you/they remember about school? Favorite subject, favorite teacher, favorite project, girlfriend/boyfriend, best friend, etc.
It's questions like these that prompt a lot of memories and little details begin to come out that are really neat. Not only are you learning about your family but you are flattering them with your attention and making them feel important. So it's a ministry to them as well. I don't know how many times I've said, "I never knew that!" or "I never heard that story before!" and I feel like I've learned a new puzzle piece to add to my family picture. It also brings out details that may help you in your genealogy search. For instance, my grandparents lived and died in Stanly County, NC. But I couldn't find their marriage record. Then I was asking Dad one day how they met and he told me that Papa had gone to another town to find work at a mill and had met Grandma (who had done the same) and they married in that town. That was why I couldn't find their marriage record in Stanly County.
Write it down!! Don't trust your memory. And don't wear them out with too many questions all in one day. Visit them or telephone them often and keep your notebook with you at all times to jot down new information. Even just taking them for a drive will bring back memories to them. Take them back to their home community or where they were born or by the place they worked, or to the farm and listen to the stories that it brings back. Things they thought they had forgotten.2.) Keep your data organized. You can do it all by hand if you aren't comfortable with a computer but keep it organized. If you do use a computer, print out hard copies and keep in notebooks or files. Keep a record of your sources for each fact. For instance, if you find out their birthday from their own lips, their birth certificate, their marriage license, the 1930 census and their tombstone...then note all those sources with the birthdate. And don't just put "birth certificate" as a source. You want to make a complete note of this source like, "Birth certificate of Sarah Jones, Birth Certificate #12345, Vol II, located at Dept of Health, 123 Any St, Hometown, US" -or- "Tombstone of Sarah Jones, First Baptist Church of Hometown, 456 All St, Hometown, US, GPS N 83.789 W 45.098" -or- "Civil War record of John Jones from Civil War Records of the South, Vol V, by Jack Sprat, Published 2003 by Whoknows Co, pg 246". You want yourself, or anybody else, to be able to find the same record you found.
I keep my databases on the computer but I have also printed out hardcopies in notebooks and I keep backup records like a copy of a census page, copy of death certificate, copy of newspaper obits, copy of pages from books, etc in a file cabinet. I have a file folder for each family last name that I am researching and I put these records in these file folders. My file cabinet is stuffed but I have proof of my facts and it's organized.
Here are some manual forms.
It's also important to try and make copies on acid free paper even if it means bringing it to the library with you and asking the librarian to use your paper when you go to copy or print out or take your print out and have it copied at Kinkos (again asking them to use acid free paper or take your own and ask them to use it) or use your own printer. It's not that expensive from regular office paper. And, if you look carefully, you can find "acid free" on the packaging. If it's not on the packaging, it ain't acid free!
3) If you use a computer software program like FamilyTreemaker or RootsMagic, then make backups of your data often. And "grandfather" the backups. For instance, make a backup and name it "Smith 1 2 2009". With "1 2 2009" meaning the date of January 2, 2009. I recommend you backup every hour if you are really putting in some time on the same day. So the next time you make a backup up, on the same day, you would name it "Smith 1 2 2009 II" meaning the date of January 2, 2009 backup #2; or "Smith 1 2 2009 4pm" meaning the date of January 2, 2009 4pm. Once you've grandfathered a sufficient number of backups, you can start deleting older backup copies to free up your hard drive space. But, believe me! From personal experience (more than once)! Make backups and grandfather them! I've suddenly had corrupted databases that I didn't know anything about and I deligently backed up. But that just copied the corrupted database over the good backup. So I lost the database and the backup. If I had grandfathered the backups I could have gone back to an earlier backup and at least saved the bulk of my work and only lost the most recent data. Both programs have done me this way and it's meant total reconstruction and inputting all the info in again! Since I have thousands of names and sources and data, it was enough to make you cry. At least I had my notebooks and backup printed records in my file cabinets.
Another tip for computer software users is to divide your families into their own files. The first time I started a database I started with myself as the primary person and began to work back on my husband and my family in just one database. So, the first time that the database got corrupted, I lost everything in my family and his. So when I reconstructed I created 4 databases...1 for my mother's side of the family, 1 for dad's, 1 for mother-in-law and 1 for father-in-law. When one of those 4 became corrupted (the 2nd time) I only lost one of the databases and not everything! But this time I have constructed 8 databases with 1 for maternal grandmother, 1 for maternal grandfather, 1 for paternal grandmother, 1 for paternal.... You see, what I mean? Sure enough, just last month one of the 8 databases got corrupted and I lost that database. But I still had the other 7 and I had grandfathered my backups and was able to reconstruct by going back and picking up one of the uncorrupted backups. I lost a couple of days work but not the whole thing. I was able to bring it back up to date using my records in my filing cabinet so I was back up to speed within hours instead of having lost everything! And for the first time, I didn't cry!
Me in a small town courthouse looking up marriage records.
4) If you live close to a good library, go to your library and ask for help on genealogy. If your town is of any size, then you probably have a very good genealogy dept. They will have records on microfilm, computer, books, etc. And, my experience has shown that the librarians are very kind and try to be helpful. If they work in that genealogy room, then they are very knowledgeable and you can trust they know what they are talking about. Even if you live in CA but your family was from SC, your librarian can help educate you in how to do research. For instance, do you know how to find a birth certificate, a census record, a death certificate, a newspaper obituary, a Civil War record, a cemetery record, a Revolutionary War pension record, a will abstract, a deed? I didn't! But the librarian can tell you the resources available, how to find records, how to use microfilm or the computer, etc. Call the librarian in the hometown you are researching and ask them what kind of local records they have, who you need to contact for a birth certificate, is there a website for a cemetery survey of such and such cemetery, etc. Appreciate your librarians, treat them well and cultivate a relationship with them because they are wonderful helps and resources. I try to follow the rules (like signing in when I enter the genealogy room, signing in for the computer, keep my cell phone on vibrate, don't talk loud, etc) and I try to be friendly and courteous and not monopolize their time. This has opened up their wide range of experience and knowledge to me. They have been wonderful helps and have been willing to go out of their way to help me when questions arise! Be sure to thank them and be on the lookout for someway that to help them. For instance, I found a photo on ebay of a local event back at the turn of the century. I knew this would interest my librarians so I forwarded it to them and the library was able to purchase it and it's now framed in our genealogy room. Just a little networking like that benefits both sides. They have helped me so much and I was tickled to be able to help them.
5) Join local genealogical societies. By local, I mean local to your families' hometowns. For instance, I live in SC but I'm a lifetime member of the Davidson Cty, NC Genealogical Society because my grandma's family lived there for generations. I joined for a year and found out how active this group was and found their newsletters were great resources so when it came time to renew, I joined for a lifetime. It's been worth it! I have joined some that haven't been that active or contributed much to the communities knowledge so I didn't renew my membership. But, keep in mind, that may change in the future. New blood comes in, new officers are elected, new ideas surface, new work is done and the genealogical society grows up and you may want to re-join. Your local libraries (again, local to the hometown you are researching) should also have back copies of local genealogical society publications which contain valuable info. Also join historical groups like the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Colonial Dames, Mayflower Descendants, etc. You may or may not have a very active chapter in your area. If you do, then it's a great resource and you learn at every meeting. If you don't, then try another chapter or wait awhile and go back and see if it's grown and changed.
6) If your library doesn't have free access to Ancestry.com/Rootsweb.com/HeritageQuest.com or you don't have time to spend at the library using their free access, then get an annual membership if you possibly can (one of the 3). These are invaluable!! You not only get access to records but access to other researchers and their published databases and you might find a distant cousin has some additional information that you didn't have. I've met many a "cousin" online and appreciated their additional information. Always remember that there can be mistakes. Due to typos, illegibility on tombstones or records, wrong assumptions, honest mistakes...their data could be wrong or incomplete but it can give you valuable data and leads.
7) Learn to do Google searches (browser searches). That's right! Type in an ancestor's name, a cemetery's name, a place of work name, a church name and you might find a treasure trove. For instance, last week I was looking for a church address so I could go to the cemetery and find an ancestor. I did a Google search and the church had a website that even included a cemetery survey (bless their wonderful hearts!) which saved me a trip. I have also found cemetery surveys by doing Google searches on the cemetery names. I've found "cousins" that had published their family research and gave me additional information (God bless them). I've found local genealogy websites that have tons of information about the area that I'm researching. By doing Google searches for images, I've found old photos of cotton mills where my ancestors worked, photos of mill villages where they lived, etc. I Google everyday on something. So if you have a computer and are on the Internet, learn how to use Google.
8) When you are using the computer for Ancestry.com, etc then learn how to search using different spellings. For instance one of my family lines is "Reese". So when I'm searching Ancestry.com's 1930 Census records for "William Reese", I have to remember to try different name spellings. Remember census takers back then usually had to spell according to how it sounded to them. So here are the variations I would use to try and find the 1930 census record for "William Wilford Reese":
"William Reese"
"Wilford Reese"
"Wm Reese"
"Bill Reese"
"W.W. Reese"
"Willie Reese"
"Will Reese"
"W. Reese"
"William Reece"
"Wm Reece", etc
And all the variations with Reas, Rease, Reis, Rhys, Rees, Reise, etc.
Another personal example is the name Cohen. Here are the variations I found of that name:
Coan
Cohan
Cowan
Kohen
Koan
Cone
Kone
Blah, blah, blah Come to find out the original name is not Jewish but the Irish "Cowan".
And don't forget first name differences like "Elizabeth"
Elise
Lizzie
Liza
Lisa
Beth
Betty
Eliza
Ellie
Lizbet
And, then there are the typos or illegible handwriting to take into consideration. For instance, whoever entered the records for the 1930's census for Ancestry.com may have just made data entry typo or they were unable to read the illegible handwriting of the original census taker and entered the data incorrectly. The handwriting of the census takers could be very neat or slopppy or have their own characteristics so that their "H" looks much like a "W", etc.
If you try every variation you can think of and still can't find the census record, then try other members of the family. For instance, John Doe is married to Jane and has John Jr., William, Mary, and Cansada Doe. You can't find John Doe in the 1880 Census even after all your variation searches. So start looking for "Jane Doe". If that doesn't work look for "Cansada Doe". Now why would I start looking for "Cansada Doe" instead of "John Jr.", "William" or "Mary" Doe? Because a) you've already looked for a John Doe and couldn't find him so looking for John Jr. Is going to be fruitless too, and b) William and Mary are very common names and may take up your time looking at lists and lists of "William Doe"'s to find your family but "Cansada" is a little more rare and you should have a shorter list and save you time. Also remember that girls usually married so if you know their married name, look for them in that 1880 census because old John and Jane may be living with their married daughter. I had this happen with Susan Ann Quinn Cohen. I couldn't find a Susan Cohen to save my life. Come to find out she had remarried after her husband died. Her 2nd husband had died and she spent her last days with her married daughter. If I hadn't looked for that married daughter's family and found a "Susan FOWLER" living with them in the 1930 census with the relationship of "mother-in-law" I would never have found her.
Also, if you find the home of one of the family members, then scan the previous 2 pages of the census or the next 2 pages of the census. Many families lived close together and you can put it together that way.
9) Try to learn some of the history of the hometown area. For instance my hometown area was big into cotton mills and mill villages and this played a big role in some of the famly lines I am researching that lived in my hometown. Another county that my grandma's family lived in had a railroad through it that had a stop in the main town which was also the county seat. There was a newspaper story of how one of my ancestors was killed by a train. He had gone to town and his horse was on it's own heading back home while he took a nap in the back of the wagon. The train hit the wagon and killed him. Another county in my researches had a flood disaster that affected my family line. Another county in my family research is Madison County, NC where they had the Shelton-Laurel Massacre during the Civil War. There was a lot of Rebel and Unionist feuding going on up there. What I learned about the history of the county during the Civil War backed up the passed down stories in my family and I was able to place them in the middle of all that! (Remember the movie Cold Mountain? That's the area!)
10) If you possibly can, visit the area personally. Make a list of the places you want to find. I go cemetery hunting. Here I am in a tiny mountain cemetery taking notes.
I also look for family homeplaces, farms, churches they attended, mills they worked in, etc. This is where the Internet maps help you. If you can find the address with a Google search then you can map it and get directions using Yahoomaps. You can also use a GPS device. Take photos and videos.
Here are tips for visiting the area:
A) Be sure you have addresses and directions. Or, at least, know the general area. I have gone to an area and simply driven the roads to look for cemeteries and gotten out and looked for family names. I have found nuggets of treasure that way. But it's best if you have addresses. So make a list of all the places you want to find.
B) DON'T GO ALONE. Be sure your family knows where you are going and when to expect you home and DON'T GO ALONE. Take your fully charged cell phone and DON'T GO ALONE. For instance, you could sprain an ankle walking in a remote cemetery and not be able to make it back to your car. I'm allergic to bee stings and fire ant bites and need to get medical attention so I don't need to be alone if that happens. I have hypoglycemia and could faint and die if a sugar attack happens when I'm alone. I could get lost and wander around if I don't have a GPS or cell phone. I could be attacked in a lonely cemetery if I'm alone. And, believe me, I've been on mountaintops in the brushes and weeds trying to find old family cemeteries! I could have an accident and be missing and no one know where I am, especially in unchartered territory. So I don't go alone!!! And I might suggest you take physical protection. I'll leave it up to you to discern what I mean.
C) Things to take when you go on these field trips:
4) If you live close to a good library, go to your library and ask for help on genealogy. If your town is of any size, then you probably have a very good genealogy dept. They will have records on microfilm, computer, books, etc. And, my experience has shown that the librarians are very kind and try to be helpful. If they work in that genealogy room, then they are very knowledgeable and you can trust they know what they are talking about. Even if you live in CA but your family was from SC, your librarian can help educate you in how to do research. For instance, do you know how to find a birth certificate, a census record, a death certificate, a newspaper obituary, a Civil War record, a cemetery record, a Revolutionary War pension record, a will abstract, a deed? I didn't! But the librarian can tell you the resources available, how to find records, how to use microfilm or the computer, etc. Call the librarian in the hometown you are researching and ask them what kind of local records they have, who you need to contact for a birth certificate, is there a website for a cemetery survey of such and such cemetery, etc. Appreciate your librarians, treat them well and cultivate a relationship with them because they are wonderful helps and resources. I try to follow the rules (like signing in when I enter the genealogy room, signing in for the computer, keep my cell phone on vibrate, don't talk loud, etc) and I try to be friendly and courteous and not monopolize their time. This has opened up their wide range of experience and knowledge to me. They have been wonderful helps and have been willing to go out of their way to help me when questions arise! Be sure to thank them and be on the lookout for someway that to help them. For instance, I found a photo on ebay of a local event back at the turn of the century. I knew this would interest my librarians so I forwarded it to them and the library was able to purchase it and it's now framed in our genealogy room. Just a little networking like that benefits both sides. They have helped me so much and I was tickled to be able to help them.
5) Join local genealogical societies. By local, I mean local to your families' hometowns. For instance, I live in SC but I'm a lifetime member of the Davidson Cty, NC Genealogical Society because my grandma's family lived there for generations. I joined for a year and found out how active this group was and found their newsletters were great resources so when it came time to renew, I joined for a lifetime. It's been worth it! I have joined some that haven't been that active or contributed much to the communities knowledge so I didn't renew my membership. But, keep in mind, that may change in the future. New blood comes in, new officers are elected, new ideas surface, new work is done and the genealogical society grows up and you may want to re-join. Your local libraries (again, local to the hometown you are researching) should also have back copies of local genealogical society publications which contain valuable info. Also join historical groups like the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC), Sons of the American Revolution (SAR), Colonial Dames, Mayflower Descendants, etc. You may or may not have a very active chapter in your area. If you do, then it's a great resource and you learn at every meeting. If you don't, then try another chapter or wait awhile and go back and see if it's grown and changed.
6) If your library doesn't have free access to Ancestry.com/Rootsweb.com/HeritageQuest.com or you don't have time to spend at the library using their free access, then get an annual membership if you possibly can (one of the 3). These are invaluable!! You not only get access to records but access to other researchers and their published databases and you might find a distant cousin has some additional information that you didn't have. I've met many a "cousin" online and appreciated their additional information. Always remember that there can be mistakes. Due to typos, illegibility on tombstones or records, wrong assumptions, honest mistakes...their data could be wrong or incomplete but it can give you valuable data and leads.
7) Learn to do Google searches (browser searches). That's right! Type in an ancestor's name, a cemetery's name, a place of work name, a church name and you might find a treasure trove. For instance, last week I was looking for a church address so I could go to the cemetery and find an ancestor. I did a Google search and the church had a website that even included a cemetery survey (bless their wonderful hearts!) which saved me a trip. I have also found cemetery surveys by doing Google searches on the cemetery names. I've found "cousins" that had published their family research and gave me additional information (God bless them). I've found local genealogy websites that have tons of information about the area that I'm researching. By doing Google searches for images, I've found old photos of cotton mills where my ancestors worked, photos of mill villages where they lived, etc. I Google everyday on something. So if you have a computer and are on the Internet, learn how to use Google.
8) When you are using the computer for Ancestry.com, etc then learn how to search using different spellings. For instance one of my family lines is "Reese". So when I'm searching Ancestry.com's 1930 Census records for "William Reese", I have to remember to try different name spellings. Remember census takers back then usually had to spell according to how it sounded to them. So here are the variations I would use to try and find the 1930 census record for "William Wilford Reese":
"William Reese"
"Wilford Reese"
"Wm Reese"
"Bill Reese"
"W.W. Reese"
"Willie Reese"
"Will Reese"
"W. Reese"
"William Reece"
"Wm Reece", etc
And all the variations with Reas, Rease, Reis, Rhys, Rees, Reise, etc.
Another personal example is the name Cohen. Here are the variations I found of that name:
Coan
Cohan
Cowan
Kohen
Koan
Cone
Kone
Blah, blah, blah Come to find out the original name is not Jewish but the Irish "Cowan".
And don't forget first name differences like "Elizabeth"
Elise
Lizzie
Liza
Lisa
Beth
Betty
Eliza
Ellie
Lizbet
And, then there are the typos or illegible handwriting to take into consideration. For instance, whoever entered the records for the 1930's census for Ancestry.com may have just made data entry typo or they were unable to read the illegible handwriting of the original census taker and entered the data incorrectly. The handwriting of the census takers could be very neat or slopppy or have their own characteristics so that their "H" looks much like a "W", etc.
If you try every variation you can think of and still can't find the census record, then try other members of the family. For instance, John Doe is married to Jane and has John Jr., William, Mary, and Cansada Doe. You can't find John Doe in the 1880 Census even after all your variation searches. So start looking for "Jane Doe". If that doesn't work look for "Cansada Doe". Now why would I start looking for "Cansada Doe" instead of "John Jr.", "William" or "Mary" Doe? Because a) you've already looked for a John Doe and couldn't find him so looking for John Jr. Is going to be fruitless too, and b) William and Mary are very common names and may take up your time looking at lists and lists of "William Doe"'s to find your family but "Cansada" is a little more rare and you should have a shorter list and save you time. Also remember that girls usually married so if you know their married name, look for them in that 1880 census because old John and Jane may be living with their married daughter. I had this happen with Susan Ann Quinn Cohen. I couldn't find a Susan Cohen to save my life. Come to find out she had remarried after her husband died. Her 2nd husband had died and she spent her last days with her married daughter. If I hadn't looked for that married daughter's family and found a "Susan FOWLER" living with them in the 1930 census with the relationship of "mother-in-law" I would never have found her.
Also, if you find the home of one of the family members, then scan the previous 2 pages of the census or the next 2 pages of the census. Many families lived close together and you can put it together that way.
9) Try to learn some of the history of the hometown area. For instance my hometown area was big into cotton mills and mill villages and this played a big role in some of the famly lines I am researching that lived in my hometown. Another county that my grandma's family lived in had a railroad through it that had a stop in the main town which was also the county seat. There was a newspaper story of how one of my ancestors was killed by a train. He had gone to town and his horse was on it's own heading back home while he took a nap in the back of the wagon. The train hit the wagon and killed him. Another county in my researches had a flood disaster that affected my family line. Another county in my family research is Madison County, NC where they had the Shelton-Laurel Massacre during the Civil War. There was a lot of Rebel and Unionist feuding going on up there. What I learned about the history of the county during the Civil War backed up the passed down stories in my family and I was able to place them in the middle of all that! (Remember the movie Cold Mountain? That's the area!)
10) If you possibly can, visit the area personally. Make a list of the places you want to find. I go cemetery hunting. Here I am in a tiny mountain cemetery taking notes.
I also look for family homeplaces, farms, churches they attended, mills they worked in, etc. This is where the Internet maps help you. If you can find the address with a Google search then you can map it and get directions using Yahoomaps. You can also use a GPS device. Take photos and videos.
Here are tips for visiting the area:
A) Be sure you have addresses and directions. Or, at least, know the general area. I have gone to an area and simply driven the roads to look for cemeteries and gotten out and looked for family names. I have found nuggets of treasure that way. But it's best if you have addresses. So make a list of all the places you want to find.
B) DON'T GO ALONE. Be sure your family knows where you are going and when to expect you home and DON'T GO ALONE. Take your fully charged cell phone and DON'T GO ALONE. For instance, you could sprain an ankle walking in a remote cemetery and not be able to make it back to your car. I'm allergic to bee stings and fire ant bites and need to get medical attention so I don't need to be alone if that happens. I have hypoglycemia and could faint and die if a sugar attack happens when I'm alone. I could get lost and wander around if I don't have a GPS or cell phone. I could be attacked in a lonely cemetery if I'm alone. And, believe me, I've been on mountaintops in the brushes and weeds trying to find old family cemeteries! I could have an accident and be missing and no one know where I am, especially in unchartered territory. So I don't go alone!!! And I might suggest you take physical protection. I'll leave it up to you to discern what I mean.
C) Things to take when you go on these field trips:
Take your cell phone, digital camera, video camera, laptop, GPS, extra batteries.
Take some food and drink so you can picnic if you are walking a cemetery and it gets to be lunchtime.
Take large pieces of chalk so you can brush it over tombstones that are almost illegible with age.
This really works to bring out the writing.
Take a spiral notebook to jot down your notes.
Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes (don't wear sandals). Dress in layers in case it's cool in the morning but heats up in the afternoon. Take a hat and sunglasses.
If you are staying a few days, stop at local places that look like they may be regular haunts to locals like a hometown diner or church, etc. And be friendly and talk to people. Tell them you are in town doing some family research on the "Millers" and see if they know any "Millers" who are still alive or where the "Miller" family cemetery is, etc. Drop by the local library and see what they have and introduce yourself to the librarians. Be sensitive and don't monopolize their time if they are busy but you'd be surprised who will take a few minutes to talk to you and give you valuable information. I've met people who were walking the cemetery at the same time and they stopped and, come to find out, we were distant cousins looking for the same people. I've met people working in the genealogy room at the same time and we strike a conversation and find out we are searching the same line and can share.
11) Be willing to share. I cannot tell you how many people have shared their research with me and how much it has helped! So I try to always be willing to share my research with others. With email I can email someone a photo. I'm trying to put stuff on my website/blog so that I can just email a link to someone who contacts me about info. That way I'm not having to re-type stuff over and over again. None of this costs me anything but time.
Take some food and drink so you can picnic if you are walking a cemetery and it gets to be lunchtime.
Take large pieces of chalk so you can brush it over tombstones that are almost illegible with age.
This really works to bring out the writing.
Take a spiral notebook to jot down your notes.
Wear comfortable clothes and sturdy shoes (don't wear sandals). Dress in layers in case it's cool in the morning but heats up in the afternoon. Take a hat and sunglasses.
If you are staying a few days, stop at local places that look like they may be regular haunts to locals like a hometown diner or church, etc. And be friendly and talk to people. Tell them you are in town doing some family research on the "Millers" and see if they know any "Millers" who are still alive or where the "Miller" family cemetery is, etc. Drop by the local library and see what they have and introduce yourself to the librarians. Be sensitive and don't monopolize their time if they are busy but you'd be surprised who will take a few minutes to talk to you and give you valuable information. I've met people who were walking the cemetery at the same time and they stopped and, come to find out, we were distant cousins looking for the same people. I've met people working in the genealogy room at the same time and we strike a conversation and find out we are searching the same line and can share.
11) Be willing to share. I cannot tell you how many people have shared their research with me and how much it has helped! So I try to always be willing to share my research with others. With email I can email someone a photo. I'm trying to put stuff on my website/blog so that I can just email a link to someone who contacts me about info. That way I'm not having to re-type stuff over and over again. None of this costs me anything but time.
Casino Benefits For Welfare Recipients
I don't get up every morning just looking to brand someone a moron. I certainly don't get up every morning hoping that I can find someone to outright despise because of what they stand for and how they're going to contribute to the fall of society as we know it. It's not like I'm trying to be annoyed. But when I find out that in "California and Michigan, welfare recipients have been using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards to withdraw state-funded payment from ATM machines in casinos", I tend to get a little testy. According to something called Daily Finance, this absurdity that should not be occurring has been
surprisingly recognized by politicians who (theoretically) can do something about it like make it so that the ATM machines in the casinos are programmed to not accept the EBT cards (which work like an ATM card does). And look, I realize that someone that is going to spend their money...oh, wait. I said that wrong, didn't I? I realize that someone that is really wants to spend MY money at a casino is going to. They're going to go to some other ATM, withdraw money that my taxes have funded, and then hop their sorry ass to a casino and piss away my money. I get that. But I don't think that the process needs to be made any easier by having the damn ATM AT the freaking casino be capable of giving them MY money.
surprisingly recognized by politicians who (theoretically) can do something about it like make it so that the ATM machines in the casinos are programmed to not accept the EBT cards (which work like an ATM card does). And look, I realize that someone that is going to spend their money...oh, wait. I said that wrong, didn't I? I realize that someone that is really wants to spend MY money at a casino is going to. They're going to go to some other ATM, withdraw money that my taxes have funded, and then hop their sorry ass to a casino and piss away my money. I get that. But I don't think that the process needs to be made any easier by having the damn ATM AT the freaking casino be capable of giving them MY money. 
In California, the surprisingly on the ball Los Angeles Times learned that "...79 out of the 148 tribal casinos and state-licensed poker rooms have welfare-friendly (aka, MY money friendly) ATM machines on the premises." That's over half. Not to mention that it's about 79 too many. And if you're thinking that maybe not a lot of people actually take advantage of this situation, you'd be wrong because "$1.8 million in state welfare revenues were withdrawn from ATMs in gambling establishments over an eight month period." Nice system, California. Whose freaking idea was this to begin with? Now, you'd think that everyone would be able to be on the same page with getting something like
this stopped, wouldn't you? You might think that, but again, you'd be wrong. And that brings me to the woman that I spent today simply loathing. A one Maureen Taylor is the state organizer of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization advocacy group (that's in Michgian). She has a problem with a bill that was introduced by Michigan Senator Bill Hardiman which would "...stop casino ATMs in his state from processing welfare payments." You know what the problem is that she has? Guess. Go on. Guess. You know what? It's so asininely ridiculous, you'll never get it. So, allow me...
this stopped, wouldn't you? You might think that, but again, you'd be wrong. And that brings me to the woman that I spent today simply loathing. A one Maureen Taylor is the state organizer of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization advocacy group (that's in Michgian). She has a problem with a bill that was introduced by Michigan Senator Bill Hardiman which would "...stop casino ATMs in his state from processing welfare payments." You know what the problem is that she has? Guess. Go on. Guess. You know what? It's so asininely ridiculous, you'll never get it. So, allow me... 
Ms. Taylor "...feels that Hardiman's bill singles out welfare recipients unfairly." What? Singles them out? Well, yes. That's what it's supposed to do. You can't not single out a group that is already singled out. If you want to stop casino ATMs from processing welfare payments, that is automatically going to single out the group of people that are on welfare, that is correct. So, what is the problem that Ms. Taylor finds with this intentional and necessary singling out? She claims, "This is a way to corral low-income welfare recipients, put a red mark on their face and say, 'You're not welcome.' " ::: blink ::: ::: blink ::: Um, Ms. Taylor? Yeah, see, that's right! They're NOT welcome to take
MY money and go spend it at a CASINO! They're on freaking WELFARE! They shouldn't HAVE any money to spend at a casino! If they did, they wouldn't be on WELFARE! What part of that do you not understand? It's not like we're trying to stop them from spending their money at a grocery store! It's a G-D casino, for cryin' out loud!
MY money and go spend it at a CASINO! They're on freaking WELFARE! They shouldn't HAVE any money to spend at a casino! If they did, they wouldn't be on WELFARE! What part of that do you not understand? It's not like we're trying to stop them from spending their money at a grocery store! It's a G-D casino, for cryin' out loud! I'm glad that Ms. Taylor isn't in politics because that would be cause for alarm. I 
have no idea what the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization does exactly, but the fact that they use the word "Rights" in their title does not bode well with me. How come there is a "right" to be on welfare, but there isn't a "right" for those of us who pay for it to opt out? Oh, that's right. Because all of us would, that's why. I really wish that she had elaborated on that statement, but she didn't. And in a way, I think I'm glad. I don't know if I could have taken her explanation without needing an entire bottle of gin.
have no idea what the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization does exactly, but the fact that they use the word "Rights" in their title does not bode well with me. How come there is a "right" to be on welfare, but there isn't a "right" for those of us who pay for it to opt out? Oh, that's right. Because all of us would, that's why. I really wish that she had elaborated on that statement, but she didn't. And in a way, I think I'm glad. I don't know if I could have taken her explanation without needing an entire bottle of gin. Side note: Against my better judgment, I went to the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization website to see what they were all about. I got as far as what is apparently their mission statement: "You get what you are organized to take!" I couldn't read any more after that, as I kind of think that says it all, don't you? Now, where did I put that gin?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
How To Replace Six Vital Documents
How To Replace Six Vital Documents
This is a good thing to know so check it out. (Thanks, Anna!)
This is a good thing to know so check it out. (Thanks, Anna!)
A Man's Love For His Toys
There's a lot of sadness in today's tale. After all, what would you do if you found out that your mother had gotten rid of that which you had considered to be your life partner and you realized that you would have to go the rest of your life without that partner? Would you burn down your family's home in an attempt to kill yourself? Would you answer these questions differently if your life partner was a toy? Wait. A...toy?Correct. A toy. What we have here is the story of a Japanese gentleman, a one 30-year old
Yoshifumi Takabe. According to the Australian Broadcasting Company, Mr. Takabe and his possessions had been living with his mother. His possessions apparently included enough of his toy robot figures to fill 300 boxes to the ceiling. Now, I'm sure you're thinking that might be a little strange, but they weren't just any toy robots. No, they were "...robot toys were figures from the Gundam animated TV series, which started in the 1970s, about space wars involving giant robots." I'm sure that has you thinking just a little bit differently about him, doesn't it? (Hey, I didn't say it was for the better. I just said it was different!) 
I'm all for a collection of vintage toys. (Are the 1970s considered vintage? For the sake of this argument, let's say that they are. I think it might kind of help our impression of Mr. Takabe just a shred. Or not.) But 300 boxes stacked to the ceiling? That's an awful lot of robot toys. What was the show again? Gundam? It's gotta be a Japanese thing, right? Well, even if it's not, it's definitely a Mr. Takabe thing. 
This story continues with Mr. Takabe's mother throwing out some of the toys. While I understand her not being overly thrilled (or able to move) in a home with 300 boxes of robot toys, throwing out only some of them seems rather passive-aggressive if you're asking me. It's not like throwing out a box or two is going to make a dent in the enormous collection that has been amassed. She must not have known that Mr. Takabe would become "...suicidal after losing the figures" because he said they "...were partners he wanted to spend his life with." Hmm. 
You know, as odd as that sounds, perhaps Mr. Takabe was simply a realist. I'm guessing that with the 300 boxes of robot toys, he was thoroughly immersed in the ways and culture of the un-layable. The toys might have been the perfect mates for him. Polygamy toy heaven. Or something like that. 
Not able to deal with the prospect of living without some of his toys, Mr. Takabe set the family home on fire because "...he wanted to die with his robots in the fire." OK, then. If someone wants to die in a fire, there's really only one requirement. That would be to stay in where the fire is at. Apparently, Mr. Takabe wasn't real clear on that concept, as he managed to escape the fire unscathed. He appeared in court and pled guilty to burning down his house and, 
presumably, the rest of his toys. Isn't he going to be a little devastated at this point? I mean, talk about overreacting? At least before, he had some toys and a place to live. Now he has no toys and, well, I guess he kind of has a place to live. Jail is definitely a place to live. Man, and he thought he wanted to die before. I'm guessing he won't think that he had it so bad after a little time in a Japanese jail. Then again, perhaps he could meet himself a different sort of life partner, now that his toys are gone.
presumably, the rest of his toys. Isn't he going to be a little devastated at this point? I mean, talk about overreacting? At least before, he had some toys and a place to live. Now he has no toys and, well, I guess he kind of has a place to live. Jail is definitely a place to live. Man, and he thought he wanted to die before. I'm guessing he won't think that he had it so bad after a little time in a Japanese jail. Then again, perhaps he could meet himself a different sort of life partner, now that his toys are gone.Friday, August 27, 2010
Events from July, Part 1
A snapshop of my summer thus far:
Passing by a movie set at Astor Place, early July
Dancers on 14th Street, mid-July
Watching the World Cup, at DOMA in the West Village
Fence Editor Rebecca Wolff at the journal's launch, Hudson, New York
Tara Betts at the Phati'tude Launch Party, mid-July
Rebekah Rutkoff reading at the Fence launch party
My iPhone life drawing of Rebekah Rutkoff reading
Anselm Berrigan reading at the Fence launch party
My iPhone life drawing of Anselm Berrigan reading
One of the artworks at the Fence launch party
Hudson, New York, at night
Passing by a movie set at Astor Place, early July
Dancers on 14th Street, mid-July
Watching the World Cup, at DOMA in the West Village
Fence Editor Rebecca Wolff at the journal's launch, Hudson, New York
Tara Betts at the Phati'tude Launch Party, mid-July
Rebekah Rutkoff reading at the Fence launch party
My iPhone life drawing of Rebekah Rutkoff reading
Anselm Berrigan reading at the Fence launch party
My iPhone life drawing of Anselm Berrigan reading
One of the artworks at the Fence launch party
Hudson, New York, at night
The Sad Cheater
Tiger Woods is just completely void of any human emotions, isn't he? Well, wait. Is horny an emotion? What about jackassery? OK, if those two count, then he has two human emotions. But if they don't, then he's just a freaking robot. A lying, cheating, home-wrecking, whore-loving, freaking robot. 
Elin's divorce from Tiger was finalized a couple of days ago. Immediately afterward, People magazine announced that she had done an interview with them. There don't seem to be any huge revelations in the interview, just more of what we had all pretty much surmised. After all, how many ways are there to feel when you find out that your husband is a scumbag who has cheated on you with every porn star he could find? Not many ways that people aren't going to be familiar with, that's what I'm guessing.
And naturally, Tiger felt the need to address the issue in the only way that he seems to know how. That is, without any sort of feeling or emotion being expressed and by completely minimizing the entire situation. Here's what he had to say at a press conference at The Barclays golf tournament in New Jersey, according to People Magazine: "It's a sad time in our lives. And we're looking forward to how we can help our kids the best way we
possibly can. And that's the most important thing." Um, are you kidding me? It's a sad time? SAD? I don't know if sad is the word that I would choose. It's so minimal, considering that he slept with every whore out there (and even a few whores in there). I'm also taking issue with how the most important thing is his kids. Hey, Tiger! If the most important things were your kids while you were still married, perhaps you would have been such a man-whore and been doing the Perkins waitress! What a buffoon.
He didn't stop there with his hollow statements. "Asked if he was "relieved" with the split, Woods paused. "I don't think that's the word...I think it's just more sadness. Because I don't think you ever – you don't ever go into a marriage looking to get divorced. That's the thing. That's why it is sad." Good Lord, sir. Does he not understand that this isn't something that has happened to him?! It's not like you just suddenly found yourself divorced, you cheater! And you're right! No one expects what you bestowed upon your completely clueless and rather hot Swedish wife! Did you go into the marriage expecting to never get caught, cheater? He's so in love with himself, he probably did. He did semi-allude to this possibly being his fault when he said, "My actions
certainly led us to this decision...And I've certainly made a lot of errors in my life and that's something I'm going to have to live with." Once again, it's all about him. You know who else has to live with your "errors", you cheater? Your now ex-wife AND your children! And I don't know that they're going to grow up thinking that their father made some simple "errors" and that's why mom and dad divorced before they had even entered kindergarten. Cheater.
certainly led us to this decision...And I've certainly made a lot of errors in my life and that's something I'm going to have to live with." Once again, it's all about him. You know who else has to live with your "errors", you cheater? Your now ex-wife AND your children! And I don't know that they're going to grow up thinking that their father made some simple "errors" and that's why mom and dad divorced before they had even entered kindergarten. Cheater. 
And in his final statement (for now) of completely not accepting responsibility OR reality, he said, "I certainly understand that she is sad...And I feel the same way." Oh, my God. Really? Really, cheater? I don't know that sad is a completely accurate description of how she is feeling. Betrayed? Lied to? Cheated on? Humiliated? Embarrassed? Duped? Deceived? I think she feels all of those in addition to being sad! And if Tiger does feel sad, it's simply because he got caught. Cheater. Are you going to dig up your dad's ol' bones again to ease some of your pain? Cheater. 
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)