Record your story at Rootstech

INVITATION FROM MORMON CHANNEL:

Share a family story in an audio interview that will play on a new Mormon Channel podcast. This is f available to anyone to participate.

"Everyone has a story to tell, and we want to hear yours. You can share it with us at RootsTech, February 9-11. Stop by our booth, near the East entrance on Level 2, and tell us your inspirational or entertaining story. From conquering a challenge to your most memorable family meal, we want to hear it all. Reserve a time here. We look forward to meeting you."

Here is the link to reserve a time: https://calendly.com/mormonchannel/storymic

Hoarse and High

Yesterday evening found me hoarse and on a high. Why, you ask?

Firstly because I delivered a full day seminar/workshop/, Family History in the Modern Era, at Wyong Family History Group. I don't think I have done so much talking since I was a teacher. Last night I thought I was in for a cold but this morning my throat is all better so it was as a result of yesterday's gabfest.

My drug of choice must be "talking with a group of committed and enthusiastic learners" because I was just elated when I got home yesterday. The twenty odd or so people who put up with me for the whole day were just inspirational, they were so interested in the topics and shared a thirst for learning.

At the beginning of the day I posted some guidelines for behaviour so that we had a mutual understanding of how the day would proceed.

Rules for the day

The attendees really took the first point to heart, they commented, questioned and shared right through the day. I didn't add "Have fun" to that list but that wasn't needed as there was lots of laughter and bonhomie in the air. A couple of times I had to ring the Society's little bell to restore order and get back on track. We covered most of what I had prepared but went off on a few tangents to clarify questions. One of the popular requests was for a demonstration of creating a blog so this I did although it wasn't planned. I wouldn't be surprised if a few ladies (there was only one male in the audience) from Wyong become geneabloggers very soon.

Session 1

Having quite a decent period of time allowed me to play around with my planned schedule, it was also great that the attendees (who were all seated early) agreed to start early and shorten lunch and afternoon tea breaks so that we could have more time on the job.

Session 2

Thanks go to all the attentive attendees, Wyong FHG President Kerrie Metcalfe, Trish who was appointed to be my minder and IT Guy and sausage sizzle chef Roger for their assistance. The  slice girls deserve congratulations for the sweet treats served, I'd love to have the recipe of that slice based on rice bubbles that was so delicious. The lovely gift you gave me as a memento of the day is most appreciated.

Session 3

 I was thrilled to be invited to present this seminar for Wyong Family History Group in National Family History Month 2014.

A Sentence a Day

While I was away my young geneablogging mate Caitie wrote about her new purchase the "A sentence a day" journal from Kikki K. I thought that I would like to have one and made a note to look for it on my return home.

The promotional blurb for this item says "Put pen to paper to complete a simple prompt each day of the year for three years. Without even noticing, you'll capture unique insights into your life, realise change and growth, and create a keepsake you can look back on for years to come.

A unique keepsake journal for yourself, and a gorgeous gift for any loved one."

Yesterday I parked my car in the section of the carpark that took me right past a Kikki K store so I looked in and there on the table with the sale items was a bundle of   "A sentence a day" books for 30% off. These sturdy little books are available in store or online for 17.47.

I don't know that I will write in my new book but I will use the prompts and try to write a sentence each day - surely I can manage to write at least that much!  I may record my sentences in Evernote or on a spreadsheet that I can merge with my diary but first I will have to remove the shrinkwrap from my purchase. 

Help Please

I must get my act together for the Ku-ring-gai 2014 Seniors' Festival as I will be presenting two workshops on the program.

Firstly on Wednesday 12 March my topic is Sharing Your Story In Small Bites: Write a Blog. Should you wish to join me in the Gordon Library Meeting Rooms for this event please contact The Ku-ring-gai Historical Society for bookings:  Phone 02 9499 4568 between 10am-2pm or email: khs@khs.org.au.

On the next Wednesday 19 March I will be talking about Free Websites for Genealogy and History. The venue for this talk will also be the Gordon Library Meeting Rooms.

Hopefully I can convince a few community members of the benefits of blogging and show them some websites that might help with their research. I am looking forward to meeting new enthusiasts at these events.

The full festival program can be downloaded from here:
 http://www.kmc.nsw.gov.au/Services_facilities/For/Seniors/Seniors_Festival.

Now I need your help. I have many fabulous genealogy related websites that I often highlight in my talks and I also follow some pretty special travel and niche blogs. During my talk I want to highlight not only genealogy blogs but other interesting and quirky blogs that tell stories. I have a few faves (many written by genealogists) but would appreciate suggestions.

If you were in my shoes what super story telling blogs would you share.

 

The Gossip Girls

Yesterday I had a great outing with two of my first cousins. Although I see them regularly it is always at family gatherings or when we meet up with our extended families for lunch at some venue or other around Sydney. We never seem to get a chance for a real good gossip.

At the last family gathering, a 21st for one cousin's daughter, we decided that it would be nice to just have a get together for the three of us. As we each live on the different outer edges of Sydney we chose the CBD as our venue. Although it was a stinking hot day outside we holed up in The Cortile at The Sydney Intercontinental Hotel for High Coffee and there we stayed for over four hours.

My cousins aren't into family history but they love family gossip and sharing stories. As the oldest of the three I was able to share memories of our grandmother who was a robust, calm and gentle devout Catholic fiercely proud of her Irish heritage. The youngest cousin only remembered here as a little old lady with dementia while we older girls had memories of a proud, upright lady.

For years I had wondered why this grandmother had moved from her home town of Dungog away from her family to Canowindra. My middle cousin piped up "I know that". A mystery solved! Nanna suffered from asthma and took medical advice to move from the humidity of Dungog to the drier climate in Canowindra. Second cousin then added "Is that who I should blame for my asthma?". She didn't know that her grandmother had suffered with chest problems. As we talked about our parents, their early lives and shared stories they had passed down we learnt more about our family history and relationships.

Grandmother, Mary Curry (nee Tierney) 1936

The girls got a giggle when I told them of a couple of shotgun marriages that occurred in the family prior to 1920. The cause of death of another relative brought a smile to their faces as they had always thought the reason given to them for his death was implausible. Pooling our knowledge from snippets shared by our parents we worked out that another relative had given birth to three children and had put them up for adoption. There must have been a few ears burning in heaven and on earth yesterday as we shared stories of various family members. As a result of our conversations I will be adding a few private notes to my family database.

We three had such a wonderful time together. Two of us are only children and the other has only one sibling who lives overseas so we are starved of the close relationships those with many siblings enjoy.

Jill (right) withe her paternal first cousins 1980.

I can highly recommend sitting down with your cousins and sharing stories. Those cousins might just have a piece to complete a puzzle that has been baffling you.

A Feel Good Experience.

The most read post on my blog is one I wrote in 2011 "John Bertram Chatfield - Trans-Tasman ANZAC Day blog Challenge". I don't know why this is but maybe because it was about someone

My Grandmother, Ethel Jane Pusell

dear to my heart, my maternal grandmother and her first husband.

I was thrilled to receive an email from a Society today which in part said " I would like your permission to use your blog  (posted Monday Apr 22 re Anzac day challenge) for our members. The idea is to give reluctant writers a good story to read and discuss the format you used to write on John Bertram Chatfield as a guide for their own story. Last year some members attended a workshop on using the national library records to research their WW1 veteran and, I believe, some, including myself, need to write up their stories."

Of course I wrote back immediately, I am thrilled that something that I wrote might help others get involved in writing their family stories. 

It is so good to realise that my blogging efforts can help others.

Bega Genealogists - Share your Memories

On its website, Bega Council has a wonderful page called My Place where members of the community are invited to share their memories. "We would love to include your memories of a house, street, farm, locality, village, town, park, beach or monument within the Bega Valley Shire on my place...

Your memories may be from long ago or from a few months ago. There is no time limit."

Amongst the stories published are a number from notable Australian Children's Author "Di Bates".

Genealogists with links to the Bega area, here is a place where you can record stories of your families.

Attention South Australian Genealogists

South Australian Stories » About

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You can take part in research by Adelaide Thinker in Residence, Dr Genevieve Bell who will help shed light on our use of broadband and associated communication technologies in South Australia and beyond. If I was in SA I would love to take part in this study but, as a Sydneysider, I am ineligible.