Bookshops

Most genealogists have a love affair with books and often have a favourite bookshop.

The Australian Booksellers Association is presently having a competition to find Australia's favourite bookstore. Those who complete the online survey at  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RVV8NBX will have a chance to win $500  to spend in their favourite shop.

Which will I nominate as my fave? Will you be entering?

Another family member is blogging

I have written before about creating future family history and have found that my nephew, his wife and family are doing just that as they blog their way around Australia.

If you would lke to follow their adventures and learn about this vast land of ours you can visit their blog, All having a Ball,  at http://allhavingaball.wordpress.com.

All having a ball blog

The blog will be a wonderful resource for their children and future generations and in the meantime I can vicariously enjoy their adventures.

Quiet Time

I've been a quiet lately as I am having another holiday and watching family history being made. I travelled to Prague in the Czech Republic to see my granddaughter dance in The New Prague Dance Festival.

Classical Group

Over the past four days I have watched young people from many countries give amazing performances of many types of dance. Tonight was the Gala Performance and presentation of awards. While the major award went to a Taiwan University Group I am proud to add that my granddaughter's group from Sydney, Australia gained third place in both the Folklore (Character) and Competition.

Character Dance

The Group at the Awards Ceremony

I'm a proud old Grandmother tonight.

If you're not family don't bother

I have just spent half an hour going through the list of people who have asked for access to my family website www.geniaus.net. I am genuinely excited when a new cousin contacts me.

What gets up my nose is the number of people who ask for access without telling me how they are related. I have details of living people in the database and will not give access to any Tom Dick or Harriet.

When hear from someone who leaves a message like this I grant them access.

"Hi there!!
I'm a descendant of xxx and xxx and would like to find out more about my ancestors. My maternal grandmother was the daughter of the above, but has no listing in your tree. Also missing is her sister xxx; twin to xxx".

I email those who give no details asking what their relationship is to people in the database and guess what? I usually don't hear from them again.

Through publishing my tree on the internet I have made some very valuable connections and helped quite a number of distant cousins fill in the gaps in their family history.  The benefits definitely outweigh the disadvantages but sometimes I just need to have a rant.