Love That Blogging

One of the obligations of a family historian or genealogist is to preserve and share their research. This can be a daunting expectation since in my experience the majority of those out there doing this type of work, are beginners. Source citations, creative writing, research skills, all come into creating a genealogical product that the experts will approve.

So, I am not going to appeal to the experts. I want all those family historians out there to consider sharing and preserving their family stories on a blog. Now, I know what you are thinking.....how will I know whether the information on their blog is accurate? You don't. But like so many records that we use, such as "Mug" books (aka County History Books), obits, tombstones, and others research, we have to use the information as a clue to find further documents and evidence that may support the information. And one thing that the experts will not have is our family tales and traditions. I have journals from family members of their memories, and in some cases some old letters. These are going to make my "stories" really become their story.

I have been inspired by Thomas MacEntee to blog. I use Google Blogger and find it so easy its almost painless. I separate my blogs by surname and geographical origination, cause that is how I separate my family trees for ease of researching within a given area. At present I have 8 blogs;  GeneaGunkie about All Things Genealogy but not my Trees, AbbottAncestry, ErvastiTree from Finland, JuhlinFromSweden, MyLarueLinks, PloegerPast from Germany, RiedellRoots from Prussia/Silesia/Posen, and StreseStories from Germany.

This is how I also have scanned and saved to files those photos, documents, etc. that will pertain to the blog. I named these Scanned Files the same as the blog. Makes it so easy to go back and find what I need for the blog.

Remember this. A blog is personal and expresses my personal opinions and experiences. You may want to disagree with my opinions, and that is your right. But, my experiences are uniquely mine, and you cannot disagree with them, as "they are what they are, and they are mine!"

I'mmmmm Baaaaack!

I know. I have been gone too long. Busy with family, society, job etc. And I thought I had nothing to talk about. But, after a Winter Recess from my Blue Hills Genealogical Society-Barron County, Inc. found a new burst of creative energy! Amazing what a break can do for you.

BHGS is getting things re-organized to better serve and spread the work around to more member-volunteers. A really great genealogical society, in today's world needs to be inclusive, relevant, and ACTIVE!!!! If you are not growing....you are dying.

So, we have worked on my mantra about committees. NO COMMITTEES OF ONE. Ask someone to work with you. Get volunteers to work on one simple aspect of your committee. If someone is a new chairperson, help them to develop a goal and agenda with procedures in place.

For Example, I have been serving as the Program chair for our society. This is not the way to do it, as I am as President an ex-officio member of all committees and that has me spread way to thin. A program chair basically only needs a computer and a phone to set up the programs. Therefore, they actually can be a member who lives out of area. Which is what we got. A member was transferred out of state but agreed to serve as our 2013 Program Chair. It did not hurt that of the 10 Monthly Programs for 2013 I had already planned 8 of them. [ I am a big fan of planning way out in front of an event, so that we can better advertise it.] All we needed on her committee then was a couple of people to announce the Program the night of, arrange any film, screen or projector needs for the night, and print out any handouts that a speaker may wish to provide. The new chair actually recruited her own committee members so that is all set. Wahoo!

Got a new arranged committee for the Newsletter, which made our Editor really happy. And all this reorganizing should lessen the load for our volunteers. Which left me with some time on my hands, so I have gone back to advocating for sharing and preserving ones family history/genealogy through blogging.In case you did not know, Thomas MacEntee is one of my heroes!

I had already created 2 blogs. This one, and MyLaRueLinks about my paternal line. I have now added 2 new blogs for my maternal line. My mom's paternal line is at http://RiedellRoots.blogspot.com and her maternal line is my newest blog, at http://PloegerPast.blogspot.com.  I am excited to share this new aspect of genealogy with my society members. I use Google Blogger. An easy template and free. Great way to share with others interested in any of my lines. Cheaper than printing a book. And a lead in to more complicated sharing and preserving formats such as Google Sites where I have put out 2 first websites on my Juhlin line and my husband's Ervasti line.

There are so many avenues to pursue in genealogy! Such fun and so rewarding.