Two Years Down the Track

Reflection is so important to me as as a family historian and lifelong learner. For the past few years I have published the Accentuate the Positive Geneameme, a tool genies can use to reflect on the things they have achieved. You can access it and join in here.

http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/a-tradition.html

In my first post on this blog two years ago I  introduced myself. Things have remained very much the same in my Geneaworld although I have picked up a couple of extra volunteering activities.

I am sorry that when travelling I have missed a couple of monthly posts to this blog - I will endeavour to correct this in 2016 when I already have about four months of overseas travel planned. I may rejig some of my old personal blog posts and reblog them here.

The work I have done with another local family historian and our local studies librarian to establish the Hornsby Shire Family History Group makes me feel so proud. In just 11 months we have grown to have over 70 members and have exhibited at various community events.

Jennie Fairs from The Surname Society approached me last year and asked me, as a genie who trips about, to write a regular column for their newsletter, The Surname Scribbler. I was honoured to be asked and appreciate the opportunity it gives me to reflect on my geneactivities. Although my columns are fluffy the bulk of the articles are most informative and instructive. It is worth the modest membership fee to receive copies of this epublication (it's cheaper than many commercially produced publications).

You might note that I use a bit of geneajargon in my writing. I have always been fascinated by jargon and made up words so in August 2014 I started the Geneadictionary blog, a lighthearted publication, in which I share words I find and those that my Genimates find for me. Although it doesn't have a massive readership I enjoy putting this blog together. While I had been dabbling with Wordpress for a few years I had never blogged with it seriously. I now use Wordpress for Hornsby Shire Family History Group website and my  surname study blog CurryAus.

I continue to be involved in Rootstech, the greatest Geneaevent on Earth, and will be an Ambassador and Presenter again in 2016. I wonder which of my fellow bloggers I will meet there this year.

Have you reflected on your geneactivities lately?

A Glorious GeneaYear

Over on my GeniAus blog at the end of each Geneayear I have asked my Genimates to reflect on their Geneactivities over the past year and respond to the Accentuate the Positive Geneameme. 

I usually post a compilation of links to the responses at the GeniAus blog but this year I will do something different. I am posting them here because the responses so far have come from all corners of the globe, they demonstrate that ours is truly a Worldwide Community. 

In a world where there is so much doom and gloom and in which people bellyache about not realising unreachable goals it is uplifting to read of the Geneatriumphs of our geneablogging friends. An added bonus for me is that I always get a response or two from geneabloggers who are new to me and so, with these new additions, my RSS feed becomes more bloated but my geneaworld expands.

It is not too late to add your post to this list of links so, if you have the time, please join in this activity and notify me of your post.

Here are the responses to date:

Pam Carter from the US: http://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2015/01/2014-accentuate-positive.html

Pauleen Cass from the Northern Territory: https://cassmob.wordpress.com/2015/01/03/accentuate-the-positive-2014/

Shelley from ACT: http://twigsofyore.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/2014-quality-over-quantity.html

Alex Daw from Queensland: http://familytreefrog.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Sue Donaldson from Scotland: http://scotsue-familyhistoryfun.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Dara from Ireland: http://blackravengenealogy.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/2014-in-review-accentuate-positive.html

Fran Ellsworth: http://branchingoutthroughtheyears.blogspot.com/2015/01/response-to-geniaus-accentuate-positive.html

Janet Few from England:  http://thehistoryinterpreter.wordpress.com/2015/01/02/accentuate-the-positive-geneameme-2014/ 

Jo Ann Fitzgerald from Australia: http://ofmyfleshandblood.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme.html

GeniAus from Sydney: http://geniaus.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/time-for-reflection-accentuate-positive.html

Kirsty Gray from England: http://family-wise.co.uk/atp-2015/
Kirsty Gray - Part 2: http://family-wise.co.uk/atp-part2/

Victoria Green from Victoria: ; line-height: 19.6000003814697px;">http://campaspegenealogy.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-geneameme-2014.html

Rebel Hand from England : http://rebelhand.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/accentuate-the-positive-2014-2/

Shauna Hicks from Queensland: http://www.shaunahicks.com.au/accentuate-the-positive-geneameme-2014/

Iwikiwi from England: http://blog.iwikiwi.com/2015/01/my-genealogy-year-2014-accentuate-the-positive/

Tessa Keough from the US: http://keoughcorner.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/accentuate-positive-2014-edition.html

Fran Kitto from Australia: http://travelgenee.com/accentuate-positive-2014-geneameme/

Elizabeth Lapointe from Canada: http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/accentuate-positive.html

NikiMarie from the US: http://mypeopleinhistory.wordpress.com/2014/12/31/2014-in-review/

Shannon Thomas from the US: http://shannonmthomas.blogspot.com/2015/01/accentuate-positive-2014-geneameme.html

Back to the W's

In one of my early contributions to this blog I indicated that I would be writing about the Ws in my initial posts. Well I strayed, I call that Tangential Genealogy. Back on the straight and narrow I am returning to another W word.

WHY?

Why do I spend hours hunting down dead people - at my keyboard, visiting cemeteries, libraries and archives?

• I want to know my ancestors which in turn enables me to know who I am.
• I want to preserve my stories and those of my ancestors for future generations.
• I love solving problems, coming up with hypotheses and trying to solve them.
• The thrill of the chase is energising.
• Solving a riddle or mystery brings on a feeling of euphoria, normally a sedentary soul I find myself doing impromptu genealogy happy dances.
• I enjoy research, after years working as a librarian I find that I can satisfy this need through genealogy. 
• As an only child I also like working in isolation, genealogy allows me to do this.
• I can indulge in lots of genealogy activities from the comfort of my home.
• Genealogy gives me a focus for some of my travel (although I don't need much encouragement to hop on a 'plane).
• Genealogy research allows me to connect with distant relatives and, when collaboration ensues, we build up richer pictures of our ancestors.
• I have always been a bowerbird who collects what others see as ephemera or even rubbish. I am a listmaker, I love to record dates and events. These traits align well with family history activities.
• Genealogy creates an avenue for me to connect with interesting and interested people all over the world.
• I like writing, genealogy provides me with fresh fodder for my stories.
• I love technology and social media, Genealogy provides me with a focus for this interest. 
• As a social genie geneablogging gives me an outlet to share my journeys with like-minded  people. I may even snare a few cousins along the way.
• Genealogy is an active pastime that gives the grey matter plenty of exercise.

Until I wrote this post I hadn't considered Why I do Genealogy for a long time, my reasons for 'doing' genealogy have expanded since I started out in 1988. I enjoyed the opportunity this actviity  created for me to reflect.

Why do you spend hours hunting down dead people