Friday, January 21, 2011

Friday Newsletter and Follow News: 21 January 2011

This Week in Genea-Blogging


The Great Epidemic

Cynthia Shenette at Heritage Zen is presenting a fascinating three-part series, “Flu 1918,” on the influenza epidemic of 1918, with a special focus on its impact on the Polish community in Worcester, Massachusetts; see Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.


Doesn’t share well

The following post could be a followup to Amy Coffin’s post from last week ("Genealogy Membership: What Makes You Join?"). At The Faces of My Family, Lisa Swanson Ellam writes about why she has not joined a particular genealogy society in “Follow Friday - Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog” (she quotes the advice given by the blog’s author, Brenda Joyce Jerome, on what genealogy societies SHOULD do). What follows is a script for what a genealogy society should NOT do.


Naked avatars

Yeah, I thought that was a pretty provocative title, too. If you want to know what it refers to, you’ll have to read Sheri Fenley’s half of the Saga of the Research Buddies at The Educated Genealogist: “BBQ, Bonding and Cracking the Whip.”


What he said

One of my favorite James Tanner (Genealogy’s Star) post is one from this week, “The heart and soul of genealogy.” The last paragraph pretty much sums up how I feel about genealogy.


Dear Santa...

Tanner’s article on “Tablet computers - can you do real genealogy?” will also be of interest to anyone who needs an excuse for getting an iPad.

Lorine McGinnis Shulze also wrote on this subject in “Why Take an iPad Instead of a Laptop on a Research Trip?” at Olive Tree Genealogy Blog. More data to take into consideration in making the decision....


A recommendation to read a post and the comments on the post

The post is “Creating a Research Log - the Why and How” at Elyse’s Genealogy Blog; one of the comments, Miriam Midkiff’s, has a link to her spreadsheet in Google Docs for tracking census records.


For love or money...

At The Armchair Genealogist, Lynn Palermo throws out an interesting question: “Can I Turn My Love of Genealogy into a Career?” (addressed to readers who may have done this or are trying to do this). It will be interesting to read the answers.


Living and recalling history

Geneablogie’s Craig Manson shares “On this King Holiday, Some Personal Memories” with us, and if there is a single post you should not miss this week, this one is it.


Well, I never expected that!

Cheryl Capps Roach at Genealogy for the Family Historian writes about her answer to the question “What was the most surprising information discovered in your years of family research?” The answer is, indeed, surprising; perhaps some of you have encountered similarly unexpected information?


If you see some changes

in the instructions for contacting me and in the process for posting comments, give credit to Amy Coffin at The We Tree Genealogy Blog for really getting a discussion rolling on this subject in “Genealogy Blogs: A Comment on Comments.” And, when you read the article, check out all the comments! The subject must be in the air; Nancy at My Ancestors and Me reported on her Comments Survey this week as well.


For more suggested blog reading

Check out “Best of the Genea-Blogs” at Randy Seaver’s Genea-Musings, "Follow Friday: Around the Blogosphere” at Susan Petersen’s Long Lost Relatives.net, and “Best Bites for the Week” at Elizabeth O’Neal’s Little Bytes of Life.


Happy Second Blogoversary to Gini at Ginisology!

Happy Fifth Blogoversary to Miriam at AnceStories!

Happy Third Blogoversary to Mary Ellen at Threading needles in a haystack: the genealogy journey!

Happy Second Blogoversary to Liz Hall Morgan at My Big Fat Cajun/Irish/Scottish/English/German/French/Southern Family Blog!


This week I started following these blogs:

Barb’s Family History

dancing in the gardens of those gone before

Everyday Genealogy

Family Roots and Branches

Gail Grunst Genealogy

GenerationsBiz

Growing Family Trees and Vegetables

Kershaw County Wanderer

Leaves for Trees

Liblady’s Genealogy Blog

Mr. Gen Wish List

Shaking Family Trees

Southern Oregon Stories

Technology Tamers

The Family History Researcher

The Scrappin Genealogist

Voices: Past and Present

Wishful Linking Family History Blog


Good news this week!

My daughter’s last final exam is on May 4. That means we’ll be going to Charleston, SC in May and I’ll be attending the National Genealogical Society conference!

12 comments:

  1. Thank you for the mention. I'm glad you found my post helpful!

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  2. I really appreciate all of the work you did for me this week identifying such wonderful blog entries. I've already checked out several of them.

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  3. Greta - Thank you so much for the shout out. I appreciate it. The 1918 flu pandemic is such an interesting topic and one that touched so many of our ancestors' lives.

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  4. Your Friday posts are always must reads for me, but since I've been trying to follow my New Year's resolution to cut down on blog reading these posts have been so helpful. I especially appreciate the lists of new blogs. Thanks for pulling this together each week.

    I'm so glad (and envious) you'll get to Charleston.

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  5. Thanks for the blogoversary shoutout!

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  6. Thanks for saving over and over again. When I get way behind in reading I catch a quick gander at your Friday Newsletter to stay abreast of the weeks top activities. I have plans to go to NGS, but I may have to pass and go to FGS. I lot of activities in May and June!

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  7. Linda - Together again! We'll have so much fun.

    Amy - I still have to make the changes, but I'm definitely going to do it soon!

    Kathy - Glad to be of help!

    Cynthia - I've always been fascinated by the flu pandemic, too. I can see why every new epidemic causes such a big reaction in the news - you never know when something like that will hit again.

    Susan - I hope your resolution is working better than mine!

    Liz - Glad to!

    Kathleen - I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can make it to NGS and FGS.

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  8. Thanks for the mention Greta! You'll be pleased to know that I managed to get my avatar some hair and pants. I'm working on the rest.

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  9. Sheri - Hair and pants - not a bad start!

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  10. Greta,

    Like everything else in life at the mment. my blog reading is way behind! I appreciate the mention and I appreciate your status as one of my LCRs (Loyal and Constant Readers).
    Your Friday posts help me get caught up!

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  11. Craig - I love the title "LCR" and am proud to be one! I've been in the same boat recently - behind in reading, behind in comments, behind in everything.

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