This afternoon, the good people at PBS presented a documentary on one of my favourite pastimes, genealogy. I’m a believer; the jigsaw puzzle has nothing on the ancestor game. It appears that many other people feel the same way.
Today was my day off. I left the family behind and rejoined the bus army for a trip out to the university campus. Let’s be clear; although all universities are not created equal, the spirit of a campus is universal. My trajectory took me to the main library building via a stretch of black ice on black marble stones. Invisible. My magical transformation from vertical to horizontal was fit for a cartoon; thankfully I did a true “breakfall” and only my pride was injured.
posted in genealogy, media | Comments Off on Storage options | 236 words
The start of a new year is a wonderful time to reflect upon the past. The national television network treated us to the retrospective Bye-Bye last evening; a moment in which the Quebec nation is actually joined as one. My own capsule of the last year will not attain the same inconsistent level of humour, but let’s begin.
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on Look ahead by looking back | 275 words
Remember when people used to send birthday greetings by the postal system. Back when stamps cost a nickel. And people signed their names with a pen, and XXX didn’t necessarily get you rated as adult content. Well, there are different ways of doing things now.
posted in genealogy, media | Comments Off on Different ways of doing things | 262 words
This evening my genealogy project reached thirty-two thousand names.
I think that writing it out in long form, in the same manner as when I write a personal cheque, is necessary. This project started a long time ago, in terms of the individuals that are catalogued for posterity.
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on It started out small… | 263 words
I’ve just got off the phone, where I had the opportunity to make a special offer, available for a short time only. Act now. You see, my sister is about to celebrate her birthday, in just a few short hours. I won’t cause any undue stress by saying how old she is going to be, but my offer went as follows:
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on Special offer, available now | 151 words
Sometimes a visit to the archives will lead to new discoveries. Today, given that the place was almost empty due to a schedule shift, I had a chance to sit down to one of the computer terminals. I found that a database of all marriages in the province during the last 80 years is available; I found myself, some of my neighbours, my old college roommate. Birthdates, marriage data, all there for the taking.
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on Data state | 169 words
The more you seek, the more you’ll find. My efforts to find photos relating to my lifetime are no longer limited to dusty boxes of snapshots. More and more, the Internet is giving up content that I can add to my own database. Kind of like a time machine, when you think about it, except that the travel can be done when I want, from my home.
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on The web as my archive | 132 words
The staff was convened and told “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. As a motivational speech, the world didn’t change direction, nor did we. The collection of aphorisms from www.demotivators.com (owned by Despair Inc.) are relevant and insightful. No non-sequiturs here. Move along now.
I did something completely uncharacteristic today. All the way home on the bus I discussed politics with my seat-mate. Given that I’ve spent the last two decades with a self-imposed vow of silence, I am surprised with me.
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on As the story unfolds | 112 words
Just last week, the staff were told that our DG was leaving. No reasons given. New DG in place. Today, the staff was told that there will be a(nother) new DG in place in two weeks time. No reason given. Don’t ask questions, just deal with it. Change is good, right?
posted in genealogy | Comments Off on Change is good, right? | 123 words
