Streaming Webinars

A Webinar is simply a seminar on the Web.  The nice things about a Webinar is that you can stream it live.  It is all about breaking news these days.  They usually provide a window on the sidebar of the webinar page for comments in the moment.  So you can ask questions and the presenter will usually respond during the presentation.  The Webinars are recorded and usually archived on the site.

The Family History Guide is giving one by the CEO, Bob Taylor on August 10 at 6:00 PM MDT.  So of course, 5:00 for us on the west coast.

Here is the blurb I put on Facebook last week for all the Directors, Trainers and Consultants of The Family History Guide.

"Bob Taylor, CEO of the Family History Guide announced yesterday that he is sharing some very exciting news with the world on August 10, 2017 at 6:00 PM MDT. This will be happening on YouTube from the BYU Family History Library channel.  I want to watch this live so I am going to get prepared now for this upcoming event.

 If you have never streamed a webinar live, go to The Family History Guide at <www.thefhguide.com> and select Projects: Technology: Goal: A - Choice 3 - BYU Family HistoryWebinars. 

Then also go to Goal  B, on the same page. Participating and Streaming Events: Then select Choice 1. 

This will get you all set in plenty of time to enjoy this event live. If you miss it live you can also see it in the archives at a later date but I read it can take up to several weeks to get it reviewed and posted."

I have followed the instructions on Choice B: Step 1 and gotten all my computer things updated for a great event on the 10th.  I had to update my IOS and my Flash Player so I am very glad I followed the Family History Guide advice to the letter. ;->.

Before the day arrives (August 10th) for the seminar  go to this link:

https://sites.lib.byu.edu/familyhistory/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2016/02/Webinar-Guest-Login-Information-1.pdf

This page will take you to the schedule page for the upcoming Webinars.  If you want to receive this schedule all the time sign up to subscribe.  Then just follow the steps below to see how you will get on the streaming for the Webinar.  You should go early to the BYU Family History YouTube channel one the day of the Webinar to make sure it all works for you.  If you have problems they will take your questions to get you set up at that time.   If you have any of your own questions you can call the Library front desk and ask them.  

801-422-6200.

Digitized Microfilm and How To Find it On Family Search

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We now have exactly one month to order any microfilms from FamilySearch in Salt Lake City. The last day is August 31, 2017. I thought James Tanner had a very interesting take on the uproar.  You can see what he has written about microfilm and why is is being discontinued  here: (In a nutshell it is cost and obsolescence.) 

 http://tinyurl.com/yaxvmvo9

He also goes into how you may be able to find the ones you are looking for online if they have been digitized yet.  

BYU Family History Library has four videos on using the catalog you can view on their channel.  Hopefully with the 50/50 odds (since half the films in the Granite Mountain Vaults are done) you'll be all set.  James takes you through the step by step approach to discovering what is available in thumb nail images of the entire film in all the collections. 
I may keep this link in my Source Box as not that many people ever ask me about microfilm.

Using the Search Features on Family Search

I really like the way Kathryn Grant teaches lessons on the BYU Family History Library YouTube Channel.  This morning I watched her Webinar on Searching On Family Search.  I find it to be quite difficult sometimes and my results less than desirable.  So I wanted to learn more and I did.

Check this out if you would like to improve your skills while searching for records on FS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qU4k2sm3crA&t=1963

Using Genealogies on Family Search

Under the Search tab on Family Search we can find in the dropdown menu a link called Genealogies. The Genealogies contain all the individual family trees submitted over the years via Ancestral File or the Pedigree Resource File or the IGI.  I submitted a four generation compilation of the things I knew back in the early 80s about our family.  Some of it is not correct but it is a virgin copy of what I once knew.  It is not editable but it is useful should my original submission be needed for any reason.  One of them might be that someone goes into my FS/FamilyTree and really messes things up. What I can do now is make sure all of my four generations are correct and upload a new corrected database via GEDCOM the the Pedigree Resource File. It will not contain notes or sources or images but the basic pedigree is now completely correct and not editable by anyone, including me.
This can be repeated as necessary.

This information can be very helpful to people that are afraid of changes that occur in the public wiki based Family Tree.  

I researched this a little bit this week and made a call to the FS Help Center at 866-406-1830 regarding this process.  here is the letter I received back from them with helpful information.

Dear Bonnie Mattson,

Thank you for contacting the FamilySearch support team regarding uploading a GEDCOM file to Pedigree Resource File without adding to Family Tree.
It was a pleasure speaking with you.

The following is a link to a Help Article describing the process:
https://familysearch.org/ask/productSupport#/Uploading-GEDCOM-Files-and-Copying-the-Information-to-Family-Tree

When you add records from a GEDCOM file to FamilySearch.org, the system does NOT automatically add the names to Family Tree or link people in the GEDCOM file to your record in Family Tree or automatically create a new family tree for you from your uploaded GEDCOM file.  You would have to continue with the Compare process after uploading to do  any of that.

Your support case file has been updated.

If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact us directly by phone or chat. Click on <https://familysearch.org/ask/help> for details.

Regards,

FamilySearch

Tangled Old Woods Determined To Survive

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The title of this photo

became the title of this post.

These last 18 days have been quite the upward struggle for me.  It has made me reflect on a lots of wonderful things that have inspired me over the years when times get tough.  I have thought so much about how much I want to learn family history and share it with others because I find so much joy in it.  The idea of sharing is a natural out cropping of finding something worthy to give in hopes of bringing that kind of joy to others.  Naturally not everyone feels the same way.  Sometimes that realization can bring even more challenges in the pursuit of your dreams.  

I've learned a lot about my learning curve in the past several years. I know that when I take on something new it requires a lot of my energy, time and concentration to move forward.  But every time at a given point what was so difficult becomes easier if I am persistent in my pursuit of it.  This knowledge has been a comfort as I have struggled with new things pertaining to my new volunteer position with The Family History Guide, as their social media coordinator and creating a new 90 minutes lesson to present this past Saturday. 

I have spent many many hours pursuing things that should have been easy. As an example, I have created several PowerPoint presentations in my day.  The one I did for my Saturday class took days and was ladened with technical and technology problems up until the night before the presentation with computer problems, etc.

I tried to learn as much as I could about the social media things I'm doing.  Setting up a Twitter account which should have taken five minutes landing up being hours and hours.  I learned there are complications with relaunching a Twitter account from the past, having up an old personal Twitter account and creating new one.  I watched so many tutorials that I finally was able to figure it out. I have felt like my feet were stuck in hot tar this week.  Everything moved so painfully slow.

Many things came up over the past couple of weeks that were just everyday life things that ate up my discretionary time.  We had out of state guests that we enjoyed very much, that came to dinner the day of my class because it was the only day available in their short stay.   Jim's poor mom needed two root canals yesterday and I needed and wanted to be with her, and the list goes on and on. These were both great things to do but needed to be squeezed into our lives somehow.  Months and months ago we invited our siblings and cousins to a mini-reunion this coming Saturday.  I better get on that now too.

These are not big things but there just wasn't the buffer time in my schedule for all of the unexpected surprises.  There has seemed to be a constant interruption to everything I was trying to do.  You know how that is, we've all been there.  Last night we were taking a breather after I finally got the Twitter page running.  Not ten minutes into that relaxing time I got an email about something else I needed to do and research by today.  I had to squeeze in mini-meltdown into my schedule. 

The point I am trying to make is that when your dream becomes a nightmare you have decisions to make.  Live the luxury life of retirement or gather the grit it takes to keep going and not give up or quit when the going gets rough.  Then with perfect timing these two things came into my life in the past 24 hours to adjust my sails. 

One is the article by James Tanner that I have posted below and the other this precious little flashback photo of our granddaughter, Hazel, when she was tiny, that Jen posted on Facebook.

Hazel has spina bifada and her little body struggles. She is paralyzed from her ribs down and has lots of other issues. One day when she was about this age, I was at their home when the traveling physical therapist came to work with her. The things that are bigger than these physical problems for Hazie are her amazing spirit, personality and character.  

Hazie loves babies.  Her dolls have always been very important to her.  So in the session the therapist put her on her tummy on the hardwood floor.  Then she placed Hazel's beloved baby doll just out of reach. She would have to do the military crawl with her arms in order to reach her baby.  The distance was probably about 18 inches between her outstretched little fingers and her baby.  

The therapist began to coach her and persuade her to go for her baby.  With a struggle like one rarely sees, that little girl pulled herself a few inched, put her head on the floor and she and cried, saying, "I just can't do it." The therapist let her rest but kept persuading and comforting her, while persisting with the admonition for Hazel to move forward.   Again she struggled and gained another inch or two. She cried some more, slapping her hand on the floor and said, "NO!  I can't do it!"  After a rest she kept on.

By this time Jen and I were both teary-eyed and encouraging her to keep going.  Finally she reached her goal and grabbed her precious baby.  She was elated!  What a wonderful and beautiful life lesson on never giving up!  We've been through a lot of tough things watching Hazel's journey, but I can tell you that as her grandmother, that was one of the toughest and most poignant of all.

So when I think about giving up, I can't.  When I feel frustration and discouragement with technology or people or situations I want to keep going.  I will keep struggling until it happens.  That moment when you can say, I didn't quit and I made it to my goal is worth the struggle.  I carry on because I cannot let a nightmare interrupt my dreams.  I can't ever forget Hazie's struggle.  I have to do what I have to do.  We all do!  So keep on keeping on...it is so worth it!

James Tanner on Famous Last Words

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This post by James Tanner is one of my all time favorites.  I hope you enjoy it and can relate.  Find him here: http://rejoiceandbeexceedingglad.blogspot.com  It was published on July 14, 2017.

 "Famous Last Words:  I Plan On Doing My Family History When I Retire."

"In the United States and I am guessing elsewhere in the world, we have a culture of "retirement." The idea seems to be that after spending a lifetime of work, we are somehow entitled to some rest and relaxation in our old age. In Phoenix, Arizona, where I spent most of my life, retirement is a big business and the entire city is surrounded by "retirement communities." The idea is to play golf, shuffleboard or pickle ball and while away their time until they die in "luxury." Although, I do have a difficult time adjusting my concept of "luxury" to the extensive mobile home parks where most of the retirees are living. But no matter how you look at it, retirement is a big business in the United States. 

One interesting part of the retirement concept did include the fact that a rather small number of these retirees were actively engaged in genealogical research and as a result, over the years, I managed to make friends with a few of the "Winter Visitors" that came to Mesa every year. 

If you have been around me at all, you can probably guess that I am entirely and completely opposed to the idea of "retirement." As President Gordon B. Hickley is quoted as saying about President Ezra Taft Benson, "He came to know...that without hard work, nothing grows but weeds." Here is the entire quote.

That family life is but an extension of the family life into which Ezra Taft Benson was born and in which he was nurtured and grew. As has been noted, he was a farm boy, literally and truly, an overall-clad, sunburned boy who at a very early age came to know the law of the harvest: “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Gal. 6:7). He came to know in those lean days that without hard work, nothing grows but weeds. There must be labor, incessant and constant, if there is to be a harvest. And so there was plowing in the fall and plowing in the spring—the sweaty work of walking in a furrow all day long behind a team of strong horses. In those days a hand plow was used, and it was necessary to hold constantly the handles that twisted and shook as the sharp plow point cut the earth and neatly rolled it over. After a day of that, a boy was exhausted and slept well. But morning came very soon.

As genealogists and family historians, we are living the law of the harvest. I agree with President Hinkley, that "there must be labor, incessant and constant if there is to be a harvest.

There are three very common excuses for failing to become involved in family history work as follows:

• I don't have time right now and I will spend more time doing my family history when I retire.
• All my family history has been done and I don't have anything to do.
• I am simply not interested in doing my family history right now. 

It is my observation that retirement does not produce an interest in family history. Yes, a few of us do view retirement from our occupation or work as an opportunity to spend more time researching our family history, but most (nearly all) find out that family history has a lower priority than many (most) other activities. The reality is that unless you have an active interest and involvement in reading, research, computers, and history, you will probably not be spending much of your "retirement" time doing genealogical research. Doing genealogical research is too much like "work" for most people and they have the idea that they have done their "work" and now they are "retired."

In a sense by trying to get people who are retired to be involved in a highly intensive intellectual challenge such as genealogy is like swimming upstream against a river of cultural promptings that are telling people to slow down and enjoy life in their "golden years." One of the realities of those "retirement" years for most of those around me is that they are old and the pain and difficulty of simply living every day is a major disincentive to activity at the level required to do family history research. What I see when I go to the family history centers and libraries is a bunch of old people who, despite physical infirmities, are driven by the Spirit to do the incessant and constant labor of finding their families.

Maybe we need to find out who is actually doing family history and why they do it before we try to sell family history as a general or popular pursuit."

***********************************

I have found this post to be so poignant, relevant and ironically humorous!

RootsTech 2018

Memories of Rootstech 2017 remain vivid in my mind and it is time to seriously consider if you plan to go in February 2018.  When those thousands of people converse on Salt Lake City every available hotel room will be spoken for in advance. I have already reserved two rooms.  It is not too early to get a hotel room right around the Salt Palace so you can enjoy this amazing event.


https://www.rootstech.org/blog/rootstech-day-in-review-connecting-families-across-generations