Prepare to be Ambushed at NERGC!

Who pops into your head when you combine the words selfless giving with genealogy education? I think of Pat Richley-Erickson, also known as DearMYRTLE.

DearMYRTLE is a force in the Google+ Hangout on Air world where she hosts many different series all with the same goal, to help us. In DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Community, she takes advantage of the latest genealogy developments and creates cutting edge educational programing designed to help all types of genealogists learn the newest techniques for furthering their research. 

DearMyrtle is well known for attending conferences with her AmbushCAM. Pat, along with her famous Cousin Russ, will be at the 13th genealogical conference presented by the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium in Providence, Rhode Island at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Pat and Cousin Russ will use the AmbushCAM to interview attendees and vendors about the experience. 

Message from DearMYRTLE: "We want to show how *easy* it is to record even short interviews using a camera. Those videos are automatically archived on YouTube if you do this using Google's free Hangouts on Air. 

This is a GREAT idea for family reunions."

DearMYRTLE and I at SLIG 2012. 

I agree and can't wait to see this duo in action in person. Meanwhile, check out the DearMYRTLE YouTube channel. 

Ok, conference goers, prepare to be ambushed!

Research on!

Jennifer Shoer aka Scrappy Gen

Reconnecting Relatives, LLC

Let's Remember!

Recording it for Posterity

Video for Family History – Part 1

Have you thought about creating family videos? 

If you are over the age of ten, you have probably already made at least one video of yourself or your friends. Most of you have phones that record video. Let me tell you about my grandfather and his videos.

My Grandfather, known to his grandchildren as Bubba, recorded thousands of feet of video tape during his life. He recorded his children, his siblings, his nieces and nephews and of course his grandchildren. It is possible for me to view in video most big events from my childhood right through and including my wedding. Bubba taped that too.

If you listen to the later movies after Bubba bought a video camera with sound, you can hear his chuckle, or his quiet prompts for you to do something for the camera. I loved his chuckle. If we ever complained about being taped (I remember not loving it when I was a teenager.), he would remind us that we were “recording it for posterity.” At the time I didn’t know exactly what posterity was, but Bubba said it, which meant it was important.

Posterity means all future generations. How cool that Bubba recorded our lives as they unfolded for our children and our children’s children and their children. He was our family historian, creating an amazing record of the lives of his family members.

Bubba recorded his movies on film. Digital didn’t exist yet. His first sound camera was immense. Now, video cameras fit in your pocket. 

At the holidays this year, whip out your phone and try recording your family members. Ask them questions about what they are doing. If they have a special skill, ask them to perform it. Ask them how they celebrated the holidays when they were younger. If they complain, tell them you are recording it for posterity. Your children’s children will thank you.

Jennifer Shoer aka Scrappy Gen

Reconnecting Relatives, LLC

Let's Remember!