Above the Trees

We just returned from an amazing couple of days in St. George, Utah, where we attended the Family History Expo last Friday and Saturday. As one of a small cadre of “Bloggers of Honor,” I spent much of my time Tweeting and taking notes, but I also made it a point to get to know a little more about my fellow geneabloggers. Let me tell you – I’m in pretty great company.

The Friday night banquet offered me a good opportunity. Themed The Wizards of Blogz,** banquet attendees heard from a handful of bloggers who spoke on the amazing family history resources to be found via social networking – there has never been a better time to be researching the past.

“Where else [besides the Internet] can you reach 50,000 people in a few seconds?” Arlene Eakle (Arlene Eakle’s Genealogy Blog) reminded us of the days when folks would post a surname in the hometown newspaper and wait, just hoping someone would find it and take the time to reply. Now, finding long lost cousins often takes nothing more than setting up a Facebook page dedicated to that surname, and boom! Tons of distant relatives are out there, ready and waiting to help, and hoping you can help them. It is no hyperbole to say that the Internet has changed the face of genealogy forever.

Our Master of Ceremonies, Jean Wilcox Hibbin (Circle Mending) entertained us with altered renditions of Oz classics and told us all about the care and feeding of a genealogy blog. I have an affinity for Jean because, though she is a dedicated genealogist, her passion is preserving music, and I love that. We all record the data for one reason or another, but when we keep the music and the stories and the images alive, we save the heartbeat of our people to pass along. There is something pure and beautiful in that.

Blogger AC Ivory (Find My Ancestors) also spoke. In a crowd where even I end up on the younger end of the age spectrum, AC is a baby. But he’s savvy about genealogy and media, and he offered solid advice and encouragement to family historians about how to get started blogging and tweeting. (If you want to follow Family History Expo blogger comments on Twitter, just do a search for the #fhexpo hashtag.)

During the dinner, I had a lot of fun sitting with Gena Ortega (of World Vital Records and Gena’s Genealogy Blog). She attended dinner with her two boys, and between them and Scott, at least a gallon of pink Kool-aid was consumed! Among her many responsibilities, Gena maintains GenealogyWise, a site she described in her remarks to the banquet crowd as “Facebook for genealogy.” That intrigued me, so one of the first things I did when I got home was join and set up a page for Photoloom. The site is very easy to use, and a nice alternative for family historians who want to avoid the Farmville/Mafia/Pirate crowd (which, by the way, you will only understand if you are already involved with the Farmville/Mafie/Pirate crowd). One of the cool features of GenealogyWise is its Chat Room, where you can ask questions, visit with fellow family historians, or attend a scheduled chats on a variety of topics and hosted by experts in the field. This Sunday I'm planning to attend a chat hosted by Jean that will focus on breaking into the genealogy lecture circuit. (Click here or on the sidebar to join the Photoloom group on GenealogyWise.)

One final blogger I wanted to be sure to mention is Denise Levenick, of Family Curator. What a nice lady! Like me, she's a writer in her real life, and "slips on a hat and veil and may be found writing classic tales of romance and suspense as Miss Penelope Dreadful" (for the Shades of the Departed online photography magazine.) The focus of Family Curator dovetails nicely with Above the Trees, so if you are reading us, you may want to check it out. I’m hoping to persuade Denise to write a guest blog for us.

That’s it for today. In the coming weeks, I’ll be making some big announcements about new Photoloom features and affiliates, adding a couple more installments to follow up the St. George Expo (On the Vender Floor; Class Notes), and gearing up for our first National Genealogical Conference, which at the end of April in Salt Lake City.

** The banquet couldn’t have been a more suitably themed – by the time we arrived in St. George, Holly Hansen and her crew at Family History Expos had survived a doozy of a twister – a fatal server failure that brought their website and email to a screeching halt just a week before the event. And yet, Holly emerged from the storm pressed, polished, ready for a world filled with interesting characters and face new challenges.

We are gearing up to attend the St. George Family History Expo at the end of February, and in conjunction with that, I am pleased as punch to announce our first ever (da-da-da-dahh!) Family Threads Contest!!!

The Winner will receive these awesome prizes:

• Two free registrations for St. George Family History Expo ($140 value)
• One-year Premium Family Photoloom Membership ($39 value)
• Publication of your photo & story

To enter, simply send a family history photo (.jpg or .png files only, please) along with a short personal essay, memory, or story about that photo to renee@photoloom.com. Be sure to include “Family Threads Contest” in the subject line of your email.

Check out our Family Threads series if you want to get a better idea of what we're looking for.

Nuts & Bolts:

• Entries may be 100-500 words in length, and must include both a picture and a story.
  
• Entries must not have been previously published.
• Submission deadline is midnight February 16. Winners will be announced February 21.
• No prize substitutions will be made.
• Winners will be determined by highly unscientific, subjective methods, but if your story makes us laugh or cry, you'll have a better chance. The decisions of the judges are entirely their own, and are final.

About a month ago, I attended the Salt Lake Family History Expo as a “Blogger of Honor” (cue the Baroque trumpets) and had the opportunity to attend a number of exceptional classes, taught by the cream of the family history crop. I returned home to Oregon all fired up and ready to start shooting out one blog entry after another detailing all the great information I gathered. But then…

…September started, and for anyone with kids at home, you know that what that means. Some days, I can’t find half an hour to call my own.

This all led me to an inspiration: At the Family History Expo, I attended a class called 15-Minute Family History, presented by Kim Woodbury & Deborah Lambert, both of FamilySearch. Kim & Deborah focused their combined knowledge on attacking family history one chunk at a time, and offered practical advice for breaking down this overwhelming lifetime project into achievable bite-size tasks.

That’s just what we need!

So, for the next couple of months, I’ll be exploring this idea, and particularly how it relates to photo-history, in a new weekly series, “15-Minute Family History.” (Can’t improve on that title.) Here’s a little incentive to stay tuned: If you use just one 15-minute idea once a week, at the end of the month, you will have completed a whole hour of practically painless family history work. What if you devoted fifteen minutes twice a week? Or every day? Think of the possibilities!

Want to get started right now? (Prepare for a shameless - but extremely relevant - endorsement of Family Photoloom.) In just fifteen minutes, you can open a free Family Photoloom account, upload a five or six pictures, tag the faces, set all the relationships in the relationship setter, and invite your family to share in their family history. Boom! Family history – 15-Minutes.

Next week: Part 1: How to Get the Ball Rolling

Do you have a great idea for our 15-Minute Family History series? Email it to me at renee at photoloom dot com. (Sorry, Spam-bots.) I’d love to hear about how you are getting your family history done, one minute at a time!

Follow me on Twitter @Photoloom

Notes from the Salt Lake Family History Expo, Day 1

I occasionally read Beowulf in Old English. Out loud. For fun.

So when I saw The Chicken Walked Here: Principles & Procedures for Learning to Read Germanic & Scandinavian Gothic Script listed in the Salt Lake Family History Expo syllabus, I did a little happy dance. It spoke both to my Prussian roots and my Jeopardy gene.

This class was taught by Ruth Ellen Maness, AG, Senior Research Consultant, Scandinavian Reference at the LDS Family History Library, and quintessential expert on the subject. Ruth describes the principles driving the understanding of Gothic Script thus:

1. You learn to read Gothic Script by reading it.
2. You learn to read Gothic Script by writing it.

Deciphering Gothic Script (like reading Old English) takes practice and passionate dedication. But it's worth it, because there will come a moment when you realize that you are reading it, really reading it - fluently and effortlessly. The moment of “ah-ha.”

I love a good “ah-ha” moment, don’t you?

Here are few tidbits I from Ruth's class:

• Use of the Gothic Script writing style, used primarily in the German and Scandinavian states, began in the 900’s, and continued well into the 1940's, when Adolf Hitler is credited with instituting a state enforced ban on its use.
  
• Fun with Gothic Script...e's look like n's. K's look like R's. h's can look like f's. Q's & K's are interchangeable.
• More fun: S's differ in shape and size based on their position in word – beginning, middle, or end - but are not mutually exclusive.

(Take that, Alex Trebek!)

That barely scratches the surface: Ruth thoroughly outlines her principles and procedures in 15 well-organized pages of notes, available on the Expo syllabus.

Speaking of the syllabus, I second the endorsement my fellow "Blogger of Honor" Gena Ortega made in her blog: if were you were unable to attend the Expo, I urge you to consider purchasing one. Expo syllabus is a treasure chest brimming with 400 pages of handouts and relevant information about each class, it also includes links to additional resources and expert advice by all the amazing speakers. You can purchase the syllabus online at Family History Expos.

Be sure to check out Gena's Genealogy for more on the Expo, Day 1.


Coming soon:
"Why I Need GOOGLE Voice Yesterday"

In the days (and probably weeks) to follow, I will be highlighting both the people and the lessons of the Salt Lake Expo, so stay tuned.

In less than 72 hours, the doors of the Salt Lake Family History Expo will swing open, and the fun will begin. If you plan to go, here’s a few booths to put on your “Must Do…” list:

PHOTOLOOM [Booth 313] (Well, of course you need to stop at our booth!)

We love to meet people at the Family History Expos. We learn so much from the folks we meet, and are inspired by their experiences. This week, we will be rolling out a couple of exciting new Family Photoloom features, and we hope you'll stop by to take a look!

I’m excited to announce our Expo Special – we will be offering our Family Photoloom Premium Start-up Kit for just $19! (Reg. $39) Our Premium Start-up Kit is the perfect way to get started with Family Photoloom, and includes:

• One full year of Family Photoloom Premium (including unlimited image uploads & unlimited guests)
• Tutorial DVD
• Start-up Guide
• Friendly, Personalize Tech Support

Save even more! Buy a second Start-up Kit to give as a gift and get both for just $30! At that price, you can even get one for your favorite Aunt.

Can’t attend the Expo? Tweet or email me (renee@photoloom.com) and I’ll reply with a code that you can use use online to get same great price of just $19 for one year of Family Photoloom Premium. (Online offer does not include Start-up Guide or DVD.) Offer good Aug. 28 & 29, 2009.

Be sure to mention this blog when you come by our booth to receive a cool free gift!

GENEALOGY GEMS PODCAST [Booth 104]

Lisa Louise Cooke, the producer and host of The Genealogy Gems Podcast, is one of the warmest, most generous people you can hope to meet. Lisa provides genealogical resources and education through a variety of mediums, including video podcasts, and Genealogy Gems News blog.


Photoloom founder Scott Huskey talks with Lisa Louise Cooke at the Mesa FHExpo.

Lisa is also a “Blogger of Honor” at the Salt Lake Expo – be sure to follow her on Twitter, and tune in to her blog Genealogy Gems News for live updates from the Expo.

Stop by the Genealogy Gems booth ask for your free "I Listen to Genealogy Gems" badge ribbon to embellish your Family History Expo name tag. Then keep an eye out for others wearing the ribbon and give them a shout out as a fellow listener.

FLIXIFY [Booth 319 & 321]

Flixify is dedicated to helping people preserve, watch and share their home movies and digital photos. They don’t sell software – instead, they teach you how to get control of your stacks of home movies by showing you how to capture, edit, and burn them onto DVDs or share them on the web, all from your own computer. The entire process down has been broken down into easy, bite-size pieces, making the overall process very simple.

Flixify is offering a great Expo special – stop by their booth to learn more!

CIRCLEMENDING [Booth 621]

When I met Jean Wilcox Hibben awhile back, I was taken first by the fact that she holds a Ph.D. in Folklore (why didn’t I think of doing that?), and second, by her amazing dedication to preserving the music and traditions of our ancestors. As a collector of traditional folk music myself, I was fascinated by the depth and breadth of her knowledge, and I am looking forward to learning more from her at the Expo this week.

Jean, together with her husband, Butch, will be doing short demonstrations of the music of our ancestors, and offering a variety of great CD’s for sale. They also have something new this year: downloads of MP3 files onto a CD (or your own flash drive) so you can purchase just the songs you are most interested in.

Jean will be presenting a number of classes at the Expo, including “To Zion in Song," which documents the Mormon trek from Nauvoo to Salt Lake with the songs sung by the early Saints. According to Jean, “One of the most interesting songs we present is one that was written in 1946 by Myron Crandell. Crandell titled his song "This is the Place," after the prophetic statement Brigham Young made when he viewed the Salt Lake Valley for the first time. In its original form, this song consists of 7 verses which detail just about every major event from the departure from Iowa to the settling of Salt Lake City.”

I’ll admit it - before I attended my first family history conference, I was a little intimidated. Scott had been to many as our resident researcher and family history consultant, but I wasn’t sure what there would be for me: my leanings fall far more toward scrapbooker than genealogist – I’m all about the pictures and the stories.

Now, the Salt Lake Family History Expo is kicking off in just over a week, and I plan to be there with bells on. Because I’ve learned that one of the great things about Family History Expos is that they offer something for everyone – from the hard-core genealogist to the casual scrapbooker.

Since that first conference, I’ve met some amazing people who really know their stuff. Rubbing shoulders with them is both a privilege and an education. And the upcoming Salt Lake Expo promises some awesome opportunities: top genealogists from around the country, staff from the LDS Family History Library, and top industry leaders will all be in one place to teach us what’s new, what’s coming, and how to make the most of our time and dollars. Here are a few of the classes I’m planning to attend next week:

• Facebook for Family History
• Digital Photography for the Genealogist
• The Chicken Walked Here (Learning to Read Gothic Script)
• Serendipity and Other Miracles: Why You Need Family History
• Digitally Enhancing Your Photos
• To Zion in Song: The Westward Migration of the Mormons

Of course, there are classes on everything from Scottish research to Census Records to Researching in your RV. And FamilySearch is offering a number of classes, including one on using the new FamilySearch Family Tree. (Photoloom has joined the FamilySearch Developer Network, and plans to be FamilySearch certified soon.) In other words, there is something for everyone.

Come by the Photoloom booth (313) and mention this blog to receive a FREE gift!



The Nitty-gritty Details:
What: The 2009 Salt Lake City, Utah Family History Expo
When: Aug. 28 and 29, 2009, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: South Towne Exposition Center, 9575 South State Street, Sandy, Utah.
Why: Because it will be great and you know you want to!
How: Register online or at the door (7 a.m. on Friday & 7:30 a.m. on Saturday)
Parking is free.

Full conference details, including a complete class schedule

Can’t attend in person? We hope you will be there – but if you can’t come to us, we will come to you. Just follow the Blogger Team! We will be reporting live from the Expo via Twitter and our personal and company blogs. Have a question? Tweet it and you'll have an answer in moments. (Please include #fhx09-SLC in all your Salt Lake Expo tweets.)

If you’ve been hesitant to jump on the Twitter-train, the Salt Lake Family History Expo (Aug. 28-29) offers the perfect incentive to make the leap: using Twitter, you can participate in the Expo - from anywhere - in "real time."

Twitter is a service that allows users to send short messages from their cell phones or computers. Messages are limited to 140 characters in length, and are known as tweets.

Family History Expos has enlisted a capable team of family history and genealogy bloggers to cover the Salt Lake Family History Expo. In addition to posting blog entries about Expo happenings, these “Bloggers of Honor” will be using Twitter to communicate the highlights of the Expo as they happen. And bloggers won’t be the only ones tweeting. All attendees are encouraged to use Twitter to communicate about Expo activities, share photos, and link to blog posts.

Not able to attend the Expo in person? Then attend virtually! You can follow the bloggers and make comments on Twitter, all in real time. Have a question? Tweet it and you'll have an answer in moments. (Be sure to include the all important identifying hashtag #fhx09-SLC in all your Salt Lake Expo tweets.)

Creating a Twitter account is amazingly easy. All you need is an internet connection or a mobile phone that accepts text messages. Go to the Twitter site and enter your name, a username, email and password. That’s it!

Once your Twitter account is set up, you can begin to “follow,” or subscribe, to updates from other Twitter users. Twitter makes it easy to add people that you would like to follow. Be sure to add Photoloom first!

Family History Expos "Bloggers of Honor". Click names to follow on Twitter

• Holly T. Hansen / President, Family History Expos
• Anastasia Tyler / Ancestry.com
• The Ancestry Insider
• Arlene H. Eakle / The Genealogical Institute
• Gena Philibert Ortega WVR Twitter / "Gena's Genealogy", World Vital Records, FamilyLink
• Jean WIlcox HIbben / Circlemending
• Lee R. Drew / "The Lineage Keeper," "Famhist"
• Lisa Alzo / "The Accidental Genealogist"
• Lisa Louise Cooke / "Genealogy GEMS News"
• Renee HuskeyPhotoloom Twitter / Photoloom, "Above the Trees" (That's me!)
• Renee Zamora / "Renee's Genealogy Blog" (Why didn't I think of that?)

Want to learn more about Twitter? Try these helpful links:

• Twitter Cheat Sheet (Geneablogger)
• How-to “Follow” on Twitter (eHow)
• The Ultimate Guide for Everything Twitter (Web Designer Depot)
• 10 People All Genealogists Should Follow on Twitter (Geneablogger)
• How Genealogists are Using Social Networking (A great article by Gena Philibert Ortega)

"Photoloom gives the non-genealogists in our family something that they can understand; that will evoke memories...it’s something that draws them in. (Family Photoloom) is showing the connections between the faces in those pictures." ~Lisa Cook, Genealogy GEMS

Sharing family history with family and friends has always been one of our main goals, we've added a new feature that makes sharing even easier. Our new "Invite Button" allows you to invite others to view, browse (and even edit if you choose) your Family Photoloom account. Simply select someone from your “records” list on the left side of your Family Photoloom account screen, and then click the “invite” button at the bottom. Enter the individual’s email address and click “send.” You will see a preview of your invitation before it is sent, and can even customize it if you wish.

I took the opportunity to sit down with Lisa Louise Cook at the Family History Expo in St. George, Utah to tell her about this new feature and other recent innovations at Family Photoloom.



Visit Genealogy Gems to listen to more podcasts from Lisa Louise.