Hello to one and all!
Since teaching the classes on basic American genealogy at Vintage House over the last few years, I've found that students keep coming back asking for more. Also, I continually discover resources and tips that I would really like to share. These are things that couldn't get squeezed into the beginners' series, or have just bobbed to the surface of my rather disorganized mind. Besides that, there are always topics that bear repeating.
So, instead of trying to do another series of classes at this point, I thought it would be interesting to try an online journal, or "blog" directed to family history enthusiasts.
There are all sorts of these web logs to be found on the Internet – it is a fascinating universe. Hikers, knitters, game players, cooks, naturalists, dog lovers – they all write about their experiences, either as personal diaries or in an attempt to offer information to like-minded readers.
Rather than a diary (however gripping accounts of my personal life might be) I see this effort as more of a compendium of helpful hints, recommendations for other sites, lists of resources, suggestions for reading, and anything else relevant to our addictive pursuit. I will discuss personal research and discoveries when they illustrate a useful point (or when I just can't keep something to myself).
I do not plan to stick to a rigid schedule, though I can foresee making new entries about once a week, so it would be best if you checked back periodically. And after a few weeks, if things go as planned, perhaps I can post an email address and get some feedback and suggestions.
This whole blogging business is new to me, and while the process is much easier now than in the olden days (six months ago is ancient times in cyberspace), I expect it will take time to get things running smoothly. I hope your interest will keep you coming back, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
