WikiTree LiveCast – Merging Baby!

On Saturday June 24 at 3:00PM EDT please join me (Mags), and Emma MacBeath We’ll discuss merging. Of course there’s an Arborist Project and Arborists work on merging daily, but what about everyone else? We will discuss how we can all make our tree healthier by pruning. How to merge, when to merge, unmatched and rejected merges.

Pull up a chair to watch or ask questions in the LiveCast chat, either way we promise an hour of WikiTree fun! If you want to see a complete list of past and future LiveCasts click the graphic below or follow this link

Mags

Sitting at OGS Conference 2017 Opening Ceremonies

Yes, I am sitting in the audience at the OGS Conference 2017 opening ceremonies blogging while they are reading the opening remarks prior to the opening lecture. My seatmates, the Social Media Team, are tweeting furiously and Kirsty Gray – sitting right next to me is watching the stream live on her laptop!

Oh! The magic that is technology!

None of us would be back here connected, posting, tweeting and generally being good social media team members if not for technology.

This is a great conference already and some of us have been around since Wednesday night. These people had no idea we would stick like glue! But here we are.

Last night’s event was the British pub night. Our team lost the trivia game by one point. ONE point, though we are not competitive. 

The Market Place

There are five Market Halls spread across the campus of Algonquin College and all are open to the public. You can roam around the conference, rub elbows with some of the big wigs, like Josh Taylor, Blaine Bettinger and Kirsty Gray, among others. Rubbing elbows with these people is easy here in Canada because, well it’s Canada, we are too polite to be “in thier space”.

Many lectures and workshops are happening and some of the talks are being live-streamed. I’ve posted a list of the streams here, along with the unoffical WikiTree LiveCast I am doing on Saturday at 3:PM EDT here at the Conference Social Media Hub. Come up to watch and or join in!

I had an interview today with CBC Radio 1’s “All In A Day” host Alan Neal all about Grandma’s Genes and my work with clients here in Ottawa and around the world. The interview was a lot of fun.

So this is day one. We are at the opening ceremonies which will wrap up the festivities for this very busy day. Tomorrow is anothe day and great fun will be had by all. If you can’t be here, find a stream and watch it.

See you at the LiveCast tomorrow.

WikiTree LiveCast – Live from the OGS Conference 2017

Please join me (Mags), and Emma MacBeath with guests, WikiTreers, Leanne Cooppr and WikiTree Leader Annette Cormier when take over the OGS2017 Social Media Hub to Chat all things WikiTree. We will also be joined by Ottawa Public Library Genealogist, Romaine Honey!

On Saturday June 17 at 3:00PM EDT please join me (Mags), and Emma MacBeath (I couldn’t talk her into coming to Ottawa) with guests, WikiTreers, Leanne Cooppr and WikiTree Leader Annette Cormier when take over the OGS2017 Social Media Hub to Chat all things WikiTree. We will also be joined by Ottawa Public Library Genealogist, Romaine Honey!

BUT WAIT! There is still room for more! Stop by and watch or join in!

Pull up a chair to watch or ask questions in the LiveCast chat, either way we promise an hour of WikiTree fun! If you want to see a complete list of past and future LiveCasts click the graphic below or follow this link

Mags

WikiTree LiveCast – WikiTree X Developer Justin York

Have you ever thought of a program that might help WikiTreers WikiTree? Pull up a chair and join us for an hour of WikiTree Applications! You might be inspired by Justin’s design to develop something on your own! Join the Chat and ask Justin Questions. Have a a wish list? Bring it along to share.

On Wednesday June 7th at 3:00PM EDT, Please Join Mags for a live chat with Justin York, WikiTree X App developer. We’ll be talking about WikiTree Apps.

Have you ever thought of a program that might help WikiTreers WikiTree (Second usage as a verb)? Pull up a chair and join us for an hour of WikiTree Applications! You might be inspired by Justin’s design to develop something on your own! Join the Chat and ask Justin Questions. Have a a wish list? Bring it along to share.

Click here for the watch link, and visit the official LiveCast page for more information and the upcoming schedule.

Mags

Live Streaming from the OGSConf2017

We are quickly zooming to the weekend of OGS Conference 2017 and if you can’t make it, there will be a few Live Streams to scratch your itch, quench your genealogy conference thirst! Live Streaming from the OGSConf2017.

What Streams and how do you watch?

Just Click the links…

Stream Number one…Friday June 16th, 2017 – 6:30pm EDT.

Friday night Opening Ceremonies including a talk Destination Canada by Dave Obee. Viewing link The opening Ceremonies begin at 7:00pm EDT.

Stream Number two…Saturday June 17, 2017 – 9:00am EDT.

Saturday morning Plenary including Family Ties: Exploring Genealogy through the Archives of Ontario by Danielle Manning. Viewing Link

(Unofficial) Stream Number 3…LiveCast with Grandma’s Genes, Saturday June 17, 2017 – 3:00pm EDT

Hangout with Mags and others in a LiveCast chat from OGSConf2017. You never know who might pop in. LiveCasts, where genealogist chat. Viewing Link.

Stream Number 4…OGS Annual General Meeting, Saturday June 17, 2017 – 3:30pm EDT

Coverage of the Ontario Genealogical Associations General Meeting. Veiwing Link.

So many things to do, so many places to be…Carry your laptop out to the garden, or to your local coffee shop and enjoy some of the goings on at the conference!

I will see you there or online! Blueberry pie for everyone!

WikiTree LiveCast – The Ambassadors Project with the Forest Elf!

On Saturday June 3rd at 3:00PM EDT, Please Join Mags and Julie for a live chat with our own Forest Elf, Eowyn Langholf . We’ll be talking about the Ambassadors Project and social media sharing.

On Saturday June 3rd at 3:00PM EDT, Please Join Mags and Julie for a live chat with our own Forest Elf, Eowyn Langholf . We’ll be talking about the Ambassadors Project and social media sharing.

When Mags, Julie and Eowyn start hanging out, you never know what might happen. So, pull up a chair and join us for an hour of WikiTree fun! We will be covering all things WikiTree sharing on Social Media, in Blogs, in Presentations at your neighborhood History society. Eowyn will be sitting in as well as Members of the Ambassadors Project. How can you get involved to spread the word about our great big ole shared tree?!?!

Don’t know how to share on Social Media? – we’ll show you!

Click here for the watch link, and visit the official LiveCast Page for more information and the upcoming schedule.

Mags

WikiTree LiveCast – WikiTree and third Party DNA Sites

On Saturday May 27th at 3:00PM EDT, please join me (Mags),  WikiTree Leader Peter Roberts, DNA Project Coordinator Emma MacBeath, and Julie Ricketts for a live chat on “WikiTree and DNA – Third Party DNA Sites.

This is the sixth in the WikiTree and DNA Series and goes along with some of the changes going on with the DNA Project. Join the chat to ask us DNA Features questions.

We will also be running down the Saturday Sourcing Sprint numbers and WikiPeeps who are involved in the sprints.  

Pull up a chair to watch or ask questions in the LiveCast chat, either way we promise an hour of WikiTree fun! If you want to see a complete list of past and future LiveCasts click the graphic below or follow this link

Mags

P.S. Do you have someone you would like us to interview? Post some answers with your picks for LiveCast Guests – it can even be yourself!

Your Grandma is back after a six week hiatus.

The Tigger Character from the A. A. Milne book, Winnie The Pooh,  is my favorite. Why? Because Tigger will try to do anything, and try hard to do it well, whether or not he can. Well that is me. I will try anything. I will build, or move or create or produce anything I set my mind to. Sometimes this can get me into trouble.

A Tiggering I Went

Back on October 27th, I was moving a large bar (think 70’s retro with red Naugahyde on the out facing side) that the previous owners had left us. I have this 1000 pound megalith in my office. In October I decided to empty the shelves of household storage and start using it for Grandma’s Genes. To do this I needed to turn it around so the shelving was facing the office rather than the wall.

So, using good moving skills I leveraged it around to almost where it needed to be. I couldn’t move it further because I needed to move a piece of furniture out of the way (think painting yourself into a corner). Trapped, I couldn’t get out to move the furniture. Without forethought, I jumped up on the bar, then sat my bum down, scooched off the bar and…

Your Grandma fell straight armed to the floor.

No my hip wasn’t broken!

I did mess-up my shoulder and six weeks ago I had surgery. I can tell you having to type one handed, or via speech to text (think “uh”, “hmm” and “throat clear” and all the corrections for speech to text that would entail) then you might get an inkling of the frustration and annoyance I have been feeling at not being able to write well (thank you to Eowyn Langholf and Julie Ricketts for helping me out a bit with some burning issues that needed to be addressed).

Thursday marks the end of my six week “sling imprisonment”. I won’t be cycling, or doing yard work for six more weeks, if that, but I will be back to typing. Just like I am doing now. Left hand and arm working as usual and the right arm kind of propped up to the keyboard so my hand can type.

Now get baking…Grandma needs some Blueberry Pie! Your grandma is coming back after a six week hiatus – next week.

 

How do you Confirm DNA Connections? WikiTree LiveCast

If you have taken a DNA test for genealogy and you have matches, and you have added your limbs to WikiTree you may be able to mark some of your ancestors as “Confirmed with DNA” . We’ll tell you how to work with WikiTree to follow the paper trail and the genetic trail to DNA confirmation.

DNA Confirmation

If you have taken a DNA test for genealogy and you have matches, and you have added your limbs to WikiTree you may be able to mark some of your ancestors as “Confirmed with DNA” . We’ll tell you how to work with WikiTree to follow the paper trail and the genetic trail to DNA confirmation.

On Saturday May 13th at 3:00PM EDT, please join me (Mags), our DNA Project Coordinator, Emma McBeth, Peter Roberts and the Julie Ricketts for a live chat on “WikiTree and DNA – DNA Confirmation on WikiTree”.

We will also be running down the Saturday Sourcing Sprint numbers and WikiPeeps who are involved in the sprints.   

Pull up a chair to watch or ask questions in the LiveCast chat, either way we promise an hour of WikiTree fun! If you want to see a complete list of past and future LiveCasts click the graphic below or follow this link.  

Mags, Emma, Peter and Julie  

P.S. Do you have someone you would like us to interview? Post some answers with your picks for LiveCast Guests – it can even be yourself!WikiTree Live Cast

Genealogical Careers -Your Grandma is Molding the Minds of Our Future

I have already ruined my own children, why not find a new set of youngins’ to ruin?! Your Grandma is Molding the Minds of Our Future. I’ll be participating in a Panel at the University of Ottawa on Monday…

“Breakfast with Public Historians, Building a History Business”, Panel Discussion, University of Ottawa

Mags will join a Panel Discussion, “Breakfast with Public Historians, Building a History Business”, focusing on marketing and branding consultancy. Applications of History Outside of the University Setting.

This is a private event for a University of Ottawa, 3rd year class, studying “public history,” applications of history outside of the university setting. The students will hear from a panel of three people who are working in the Public History field, with lots of opportunity for questions and discussion.

It’s not an open event, but it will be a great opportunity to discuss with these students, Ideas about starting and growing a history related business, like Grandma’s Genes.

What Can You Do With That Degree?

When you talk to University Students about their Majors, about their future plans, you often hear something about getting a higher degree and teaching in a University setting. You can do that, but there is so much more to consider.

Become a Forensic Genealogist

Research the living, looking for legal proof of descent to be used in the legal process of disseminating an estate.

Become a Genetic Genealogist

Add a Genetics to your course load and combine a History degree with Science and start helping individuals discover their identity through DNA testing.

Forensic Genealogist – Treasure Hunter

Find lost items, do the research and return them to the heirs of the original owners – people write books about this! A Habit of Dying, by DJ Wiseman

Public Speaking

Get some experience, become an expert and turn your passion into a Genealogical Speaking Career. Travel the world and discuss what you know with people who want to learn. Check into the Genealogical Speakers Guild.

Anthropologist/Sociologist

Turn your degree into studying society and groups as they relate to Genealogy. Fan Study or Cluster Genealogy is the study of places and people in a given area as it relates to family history.

Become a social Media Maven

Thomas MacEntee with High Definition Genealogy is the epitome of this. He uses all forms of monetizing stuff for proclaiming Genealogy happenings and makes more than enough to support himself. Blog, Write, Tweet, Instagram, Pinterest, Post to Facebook, Share!

Start a Consulting Business to Research Government Land Use Proposals

In regards to land, be the person who researches the titles and previous uses of a property in Government acquisitions.

Ministry of Transportation or NCC Rights of Way Agent

Roads and bridges are always being constructed or changed. Become a Right of Way agent and work with landowners on negotiating the sales/use of property. The NCC (National Capitol Commission)? Yes the NCC has right of way agents who negotiate/buy use of land for the Bike Paths we all enjoy and use daily.

Make your Future your Own (Did I really just type these words?)

Be Imaginative and creative. Bust out of the molds set by so many others. How can someone use your particular skill or knowledge? What can you offer that no one else does? Take an existing idea and twist it into something new: make it your own. Become an expert in the field and take your knowledge on the road, doing workshops and seminars.

Genealogy isn’t the old people profession everyone thinks it is. It’s a lot more about finding ones identity than it is about finding your grandparents names. It’s about pushing your ancestral lines back as far as they can go.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save