Blogger Showcase:Elyse Doerflinger

Elyse Doerflinger is young. A rare find in the genealogy community. She is also smart, perky, vivacious, cute as a bug, and just what this community needs.
Elyse is preparing to become a school teacher and she has the kind of personality that will make her a great one. (I see her teaching either kindergarten or fourth grade....she's really good with 5 year olds...or those who have a 5 year old's maturity level...but I could also see her making those sugar cube missions and getting the kids hooked on history.)

Elyse has some wonderful Youtube videos for beginning genealogists...or those of us who need a brush up. Just go to YouTube.com and search using her name "Elyse Doerflinger" and they will pop up.

In addition she writes a blog (Her first posts to her blog have been archived and can be found here.)  Elyse also works for WikiTree she is the "WikiTree Evangelist," spreading her love and knowledge of WikiTree to everyone who will listen.

If you are unfamiliar with WikiTree let me tell you a little about it. WikiTree is "a family tree building website that balances collaboration with unique privacy controls." Go check them out and see what the fuss is all about.

If you know a young person who might really like this genealogy thing...hook them up with Elyse. Show them her YouTube videos and her blog. Then bring them to the Southern California Genealogical Jamboree next June...Elyse will be there and she loves showing young folks the ropes.

Webinars presented by Legacy

I love attending Webinars. I can learn all about various resources in the genealogy world without leaving my home and nobody looks at me funny because I am wearing my bunny slippers.

I have found Legacy Webinars to be one of the best. 

First off they're FREE

I like FREE

Secondly they have fabulous speakers. 

Thirdly they have a wide variety of subjects, just take a look at this list of Webinars they are offering between now and the end of the year. (Go to the Legacy website for more information and to register.) You don't have to be a Legacy Family Tree software user (but why aren't you?)

Take one or two (or as many as your schedule allows) They're FREE...what do you have to lose?


(If by chance you just can't make them fit your schedule...they record the Webinars and for a very low price (usually around $10) they will sell you a CD of the one you missed and provide the handouts.)

October

The Three Cs of Irish Research: Civil Registration, Church Records, and Census, presented by Judy Wight on Wednesday, October 19.

Let Your Voice Be Heard in the Digital Conversation, presented by Drusilla Pair on Wednesday, October 26.

Click here for more information or to register.

November

Cracking the Case of Nathan Brown's Parents, presented by Marian Pierre-Louis on Wednesday, November 2.

FamilyRoots Organizer System presented by Mary Hill on Friday, November 4.

It Is Well With My Soul: Finding Ancestors Amid the Rubble of Disaster and Misfortune presented by Thomas MacEntee on Wednesday, November 9.

Creating a Shareable CD with Legacy and Passage Express Software presented by Jefferson Shupe on Wednesday, November 16.

Celebrate the Holidays and Share Family History with Heritage Collector Software, presented by Kathleen Bitter on Friday, November 18.

A Closer Look at Google+, presented by Dan Lynch on Wednesday, November 30.

Click here for more information or to register.

December

Tracing Immigrant Ancestors presented by Lisa Alzo on Wednesday, December 7.

"Is My Pet Frog Part of My Family?" Children and Genealogy in the Classroom presented by Maureen Taylor on Wednesday, December 14.

Blogger Showcase: Amy Coffin

I got the chance to get to know Amy Coffin a little at the FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) conference in Springfield, Illinois. She and I went out to dinner with four other wonderful women. I have rarely laughed that much. Good conversation, good food and good people...spiked with genealogy...what more could you ask for.

Amy Coffin is the writer of the We Tree Genealogy Blog.

So many peoples blogs are a reflection of Amy's genius. She is our muse.
Without her prompts...so many of us would be tongue tied.

A couple of years ago Amy came up with the idea of a "52 weeks to..." series.
The first (in 2009 was a blog prompt list) entitled "52 weeks to Jump Start You Genealogy Blog"
The next one about a year later was "52 weeks to Better Genealogy"

We bloggers have been producing off her ideas ever since.

Not everyone uses Amy's prompts but boy are they a life saver when you are struggling with writer's block. (And watch for an upcoming e-book from her on Blog Prompts for Genealogy)

And her "52 weeks to Better Genealogy" series is a great way to improve you genealogy skills. I know it's helped me.

Amy's blog is not just about the "52 weeks..." series. She has a wicked sense of humor which is reflected in her posts. The tag line to the name of her blog is "If family history is boring, then you're doing it wrong." And in reference to search terms used to find things on her blog (the search term was genealogy blobs and it was not the first time someone had used that search term) she once wrote, "Looks like I am the foremost authority on "genealogy blobs" now. This time, they're taking over Ohio. You can run, but you can't hide. I think Genealogy Blobs of Ohio would make a great title for a horror novel. Someone make that happen."

And if you think that is funny...read this blog, "If Genealogists Ran Hollywood."   or "If Genealogists were in the Tabloids."

In addition to Amy being a wonderful writer, she's a heck of a gal. She's helpful and encouraging to others.

Remember how I told you that I have about a dozen or so genealogist who "rock my world." Well, Amy is absolutely one of them. If you're not reading her...you should be, and if you get a chance to meet her at a conference...tell her I said hi.

Naming Contest

I was going to run a naming contest for my business name, here's why.

A number of years ago I attended a conference and everyone was handing out their business cards...I didn't have one.

A few years ago I was in my doctors office and a woman noticed my genealogy bag and started up a conversation...when I mentioned that I was actually working as a genealogist she asked for my card...I didn't have one.

Various versions of this scenario happened numerous times until I decided that I needed a business card.

So I checked around to see what names were available. I checked by googling the names I came up with to see if anyone with the name I wanted already had a website and was doing work under that name. I also searched by checking with the APG list.  (Association of Professional Genealogists)

Now this may not have been the most thorough search, but I felt that if someone was doing business under a name (in genealogy) those two places should turn them up.

There are some great names out there...and they all appeared to be taken...until finally...

I found a name that nobody in my search was using and had some business cards printed up.

At that time...(more than 8 years ago) I was oh so stupid about the ways of business. (not that I am all that much smarter now) I did not take out a business license, nor register the name in anyway ...other then to list my name on APG (Association of Professional Genealogists) and have those cards printed up...after all my purpose was only to be able to hand out a card when someone asked me for one.

Earlier this year...I decided to clean up my act...I was going to set up a website, register my business and get my business license. (Now that I am making a little money and will have to file taxes.)

When I went to create my website I discovered that there was already a CG (Certified Genealogist) using "my" business name.

Since he had the website before me, and as he is a CG...I feel I should bow to him...also I have no prior legal claim to the name and as he has established his business using that name....oh well.

But let me ask you this....He is in Minnesota...I'm in California. I could register that name in California. But, website wise he's got the name. So I could not use that name for my website... confusing potential clients all to hell. Furthermore, there is a website (another company) using the almost the exact same name (one letter difference...the difference between plural and singular.)

So now, I'm thinking I need a new business name. Kim von Aspern-Parker - Genealogist....totally forgettable, way too long... and all the other's I can come up with seem to be taken...I was going to put it out there to you my dear readers...I was going to hold a contest...because I have just plain run out of imagination...(as is evidenced by the fact that I named my blog after something that seemingly has nothing to do with genealogy.) I'm coming up blank.

But the contest idea just won't gel. I can't figure out how it would run/work. (Ok, it's obvious it's happened...I'm brain dead...it was just a matter of time, really.)

RootsTech is coming up and I need those cards....not to mention a website...and the tax people really like it when a business has a business license...

So I'm just going to ask for help...anybody got any ideas....

Some Photos From FGS

Here are some photos taken in the vendor hall at FGS (Federation of Genealogical Societies) conference in Springfield, Illinois September 2011

And that was just the Vendor Hall....and for that matter, only part of it.....

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Eugene Auguste Duchamp De Chastaigne and his wife Marie Amelie Sandoz daughter of David Francois Sandoz (the second)

Eugene and Amelie owned La Maison Duchamp.

The house was designed and built for them by Amelie's father David F. Sandoz.

Eugene and Amelie were my second great grandparents (in other words my great great grandmother and great great grandfather)

My 2nd great grandmother Marie Amelie Sandoz

My 2nd great grandfather Eugene Duchamp De Chastaigne

Closer up

La Maison Duchamp: A view from the front

Blogger Showcase: Thomas MacEntee

I confess. I have a little bit of hero worship going on. I have a few (less than a dozen) professional genealogists who absolutely rock my world. I happen to think they are wonderful. I aspire to be just like them when I grow up...but with my own twisted style of course.
That is not to take anything away from all the really fine professional genealogists out there....just that these select few have some sort of je ne sais quoi. A star quality ....at least for me.

Today's blogger showcase features one of those (In my book) super stars.
My Hero and who I want to be when I grow up....

Thomas MacEntee

Thomas MacEntee at Southern California Genealogical Jamboree 2011

Thomas has so much energy, is mega smart and has a wicked sense of humor.










He is a fabulous teacher; very patient and skillful in explaining how things in the techie world work. Every lecture I attend where he is the speaker...I take away something new.






He produces amazing webinars and a great radio show.

He has organized Geneabloggers and made it into a "powerhouse" of bloggers. He has inspired so many others to become bloggers and to journal their research.

Check out his blog here and his web site Hi-Definition Genealogy here. Trust me you will learn a lot from Thomas...and enjoy the ride.