No picture today…what “week peek” day is it? Funny how a big WHOPP to your body impacts your mind. You all know that I had hip replacment surgery on Oct 3rd and (according to the PT fellow) I’m over-the-top doing good for just a week. But my mind is working and I’m thinking about the Christmas Tour….
Concurrently this week, my grandson, Ry, made it through Marine Boot Camp and is now a Marine. This accomplishment has really set me thinking. This was a young man living far from mainstream (Port Angeles WA) who up to his high school senior year had done NOTHING, truly nothing. Mid-year he announced he was joining the Marines and (long story short) he set out to climb his personal Everest and he made it…. How many of us can say we set such an awesome goal for oursevles and made it?
What has this to do with you and me? And genealogy? Permission to speak freely? I’m really annoyed by folks and friends who say “Oh, I can’t do that.” And I’m not talking about climbing Everest; I’m talking genealogical research on the Internet. What you are saying, dear friend, is “I don’t want to do genealgical research on the Internet; I’ve not got the guts to learn it. So I’ll just continue to whine and wish I could.” Right? Baldercookies!
Now if you really want to make progress with your family history may I ask how much effort are you putting in to the DOING of it? Case in point, our Christmas Tour. Sure it’s a great social time, but how many of you come only for a social time? (And there is nothing wrong with that; just admit that is so and quit whining about not finding anything.) How many of you do nothing (no classes, no seminars, no computer time, etc. etc. etc.) between tours and then expect to find something during the few days of the tour? How many of you really say you want to do research but have not taken the time to learn what that means?? How many of you are stuck in the 80s of researching and keep whining about the changes…when the rest of us are going wild with all the wonderful new stuff we’re finding in new places because we took the time to learn?
Case in point: Thomas MacEntee. Leland thought he was doing us a humumgous favor by signing Thomas to be our “guide” and teacher for the week. Have you been happily under a rock and do not know that Thomas MacEntee is one of the most sought after biggest wigs in genealogy today? We 2010 tour goers may have underused Sir Thomas last year. These are classes that were he presenting them in any other venue would cost you Big Bucks and you’d be in an audience of 100+. Again, Leland is doing us a big favor by signing Thomas again for the 2011 Tour. What does this mean to you?
I know what it means to me…. I’m excited! I realize I do not have to do all the things he teaches me but I want to understand them so I have the knowledge to make the choice. I do not want to be left out of the conversation! I want to learn the tools, to have the tools, to use these new tools, to solve some of my geneaology brick walls.
Here is your assignment for the next six weeks: Go to the tour website, look at the classes Thomas will be offering us (which might be tweaked a bit) and do some Google searching on your own (at your current comfort level) and start learning something more about all of this. Google “Thomas MacEntee” and learn about the teacher he is. Think about all of this and make a written list of what YOU want to better understand. You’ll have the opportunity to do just that on the 2011 Christmas Tour. Being blunt: DO SOMETHING and stop wishing, wanting and whining.
Well, this “Peek” is to let you know that I care about you guys and want you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity…that you are paying for!
Donna