tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53214878120097980112024-03-05T15:59:51.793-06:00Our Tree Became A ForestJanuary 22, 2012 a new blog is born!Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-75472477694954247132015-04-21T19:02:00.002-05:002015-04-22T04:02:04.462-05:00Taxes & Vaping (part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Vaping is a growing industry in Minnesota, providing many tax paying
citizens a ticket to the American Dream, their own company - companies which are providing much needed jobs all over the state. Vaping is an industry some people turn to to quit smoking, all these people are now healthier people who are saving the state millions of dollars in heath
care costs, have become healthy & productive employees, etc., making the vaping industry a win - win for Minnesota and it's citizens. </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">HF848 - is a MN tax bill that includes an amendment for a $0.30 per milliliter tax on e-liquid containing nicotine. That's an additional $9.00 per bottle tax!!!! All across the state of Minnesota, people have been trying to fight this tax. The House Tax Committee took testimony on this topic last week and this week. Besides all the e-mails and phone calls, 40 people appeared in person to testify against the tax and 6 people appeared in person to testify for the tax. At least 2 of the people testifying for the tax do not live in Minnesota and represented big tobacco, including a CEO from RJ Reynolds Vaping Division (ya'all remember good old RJ Reynolds, the fine folks who brought us Winston & Camel?). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today, when it was brought forth that 40 people testified against the tax and 6 testified for it, the Chairperson of the MN House Tax Committee, <span style="color: blue;"> Representative Greg Davids</span>, asked "What if you take out the vapers?" Plug your ears as I exhale a long string of naughty words..... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am so disappointed in this comment! Why didn't he ask "What if you take out the representatives of Big Tobacco?"? Because if you did, you would not have your whole whopping 6 people who spoke in favor of the tax! As one of the 40 people who spoke against the tax, I am deeply offended at his comment. <a href="http://ourtreebecameaforest.blogspot.com/2015/04/taxes-vaping-part-1.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">(Click here for my testimony.)</span></a> My concerns are not important because they refer to members of the vaping community? The fact that I am a Minnesotan, I vote, I pay taxes, I do my fair share of volunteer work, and try to be a good citizen is not as important as Winston and Camel? Oh, excuse me, RJ Reynolds, and all of Big Tobacco? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Today the House Tax Committee voted to KEEP the e-liquid tax in HF848, largely due to the urging of their chair, Rep. Davids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1"><span data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.0"></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Game
On............ Rep. Davids, game on.......... We - the vaping community - won't lie down...
nope, not a one of us. We've already proven how strong we are when we
kicked the smoking habit, we tried and tried until we experienced
success. Now that we know success, failure is NOT an option! On to the full House we go, we will keep working to get this tax dropped from HF848. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1"><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body"><span class="UFICommentBody" data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body.0"><span data-reactid=".4p.1:3:1:$comment1648333242061993_1648341455394505:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body.0.$end:0:$0:0">Quitting smoking is the only time "quit" will be a part of our vocabulary. 'Nuff said!</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0Brainerd, MN, USA46.358056 -94.20083299999998946.270376 -94.362194499999987 46.445736 -94.039471499999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-69748607762263903062015-04-21T18:58:00.000-05:002015-04-21T19:36:25.370-05:00Taxes & Vaping (part 1)<h2 style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span>Below is the testimony I submitted to the Mn House of Representatives Tax Committee on 4/20/2015. </div>
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Mr. Chairman and Members of the Tax Committee,<br />
<br />
Today I am
reaching out to you as a Mom, a daughter, a wife, and a granddaughter. I
am not an officer of any Vaping Advocacy group, Vaping trade
association, or a business owner in the industry.<br />
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I am VERY
concerned about the proposed new tax on the e-liquids used by the vaping
industry. The amendment to HF848, specifically Article 7, Sections 4 – 6
and 8-12 is terrible for Minnesota vapers, terrible for Minnesota small
businesses and would provide a major advantage to products offered by
companies like R.J. Reynolds, Altria and Lorillard (aka “Big Tobacco”).<br />
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My Grandpa died from heart failure caused by years of smoking. My
Grandma died from cancer after years of breathing second hand smoke. The
next victim in my family of the tobacco industry was my Mom. I sat with
her as I heard the last breath leave her body. She died from heart
failure AND cancer - after smoking her whole adult life. For the past 5
years I have watched my husband get more and more depressed as his daily
activities are limited because he struggles to breath from COPD, caused
by years of smoking. My 29 year old son almost died last year, another
smoking victim from a 2 pack a day smoking habit. All of what family I
have left have now quit smoking, thanks to vaping.<br />
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I am TIRED. I
am tired of losing my loved ones too soon because of smoking. I am tired
of cutting short family activities and holidays or cancelling them all
together because of peoples health issues caused by smoking. I am tired
of taking time away from my family so I can fight unfair state, county,
and city laws that limit or prohibit peoples ability to vape.<br />
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Last night I listened to the online recording of the testimony from last
weeks informational hearing before the House Tax Committee. I find it
frustrating that time for testimony was so limited when this issue is so
important to the citizens and businesses of Minnesota. A decision that
effects so many people should be given more time to be researched and
discussed. I do not believe that we should be hasty in burdening people
with additional taxes without doing due diligence in making sure we are
making the right choice for the people of our state.<br />
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I’d like to
touch on a couple of points made by people who supported the new tax at
last week’s hearing. I have to be suspicious of bringing in heavy
hitters from out of state to speak in favor of a tax that effects the
people of our state! I ponder what their motivation is, to be so
concerned about our citizens?<br />
Mr. Ampolini came from out east. He
is the President of RJ Reynolds Vapor Company. He has had a long and
successful career working for Big Tobacco. He and other big tobacco
companies manufacture the closed type of systems of e-cigs. The kind
with cartridges that the consumer has no control of. Their products look
like a cigarette, taste like a cigarette, are held like a cigarette,
and mimic smoking a cigarette. As an ex-smoker, many vapers do not want
anything to do with these types of products. They are too much like a
cigarette. The taste and feel of them are no longer appealing to us. Mr.
Ampolini led the members of the Committee to believe that this tax is
needed to make the taxes on his closed system equitable to the open type
of systems sold by vape shops and used by most vaping consumers. This
is like comparing apples to oranges. He appeared very knowledgeable
about closed systems, but his facts on open systems was lacking and the
information he presented to the committee was inaccurate. He claimed
that at 30 milliliter bottle of e-liquid would last the consumer 60
days, because he used the amount of e-liquid used in his product and
assumed the same amount would be used by any vaping product. This is NOT
true. A 30 mil bottle of e-liquid lasts the average consumer 2-7 days,
not 60 days. Add an additional $9.00 to a bottle of e-liquid and you are
putting vaping back in the category of being as expensive or more
expensive than smoking combustible cigarettes. Being as many people turn
to e-cigs to quit smoking based on health AND financial motivation,
increasing the cost of vaping takes away the motivation for smokers to
quit for financial reasons. Less people quitting is returning many
families back to dealing with the health issues of smoking and second
hand smoke. Mr.Apolini said that a merchant can buy a gallon of e-liquid
for $150 and turn it into a $10,000 profit. I don’t have a clue where
he got his numbers from, but after talking to several Minnesota vape
shops, not a one of them could give me a number even close to that. I
know if I could make that kind of money, I’d be the next person jumping
on the small business band wagon and opening my own vape shop. WOW, what
an amazing profit margin that would be!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Allen Smith of Ohio
also paid our state a visit to speak in favor of this increase in taxes
for Minnesota citizens. He gave some excellent points about harm
reduction, and vaping being better than smoking. He felt that taxing
e-liquid at a rate less than traditional tobacco products would be a
good thing. And it would be IF it lowered the cost of e-liquids, not
raised them. This tax raises the cost for the type of product used by
the majority of vapers in Minnesota, as most Minnesotans don’t use they
type of systems that would see a decrease in tax.<br />
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The other
speaker in favor of the tax was from the Minnesota Wholesalers Marketing
Association. He felt this new tax would help the businesses he
represents sell more product, as many of them sell the closed systems
made by big tobacco. Why do we want to sell more of the products made by
big tobacco? The folks who have cost the people of our country billions
of dollars in health care and funeral costs? I do not believe that if
big tobacco had their tax lowered, they would pass those cost savings on
to their consumers who are already used to paying the current tax. Big
tobacco could keep the cost the same, pay less tax and increase their
profit margins. I think the gentleman from this association should do a
little research. It is not the cost of the systems from big tobacco that
chases consumers away, it is the product that doesn’t appeal to many
vaping consumers. Consumers prefer the open systems, sold to them by
small businesses all over the state. They prefer to use e-liquid made by
Minnesota manufacturers.<br />
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Lets keep Minnesotans employed. Lets
support Minnesota businesses. Lets continue to keep vaping affordable so
more Minnesotans quit smoking and lead a healthier lifestyle. Lets be a
leader on this and set an example for the rest of the country!
Supporting Big Tobacco and helping them make more money is NOT
Minnesota’s responsibility. Taking care of our own is our
responsibility!<br />
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I want to stop being tired. I don’t want to loose
any more family to smoking. I don’t want to worry about unfair taxes.
If I have to be tired, I want to be tired because I’ve had a wonderful
day with my family, because I did something to improve education,
because I’ve helped a homeless person find a home, because I made the
trip across town to support a Minnesota business.<br />
<br />
Please vote NO
to the amendment to HF848, specifically Article 7, Sections 4 – 6 and
8-12, it’s a mistake to do this to Minnesota and its citizens!<br />
<br />
I Vape and I Vote - and I'm proud to be the newest NON-SMOKER in my family!!!!!<br />
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<a href="http://ourtreebecameaforest.blogspot.com/2015/04/taxes-vaping-part-2.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">(Click here to read what happened AFTER 40 people testified AGAINST the tax)</span></a>Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-34774838051089093932013-08-20T10:03:00.000-05:002013-08-20T10:06:45.128-05:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: lime; font-size: x-large;">If I Ruled The Genealogy World...</span></h2>
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I was trying to visualize myself as the Queen of Genealogy Land. I tried to see my silk gown, my fur cape, my scepter, and a sparkling Tiara. But every time I close my eyes, the tiara is sliding off my head. I think I'll leave the tiara wearing to Footnote Maven, she pulls it off way better than I do. Guess I'll just stick to being "me" with my blue jeans, t-shirt, and baseball cap, and be happy to be the tomboy that I am.</div>
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Gosh, I thought I hated labels and wanted to talk about those labels, and I start my first paragraph with 2 of them, "Queen" and "tomboy". Oh boy, I'm going to have to work on that! I think I'll start over.</div>
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Hi, I'm Skip and I'm a genealogist! Sometimes my life takes me almost completely away from genealogy and my only involvement with my genealogy family is via facebook. I am so honored to have those people in my life. They are a huge group of talented, loving, supportive, and very funny people. It doesn't matter what mood I'm in when I turn on the computer, because within minutes, somebody's post has me at least smiling, if not laughing out loud. On a bad day, my genealogy family collectively spreads their arms and gives me the biggest, warmest, fuzziest online group hug. When I have time for genealogy, it consumes me. I eat while doing genealogy, I dream about genealogy, my family has permanently glazed over eyes because I talk about genealogy so much. I don't know if passionate gives enough credit to how my genealogy family and I feel about genealogy. I am very OK with the genealogy label. Yes, <shouting from the mountain tops!> I AM a genealogist. </div>
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Now that I've let go of the queen thing, I do wish I could work some magic. Genealogy is a good thing, from a hobby to a profession, it has so many rewards. I do feel that even a good thing can be even better. I think I'll wander off to the kitchen, grab my big wooden spoon, pretend it's a magic wand, close my eyes, click my heels 3 times, and say "I want to be a genealogy magician". </div>
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As I wave my magic wand, I see groups of genealogists gathering together to share their passion. Be it a virtual gathering online or a large banquet hall at a major conference, I do not see individual tables. I see one huge, long continuous table snaking its way back and forth around the room. There is no "cool kids" table. We are all sitting together, chatting pleasantly. Everyone is sitting by an old friend and a new friend they just met. Sometimes our conversations are on serious topics and we all share our views in a friendly, open minded fashion. Sometimes, one of us will do or say something goofy and the room is filled with joyous laughter. We have no labels in this room, we are just genealogists. We are not pro vs amateur, there is no regards to our level of experience, the color of our skin, if we are male or female, our income, nothing. We are just like any other family, from the Sr. Citizens to the babies, we all have a common bond. </div>
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Like any family gathering, we can not all sit at the same table forever, we need to break off in small groups to pursue specific interests. As the children run out in the yard to play a game of baseball, the genealogy newbies will branch off to work on a basic skill. Just as we can not learn to play baseball without someone teaching and coaching us, we also can not learn to be good genealogists without mentors and coaches. In my magic world, all those who choose to fill the mentor shoes will be good, positive mentors. Picture yourself grooming in the morning and looking in the mirror. I want each of us every day to look into our own eyes, and make sure we remind ourselves to be positive and welcoming to all who wish to share our passion with us.</div>
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There is always a need to break off into other groups to share on specific topics. From learning how to advocate for our rights, to location specific or surname or ethnic specific research, we will sooner or later need to move to a smaller table. So will the society leaders, the writers, the speakers, ones with military work, or ones who function in the legal community. Let's be sure that as we move to those smaller tables, there is always room for a new face. We need to remember that not all people are bold enough to walk up to a table and just sit right down. If we always add an extra chair and look around that room and invite people to join us, we will always appear to be the friendly, welcoming people we are.</div>
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In my magic world, no one would consider themselves better than anyone else. We are all people, we all have strengths and weaknesses. Does not make any of us better than anyone else. None of us would be more important than anyone else. We are all members of the same genealogy family. If my powers are not strong enough to keep someone from putting their nose up in the air at others, I would wave my magic wand and have a bird fly over. That bird's poop would land in the nostrils of the person with their nose in the air, to remind them that that is not where their nose belongs. Kinda nasty, but it's how I roll. I really have a hard time with people not being nice to each other.</div>
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I'm now handing my wooden spoon on to you. Please feel free to use it and work a little magic. What would you do to make life in the genealogy world even better than it is? No cheating now, you can't use it on your own brick walls. If my wand worked for that, I'd already know if all Katzungs are related, and my personal genealogy mission in life would be complete!</div>
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Wishing you love and peace,</div>
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~ Skip<br />
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P.S. I think these words are so wise:<br />
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. " ~ Margaret Mead</div>
Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-55876349995539802562013-08-17T17:05:00.000-05:002013-08-18T04:34:37.833-05:00<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">The Time Has Come....</span></h2>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">My Declaration of Independence!</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The past couple of days have been an interesting voyage into exploring how I feel about the latest "hot topic" in the genealogy community. <b><u>Elitism</u></b> can be a dirty word. The trip began when someone I admire and respect reached their boiling point and they could no longer tolerate certain attitudes of certain people. A view I whole heartily agree with and a topic that brought about a flood of feelings I thought I had stuffed far enough away to not have to deal with. Another member of our genealogy community also spoke up, and reminded all of us that we should not generalize and stereotype and paint with too broad of a brush. They also mentioned the need to keep things positive. This persons words made me realize that by harboring and holding on to what has hurt me over the past few years has taken all my power away from me and allowed me to go to an unhappy place. By keeping silent, I was allowing my hurt to remain and I was doing nothing to stop what I feel is unacceptable behavior, and doing nothing to prevent others from being hurt, too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I made a promise to get out of "emotional mode" and get myself to "just the facts mode" and share my unhappy experiences in a positive, educational manner in the hopes of freeing myself from my pain and helping others see that words are a very powerful thing! When we deal with only the written word, with no facial expressions and no tone of voice, our words are open to a variety of interpretations! We all need to be careful that the meaning of our words are understood by those reading them, and not taken in a way that can cause hard feelings. I am finding it very hard to put down words when my heart is not moving my fingers! So, I will try to keep my emotions in check while sharing my experiences. I tried for 3 hours yesterday with no emotion, but could not get past this quote:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>"Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching" </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><i>~ C. S. Lewis</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Doing the right thing means speaking up. Being as the point of this is to be educational, to make a point about something that I feel is not OK, there will be no need to throw stones. I will refrain from mentioning anyone's name or any specific organizations. I just hope that I can motivate all the good people in my genealogy family to be aware of a couple of rotten eggs and try to steer those eggs to a more positive way of interacting with the rest of the family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><b style="background-color: yellow;">--->Before we delve into the "ugly" part of this blog post, I first want to say that the majority of people involved in genealogy are some of the most amazing people on earth. They are fun, kind, helpful, and supportive people. You couldn't pay me enough money to trade off my genealogy friends.<---</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My personal bad experience is with a few people who have worked for and earned some real nice letters after their names that have not been nice to me. (Most people with letters after their names ARE nice to everyone!) I hope they are proud of those letters. I will never have an issue with anyone being proud of themselves for having earned something. My issue is with the very few who choose to rub the noses of those with no pretty letters after their name in that fact and then to take it upon themselves to decide that people with no initials are less important, less qualified, less valuable, etc. in our genealogy family. We ALL have something to offer! From a newbies enthusiasm to an old timers experience, it isn't the fancy letters after some names that makes the genealogy world what it is. If your definition of a professional means you have to have letters after your name, please be sure that definition includes your behavior towards others. I don't see a useful purpose in the genealogy community to have any noses stuck in the air!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To the person who was very excited about a new project and needed volunteers, I hope your project was a great success. It was a compliment when you asked if I could help with the project! It was NOT ok when you got angry when I declined the opportunity. It was not ok to send me a nasty email telling me I have to volunteer, because non-pros like me are the only ones who have time for these projects because the pros need to be working for their clients making money so they can pay their bills. You are fully aware I volunteer a lot, and not just in the genealogy world, but in my own community. You know I very rarely say no. I feel sorry for you that you can not comprehend that I also have a life with limited amounts of free time, and that I also need to work and pay my bills, even if my work is outside of the genealogy world. As of today, I am free of you. I will no longer feel bad for having said "NO" and I will no longer be angry with you for the e-mail chewing me out that was longer than this blog post so far. I wish you well in the future and I hope you have found a friendlier way of recruiting volunteers, so that you can be successful in getting the volunteers you need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To the person who was mad at me when I joined the "Save the SSDI" bandwagon outside of the organization who works hard at raising awareness of saving access to records, I forgive you, too. It was so nice of you to introduce yourself to me with a name and letters after your name and an amazing list of achievements and experience, only to finish that intro with how important it was that I listen to you because you are a pro and I am not. You did not need to threaten me that hobbyists like me are going to hurt the genealogy community because we haven't a clue what we are doing. I have a lot of respect for the above mentioned organization. They have worked hard at fighting for and educating about saving our access to records. I have NO issue with the work they've done. But they are a small organization, and like all of us, their members only have X amount of hours in a day for life and genealogy. I can not be a member of this organization, because I don't have the proper credentials. I do not believe in sitting on my butt and waiting for others to fight my battles for me. I believe there is strength in numbers and the louder we raise our voices, the better chance we have of saving those records we all depend upon. I believe in the power of social media and communicating to as many people as possible as quickly as possible when we are aware of an issue. I am glad I didn't listen to you. As of today, I will no longer feed into your attitude that you know more than me or that you are better than me because you are certified and I am not. I just so happen to be a good person, with a big heart, and I believe that my involvement with others in fighting to save access to records has HELPED the cause, not hurt it. If you really believe that saving access to records is important, I invite you to dismount from the high horse you are on, and give ALL people who have a passion for genealogy an opportunity to participate in all matters important to genealogists. Seriously, we are not lower ranked than you. There are some really talented people in the non-certified world. And FYI, even though I don't have those pretty initials after my name, I am much more than "just a hobbyist". And even if genealogy was only a "hobby" to me, that doesn't mean I don't have talents and skills to offer the genealogy community.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Speaking of the SSDI, there was another pro who called me a moron for fighting to keep our access to the SSDI and other records. Their claim was that I was hurting the genealogy field because I was protecting identity thieves and that would make the public not want to engage the services of genealogists. I should leave the politics to the professional genealogists who know what the heck they were doing. Sigh..... I am not a moron and it is better to do something than nothing at all. It is time to declare myself free of the hurtful words of this pro and move on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I almost went to a genealogy conference that was within driving distance. It would have been my first one. There was someone I knew from facebook that I really wanted to meet. I sent this person a message and asked if we could hook up during the conference. Their reply shocked the heck out of me! They could not meet because they had recently gotten their certification and they were trying to build up their professional status and it wouldn't look good to fellow genealogists or potential clients to be hanging around with an amateur. Hmmmm, how was anyone to know who was pro and who wasn't? I had contact with a couple other people who were going to attend the event, and they also seemed snooty, and I canceled my plans to go. Next time, NO ONE is going to have this kind of power over me! If I can go and I want to go, I'm going. I'm going to learn and I'm going to make new friends and I'm going to have a really good time talking to people who's eyes don't glaze over at the mention of genealogy! Thank-you for teaching me what kind of genealogist (pro or not) I would never want to be. No matter what I do in life, it will be my goal to be nice to people, to welcome them, and to include them. As of today, I am over you. I am over the hurt and anger and being made to feel like I am not good enough. Writing this makes me realize that it is you who was not good enough. You were not a good ambassador for the genealogy community, and it has nothing to do with pro or not pro. I hope life has made you wiser and you've found a way to fit in with the whole genealogy family. It will make you a better person and more appealing to more clients. It feels good to be free of you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At one point, I was co-director of a group of volunteers who do a valuable service to the communities they serve. They work in the field of forensic genealogy and bring closure to families all over the world, and lessen the burden on tax payers. I was privately confronted by a pro with those pretty initials after their name telling me I had NO right to be a director of this group because I wasn't a board certified genealogist. That work as important as this has no business being under the leadership of an inexperienced hobbyist, who will make rookie mistakes and damage the reputation of paid professionals. This cause is near and dear to my heart, and I would NEVER do anything to knowingly hurt this group or the work they do. So now, I am going to stick up for myself. To this "pro", if you had acted like a "pro" you would have done your research and verified your facts and you would have learned that the other directors were not "pro's" either, and you would have learned that the founder of this organization is also someone without all those pretty initials after their name, and they are a very respected and well known member of the genealogy community! You, who acts this way, are a disgrace not only to "Pro's", but to all of the genealogy community. You weren't even a member of this organization, and you don't have a clue just how "Professional" not only our work is, but our behavior and our treatment of others. It just so happens we work very well as a team, in a very professional manner, and never cease to amaze the government officials and the families we serve! You should follow our example and try to achieve our level of professionalism. We are a shining example that letters behind your name do not make you a professional in every sense of the word. Your actions truly let the world know just how unprofessional you are. Now I declare myself free of your lack of facts and your insulting words. I have learned from you to believe in myself and the causes I make a commitment to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moving on, I'd like to address the professional do-gooder who felt it their mission in life to contact some of my friends and I and inform us that we should not be calling ourselves genealogists because we are not certified, that if we were good at our own family trees, it would be ok to call ourselves family historians... I AM a genealogist. If I would give myself a little more credit and quit letting jerks like you take the wind out of my sails, I could probably shout from the roof tops that I am a pretty good genealogist. As of this very moment, I am also free of you. You do not have the power to define who I am, what I call myself, or where I think I fit in in my world. I dare you to loosen up your definition of who or what a genealogist is. I dare you to open your door and put out the welcome mat. You might just get lucky and get to know some of us nice people out here, and we might actually rub off on you. Who knows? Maybe we will even help you find your happy place! In the blink of an eye, I am now free of your meaningless words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The next example of my experiences with unprofessional pros didn't even hurt my feelings. They made me down right angry. I was volunteering with a group that tries to find the families of deceased veterans. A credentialed pro took it upon themselves to contact me and tell me I should not be working on veterans cases. That all veterans deserve to rot in hell because they fought in wars and wars are against God's word. It's us amateurs who are giving the genealogy field a bad name and hurting future work of pros because we do such controversial work. This one is hard to refrain from name calling! <Taking Deep Breath> I feel that the work that pros and amateurs do in the field of forensic genealogy to help veterans, their families, and the military is very important. I don't believe that our work hurts the field of genealogy at all. I think it helps the field of genealogy. There are some very talented and good people working in the forensic area of genealogy and I just might as well admit you can't fix stupid and not waste anymore time on this person with very strong feelings, because I am never going to change their mind. I'll just say a little prayer for them, ask God to give them a guiding hand and move on. I am now free of my anger directed towards this person.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life is all about balance, and I found that balance with the person who was mad at me for NOT volunteering when I got a private message from a person who was upset with me FOR volunteering! They actually called my volunteering evil because people like me do too much of it and if all us amateurs would quit volunteering maybe there would be some paying work so the pros could afford to pay their bills. Another pro who needs to do their research, because there are lots of pros who also volunteer, and much of the volunteer work we do has no way to turn it into paying jobs. If it gets done, it gets done by volunteers. Maybe this person should try networking by doing some volunteer work. Maybe it would lead to some paying work. I don't know, and I don't care. I'm free of this persons angry words. I will always be proud of the volunteer work I have done. I encourage others to volunteer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I worked on a special project with a pro. They thanked me for assisting and complimented me for the good work I did. They took all the work and made it look like it was their own, and gave no one else credit for their involvement in the project. When I inquired about this, they said this project needed the clout of a professional and it was better for the cause for the work to be presented by a pro and not include the amateur volunteers. The pro got all the credit. I still have the satisfaction of a job well done and for doing a good thing. I need to let go of the disgust and believe in Karma and that someday, this pro will really get the TRUE credit they deserve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking through this I realize that besides the bad taste a few pros have left in my mouth, one of the other reasons I changed my mind about going pro (as in getting a degree or board certification) is that volunteer work is an important part of my life. I had a pro tell me that if I continued to just volunteer and not start charging for my work, then I can never call myself a "pro" or belong to "pro" organizations, because "pros" have to have paid clients. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even if I give the above examples the benefit of doubt and justify their words and try to say they meant to be helpful, their words were not helpful. I am not going to let the above people have me upset anymore, but I am also done being silent. From now on, when I experience such things or see others being treated in an unfair manner, I will speak up. I am now free of hurt, pain, and fear. I am now free to be my big-hearted & fired-up old self!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although my personal experiences are with pros who have an issue with something an amateur is doing, the whole point of this is that genealogy is a big sandbox, and what gets my undies in a wad is those who think they need to have their own sandbox and don't need to make room for others to play. No-one in our community / family is more special, wonderful, amazing, or deserving than any of the rest of the people who share our passion. We all need to be kind and respectful of each other. We all need to give people a chance to shine. Let's not cut someone off at the knees because we have some preconceived notion that they need to have or not have a degree or certification or membership to specific organizations, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We can be elitist in many ways. When we go to conferences, do we make it a point to get to know people we've never met? Do we invite them to our table to socialize with us and our friends? Or do we appear to be elitist because we only sit with our old friends, or our fellow bloggers, or our fellow speakers, or our fellow society members? When we participate in public forums, etc. on websites, do we include that quiet lurker who's afraid to join in? I think even those of us who make it a point to not exclude others can make sure we put out a bigger and better welcome mat and make sure we are the politeness police and we make sure ALL are welcome and ALL are treated in a decent, friendly manner. We can try to make a new genealogy friend every time we interact with fellow genealogists. WE will then have the power, and WE will be responsible for growing genealogy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Let us all write our own personal code of conduct and let's have being nice to others the first thing on our list!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> ~ Skip</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The whole exchange of thoughts and feeling expressed by myself and others on facebook moved someone who I think the world of to contact me privately and inquire about my feelings. I shared with this person part of the above list, and it's the first time I have shared that list with anyone. Remembering the list brought up some of my hurt feelings and brought tears to my eyes. I have no shame in not being a pro - someone with board certification or a degree - the thing that has bothered me in the past is how others treat me because I am not a "pro". This person then shared some of their thoughts with me and paid me a compliment that just lifted me out of the depths of darkness and made my spirits fly way up to the sky. If this person reads this, they will know I am speaking of them. I wanted to publicly thank them for being such a good person and such a good representative of genealogy and paying me one of the best compliments I could be paid by a fellow genealogist! They said...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">..."YOU are one of the people in genealogy who I admire and respect. I consider you a professional genealogist. You were involved with running a major genealogical organization, and certainly fit my definition of a genealogical professional. I am surprised that you consider yourself an amateur. Getting paid is not the definition I use."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"I'm so very sorry that you've met some unkind people in genealogy. I am surprised by that too, especially if they were board-certified. I've just not really run into that, so I guess I've been lucky so far."....</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gotta tell 'ya, I am GLAD this person has not had a run in with the ones who choose to be nasty. I hope it stays that way! I hope we all make it a goal to be like this person and reach out to our fellow genealogists and make them feel good about what they do. ~ Skip</span></div>
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Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-76318424797364501382013-06-26T12:00:00.001-05:002013-06-27T14:11:20.790-05:00<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">It surprises me as a person over 50 (and I'm not saying how much over 50 I am), how differently I think now than I did in my younger days. I'm less of a risk taker now. Some of my thoughts are much more conservative than they used to be and some are way more liberal. I question things more, and I no longer accept what I've been taught or have always known. I find myself questioning things and drawing my own conclusions and opinions. Some of my thoughts would make my poor Grandma gasp in shock and I often wonder if I make her roll over in her grave! My Grandma Carrier couldn't even say the word "pregnant", in front of children or men-folk, it was referred to as someone being "p.g.". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Supreme Court ruling today makes me give deep consideration to all I've been taught about the whole gay thing. I was taught that it was wrong, that it wasn't natural, it was in violation of God's will, that is was a choice to be gay, and all gays should be shunned.I grew up never knowing an openly gay person. It was adulthood that opened my eyes. It is my belief that what goes on in the bedroom is personal and private and none of the business of anyone outside of that bedroom. I don't discuss my sex life with anyone and am not comfortable when others openly discuss theirs. It was many years ago, when I had to take a long, hard, honest look at the topic of people being gay. I HAD to, I had become friends with some wonderful people who were gay. </span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Looking at what I was taught...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Being Gay is wrong. My thought about this is why? Before I cast a stone at someone else's perceived "wrongness", I should take an honest look at my own life. I was taught it was wrong to have sex outside of marriage. Well, I failed in that department. I was taught it was wrong to live with someone of the opposite sex and not be married to them. Another fail in my life. I lived with the same man for 20 years before we finally wed. In my youth, I dated some real losers. Men who were very bad for me. I learned from the doctors that I could not have children. I always believed that if I ever had a relationship with a good man, no matter what the doctors said, God would give me 1 child. That child would be a boy. A wonderful boy with blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles. 14 1/2 months after my future husband and I started living together, God did bless us with a son. A wonderful son, who as a child had blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles. If it was so "wrong" for me to be with the man of my dreams, why did God bless us with the child I was supposed to not be able to have? If it was "wrong", should I have been banned from working where I wanted to work, living where I wanted to live, etc.? NO!!! It always bugged me that my future husband could not claim me as a dependent. He has always supported me and taken care of me. He has been a good provider. In other states, I would have been his common law wife, and I would have been able to be claimed on his taxes, and in some states, I could have gotten benefits as his wife. Being as my state does not recognize a common law wife, the federal government did not, either. So, he could not claim me as his wife on his federal returns as a dependent. Makes me relate to gay couples, who can be recognized as a married couple some places, but not others. To me, that is wrong, and it certainly is not fair!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. It's not "natural" to be gay. Say what? What is not natural about being attracted to someone? What is not natural about loving someone with your heart and sole? What is not natural about wanting to be with your special someone forever? If being "gay" is not natural, how do you explain same sex couples in the animal kingdom? Never heard of that? There was an interesting article in the New York Times a couple of years ago, called <b style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/04/magazine/04animals-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0" target="_blank">Can Animals Be Gay?</a></b> I understand the need to have opposite sex couples to have offspring and continue a species, but that doesn't mean it's the only type of situation that is "natural" or "right". What about people who choose NOT to have offspring, or can't have offspring, or adopt, or use artificial means to get pregnant, or use a surrogate mother, or a sperm donor? Is that not "natural" or "right"?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Being "gay" is a violation of God's will. Hmmmmmmmm see #2 above. If you believe in God, and you believe that all things on earth are created by God, and if animals don't make choices or have thought processes like people do, then how do you explain same sex couples in the animal kingdom? Even if you still can't get past the "God" thing, then weren't you also taught that God is the judge of all mankind, and it is not our place to judge our fellow mankind? We are too lowly a creature to try to do God's job and must leave the judgement day up to God. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">4. It is a choice to be gay. OK, let's take a logical look at this. If you are not gay, can you tell me what day in your life you made the choice to not be gay? Or are you just who you are and you're attracted to people of the opposite sex? If you are gay, can you tell me what day you decided to face a life of being cast aside as an outsider, to face judgment and discrimination every where you go and be attracted to people of the same sex? I'm betting most people in the world can not answer the question that pertains to them. Now that I'm old enough to draw my own conclusions, I don't think it is a choice. It is just being who you were born to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I am an American. I value the rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to all Americans. If I am a thief, an abuser, or a murderer, I am hurting others and I deserve to have my rights and freedoms taken away. But if I am an everyday citizen, obeying the laws and hurting no one, it does not matter if I am black or white, rich or poor, walking or in a wheel chair, I have rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to me. Why should that be any different for gay people? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I have one final thought on this subject, and that is the example we set for others and what we are teaching our children. Times change. There are many people in our country that now have the rights and freedoms that at one time, only able bodied white men had. It is because we have grown as a people. We do not have to hold on to the prejudices that our ancestors held on to. We know better. We should be proud of that. Even if you know it's true that ALL people should have the same rights and freedoms as any other citizen in our country, if you find yourself uncomfortable around someone who is different than you, be conscious of how you react and what you say. Help the youth of our country be even better than what we are! I work at a group home. All of the residents are adult women with some form of disability. I am also female. One day, I took one of our residents to Walmart. This resident will take off and walk around and not watch for cars. I had her hold my hand as we made our way into the store, to keep her close to me and keep her safe. Coming out of the store was a mother with a little boy who was probably about 6 or 7 years old. As we walked by, the boy asked his mom "Are those ladies gay? They are holding hands." How sad that a child so young would even have to worry about such a thing! Children learn what they live........</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To my dear departed Grandma, I know that what I now know and believe is not what you knew or believed, but I hope now that you are in heaven, you know God loves all His children, and it didn't matter if they were straight or gay, what mattered is how good of a person they were. And now I hope you're OK with what ever the truth is about your brother Carl. Send me a sign, I really want to know the rest of the story, and not just have to remember the little whispers I over heard as a teenager.</span></div>
Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-16715099059735813952012-10-10T09:43:00.000-05:002012-10-10T23:25:59.991-05:00Veterans & Archives, My Letter to Governor Deal10 October 2012<br />
<br />
Governor Nathan Deal <br />
Suite 203, State Capitol <br />
206 Washington Street <br />
Atlanta GA 30334 <br />
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Dear Governor Deal,<br />
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I have the deepest respect for anyone who puts on a uniform and is prepared to defend the rights and freedoms of the citizens of this great nation of ours. Your Georgian roots run deep, and you have a long history of service to your state and your country, via the military, the judicial system, and your long political career. You’ve been one of the lucky ones to live the American dream. An education, a beautiful family, and a fulfilling career have all found their way on to the timeline of your life.<br />
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Unfortunately, many of the men and women who place an American uniform on their backs do not end up living the American dream, their lives turn into the American nightmare.<b><span style="color: blue;"> </span><a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-11-07-homeless-veterans_N.htm" style="background-color: white; color: blue;" target="_blank">Veterans make up 11% of the adult population in our country and 25% of the homeless population.</a></b> Many homeless veterans die alone and forgotten, and don’t receive the honor and military burial that they deserve. All too often their families never know what happened to them.<br />
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Across America the forgotten cremated remains of our veterans are sitting on the storage shelves of funeral homes. Some of them have been there for decades. Veterans organizations such as the <b style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.miap.us/" target="_blank">Missing In America Project</a></b><span style="color: blue;"> </span>are researching the unclaimed cremains of funeral homes, identifying which ones are veterans and arranging military burials for them. Forensic genealogists at organizations such as <b><a href="http://www.familiesforforgottenheroes.org/" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Families For Forgotten Heroes</a></b> go to work and identify the living next of kin of these veterans to notify them of the death and burial of their hero. The story of a veteran's life is not complete until they have received their military burial and their families have been found.<br />
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Deceased homeless veterans also end up in the morgues of Coroners and Medical Examiners. The issue of the unclaimed dead (civilian and veteran) is experiencing increasing numbers. This has caused a huge burden on tax payer dollars, as counties must take over the responsibility of the expense of burial when families can’t be found. A group of volunteer forensic genealogists at <b><a href="http://www.unclaimedpersons.org/" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Unclaimed Persons</a></b> assist coroners and medical examiners with finding the next of kin of unclaimed deceased people, so that families can be notified and make arrangements for the burial of their loved one.<br />
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Forensic Genealogists also assist <b><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5321487812009798011" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">JPAC - Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command</a></b>, with their mission of accounting for Americans lost during past U.S. conflicts. When the remains of our missing American heroes are found, the remains are sent to the JPAC lab in Hawaii. Forensic Genealogists assist JPAC by identifying living next of kin of these heroes, so that DNA samples may be taken to match families with the remains. It’s a very emotional experience, to see a widow or a child of our military from past conflicts finally receive the closure they have longed for! <br />
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Forensic Genealogists can not do the work they do without access to records and documents. I have been following the story of the closing of the Georgia State Archives with great interest. The closing of those archives will inhibit the ability to find the families of the above mentioned veterans, when they or their families have ties to Georgia. <br />
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On behalf of those veterans, I implore you to find the means to keep the Georgia State Archives open to the public for the rest of this year, and in January work with the leaders of your state to find additional funding to return the archives to being open at least 5 days per week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT48Q81EYpmdeTYihbBndS4ZalBfzeJoZnzQXuq3tkTYbKMdsCnng3Lvup4tLjfTkomdWUI_NyTbCV7sLgVKCr06cDkV6cjDuW8HgCi-mzI3vjXS-3mRu0bthuIatNNfBTfX9uRUmNpTGZ/s1600/Deal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT48Q81EYpmdeTYihbBndS4ZalBfzeJoZnzQXuq3tkTYbKMdsCnng3Lvup4tLjfTkomdWUI_NyTbCV7sLgVKCr06cDkV6cjDuW8HgCi-mzI3vjXS-3mRu0bthuIatNNfBTfX9uRUmNpTGZ/s1600/Deal.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/DealforGovernor2010/timeline/story?ut=32&wstart=-107888400&wend=-105210001&hash=10150604220641525&pagefilter=3&ustart=1" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Nathan Deal</a></b></div>
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Look into the eyes of yourself, the soldier from a few years ago. One nasty twist of fate, could have turned your life from the American Dream to the American Nightmare. You could have ended up as one of those unclaimed, unhonored, forgotten heroes. PLEASE help us keep access to the treasures in your state archives, so that forensic genealogists can continue their work to return each and every soldier of our country to their families!<br />
<br />
Sincerely Yours,<br />
<br />
Kim “Skip” Murray<br />
Genealogy Team Leader (Retired), Research Volunteer - Families For Forgotten Heroes<br />
Co-Director (Retired), Research Volunteer - Unclaimed Persons<br />
8807 Gwynn Lane<br />
Brainerd, MN 56401<br />
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To those of you who are checking out my blog, if you wish to help in the efforts to save public access to the Georgia Archives, here are some resources you might find helpful:<br />
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<a href="http://www.fogah.org/" target="_blank">Friends of Georgia Archives & History</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiansAgainstClosingStateArchives" target="_blank">Georgians Against Closing State Archives</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public" target="_blank">Petition to save the archives</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/occupy-genealogy/sample-letters/408409069206974" target="_blank">Need ideas on how to write a letter? Check out these examples!</a><br />
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<br />Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-37209228404377301402012-10-02T13:54:00.002-05:002012-10-02T13:54:37.124-05:00What I'd Love for my Birthday!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
My Birthday wish list………..</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A hug from my Granddaughter, hubby, and son.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
CAKE!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My genealogy friends to send a letter to or call the
governor of Georgia (cc the Secretary of State) and tell them why the state
archives should remain open.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
RPAC, FGS, AGP, NGS, GAGP, ICAPgen, BCG, NIGS, CAFG, etc. to
submit letters to the governor of Georgia (cc the Secretary of State) and tell
them why the state archives should remain open. List of letter writers would
include any genealogy / lineage societies, associations, or organizations.
Hopefully, a portion of this wish is already done and I just don’t know about
the letters. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A job. Would be nice
to find full time with benefits at a place where I can put a smile on peoples’
faces, help others, make the world a better place. A job where I can be helpful
and useful. Any job will do, but a rewarding job would be awesome!!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One last wish….and that’s for anyone reading this to do a
Random Act of Kindness on Oct. 3. Be nice to someone, make their day better. It
is as easy as sharing a smile, a hug, or opening the door for someone. Pay for
someone’s coffee, donate to the food shelf, help a family with a sick child,
the options are endless when it comes to being kind to others.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank-you for being a part of my day!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Skip</div>
Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-76162578200150802312012-09-24T16:33:00.001-05:002012-09-24T16:39:55.076-05:00Do We Have A Voice?<div style="text-align: left;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
I am spending a busy day searching for blog posts about the Georgia Archives, the SSDI, and other records access issues that are of interest to the genealogy community. I came across this post <a href="http://www.archivesnext.com/?p=3049" target="_blank">Some good news for Georgia State Archives, but bad news (that’s not really news) in a larger sense</a> and a comment by Steve Ammidown hit me in the gut with a large boulder. He said... </blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white;">
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="comment-body">
"Let me start by saying that I’m a first
semester student in archives, and a newbie to SAA, so I’m sure these
conversations have been had before. </div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="background-color: white;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="comment-body">
Coming from an activist and non-profit background, I was surprised to
learn that SAA does not include a 501(c)(4) component, and that there
wasn’t generally a lot of organized advocacy around archives on a
national level. Changing this seems like it should be a top priority
for the community. But how do we sell it? How do we push a normally
reticent profession out of the shadows?</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="comment-body">
There’s one clear answer- it’s about our jobs. Nobody is going to
stand up for archivists, be they professionals or students, if we don’t
stand up for ourselves. The recent discussion on the SNAP listserv about
hiring data for new archivists got me thinking about this. While data
is great and useful and essential, it is no substitute for raising our
voices. Waiting for the people of Georgia or any other state to
recognize the power and necessity of archives is only going to lead to
more layoffs, or more jobs going unfilled when others retire.</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div class="comment-body">
Since all this Georgia stuff has started, I’ve found lots of great
archivists rabblerousing for the profession through Twitter and Tumblr
and other sources, and that fills me with hope. But without
organization, and lobby days, and talking points, these will continue to
be voices in the wilderness, and we will end up reacting to a crisis
like Georgia instead of heading it off.</div>
</blockquote>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="background-color: white;">
<div class="comment-body">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
As I said, forgive me if I’m sounding a bit naive here. But I’ve
really come to love the archives profession, and I see a place for it in
the future, no matter how digital the world becomes. I just want to
make sure that we can see that through."</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hmmmmmmmm, I wonder if anyone else is hearing bells? If you replace all the references above from archive / archivists to genealogy / genealogists, do you feel that maybe our community is also "a normally reticent profession"? We have some cells out in our community that do an excellent job of making their members aware of legislative issues and giving people suggestions on how to take action. <a href="http://networkedblogs.com/CsdJt" target="_blank">The MGC Sentinel</a> is a fantastic example, and there are others. But have we as a community formed ourselves into a well oiled advocacy machine that functions efficiently on a national / international level? Is there anything in our community that fills the "fearless leader" shoes? Are we a team? Do we need to be? Do we want to be?</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Judy G. Russell, our beloved <a href="http://legalgenealogist.com/" target="_blank">Legal Genealogist</a> wrote a post a while back about the SSDI where she encouraged us to <a href="http://legalgenealogist.com/blog/2012/05/21/up-off-our-duffs/" target="_blank">get off our duffs</a>. I'm thinking it was very good advice, and maybe all of us as a community should take it. </blockquote>
Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-56991201592125833652012-09-24T13:55:00.001-05:002012-09-24T13:55:21.188-05:00Our Tree Became A Forest: Am I In The Dark Or Are Genealogy Societies MIA?<a href="http://ourtreebecameaforest.blogspot.com/2012/09/am-i-in-dark-or-are-genealogy-societies.html">Our Tree Became A Forest: Am I In The Dark Or Are Genealogy Societies MIA?</a>Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-58079461489789163062012-09-24T13:47:00.000-05:002012-09-24T14:03:15.624-05:00Am I In The Dark Or Are Genealogy Societies MIA? ~ Georgia ArchivesI have to be honest with you.... every time I hear of the genealogy
community losing access to records, my undies get in a huge bunch. I get
riled! I believe in freedom of information. It seems in politics, one of 2 things happen - bills get passed when politicians make deals with each other to vote for each others bills, or the people of this country get fed up, turn into squeaky wheels, and demand their voices be heard. I think each time we are at risk of losing a resource, we need to make a deal to speak up for our whole community, even if that particular resource is one you think you'd never use. Only by putting together large enough numbers and making enough noise, will we succeed in keeping access to records.<br />
<br />
By now thousands of us in genealogy land have heard the sad news that the Georgia State Archives will no longer have hours where they are open to the public. In a <a href="http://www.fogah.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/kemp_pressrelease_2012-09-13.pdf" target="_blank">press release</a> issued September 13th, the reason for the closing was given as a need to abide by a budget cut ordered by the governor of Georgia. There are many reasons why the closing of the archives is wrong, and it's not just because it affects our ability as genealogists to do our work. Those archives are used by citizens to monitor their government, it is used by attorneys, historians, teachers, students, journalists, writers, and movie producers. It boosts the economy of the area it is in. <br />
<br />
It has been 11 days since the announcement of the archives closing. I am very impressed by the outpouring of support, and the indignant outcry by people from several vocations. Individuals (not just genealogists) have spread the word, signed the <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public" target="_blank">petition</a>, and written letters. It is my hope that <a href="http://www.fgs.org/rpac/" target="_blank">RPAC</a>,
the group that represents the genealogy community will soon have an
action plan post and will submit a letter to the Governor and Secretary
of State of Georgia. While genealogists wait for RPAC to have
time to do so, the <a href="http://fogah.org/" target="_blank">Friends of Georgia Archives and History</a> are doing a great job with updates.<br />
<br />
Honestly, it is my hope that <b>HUNDREDS</b> of genealogy societies and
lineage organizations will submit letters to the powers that be of
Georgia. There are several other organizations who have moved quickly
and already have their letters submitted. They are very professional letters from some very impressive organizations. A few that I am aware of are: <a href="http://files.archivists.org/advocacy/GA-Archives-Closure_091912.pdf" target="_blank">Society of American Archivists</a>, <a href="http://blog.historians.org/news/1738/aha-responds-to-georgia-state-archives-closure" target="_blank">American Historical Association</a>, <a href="http://www.oah.org/news/09212012-NCH-GA-Archives.pdf" target="_blank">National Coalition for History</a> (representing American Association for State & Local History, American Historical Association, Association for Documentary Editing, <br />
Association of Centers for the Study of Congress, Council of State Archivists, History Associates, Inc., National Council on Public History, Organization of American Historians, Southern Historical Association, Society for Military History, Society of American Archivists), <a href="http://www.conservators-converse.org/2012/09/aic-responds-to-the-closing-of-georgia-state-archives-to-the-public/" target="_blank">American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works</a>, and <a href="http://gla.georgialibraries.org/Execminutes/Joint%20Letter%20to%20Gov%20Deal%20Opposing%20Closing%20State%20Archives.pdf" target="_blank">GAIT, GLA, and GLMA</a>. It concerns me that NO genealogy societies are part of this list, and I hope it's because I'm just not aware of them!!!<br />
<br />
People from around the world have signed the <a href="https://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public" target="_blank">PETITION</a> to save the archives. If you haven't done so yet, I hope you will add your name to the over 15,000 supporters who have signed it so far. And then, I hope you help spread the word by using e-mail and all your favorite social media sites. If you're a blogger, we'd all love to see what you have to say. <u><i><b>The most important thing you can do is send a good old fashioned letter to the Governor and Secretary of State of Georgia.</b></i></u> If you need examples of letters to give you ideas on how to write one, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a> has compiled a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/notes/occupy-genealogy/sample-letters/408409069206974" target="_blank">list of sample letters.</a><br />
<br />
If you'd like to help fight to save the archives <a href="http://accheritage.blogspot.com/2012/09/what-you-can-do-about-closing-of.html" target="_blank">click here for a list of actions you can take.</a> Everyone's voice is important, you don't have to be from Georgia!<br />
<br />
Please show your support by liking the facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiansAgainstClosingStateArchives" target="_blank">Georgians Against Closing the State Archives</a>.<a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank"><br /></a><br />
<br />
Whether your genealogy is a hobby, a profession, or a tool you use to
give back to mankind, please speak up and let your voice be heard. If
Georgia succeeds in taking the archives away from the public as an easy
fix to a budget problem (even though they have money for a new stadium
and to spend oodles of money on a well for a private resort owned by a
contributor to the Governor), we can expect that other states will
follow suit!!!!!<br />
<br />
If you'd like to read more blogs with this theme, check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/141047412707104/" target="_blank">Tell 'em Tuesday</a> where a list is being compiled of known blogs about this subject. I'm sure you could also use your favorite search engine to locate blogs that didn't get added to the list. This event is hosted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GenealogyCalendarOfEvents" target="_blank">Genealogy Calendar of Events</a><br />
<br />
Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-72153238663741134362012-02-02T21:10:00.000-06:002012-02-02T21:10:04.455-06:00Thriller Thursday - Clara Ober - Murder or Suicide? Part 2Aug 8, 1895<br />
Blue Earth Post<br />
Faribault Co., MN, USA<br />
<br />
Brother and Wife Visit Freund<br />
<br />
On Sunday forenoon, a brother of Mr. Jacob FREUND, who is confined in the jail at this place on the charge of being implicated in the murder of Clara OBER, was visited by a brother whom he had not seen for ten years and also by his wife.<br />
<br />
At first the deputy sheriff did not know whether to admit them, but Attorney CRAY being present they were admitted to talk to the prisoner.<br />
<br />
When the brothers first met and greeted each other by shaking hands through the bars, Mr. FREUND said, "I suppose you did not expect ever to see me in such a place?" He replied that he did not and both were visibly affected<br />
-- Mankato Review<br />
<br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Aug. 8 1895<br />
Blue Earth Post<br />
Faribault Co., MN, USA<br />
<br />
In an interview with the Mankato Review Jacob FREUND lays the charge of his arrest to the feeling between the saloon and anti-saloon element in Blue Earth City. The saloon question was not thought of in connection with the affair. Both the license and anti-license people were united in suspicioning his complicity with the death of Clara OBER, by reason of the long-continued circumstances that culminated on that fatal night, while not a few of both sides were in doubt as to which horn of the dilemma to choose - suicide or murder. The question of license or no-license for the present year was settled at the polls in April. What interests the entire community now is, was Clara OBER murdered, and if so, by whom? The people are asking, who but one could have any motive for the cruel deed, and did he do it? It is very shrewd in Jacob FREUND to attempt to gain the sympathy and partisanship of the local saloon or license party in his favor. That element would hang him just as quick as the other if there can be found evidence enough to convict him. If he is not guilty the no-license people would not hang him. But guilty or not guilty it is the united sentiment of the citizens of Blue Earth City, to speak ironically, that his usefulness here is ended.Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-64268836403008958412012-02-01T09:58:00.002-06:002012-02-01T10:14:54.660-06:00Wedding Wednesday - The Tom Boy Becomes A Mrs.I've been a tomboy most of my life. As a child, most of my friends were boys. Girls did boring stuff like play with Barbies. Boys did fun stuff like climb trees and play with cars. I spent my teenage years as "one of the guys". I could fix cars and ride motorcycles. Many girls hated me during those years, because I was with the guys more than them. Little did they know, that while they were going on dates, I very rarely was on a real date, because the guys never thought of me that way. They just had me hang out with them like any of the other guys.<br />
<br />
When I finally got around to dating in my late teen's and early 20's, I turned into a loser magnet. If there was a bad guy out there to date, I found them. I don't know how my mother managed to survive those years! During those years, I found out I can't have children. Then I got in a really bad relationship that proved to be dangerous to my survival. To get in the last word, I took my boyfriends motorcycle and parked in the motorcycle parking lot at a police station, put pictures of my bruised body in an envelope with a letter saying this bike belonged to a woman beater. I packed my bags and disappeared. I moved to Pillager, MN and for a while lived with my grandparents at their lake place. I transferred from my waitress job at Perkins to the Brainerd Perkins and I started my life over. I ended up working 3 jobs at one time, and drinking way too much. And my pattern of choosing bad boys continued.<br />
<br />
I made some really good friends amongst my customers and co-workers at Perkins. One of them was Cynthia. For the first time in my life, I really felt bonded to a female friend. She was so cool. I idolized her. She was beautiful with the most amazing eyes. She had her own style of dressing and she was such a free spirit. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind or tell anyone the truth. At that time in my life, the truth was what I needed to hear. She helped me come out of my shell and find myself. She made me feel like I was a good person.<br />
<br />
One nice thing about my relationship with Cynthia is that we had total opposite taste in men, so there was never any competition between us over guys. We were never attracted to the same ones. I remember telling her about this dream that I had been having over and over. It was about this guy, and he made me very happy. He made me feel safe. He made me feel loved. In my dream, I ended up spending my life with him. Cynthia used to call him my "Fantasy Man" and she'd laugh and tell me I should look for a real man.<br />
<br />
One night, Cynthia and I were having coffee at Perkins. We'd been out socializing and it was very late - more like early in the morning! I looked across the restaurant and almost had a heart attack! I became very excited and I told Cynthia that my Fantasy Man was there! There was a guy sitting a few booths down that looked just like the man in my dreams. She turned around and looked, and was appalled! She said "Oh yuck, that is Mark! I dated him once and went to a Charley Daniels concert. He kisses like a fish and all he can talk about is cars." I knew right then and there that if Cynthia didn't like him, he might be a match for me!<br />
<br />
I told my friend, Brian, about Mark. Brian ended up getting a job where Mark works. On March 14, 1984 Brian and Mark came into Perkins for coffee when they got off work. When I was done working, Brian invited me to join them. We all talked for a while and then Brian went home. Mark and I sat there drinking coffee and talking until 6 a.m. We have been together ever since. I knew, he was the one for me.<br />
<br />
Mark liked all the things I liked, motorcycles, hotrods, and racing. He had a dark side, a sadness you could see in his eyes. A distrust for anything that smacked of love. I learned he was married for the first time as a teenager. They had a beautiful little girl that died from SIDS. They divorced and Mark married again. This time to a lady who had 2 children. Mark and her had a daughter. He came home from work one day and his wife and kids were gone. He wife left him for another man. He made it very clear to me that he never wanted kids again and he would never marry again. People change the day you get married and he was never going through it again.<br />
<br />
I was "safe" because I couldn't have kids. I told him I didn't care what the doctors said I told Mark I firmly believed that if I ever got my life together and ended up with the right man, God would give me 1 child. It would be a boy and he'd have blond hair, blue eyes, and freckles. In 1985, God blessed Mark and I with that boy. And yes, he had blond hair and blue eyes - the freckles didn't come until later. Our son is our only child. And I'm grateful for him everyday.<br />
<br />
Mark held on to his idea of never marrying again. We lived together, we were happy together, and most people assumed we were married. After a few years, it started to make me very sad that we weren't married. One day, we were watching TV and they showed these people going through the drive-thru chapel on motorcycles getting married in Las Vegas. I bust out laughing! I told Mark if we ever get married, that is what we should do, it was so "us". He thought it was funny too.<br />
<br />
Fast forward to 2004. Mark and I had now been together for 20 years. In October, Mark got us a very nice suite at a hotel with a big jacuzzi in the room. It was my birthday gift. It was so relaxing! We were sitting on the couch watching TV and I looked at him and noticed a tear rolling down his cheek. He was staring at me. All of a sudden, he took my hand and told me he needed to ask me something. He then asked me the oddest question........ He asked me if I'd go through the drive-thru with him. I was confused and my mind raced. Drive-thru? He doesn't like McDonald's, we don't use the drive-thru cleaners and we didn't have any prescriptions that could be picked up at the drive-thru pharmacy. Drive-thru? He just sat there and stared at me. OMG! A light went off in my head and I began to cry. "That Drive-thru?" I said. "YES, that Drive-thru!" he said. He was asking me to marry him!!!!! He told me to pick the date and we'd go to Vegas and get married.<br />
<br />
Well, after waiting 20 years to be his wife, I wasn't going to wait around and give him time to change his mind! I knew there was an NHRA National Event drag race at the end of them month in Vegas, so I picked going there then. That way, we could go to the races on our honeymoon. We were married Oct. 26, 2004. It's kind of cool, because I celebrate 2 anniversaries every year. March 14, the anniversary of our 1st day together and Oct., 26, our wedding anniversary. At 21 years together, it was 1 year anniversary. Makes it very easy to keep track of the years. I have to let you in on a little secret, Mark remembers our wedding anniversary every year... well sort of. He has it in his head we married on the 27th. So he always wishes me Happy Anniversary on the 27th. I just let him remember it that way, at least he remembers! It's kinda funny, and I'm hoping all of you keep my secret!<br />
<br />
In many ways, the way we got married was sad for family and friends. They couldn't be with us to share our special day. Mark hates being the center of attention, so I asked everyone not to through us a reception or party when we came home. I didn't want to start out with him going through something he didn't like. I know everyone was with us in spirit and I know everyone was happy for us.<br />
<br />
Mark was right about people changing the day they get married. He has changed. He treats me even more like a queen than he did before we got married. He still kisses me everyday. He still has a glow in his eyes when he looks at me. He just seems like his love grows and changes everyday. I am happy. I feel loved.<br />
<br />
If I ever lecture you and tell you that anything worth having is worth waiting for, I speak the truth. I waited 20 long years and ended up with the man of my dreams!Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-34552353556118813772012-01-31T14:36:00.000-06:002012-01-31T14:36:35.793-06:00Tuesday's Tip - Get Involved!It does not matter if today is the first day of your genealogy adventure, or if you've been researching for 50 years. There is always new tricks and skills to be learned. The best way to learn is to get involved with others in the genealogy community. Facebook is a great place to "meet" other genealogists. There are many interesting groups on facebook. They are full of people who will share your passion for what you do. You will make new friends, you'll find people with similar research interests, and you will find people you can help and others who can help you. You will learn of educational opportunities like conferences, webinars, and new books. I'm amazed at the wonderful friends I've made via our facebook relationships and have been blessed with fun and knowledgeable mentors that I never would have met if I hadn't have started to take advantage of Social Networking.<br />
<br />
Being on facebook has led me to groups where I can learn to improve my research skills while helping mankind. My 2 favorites are <a href="https://www.facebook.com/familiesforforgottenheroes" target="_blank">Families For Forgotten Heroes</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/UnclaimedPersons" target="_blank">Unclaimed Persons</a>. I've joined a group called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a> where I can learn of issues that might hinder my ability to do my genealogy research and what I can do about it. Facebook has given me the opportunity to learn about blogging and it was fun to join other bloggers who share the genealogy passion at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Geneabloggers" target="_blank">Geneabloggers</a>. You will find facebook pages for Genealogical Societies, Ethnic Group research, research in a geographic area, genealogy based on religions, the sky is the limit on facebook. Just use the search engine and a whole new world will open up to you!<br />
<br />
I hope to see YOU on facebook! You can find me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/imaracingmom" target="_blank">my facebook page</a>.Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-9277649672011759682012-01-30T11:36:00.001-06:002012-01-30T11:37:05.020-06:00Amanuensis Monday - Ferdinand E. Eberlein - Feb. 18, 1863 - Civil War<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>Camp near Germantown<br />
February 18, 1863<br />
Dear Parents, <br />
<br />
Today I received your esteemed letter dated the 4th of this month in good health, thank God. I received a very disturbing letter from brother Eduard on the 10th of this month saying that he volunteered to join the soldiers (this must be a mistake), that he left everything with strangers, which I don't like at all, people I don't know, but your letter made me feel better and gave me new courage. Your letters mean so much to me. <br />
<br />
I sent Eduard 85 dollars for construction and to buy young farm animals; he does not say what he did with it and I wrote several letters to him with enclosures, but he does not answer. Could you please check on what is happening? Soon I will have that much money again, which I will send to you as soon as I have a chance. <br />
<br />
I'm taking care of the three highest ranking officers in the company and receive something extra per month, I eat good food while we are in camp, and I don't have too many occasions to spend money here. I am glad that you gave me my brother Georg's address. I will write him a letter as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
We are now in this camp the second week and I don't know when we will be leaving here. We will definitively go to Vicksburg where I might go see my brother. The first of this month I saw Martin Kiefer in German Town and Memphis. He is doing well. So far I have not been in a battle. <br />
<br />
In December 1862 and January we went marching, over Christmas and New Year's. We had a hard time and came within one mile to the rebels, but they escaped from our path. We marched over battlefields were I saw the graves and blood on the earth, trees destroyed by bullets, dead horses on mass. And now while I am writing this letter I can hear the canons not far from here. I could write so much more but time does not allow it. <br />
<br />
So I have to close this letter, wishing you all the best and hoping that this war will soon come to an end and that I will see you all again.<br />
<br />
Your eternally devoted son, <br />
Ferdinand E. Eberlein <br />
Company C 5th Regt Minn, Vols <br />
Memphis, Tennessee <br />
<br />
I am awaiting an answer soon and good news. </i></div>Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-81907693330604011912012-01-29T10:15:00.000-06:002012-01-29T10:15:28.457-06:00Sunday's Post is CANCELLED!I promised myself that I would make an honest effort to post something everyday. Well, today's post is that <span style="background-color: yellow;">today's post is cancelled</span>. There is much work to be done and protecting the SSDI is way more important than improving my writing skills. Because if the government puts a nail in the genealogy coffin, it becomes pointless to work to become certified in this field.<br />
<br />
Please, join us over at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a> and start educating yourself about these issues! And then, let the letter writing begin! This is one of those projects that needs your attention NOW. If you wait a few weeks to deal with it, you just might not have the SSDI to help you in your research.Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-2316773135665131132012-01-28T14:19:00.004-06:002012-01-28T15:34:18.117-06:00Society Saturday - Save the SSDIPlease spread the word amongst the Genealogy Societies that you participate in that action is needed <u><b>NOW</b></u> for people to write to their Senators and Representatives that we need to protect our right to access the SSDI. Some misguided negative publicity has made certain Senators believe that they can end identity theft if we can no longer access the SSDI. This is WRONG WRONG WRONG. <br />
<br />
We need everyone who has an interest in Genealogy - be it personal or professional, so take action! Don't leave this for somebody else. <span style="background-color: yellow;">YOUR VOICE COUNTS</span>! Send a letter, fax or e-mail to your Representatives and Senators. Put it on the facebook page or twitter page or google+ page of your Representatives and Senators.<br />
<br />
This website will give you info about the Feb. 2, 2012 meeting with the Ways and Means Committee. <a href="http://waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=276834" target="_blank">Chairman Johnson Announces a Hearing on Social Security's Death Records</a> . There is info towards the bottom of that press release on how to submit your letter to this committee.<br />
<br />
The top right of this page will give you a search for your <a href="http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm" target="_blank">Senators</a> and this one will give you a search for your <a href="http://www.house.gov/representatives/" target="_blank">Representatives</a> . <br />
<br />
I first learned of this when I read the article written by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak <a href="http://megansmolenyak.posterous.com/are-we-going-to-lose-the-social-security-deat" target="_blank">Are We Going To Lose The SSDI?</a> Inside and outside of genealogy, the SSDI / MDF is a valuable tool that helps us do good things all over the world!<br />
<br />
If you need ideas on what you could put in your letter, please check out <a href="http://www.fgs.org/rpac/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/talking-points-on-why-genealogists-need-social-security-death-index-final.pdf" target="_blank">Talking Points on Why Genealogists need the SSDI</a> You might have to scroll down the page a ways to find it. Stay abreast of the latest developments by keeping an eye on RPAC's website and with the facebook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/occupygenealogy" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a> and on the <a href="http://www.occupygenealogy.com/index.html" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy Website</a> .<br />
<br />
To those of you who are members of <a href="http://www.unclaimed-persons.org/forums/index.php" target="_blank">Unclaimed Persons</a> and <a href="http://www.familiesforforgottenheroes.org/" target="_blank">Families For Forgotten Heroes</a> loosing the SSDI would be a major blow to the work we do.<br />
<br />
Please, share this info via e-mail, facebook, twitter, google+, I don't care, even smoke signals. Just spread the word! You can copy anything from this blog post you want.Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-56889939659310966522012-01-26T21:25:00.000-06:002012-01-26T21:25:30.039-06:00Family Recipe Friday - Sloppy JoesI come from a long line of this and that kind of cooks. Many recipes don't have any measurements. Such is the case for these sloppy joes.<br />
<br />
I've made these Sloppy Joes for picnics, pot lucks, showers and funerals. People usually really like them. When my son was young, he used to have a lot of fun waiting for someone to say they like them and then he'd tell them they had Diet Coke in them. He liked to watch the surprised look on people's faces! <br />
<br />
Brown some hamburger. You can brown a veggie with it if you want (onions, peppers, celery). When the burger is good and brown, drain the fat and season the meat with something. (salt, pepper, maybe some BBQ spice or a little garlic powder). Add equal amounts of ketchup and some kind of diet pop (Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper, or even root beer - just make sure it's diet). Add one drop of mustard if you only cooked a pound of burger, more mustard if you cooked more. Open the bag of brown sugar and grab about a golf ball size of a clump and mix it in with everything else. Simmer until it's thick. Serve on buns.Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-5396650060927734802012-01-26T18:36:00.000-06:002012-01-26T18:36:05.299-06:00Thriller Thursday - Clara Ober - Murder or Suicide? Clara Ober was the niece of my Gr. Great Grandma <b>Anna Dorethea Lottine EBERLEIN</b><br />
<b>**********</b><br />
<b> </b><br />
Blue Earth Post<br />
1 AUG 1895<br />
<br />
Was It Suicide?<br />
<br />
Miss Clara Ober's Body Found Floating in Blue Earth River Just Below the Old Dam - Great Excitement in Blue Earth City - Arrest of Jacob Fruend.<br />
<br />
Blue Earth City is passing through the throes of one of the most exciting periods in its history. Tuesday morning it was found that Clara OBER had left her bed at the residence of her uncle, Henry EBERLEIN, on Fourth street, some time during the night or early morning and by a note found it was feared she had left with suicidal intent. The marshal and her relatives instituted a search which was kept up all forenoon but unavailing. After dinner the fire bell was sounded and, upon the assembling of our people, searching parties were formed and sent out in every direction. The first party to find her was to send word to the city engineer who was to sound three long fire whistles. In less than an hour the whistle was sounded. Her body had been found floating in the Blue Earth river just below the dam north of town. In the absence of a coroner, the body was taken in charge by CONINGS Brothers who conveyed it to their undertaking rooms. Coroner HUMES was sent for and it was found that he was absent in the East on a visit. His address was obtained and, in answer to a telegram, he appointed Dr. FRANKLIN deputy late Tuesday evening. Great Excitement prevailed upon our streets during the afternoon and evening. At about 10 o'clock Henry EBERLEIN swore out a warrant for the arrest of Jacob FREUND and he was locked up and the next morning taken to Mankato. During the evening an exciting crowd gathered in town and many threats were made, but cool judgment prevailed and nothing was done further than a few cases of lawlessness in breaking in the windows to Freund's saloon and restaurant. We advance no theories and refrain from comment because the coroner's jury is in session as we go to press, farther than to say that from the position in which the body is said to have been found in the water, the theory is advanced that death occurred before drowning, and the fact that a quilt which is missing from her bedroom and is supposed to have been taken by her as a wrapping instead of her apparel, none of which she took with her, cannot be found, is commented upon as pointing to outside parties, and perhaps foul play. Let us keep cool and allow the law take its course, and to that end we refrain, for the present, from publishing any of the circumstances that led up to the sad death.<br />
<br />
The funeral will probably occur Thursday, but no details have yet been arranged.<br />
<br />
The unfortunate mother of the dead girl has the deep sympathy of the entire community and bears up under this terrible affliction much better than was feared.<br />
<br />
The following are the jurors summoned for the inquest: A. G. MAAS, David FREER, M. B. PARKER, Alex ANDERSON, Henry COLE, J. A. VAN SLYKE.<br />
<br />
*************<br />
(Capitalization of last names was done by me)<br />
~ SkipSkip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-17051107275412976272012-01-25T12:29:00.000-06:002012-01-25T12:29:08.415-06:00Wisdom Wednesday - Pay It ForwardEven those of us in the Genealogy Community who are amateurs have developed skills as researchers. Most of us enjoy what we do and are passionate about our "hobby". Regardless if you are a pro or an amateur, I encourage you to take the skills you've learned and use them to pay it forward. Do look-ups for people, or volunteer to do indexing, or help out at your local historical or genealogy society. Help newbies learn the tricks of the trade so they can share the joy you've known at discovering long lost cousins. Help make the world a better place by using your skills to bring peace and closure to others. Volunteer with groups such as <a href="http://www.unclaimed-persons.org/forums/index.php" target="_blank">Unclaimed Persons</a> who help coroners find the next of kin of people who have passed away with no family by their side or with <a href="http://www.familiesforforgottenheroes.org/" target="_blank">Families For Forgotten Heroes</a> who find the next of kin of Unclaimed Veterans. The gift of volunteering your time will improve your research skills, will allow you to make new friends in the genealogy community, and you will be making the world a better place by allowing a family to finally know what has happened to their missing loved ones. Help protect our right to access vital records by becoming a member of <a href="http://www.occupygenealogy.com/" target="_blank">Occupy Genealogy</a>. There are many ways in life to pay forward the skills we have honed. I promise, you will never regret your efforts to go out there and be an ambassador of good will while you represent the Genealogy Community!<br />
~ SkipSkip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-82999068075920501822012-01-24T11:57:00.000-06:002012-01-24T11:57:07.091-06:00Travel Tuesday - My Trip To Germany<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">I had a distant cousin named David Anacker. He was the nicest man! He loved his family so much and had one of the biggest hearts on the planet earth!!! Twice, he honored me with a trip to Seattle, WA to attend the Anacker family reunion. The second reunion was not only for the Anacker family, but for anyone who’s family roots traced back to Breitungen, Germany. (Formerly the 3 towns of Herrenbreitungen, Altenbreitungen and Frauenbreitungen). He was my co-conspirator to have distant cousins who did not know each other, meet for the first time at that reunion. The Anacker family knows how to throw a reunion and we all had a blast!!!!</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">We announced at that reunion that the next time we held a reunion for the Decedents of Breitungen families, it would be held in Breitungen at the 1075<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebration of that community. Yes, 1075! We here in America do not have the sense of roots that our German cousins have, who have lived in their communities for countless generations. I was excited about the reunion in Germany, but knew I would not be attending, because I could never afford such a trip. David promised my cousin, Jeanne Eberlein-Burmeister and I that we would be going to the reunion in Germany, he was going to make sure that we got there.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A few years later David was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Many of us were saddened at the thought of losing David. He was so looking forward to all of us going to Germany the next year, and now, it appeared he would not be going. It is so hard to live many states away from someone when you know it is time to say good-bye to them, and you have no way of seeing them again.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">While all of this was going on, I bought a raffle ticket to for a fund-raiser at a local private school in our area. My boss’s kids go to that school and every year, I would buy a ticket. Money was a bit tight that year, so instead of using my “mad” money, I wrote a check for it out of my husband’s and mine household account. </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">A month after we learned of David’s diagnosis of cancer, he passed away. You could tell how much he was loved, because there were many of us who were deeply saddened to hear of his passing. He touched so many lives. My heart ached for his kids, who adored their father.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">The day after David passed away, the school I bought the raffle ticket from held their fundraiser. To my delight, I won a $2500 travel voucher from Bursch Travel here in Brainerd. I now had to tell my hubby I spent $100 on a ticket, because I won. He was thrilled I won. I told him being as I spent his money, I thought we should use it and go on a dream trip, like the Daytona 500 or the Indy 500. I’m married to the sweetest man on earth, and with tears flowing down his cheeks, he looked at me and said our dream trip could wait, because I have a bigger dream. He said David promised me I would go to the reunion in Germany, and my hubby felt that David just made sure it would happen!! </span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Going to Germany is one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It was a very happy time to be there. I took David’s picture with me everywhere I went, so in a way, he could be on the trip with us. We went to church on Sunday, and I fought back the tears the whole time we were in church. To sit in the pews that my ancestors have sat in for over 400 years was a very emotional experience. I don’t speak German, and didn’t understand a word of the sermon, but it didn’t matter. I felt like I belonged there. I felt an empty place in my heart suddenly fill up with joy. I felt I belonged, and that I had finally come home.</span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">R.I.P David. I miss you very much! I will never forget you and I’ll never forget our trip to Germany. Thank-you for sending me there.</span></div>Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-89874202177684280312012-01-23T10:19:00.002-06:002012-01-23T10:25:29.283-06:00Amanuensis Monday - George Eberlein - Vicksburg June 18, 1863One of our family treasures is a set of letters written in German. We had a few of them translated. This one is from George Eberlein. Georg Eberlein was the brother of my gr. gr. grandmother, Anna Dorothea Lottine Eberlein Katzung. I have shared some of these letters here: <a href="http://www.pastvoices.com/usa/" target="_blank">The Olive Tree Genealogy - Past Voices</a><br />
~ Skip<br />
P.S. Most of the members of the family spell Anaker as Anacker <br />
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<br />
<i>Vicksburg,<br />
June 18, 1863 <br />
<br />
Dear Parents,<br />
<br />
As I am still alive and with a little time on my hands, I take a pen to write you some news. Yesterday we had a little bit of fun with the rebels as our people dug themselves into their bigger forts and filled them with powder. Yesterday we opened fire at 4 p.m. and waited until all the rebels came into their fort and then we tried to blow up the fort, one after the other. Twice we were repelled but the 3rd time we succeeded and planted our canons there right a way. <br />
<br />
Dear parents, many lives were lost, even though it did not look too terrible when we blew up the fort. One could see the rebels flying in the air and what was not shattered was burned. And in the coming days more shall be blown-up. I don't know yet how many death and injured we have. I am satisfied that with God's help I got out of it unharmed. The rebels should give up soon or they will all be blown to hell. They left Fort Heindson with 1300 prisoners but they will have to give them up soon as well. <br />
<br />
A person gets 1 pound of cornmeal for 3 days and a handful of beans, nothing else. That's why they will have to give up, they won't be able to make it long. We get as much as we can eat, ham and meat, beans, rice, sugar, and cheese, more than we can eat and enough crackers and flour. Only beer and brandy is not available. I have not heard from my brother Ferdinand yet and so far I have not gotten anything from you. <br />
<br />
Please answer me soon and send me some news. All the best to all of you. Greetings to Georg Anaker and please tell him to write me a letter, and say hello to all our friends from me. <br />
<br />
My address Georg Eberlein <br />
Co. K. <br />
29th Regt Wis Vols <br />
1. Br. <br />
Gen. Hovigs Division <br />
13th Army Corps <br />
Vicksburg </i>Skip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-72906211315436140852012-01-22T23:41:00.001-06:002012-01-22T23:51:47.139-06:00Purple IrisesMany years ago, when my Great Grandma, Mamie Helen Hubbard Carrier, passed away the family had a gravesite service in Princeton, MN. She had lived in a Nursing Home by St. Cloud for a long time, and had outlived most of her friends. Just about everyone there was related to her or her deceased husband.<br />
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There was an elderly lady there and none of the family knew her. When the service was over, the lady asked us to walk her to her car. In her car, she had several purple iris plants. She told us that when she was a young bride, her and her husband moved into the house next door to Mamie and Elmer Carrier in North Minneapolis. My Great Grandma dug up purple irises from her garden and gave them to this lady as a house warming gift. They lady still lived in that house and had grown those pretty purple flowers all these years! When she heard Mamie passed away, she dug up several of those flowers to give to family members as a memorial. What a sweet way to share a part of Mamie with all of us!<br />
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The story could have ended there and it would have been a really cool story. Fast forward to several years later, and I'm now into genealogy. Every year, I took my father in law to several cemeteries so we could put flowers and flags on the graves of his wife's family and the graves of his friends. One year, I decided to take a trip of my own and took a trip to Princeton to see if I could find the cemetery and the graves of Elmer and Mamie, and the grave of my Grandpa's sister, Phyllis, and her husband. The cemetery was easy to find, it's right off of Highway 169. I drove right to it! It is a nice cemetery and it's very well maintained. They have tarred all the little roads between the rows of graves and named each little road. They put up regular street signs at the ends of each road.<br />
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It was a real goose bump moment when to my delight, I discovered my Great Grandma is buried on Iris Lane!! All the roads in the cemetery have been named after flowers. No-one who is in charge of the cemetery knew the story of the lady who brought the purple irises to Mamie's funeral. Just seems to me that Mamie made sure to put the thought into someone's head to name her road after the comforting thought of a friendship that endured over many years and many miles. Each time I return to that cemetery, the "Iris Lane" sign brings a smile to my face and a warm glow to my heart. RIP Mamie, we've never forgotten you!<br />
<br />
~ SkipSkip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-26467952294020149422012-01-22T23:25:00.000-06:002012-01-22T23:25:00.082-06:00The Learning Curve Has Begun!Thank goodness this choice as a venue for blogging has lots of templates to choose from! No need to know HTML and things technical. It's been a click and explore experience, not real frustrating, and my new blog has been born!<br />
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The first thing I noticed is that depending on what templates a person chooses, with various layouts and color schemes, some choices are too busy and distracting, and other choices, due to the color, will rip your eyes right out of your head or the pages are hard to read. Guess I never made the observation before of what I like about certain webpages and blogs, but now that I've thought about it and played with it, how pleasing it is to the eyes is very important! I think the K.I.S.S. method will be very important in this venture!<br />
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~ SkipSkip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5321487812009798011.post-75160469959471276662012-01-22T21:30:00.000-06:002012-01-22T21:33:38.634-06:00Testing 1, 2, 3, 4 Testing!Well, here it is... my very first blog post. Times are changing and it's time for this Grandma to catch up. I haven't a clue as to what I'm doing, I'm learning as I click around.<br />
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As soon as I get it all figured out, it will be time to actually compose something. Thanks for stopping by!<br />
<br />
~ SkipSkip Murrayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09918735417131997475noreply@blogger.com0