A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

Hi there... I have started a new blog. Are you wondering why, when I already have two others? Hmm… 🤔 good question! The short answer is I had created one blog devoted to a favorite topic of mine...genealogy and the other... for anything else that I felt like writing about. If you're confused, you're not alone... I was, too. I'm new at this blogging stuff...so please bear with me. To simplify my life and make it easier on anyone that tries to follow or subscribe...I decided to combine the two original blogs into a new one, called... 'Through My Eyes." 

I have created a link that SHOULD automatically reroute posts from "Digging Up My Family Tree" and "Scribblings and Other Such Stuff" to my new blog... Through My Eyes. All of the work is on my end. You just need to sit back and enjoy reading it, but... just in case it doesn't work  😨😟… click on the link above and you'll be directed to the new blog.

When it opens... you can click on the blue and white  Follow button or... complete the 'Follow by Email' tab just below it. Once you've filled in your email address in the space provided, click Submit. You'll receive an email verification within a few minutes. Open the email, click on the word Subscribe and that's it. I do hope you'll want to continue following or subscribing to my blog. There are a couple of interesting, poignant and somewhat humorous posts coming up in the next few weeks and I'd love to share them with you. Thanks for reading!

TO BLOG OR NOT TO BLOG...

I started this blog as a way of getting rid of pent up frustrations. I like to write, so why not? Sounds simple, but it's really not. If it was just writing... my blog would be one incredibly long run-on sentence. I could sit at my desk and move between topics without so much as adding a single comma, period or semi-colon to anything I write for hours on end. The problem is...there's a little more to it than that. Many things must be taken into consideration when contemplating whether to blog or not to blog.

Here are a few main principles to consider:

1. You need to come up with ideas on what to write about… pick a subject you know and enjoy;

2. You must pay attention to spelling, grammar and the formatting of your blog so that its readable…Remember...Spellcheck is your friend!

3. You must find a name for your blog that represents what you'll be writing about;

4. You should come up with a look for your blog that gives it a professional appearance, (or at the very least doesn't look idiotic or…boring), most importantly…

5. Try not to get sued for plagiarism or copyright infringement!

Once you're feeling really good about the five main principles outlined above...you should ask yourself…who’s going to read it? After all, what’s the point in writing a blog if no one is going to read it, but you…right?¹

If you're still determined to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), here's something else to think about. Do you have a nice quiet place to sit-down and actually write your blog? If you do...what are you waiting for? Hurry up and get started! If you are surrounded by many distractions, you might first want to eliminate some of them. Writer’s block is a real thing…you don’t need external noise (and by noise, I mean blaring televisions or stereos, longwinded phone conversations, noisy neighbors, etc.) affecting your ability to concentrate. 

If you can’t relate to anything else, I lay out in this post then just remember the following two points:

1. Have fun writing your blog and;

2. Know when to stop writing it. If it’s no longer something you look forward to doing or enjoy writing about…it may be time to back away from the keyboard or decide on a different topic. The choice is yours to make.

HAPPY BLOGGING!!

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¹ Some bloggers use their blogs as a sort of online diary and choose to keep it private or limit their audience to just a few people. There’s nothing wrong with that. Do what makes you feel comfortable.

WACKA...WHO??

I probably shouldn’t admit this but... every now and then, my thoughts wander back to certain situations or conversations from a time that's been over and done with... for quite awhile. This typically occurs while I'm in the middle of doing something else. On the surface, the situation or conversation is harmless enough...no idea why it popped into my head in the first place, but for some reason... my mind starts reeling about what should have been said or done. It’s not that I’m dwelling on the past...although maybe I am... or bored by whatever I’m working on...although that could be the case, too. I work up a lather over the words said, or sometimes... what wasn't said...or done. It can be annoying at best and if allowed …all-consuming or mentally exhausting (take your pick). Does that make me some sort of a wackadoodle? I looked up the word in Dictionary.com and it was defined as follows:

'Wackadoodle describes someone or something as eccentric, wrongheaded, bizarre, or foolish, generally in an amusing way and with a mildly dismissive tone.'

Ruminating over past conversations isn't always the best use of your time. The words are already out there in the universe. They can't be 'unheard' anymore than you can 'un-ring' a bell and there's little you can do about it...except to either apologize and try to do better the next time...if there is a next time. 

If you're constantly biting your tongue, whenever you hear something outrageous, or allow someone to run roughshod over you with an insult... you'll likely end up having many a sleepless night...one-sided conversations in your head... or an ulcer. On the flipside...it's difficult to cultivate friendships or any other kind of relationship, if you're always on the defensive or pointing out someone else's faux pas. I personally have never been known to mince words, at least not very often. In most cases, I express an opinion or thought at the time of the incident. I willingly admit, however, it doesn't consistently work to my advantage. Note to self: Identify your audience and think before you speak! 

Not sure if I'm the only one that feels this way, but it was just something that I had to get off my chest. Besides, there are too many things to do today and I can't have those little random thoughts invading my headspace. Did I really just use the word 'headspace?' Hmm... I wonder what caused me to think of that word just now? Am I overthinking this? Could it be that I am a wackadoodle?! 😟 🤔

IS THIS WHAT MARIE KONDO HAD IN MIND?

I've been spending the last few days sorting through some of my clutter. I'm not proud of it, but I've discovered what a hoarder I've become through this process...not television show, news report worthy nor is there a need to wear a hazmat suit to walk through my house... but still, a hoarder just the same.😳 😔

My catharsis began by ridding myself of paper...lots of it. Old magazines with articles that I will never read or ideas I will never try. Stacks of junk mail, statements for accounts I no longer own, recipes that I will never make...you get the point. I have paper coming out of every orifice of my home, and it's been driving me crazy for quite awhile.

I decided to grab the bull by the horns, so to speak and try the Marie Kondo philosophy of getting rid of those things that no longer give me joy. So far, I have filled three tall kitchen bags with the shredded remains of the joyless paper stacks and there is enough shredding left to fill another 3-4. The problem is...instead of holding on to all the paper, I now copy and save links to the articles & websites that interest me. The snowball effect of that is...I forget I have the link and so now instead of physical clutter...I have a lot of 'cyber clutter.' 😩 On the bright side... now at least it is only visible to me...on my phone, iPad and laptop. It's like shoving everything into a room and shutting the door when company is on it's way over. I've never done that, mind you, but I've heard some people do.😉If she gave it any thought at all... I wonder if this is what Marie Kondo had in mind...somehow, I don't so.🤔

I will probably never become a minimalist, but I must admit throwing stuff out, giving it away or shredding it into a million pieces can be very therapeutic. I've been putting together a game plan on how to approach the rest of my stuff...books, clothes, craft materials, and other miscellaneous dust collectors. My problem is...I like my stuff! I don't know if any of it 'gives me joy' exactly...but it does give me comfort.

Organizing my home is long overdue. It is one of my resolutions for this year. Sadly, it is a resolution I make every year... along with go on a diet and exercise! This time I mean it. It may take me the rest of the year, however, but I'm bound and determined to get it done!!😣 As for going on a diet and exercise... baby steps.😏

IT'S ALL COMING BACK TO ME NOW...

I generally do not like having my picture taken because I've never considered myself very photogenic. That said, I do try to take at least one new photo every 5 years or so...sort of like a mile marker for how quickly or slowly my looks are fading as I age. This year's picture wasn't too bad (if I do say so myself) and I'm happy to report, that I can safely leave my house without using a disguise or having to place a bag over my head. I was actually really quite proud of it. As a matter of fact...so proud, I even felt secure enough to update my Facebook™ profile photo without fear of snarky comments. I took the plunge and posted my new picture. All of the feedback that I received was positive and then it happened...

THE BACKSTORY:
A couple of years ago, a former coworker (a woman I'll call Anna) sent me a "friend request" on Facebook™. I've technically known Anna for about six years, though I haven't seen or worked with her for over two and haven’t really spoken to her in at least one. We weren't particularly close, but there really wasn't any reason I could think of not to be "friends." She seemed like a kindhearted person as I recall and I got along with her fairly well... so I accepted her friend request. That was my first mistake. Mistake #2 happened about a month ago...

CURIOSITY KILLED THE CAT...:
Curiosity is a double-edged sword. After not hearing from her for over a year through regular channels and never through social media..... Anna sent me a private message via Facebook Messenger™. My instinct was to just ignore it. Besides...the message was more than likely just small talk...

'hi, how are you?'💬...

'oh really?'💬...

'that's nice'💬…

'see ya...bye.'💬

I thought about pretending that I accidentally deleted the message when I tried to open it, but... curiosity got the best of me, as I wondered what she could possibly have to say after all this time. Could it be that my new profile picture showed up in her newsfeed and it prompted her to say hello? Only one way to find out...open it. As I suspected, the message started out with...'hello, how are you?' It ended though, when she took aim and fired off a single shot...figuratively speaking. She wrote that she had just read an article about the actor, Danny Aiello. It's true that the Internet had several stories and pictures of him because he had died the day before, but what did that have to do with me? Anna went on to write that she thought that he and I looked exactly alike...especially our eyes😳. And there it was, folks... another random, off the wall comment lobbed directly at my looks (see my previous post  entitled Ignorance is Bliss). All I could say was 'are you kidding?' It made me wonder what kind of a vibe I was giving off...that after more than a year of no contact... this woman was compelled to send me a message out of the blue... just to insult me? 😟

BUT SATISFACTION BROUGHT IT BACK:
I really had nothing else to say to Anna after that...and even if I did...it wouldn't have been anything that she would want to hear. My lack of a reaction was probably the best comeback I could have come up with. If she meant her comment as sarcasm...a negative reaction on my part would have fed her satisfaction at hitting the mark. The fact that she spent the next few minutes trying to walk back her idiotic statement to an unresponsive audience was my satisfaction. In the end, I decided to take the high road and assume that Anna meant no harm (and maybe she didn't, but seriously...Danny Aiello?). Why couldn't she have at least picked someone younger, female and alive for the comparison?! 😕 It's all coming back to me now as to why I haven't spoken to her in over a year.


LESSON LEARNED:
If there's a lesson to be learned from all this...it is that friends are people that you choose to have in your life. They should build you up ...not tear you down. Going forward...I will need to be a little more selective in who I choose to "friend" on social media sites.

Before I close out this post...I want to go on record as saying that I think Danny Aiello was a heck of an actor and while I have no firsthand knowledge to the contrary...I'm sure he was a really good guy (emphasis on guy). This post was not meant as disrespect to the man, at all.

My vent is over and now if you'll excuse me... I need to log on to Facebook™... there is something that I need to take care of.... 😉 

BOOK REVIEW: In the Blood by Steve Robinson

I love a good mystery novel. When I can find a book that combines a good, solid mystery, intriguing characters and one of my favorite subjects...genealogy... I'm pretty much hunkered down for the night. I found that combination in a book from the Jefferson Tayte Series written by Steve Robinson entitled: 'In the Blood.'

Jefferson Tayte is a modern day American genealogist that is generally hired to research certain families in order to solve mysteries. 'In the Blood' centers around one such mystery, Tayte is hired to find out what happened to a family of British North American colonists that seem to have vanished about two hundred years earlier. The family left their home in America to get away from the  Revolutionary War. During his research, Tayte finds himself looking into a young Cornish girl, an antique writing box and a secret that may just help him find the family he is searching for. It might also lead him directly into a run-in with someone that would prefer that this case is never solved.

The book is well written and the descriptions brought all of the characters (and there are many) to life. I thought when I finished reading the Nathan Dylan Goodwin's 'Morton Farrier Genealogical Mysteries that I would need a break from this type of book but...no! The main difference between the two series is that Goodwin basically describes his research process throughout his stories while Robinson skips over the trips to the library (at least in this book) and goes right to the core of his investigation. Both writers are good, but for right now...I'm leaning towards Steve Robinson. I would rate this book ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

IGNORANCE IS BLISS

I don't know about you, but I do not dress up on the weekends to run errands. On this particular morning, I went to the hardware store to pick up a couple of those 3M removable hangers. I was wearing my standard weekend uniform of jeans, a sweatshirt, gym shoes and no makeup when I bumped into this woman that I had worked with a couple of years ago. She always seemed to be a pleasant individual and so when she approached me in the store, I greeted her with a friendly smile and said 'hello.' Her response to me was slightly less social than I remember her being capable of when she said 'hi, you know you should never leave the house without makeup' and proceeded to walk away. It was almost as though her sole purpose in talking to me was to insult me. I was so taken aback by what I thought was a truly rude, insulting and unsolicited comment from someone who by the way...didn't exactly look like a page out of Vogue magazine either (and for the record... never did).

I admit that my tongue has always been a little sharp, but I generally, do not go out of my way to hurt a person's feelings, because I don't like it when it happens to me. It serves no purpose. That doesn't mean that I don't mutter under my breath or make snarky comments while being gossipy with a friend. After all, I'm not a saint, but I try to keep it to a minimum and at the very least, not do it in public. So, shortly after the verbal vomit that I had just been subjected to...I found myself following behind for a few steps and plotting what I would say to my former coworker in response. As we were both approaching the exit, the moment arrived. In a clear, unemotional voice, I snapped back at her...'well, you may be right about my appearance but, at least when I put makeup on...I know how to do it. Would you like me to help you with yours?' I left her standing there with a slightly stunned expression on her face as I continued to walk out of the store. I will never understand how or why someone would think that it is okay to insult, belittle or try to embarrass another human being all in the name of "constructive criticism." When the shoe is on the other foot, however; and the "critic" becomes the target of the negative remarks, they are often astonished or incensed. I will say that it was not one of my proudest moments and I hate that she reduced me to her level of ignorance, but it did feel good to give back as good as I got for once.

Maybe the moral of this story ended up being...never mess with a woman wearing a sweatshirt, jeans and no makeup! I would have much preferred...treat others the way you want to be treated...with kindness and respect. Okay...I'm done venting now.  😤

                 

BOOKAHOLISM

There are many cleverly named bookstores and websites that use the word, 'bookaholic' or 'bookaholism' in their titles. I cannot say for certain that there is no Webster's Dictionary definition for either word nor that it doesn't appear in any medical books or journals that I have seen (albeit I didn't really look very hard... or at all). To me...it's sort of a made up word. One that you might find in an urban dictionary. In today's world, you throw 'aholic' behind any other word and it means to be addicted or obsessed with something. A bookaholic in my estimation... is a lover of books or someone that is addicted to reading. Some of these individuals may attempt to read multiple books all at the same time. I believe that as long as there are libraries and these cleverly named bookstores, that this is a disease for which I hope there is no cure.

I love to read and I pretty much have a book of one kind or another in my hand at any given time. Lately, I've been on a kick of reserving books from the public library. It's so much easier and cheaper to feed my reading addiction that way. The risky part of borrowing or reserving a book from the library is that you only have three weeks to read it. If a library allows me to reserve as many books as I want at one time, they obviously must think I can get through them all in a 3-week period... right?

Since there were several books that I wanted to read, I reserved five of them. This would be no big deal if I were a really fast reader and/or the book(s) were less than 200 pages or were auto-renewable... note to self...some are not. Also, if sitting down with a good book and a steaming hot cup of coffee were all I had to do all day...again, it would be no big deal. Ahh... if only that were true.

I had no difficulty in reserving the books. In fact nowadays, the public library makes it quite easy... I never even left my sofa. My problem began when only one of the books I reserved was available. My queue positions in line to receive the majority of them was anywhere between 49 and 300, which lead me to believe that I had a good, solid month or two before the rest of the books would be in. Foolishly, I thought it was safe to go ahead and reserve more...after all, one or two were bound to come in within the next week and I would be able to get through them before the other books became available. So, I reserved an additional five books, bringing my total number on hold to ten. If I haven't said it before, let me repeat... borrowing books or reserving them from the library is a good thing!  Unless, you reserve ten or more at one time and eight of them come in all at once!! 😳 I knew I should have reserved audio books!!

The moral to my story is...try not to go overboard when reserving books at the library...one or two at a time should suffice. The others will be there when you're ready to read them and whatever you do...don't place too much stock in queuing positions!!  😕

Hello, I am a bookaholic... 

BOOK REVIEW - The Willard by Leanne Burnett Morse

I just finished reading "The Willard" by Leanne Burnett Morse. I will say that I enjoyed this book for two reasons.  First of all, the Willard Hotel in Washington D.C. is one of my all time favorite hotels and I generally gravitate to anything written about it...fact or fiction. Why it's one of my favorites is not only because of its' beauty and proximity to the many great historical sites that our nation's capital has to offer...but most importantly...the history of the hotel itself. If you have the chance to stay there or at least have afternoon tea at this glorious hotel, I highly recommend it. While you might be thinking that this post sounds more like an ad for the hotel rather than a book review... stay with me.

The second reason I liked this book so much is because of the way the author has blended together four historical subplots...mixing fact, fiction and a little bit of fantasy, which for me...always makes for a real page turner. The main protagonist in the story is The Willard, itself. The hotel serves as a portal to past events that occurred in Washington D.C. at various points in our country's history...the Lincoln Assassination, the Suffragette Movement, the March on Washington and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The hotel concierge, Edward Chase serves as the gatekeeper to the capital city's most illustrious and infamous history. He chooses four everyday citizens to go back in time to ensure that history remains unchanged, but the adventures that these individuals experience...will change each of their lives forever. The book is 381pages, but moves very fast.

My personal rating is...drum roll please...⭐⭐⭐⭐

WHAT’S THIS ALL ABOUT?

This blog is and will be the culmination of whatever pops into my head.That is not to say that my posts will be incoherent...well, not all of them anyway.  I love to read, write and pretend that I know what I'm doing on various hobbies & crafts... especially, crocheting, knitting and well...anything else that tickles my fancy at a given moment. I can promise my rantings will probably not be related to needlecrafts (unless of course, I drop a lot of stitches), although, I do give fair warning... I cannot promise that there will not be pictures of some of my projects.  You'll just need to stay tuned...