genealogy

A Social Media Geneameme

kira0030

1. Tell us about your favourite social media tool and why you like it.

My favourite social media tool for genealogy is Google Plus because I’m able to separate my interests into ‘circles’ and share specific information with each circle.

2. How do you use social media to further your genealogy career or business?

I try to share as much interesting genealogy stuff as I can find.  I also use it to read and learn from what others are sharing and talking about.

3. What advice would you give the cruiser who said “I must be living
under a rock” and is not sure about coming out from under it? (This came from my Social Media presentation)

My advice is to take a computer course suited to their needs or work one on one with someone who can give them a gentle introduction to social media and how it can help them with their genealogy.

4. What aspect of Social Media makes you grit your teeth?

SPAM

5. How does social media assist with your CGD (continuing genealogical development)?

As I said in number two – learning!!  Keeping up to date with trends, software, websites, societies, tips etc.

6. How do you fit social media time into your busy day?

I try and remember to check social media each morning after I’ve checked my email and throughout the day if I want a break from research.

7. Do you have a story of how social media enabled you to connect with a long lost relation or fellow  researcher?

A cousin in Victoria who isn’t computer literate had a go at searching the Internet and found my blog.  Not having an email account he contacted me by phone, via the group I volunteer with which was listed on my blog.

8. You have a minute to share a piece of advice about genealogy and social media. Go for it.

Join Facebook and Twitter, connect your blog to these accounts so that it automatically posts to them.  On Facebook send friend requests to all the rellies you can find.  I have several younger cousins who read my blog because of this.  Let your family know that you’re on Twitter too.  I also share my blog posts on Google Plus with my genealogy circle as well as with my family and the Google Plus public.

Youtube Subtitles Suck But There Is A Solution

kira0030

If you make any videos for online please consider people who are deaf or hearing impaired and put subtitles in your video.  If you’re uploading your video to Youtube please don’t rely on the youtube subtitles.  They really, really suck.

Here are some examples;

 

Bad subtitles on youtube video

Bad subtitling

 

Bad youtube subtitles

Bad Subtitling

 

Bad youtube subtitles
Bad Subtitling

 

Amara.org

If you have a youtube channel you can create an Amara.org account and link your channel to it.  Amara volunteers will subtitle your videos for you or you can do them yourself using their easy subtitling interface, Universal Subtitles, for free.

Connect your Youtube channel with your Amara account

My Youtube channel connected to my Amara account

 

It took me about 15 minutes to subtitle one of my videos.  Here it is http://www.amara.org/en/videos/9eZi5is4dsZH/info/jesus-thank-you-for-the-cross/

There are also share buttons for Facebook and Twitter and an email button so that you can quickly and easily share your videos with your social networks.  You can also get an embed code to embed your videos in your blog or web page.

Even if you don’t make videos or have a Youtube account you can still make subtitles for other people’s videos by joining a team at www.amara.org

Please consider subtitling your videos so that myself and others can utilise them to the full.  Thanks 🙂

Headstones & Memorials

kira0030

I went to the West Terrace Cemetery this morning looking for the grave of James and Mary Chapman but had no luck finding it.

I was thrilled, though, to find the following plaque commemorating Mary and Robert Thomas.

Mary & Robert Thomas

Mary & Robert Thomas

This is what is says:

Mary and Robert Thomas were among the first South Australian colonists, arriving with their four children aboard the Africaine in November 1836.  Their eldest son, Robert Jnr., had arrived earlier as part of Colonel William Light’s survey team.

Mary was an accomplished writer and poet, having published several poems while in England.  With her husband, she played an important role in documenting and commenting on early colonial life.

Robert Thomas brought the first printing press to the Colony and founded South Australia’s first newspaper, the South Australian Gazette and Colonial Register, Mary was a regular contributor and held an influential position for a woman of the period.

Mary’s diaries and letters provide a detailed account of the ups and downs of early colonial life, the harsh living conditions and ongoing financial struggles.  Through hard times, it was Mary’s commitment to her family astute way with finances that saw them survive.

Like many graves, the memorial which once adorned this site has been lost due to exposure to the elements.

Mary and Robert aren’t ancestors of mine it was just so good to read about a woman’s achievements in early South Australia as well as seeing the plaque where their headstone used to be.

This headstone I saw is being eaten away by the elements, I wonder how long it’s been there for.  You can’t really tell from the photo but it looked like it was melting into the ground.  There is no discernible writing on it at all.  Whatever type of stone it is it’s sad that it didn’t hold onto its information for future generations.

Wind and rain erosion

Wind and rain erosion

I wonder how long this headstone has been standing.

I wonder how long this headstone has been standing.

Love Is In The Air

kira0030

Geneablogger love that is. It’s great to see awards being given out to various bloggers at the moment. We all love the comments, interaction, help and ideas we receive from other geneabloggers, the validation of what we do and why we do it is wonderful.

A big thank you to Jill aka Geniaus for awarding me the Wonderful Team Member Readership Award.

 

Wonderful Team Member award

 

 

Blog of the Year 2012 Award

kira0030

Many thanks to Catherine from Seeking Susan – Meeting Marie – Finding Family for nominating my blog for the Blog of the Year 2012 award.

Blog of the Year AwardThe blogs I would like to nominate for the award are:

The Tree of Me by Sharon
Audrey Collins’ The Family Recorder
 Dance Skeletons by Fi
and Frances’ A Rebel Hand

 

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1. Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2. Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3. Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award –http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/ and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4. Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5. If you choose, you can now join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6. As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars… For further information on collecting stars, just click on the link provided in Rule 3.