(Copyright (c) 2015 Cynthia Shenette) Wow. Five years. Where has the time gone? My, how blogging has changed. How I've changed. How my blogging has changed. The blogosphere is a different place than it was five years ago. I started blogging a couple of years after my mom died as a way of keeping the flame alive, remembering those I've lost. Five years ago I had time. Now I have everything but.
Last July I went back to work full-time as an academic librarian. I LOVE my new job, buts sometimes it's very demanding and some days downright exhausting. I volunteer at my church, and I'm a docent for a local historic preservation society. I'm an obsessive gardener in the summer and crochet and read in the winter. I have too many animals to care for, and I've started taking piano lessons. I help with homework and tote my son back and forth from soccer. One of my co-workers said there is a rumor at the library that I don't sleep. And I do genealogy in my spare time. Spare time? What's that?
But I blog on. Why? Because the rewards are too great. I make connections with other people all the time. People read a blog post I've written where I mention the name of someone in my family, an ancestor, or someone they knew. And they contact me. It's amazing really. Blogging forces me to delve into one small piece of my research. I have so much. It keeps me focused.
Last year my goal was to blog once a month, or write 12 blog posts a year. I almost made it. But not quite. Ten, not 12. C'est la vie. I need to let it go and move on. But it still bugs me none the less. I managed to write ten. Why couldn't I manage 12? My goal is the same this year. Twelve posts. That shouldn't be so hard. Should it?
Thank you, friends, for reading. For sticking with me. I know my blog is pretty narrow in focus and not everyone's cup of tea, but if you've taken the time to read my posts, leave a comment, or contact me sometime over the last five years I appreciate it.
So here we are. Blog on, my friends. Blog on.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Oh, The Places I'll Go! Or My Fourth Blogiversary
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
Tumbleweed Guest Ranch, 1944
Showing posts with label Blogs (Mine). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blogs (Mine). Show all posts
Oh, The Places I'll Go! Or My Fourth Blogiversary
While I may not post quite as often as I use to I don't intend to quit blogging anytime soon. I struggle to find time to write, but the rewards of blogging are too great to stop though I think my days of writing a hundred posts in a year are behind me. Between work, family, and volunteer commitments I'm at a point in my life where there aren't enough hours in the day. Finding ideas on what to write about has never been a problem for me. Finding the time to commit those ideas to paper (or on my blog) is. My goal for this year--to write one solid blog post a month. That shouldn't be too hard. Should it?
In looking over the last four years' worth of posts, I'll be the first to admit not every one is a gem, but a few do stand out, and my readers seemed to enjoy them as well. If you are reading my blog for the first time here is a baker's dozen of my favorite posts, in no particular order:
~ Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
~ Flu 1918 (Part 1 of 3)
~ Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
~ Flash Back! The Life and Times of Francois Chenet (Greatly Abridged)
~ Analyzing A Photo: The Holiday Party
~ More Than Meets the Eye - Tuesday's Tip
~ A Window in Time, April 11, 1940
~ Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...
~ A Comedy of Errors: My Family In the Census (Part 1 of 3)
~ Reflecting on My American Experience This Thanksgiving
~ Madness Monday: The Stuff We Throw Away, and...
~ Advent Calendar, Food: What the Dickens or How to Blow Up a Duck
~ Chopin Rising
The last four years have been a journey. I've made great friends and amazing discoveries. It might sound silly to say, but blogging has taken me places I've never expected to go. I know my blog has a pretty narrow focus and may not be everyone's cup of tea, but that's okay with me.
If you've read any of my posts, taken the time to comment, or contacted me by e-mail about one of my posts, thank you. It means more to me than I can possibly say. As for my short term goal of one post a month, will I succeed? (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)!
So with apologies to Dr. Seuss...
To write about the family
I love and I need.
To have someone actually
Take the time to read
What I write is a gift.
Today is my day!
Thanks for sticking with me.
So...I am on my way!
Other Posts You Might Like:
A February Bride - Wordless Wednesday
Fascinating Ladies
Send Up A Flare, Mystery Bride Identified! - Mystery Monday
Reading the Classifieds - Amanuensis Monday
Thank You Family Tree Magazine!
A week and a half ago I left for NERGC after work on Thursday. I was at the conference all weekend. When I got home there was laundry, grocery shopping and chores, plus I needed to finish my final project for the class I took last fall. We are also in the throes of my son's spring sports season. I'm talking here about a kid who hasn't met a sport he didn't like. Of course one sport a season isn't enough for our family. "We" are doing two. I spent a decent chunk of my time over the last week toting this kid around to three different fields to play travel soccer and Junior Little League. This was last week's schedule--Monday baseball, Tuesday soccer, Wednesday baseball, Thursday soccer, Friday baseball, Saturday soccer and baseball, Sunday baseball. All of this plus homework for him and work work for me. Who has time to prepare a dinner? For the next seven weeks dinner is Subway and takeout pizza. Color me exhausted. You get the picture.
If you are interested in blogging just do it! Why? If I can do it you can do it! I might not write as often as I would like, but I write when I can. Why write? The rewards are great. I've made friends within the genealogy blogging community. I've learned a lot. I've made contact with people who knew or knew of my family. Relatives in the U.S., Canada, and Poland read my blog. Blogging is a great creative outlet! Where else could I write about food preparation mayhem and serious subjects all in one place. And, as if all of this wasn't reward enough, my blog has be recognized by Family Tree Magazine twice!
Make the time! Write that first post! Maybe next year your blog's name will appear in Family Tree Magazine's list of the 40 Best Blogs. Now if you'll excuse me, I just heard the buzzer on my washing machine go off. I need to throw another load in before I take my son to soccer practice. Or is that baseball practice?
Other Posts You Might Like:
Mediation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
Madness Monday: The Stuff We Throw Away, and...
More Than Meets the Eye - Tuesday's Tip
NaBloPoMo 2012
(Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) It's that time of year again! November is National Blog Posting Month. I participated last year, and it was quite a challenge! I didn't really know if I could post daily for the month of November, but somehow I managed to pull it off. I'm going to give it a go again. I've been debating about this for a while, trying to decide if I had the time. The fact is I never have the time for anything really, and so I can't use that as an excuse.
I've been working on a number of research projects, organizing my genealogy materials, taking a class on historical architecture, networking, and applying for jobs, so I've had to cut back on my blogging for a bit over the last few months. Thankfully, I am happy to report that my hard work has paid off! I am feeling a bit more organized, worked on some interesting projects, learned a lot, made some good connections AND (here's the kicker) have a new job! After being a stay-at-home mom for the last ten years I'm getting back into library work and will be working as a part-time as reference and instruction librarian at a local college! WooHoo! Who says I don't have time?!? I figure NaBloPoMo is a good way to beef up my blog archive for 2012 and get me back into the habit of posting regularly again.
Last year I spent the month blogging about my family history. I told a hundred years of my family history in a month of daily posts. I've been trying to decide what to write about this year. Initially I planned to have a theme (Anyone who knows me knows there's nothing I love more than a good theme...), but I've decided to take a risk and go theme-less. Over the last few months I've read a number of good books, attended some great workshops, discovered interesting databases, etc. and keep thinking I should write about them, but never seem to get around to it. NaBloPoMo seems to offer the right opportunity to follow up on these things and share with others. I plan to make my posts short, just long enough to encourage myself to get them done and get the information out there.
Well, here we go, and as a beloved chorus conductor I had use to say at the beginning of a particularly challenging piece of choral music, "I'll see you at the end!"
Other Posts You Might Like:
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
Photo Story: Grandma and Grandpa Meet - Wordless Wednesday
A Matter of Habit: Solving a Mystery
Wordless Wednesday: Fall Weekends in New England
I've been working on a number of research projects, organizing my genealogy materials, taking a class on historical architecture, networking, and applying for jobs, so I've had to cut back on my blogging for a bit over the last few months. Thankfully, I am happy to report that my hard work has paid off! I am feeling a bit more organized, worked on some interesting projects, learned a lot, made some good connections AND (here's the kicker) have a new job! After being a stay-at-home mom for the last ten years I'm getting back into library work and will be working as a part-time as reference and instruction librarian at a local college! WooHoo! Who says I don't have time?!? I figure NaBloPoMo is a good way to beef up my blog archive for 2012 and get me back into the habit of posting regularly again.
Last year I spent the month blogging about my family history. I told a hundred years of my family history in a month of daily posts. I've been trying to decide what to write about this year. Initially I planned to have a theme (Anyone who knows me knows there's nothing I love more than a good theme...), but I've decided to take a risk and go theme-less. Over the last few months I've read a number of good books, attended some great workshops, discovered interesting databases, etc. and keep thinking I should write about them, but never seem to get around to it. NaBloPoMo seems to offer the right opportunity to follow up on these things and share with others. I plan to make my posts short, just long enough to encourage myself to get them done and get the information out there.
Well, here we go, and as a beloved chorus conductor I had use to say at the beginning of a particularly challenging piece of choral music, "I'll see you at the end!"
Other Posts You Might Like:
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
Photo Story: Grandma and Grandpa Meet - Wordless Wednesday
A Matter of Habit: Solving a Mystery
Wordless Wednesday: Fall Weekends in New England
Spring Cleaning
(Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) I've been feeling a bit disorganized and discombobulated as of late, so I think a little spring cleaning is in order. I'll be working on tidying up my blog over the next two or three weeks. I'm planning to check and update my links, better organize my labels, check content for inconsistencies, and reorganize my page elements and widgets. If you see things come and go at random, please bear with me during this time. Also, while I'm in an organizing mood, I'm planning to work on organizing my den which is where I physically store my geneacrap family history archive. It's time to move my files out of the dollar laundry baskets from Target and tackle the piles of paper that are one cracked pot short of an archaeological dig. Hopefully I'll feel a little better, a little more organized, and more motivated to produce something of substance once the process is complete. Thank you for your ongoing patience.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Faces of Worcester Polonia - Follow Friday
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
Tuesday's Tip: Consider Adding Links to Your Blog
2011 Favorites In Review: And The iGene Goes To...
Other Posts You Might Like:
Faces of Worcester Polonia - Follow Friday
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
Tuesday's Tip: Consider Adding Links to Your Blog
2011 Favorites In Review: And The iGene Goes To...
Faces of Worcester Polonia - Follow Friday
(Copyright (c) 2012 Cynthia Shenette) My new blog, Faces of Worcester Polonia, is up and running. I only have three photos posted so far, but at least it's a start. "Faces" is primarily for posting my "mystery photos" and the photographs in my collection that relate specifically to the Worcester Polish immigrant community. I plan to continue to post info and stories on my personal family history here at Heritage Zen. If you have a few minutes please check my new blog out. Also, if you know of someone with Polish ancestry who has connections to the Worcester, MA area please mention it to them. Thank you!
Other Posts You Might Like:
My Family Tree: A Literal Interpretation
(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Polka Time!
Going Home: Our Lady of Czestochowa, Worcester, MA
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Other Posts You Might Like:
My Family Tree: A Literal Interpretation
(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Polka Time!
Going Home: Our Lady of Czestochowa, Worcester, MA
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Two Year Blogiversary!
So what's up at Heritage Zen as I move ahead into year three? Goal number one: be flexible (if I can't get a post written by my own self imposed deadline. To quote Scarlet O'Hara, "Tomorrow is another day."). Goal number two: don't get frustrated (ditto). Goal number three: keep researching (Maybe I'll even tackle hubby's Ukrainians and my German/Prussian great-great grandmother's line.). Goal number four: write about my research (Yes, I know I need to spend more time on my French-Canadian/Acadian side of the family.). Sounds simple doesn't it? Some days it's not that simple at all. Goal number five: continue to contribute to the Carnival of Genealogy as much as possible (COG is kind of like taking your vitamins. It's good for you!). Goal number six: participate in NaBloPoMo in November again (It's a great way to build content!).
My big goal for the year is to start a new blog dedicated to my mystery photos of Worcester's Polish community. Back in 2010 I started posting my mystery bride photos and a few other mystery photos on an irregular basis. I've come to realize that it will literally take me years to post my entire mystery collection on Heritage Zen if I post only one photo at a time and then only on an occasional basis. The subjects in my mystery photos deserve better treatment. A dedicated blog seems to be the way to go. My end goal is to connect and share with the descendants of the photos' subjects and give back to the Polish community in Worcester. I hope you will follow my new blog when it's up and running. I'll be sure to post news of its launch here.
Well, I guess that's it. It doesn't sound like much, but that is a lot for me.
Thanks for reading everyone! Now, it's time to get busy!
(THE FINE PRINT: My blogiversary was actually yesterday, February 28, and yes, I am posting this on February 29. In case you were wondering, refer back to goals one and two...)
Other Posts You Might Like:
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
Presenter Interview: Colleen Fitzpatrick, Forensic Genealogist
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
Heritage Zen Dives In: NaBloPoMo!
(Copyright (c) 2011 Cynthia Shenette) This is usually one of the busiest times of year for me, so I can't believe I'm signing on for this, but NaBloPoMo here I come. I've already started out well haven't I? According to the NaBloPoMo rules I should post every day for the month of November. I've already missed November 1. That's kind of like the rest of my life, a day late an a dollar short as my dad use to say. Well, I'll try to make up for it by posting twice today.
I'm going to take NaBloPoMo and put a slightly different twist on it. I'm going to tell my entire family history, starting with my great-grandparents, with photographs over the month of November. I've been thinking about this for a while, but I never seem to get around to actually doing it. I don't really have time for it right now, but I'm going to live on the edge and step out of my comfort zone. (This is as close to the edge of anything as I am likely to get, by the way. I'm sure you know people like me--the mom who checks out the safety equipment before letting her kid join the chess club and has hand sanitizer stuffed in every pocket. Yep, that's me.)
I have hundreds, perhaps thousands of great photos and slides, and could probably post a photo a day and not run out of images to post for several years. What's the old saying, a picture tells a thousand words? Well, that's a good thing, because the text in my posts will be minimal. Think of it as 30 consecutive days of Wordless Wednesdays in story form.
So here we go. I'm going to give NaBloPoMo a shot, and barring any unforeseen circumstances (like a call from my son's school saying my kid is throwing up and to come and collect him) will post a family photo each day for November. I'm throwing caution to the wind! Next year who knows, maybe I'll push the envelope even further and try bungee jumping or sky diving! Why the possibilities are endless!
Other Posts You Might Like:
A Slice of Life: Confessions of a Lunch Box Trader
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
Flu 1918 (Part 1 of 3) - Amanuensis Monday
Circus Girls are "Normal" - Amanuensis Monday
I'm going to take NaBloPoMo and put a slightly different twist on it. I'm going to tell my entire family history, starting with my great-grandparents, with photographs over the month of November. I've been thinking about this for a while, but I never seem to get around to actually doing it. I don't really have time for it right now, but I'm going to live on the edge and step out of my comfort zone. (This is as close to the edge of anything as I am likely to get, by the way. I'm sure you know people like me--the mom who checks out the safety equipment before letting her kid join the chess club and has hand sanitizer stuffed in every pocket. Yep, that's me.)
I have hundreds, perhaps thousands of great photos and slides, and could probably post a photo a day and not run out of images to post for several years. What's the old saying, a picture tells a thousand words? Well, that's a good thing, because the text in my posts will be minimal. Think of it as 30 consecutive days of Wordless Wednesdays in story form.
So here we go. I'm going to give NaBloPoMo a shot, and barring any unforeseen circumstances (like a call from my son's school saying my kid is throwing up and to come and collect him) will post a family photo each day for November. I'm throwing caution to the wind! Next year who knows, maybe I'll push the envelope even further and try bungee jumping or sky diving! Why the possibilities are endless!
Other Posts You Might Like:
A Slice of Life: Confessions of a Lunch Box Trader
A Comedy of Errors: My Family in the Census (Part 1 of 3)
Flu 1918 (Part 1 of 3) - Amanuensis Monday
Circus Girls are "Normal" - Amanuensis Monday
A Heartfelt Thank You
(Copyright (c) 2011 Cynthia Shenette) I am genuinely surprised and humbled to find myself included along with all of the other wonderful blogs and bloggers listed in Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011. To say I was shocked to see my name on the list is an understatement. Thank you for reading Heritage Zen, and thank you for voting for me. I also appreciate the time and effort the panel of judges put into the selection process. With so many well written blogs nominated, to be among the 40 selected is truly and honor. I think Bill West over at West in New England said it best, I don't feel I am a "winner" but a "recipient" of this honor. Thank you for allowing me that honor. I'm just happy to have the opportunity to write about my ancestors, the family I miss, and the city where I grew up. Thank you for reading what I write and for being such a warm supportive community of bloggers.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
A Matter of Habit: Solving a Mystery
Other Posts You Might Like:
Meditation: The Strength of Ordinary Women
The Stories My Grandmother Told Me
COG 97: Researching "The Coldbrook Tragedy" (Part 1 of 4)
A Matter of Habit: Solving a Mystery
My First Year Of Blogging
(Copyright (c) 2011 Cynthia Shenette) It's been quite a year. I posted my first post at Heritage Zen on February 28, 2010, and I honestly don't know where the year has gone. When I started I wondered to myself, who's going to read this stuff? I really began blogging as a way to write about my research and document my memories, mainly for myself and eventually for my son when he is older.
I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my posts or make a comment. You have encourage me, greatly. Thank you also to those of you who have decided to follow me on an ongoing basis. I've learned so much from you all as well--about blogging, about writing, about genealogy, and about the generosity of the geneablogger community. It has been such a positive experience.
Over the year I've discovered that my blog and my blogging has been a changing, evolving process. I am facing new challenges with my time, and am trying my best to still blog on a regular basis. You may have noticed that I'm not posting quite as much as I use to. I've been asked to fill in for a bit at my old job, so that is taking up much of the time I use to spend blogging and researching. At home we try to follow the Cub Scout motto--Do Your Best--so that is what I will do to try to keep posting on a regular basis.
My short term goals are to post on Monday and Wednesday, and maybe occasionally post on one of other daily themes as time allows. I hope to continue to contribute to the Carnival of Genealogy each month. I also hope to post on one special topic per month, such as my Flu 1918 series in January and my interview with Colleen Fitzpatrick in February. I already have a topic in mind for March. I know this seems like an ambitious schedule given my time limitations. I'll have to see how things go and adapt as needed.
Thank you all again for being such a generous and supportive group of bloggers. You are the reason I'm looking forward to year two.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Where They Lived: Every Address Tells a Story
Books of Interest - Landowners in Poland 1918-1939
Letters and Photos and Stuff, Oh My!: Sorting Through a Loved One's Estate (Part 1)
Books of Interest - St. Denis: A French-Canadian Parish
I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my posts or make a comment. You have encourage me, greatly. Thank you also to those of you who have decided to follow me on an ongoing basis. I've learned so much from you all as well--about blogging, about writing, about genealogy, and about the generosity of the geneablogger community. It has been such a positive experience.
Over the year I've discovered that my blog and my blogging has been a changing, evolving process. I am facing new challenges with my time, and am trying my best to still blog on a regular basis. You may have noticed that I'm not posting quite as much as I use to. I've been asked to fill in for a bit at my old job, so that is taking up much of the time I use to spend blogging and researching. At home we try to follow the Cub Scout motto--Do Your Best--so that is what I will do to try to keep posting on a regular basis.
My short term goals are to post on Monday and Wednesday, and maybe occasionally post on one of other daily themes as time allows. I hope to continue to contribute to the Carnival of Genealogy each month. I also hope to post on one special topic per month, such as my Flu 1918 series in January and my interview with Colleen Fitzpatrick in February. I already have a topic in mind for March. I know this seems like an ambitious schedule given my time limitations. I'll have to see how things go and adapt as needed.
Thank you all again for being such a generous and supportive group of bloggers. You are the reason I'm looking forward to year two.
Other Posts You Might Like:
Where They Lived: Every Address Tells a Story
Books of Interest - Landowners in Poland 1918-1939
Letters and Photos and Stuff, Oh My!: Sorting Through a Loved One's Estate (Part 1)
Books of Interest - St. Denis: A French-Canadian Parish
Follow Friday: Routine Maintenance
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Usually this doesn't happen. Certainly not often. This week as I was trying to catch up on my reading, I ran into a number of dead links on several geneablogs. It surprised me, because I think by nature genealogy folk are a rather persnickety lot, myself included. I will say from personal experience it is hard to keep maintenance up, particularly as you have more posts under your belt.
That being said, not only do I use my blog for sharing stories, tips, ideas, and what have you, I also use it as my personal website. You may have noticed I have a number of links at the bottom of my blog. These are links that I use on a regular basis. I have either mentioned them in a post or plan to mention them at some point in time, or I just think they are great resources other people may want to check out. This week I realized it's been a while since I checked my links to make sure they are all still active.
Going back to that persnickety thing again, I've decided to take some time this weekend do some routine maintenance. I'm planning to check and reorganize my links, add new ones, and try out a few new features. I also think I need to consider a regular maintenance schedule to keep everything in good working order. I don't want to be caught one link short of a connection if you know what I'm saying.
Do you do regular maintenance? How often? Also, if you notice another blogger with a dead link (or several), what do you do? Personally, I would like to know, but I don't know how others feel. Would it be presumptuous for me to bring it to that blogger's attention? What do you think?
Other Posts You Might Like:
Follow Friday: Who's Following You?
Follow Friday: AHA (American Historical Association) Today
Madness Monday: Splog Busters, Or My Experiment to Fight Splog
Follow Friday: Walking Pictures, Ancestry, and Free Stuff
That being said, not only do I use my blog for sharing stories, tips, ideas, and what have you, I also use it as my personal website. You may have noticed I have a number of links at the bottom of my blog. These are links that I use on a regular basis. I have either mentioned them in a post or plan to mention them at some point in time, or I just think they are great resources other people may want to check out. This week I realized it's been a while since I checked my links to make sure they are all still active.
Going back to that persnickety thing again, I've decided to take some time this weekend do some routine maintenance. I'm planning to check and reorganize my links, add new ones, and try out a few new features. I also think I need to consider a regular maintenance schedule to keep everything in good working order. I don't want to be caught one link short of a connection if you know what I'm saying.
Do you do regular maintenance? How often? Also, if you notice another blogger with a dead link (or several), what do you do? Personally, I would like to know, but I don't know how others feel. Would it be presumptuous for me to bring it to that blogger's attention? What do you think?
Other Posts You Might Like:
Follow Friday: Who's Following You?
Follow Friday: AHA (American Historical Association) Today
Madness Monday: Splog Busters, Or My Experiment to Fight Splog
Follow Friday: Walking Pictures, Ancestry, and Free Stuff
Madness Monday: Splog Busters, or My Experiment to Fight Splog
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) I've been reading all of the blog articles about splogging and content theft over the last couple of months with great interest. As a "newbie" blogger I was surprised to discover that I too had been splogged. In response I did my due diligence. I contacted the sploggers, sometimes several times, and asked for my material to be removed from their sites. Most of the time my material was removed, but it was a frustrating, time consuming process.
One thing I've noticed on the various splog sites--the sploggers conveniently leave out my name and blog address from the splogged portion of my blog. I've also noticed they include about a paragraph of my content in their splog. I decided to try a little experiment. For the last month or so I've included a copyright notice at the beginning of every post, "(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)." I figured if the sploggers were picking up the first paragraph of my post then they'd pick up the copyright statement as well. It's kind of a pain, and I think it disrupts the flow of my writing, but if it helps deter content theft then I feel it's a worthwhile means to an end.
Since I've started my experiment I've noticed that I don't seem to show up on sploggers' sites as much. My name might show up, but my content doesn't. I once noticed a splogger chopped off the word "copyright," but did include "2010 Cynthia Shenette." At least my name appeared in the post which is better than nothing. My guess is they have some kind of program that eliminates posts with the word "copyright" in the content.
I've been doing this for about a month and have noticed a difference. The other night I asked my husband, a web architect, about this. I asked him if my idea could be working or was it just my imagination. My husband, who is more than happy to tell me when something is in my imagination, said some sploggers may have a filter that eliminates content with the word "copyright" in a post. I also contacted Thomas MacEntee from GeneaBloggers for his opinion. He seconded my husband's opinion that my theory might actually work and not be just bunk and hooey. Thomas suggested I post about my experiment. I would love for other bloggers to try my idea and report back with your results.
Together we can fight splog!
One thing I've noticed on the various splog sites--the sploggers conveniently leave out my name and blog address from the splogged portion of my blog. I've also noticed they include about a paragraph of my content in their splog. I decided to try a little experiment. For the last month or so I've included a copyright notice at the beginning of every post, "(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette)." I figured if the sploggers were picking up the first paragraph of my post then they'd pick up the copyright statement as well. It's kind of a pain, and I think it disrupts the flow of my writing, but if it helps deter content theft then I feel it's a worthwhile means to an end.
Since I've started my experiment I've noticed that I don't seem to show up on sploggers' sites as much. My name might show up, but my content doesn't. I once noticed a splogger chopped off the word "copyright," but did include "2010 Cynthia Shenette." At least my name appeared in the post which is better than nothing. My guess is they have some kind of program that eliminates posts with the word "copyright" in the content.
I've been doing this for about a month and have noticed a difference. The other night I asked my husband, a web architect, about this. I asked him if my idea could be working or was it just my imagination. My husband, who is more than happy to tell me when something is in my imagination, said some sploggers may have a filter that eliminates content with the word "copyright" in a post. I also contacted Thomas MacEntee from GeneaBloggers for his opinion. He seconded my husband's opinion that my theory might actually work and not be just bunk and hooey. Thomas suggested I post about my experiment. I would love for other bloggers to try my idea and report back with your results.
Together we can fight splog!
Follow Friday: Oh, Those Poles! and More...
(Copyright (c) 2010 Cynthia Shenette) Well I've finally decided to enter the Follow Friday discussion. After two weeks at sea blogging about my Aunt's 1937 trip to Poland I decided I needed a bit of a break. The irony of my lengthy blogging journey has not escaped me. I think my aunt spent less time at sea than I have spent writing about it. It's kind of like taking three hours to watch James Cameron's movie "Titanic" when it only took two hours for the ship to go down. Thankfully, we've finally landed, but I need a break so I've decided to do a little review of what I've been reading.
Nolichucky Roots - Susan from Nolichucky Roots and I share a common interest in Carpatho-Rusyn heritage. She is truly a woman after my own heart especially when it comes to surname variations. This week I enjoyed her story, "Catching Some Zs, or What's in a (sur) Name?" very much, where she ponders the frustration of, well Z. Susan, I feel your pain. I also enjoyed her article, "Treasure Chest Thursday: What they kept."
Basia's Polish Family: From Wilno to Worcester - I'm thrilled to find another blogger writing about the Polish community in my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts. I have enjoyed hearing Barbara speak at a local genealogy conference and have both of her books on Worcester Poles published by Arcadia Books. Just today I found her blog article, "Finding 19th-Century Houses on 21st-Century Maps" particularly interesting and useful. Thank you Barbara.
Rainy Day Genealogy Readings - I love this blog. I started following Jennifer's blog a couple of weeks ago when I saw it mentioned in one of Greta's Genealogy Bog Follow Friday round-ups. I was fascinated by her recent article, "Topics in Research-The Great Grasshopper Plague of '74." In general, I love newspapers. Not only do newspapers offer information about our ancestors, but newspapers put our ancestor's world in context. Don't even get me started. My husband's eyes start glaze over when I periodically exclaim that I could spend the whole day reading old newspapers (and the census, and city directories). He doesn't share my level of enthusiasm, shall we say. Or maybe I just need to get out more...
Small-leaved Shamrock - I just started following this blog today. What's a nice Polish girl doing following an Irish genealogy blog for you might ask? When asked, I tell my Irish friends that there are no Irish roots in my family unless the boat from Poland made a stop in Ireland somewhere along the way. What I discovered is that Lisa's writes about her family in Schuylkill County, PA. If you read my blog posts, "Postcards from the Edge: Genealogy Road Trippin'" and "What in a Name? (An Ongoing Series): Radziewicz" you know that I've been researching Victoria (Szerejko) Radziewicz who lived for a time in Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, PA. I'm looking forward to learning about Schuylkill County from Lisa.
Finally, I found a super cool website this week--Warszawa - Wycieczka Wirtualna or a Virtual Tour of Warsaw. I discovered my grandfather's brother, Feliks Szerejko, and his wife, Leokadia Szymanska, were married at the Church of the Holy Cross (Kosciol sw Krzyza) in Warsaw on 07 Sep 1919. If you go to the Virtual Tour of Warsaw you can actually click on a little camera icon and view a 360 view of the interior of the church. I have to say it again, cool.
That's it for this edition of Follow Friday. TGIF. It's time to get off the computer, get outside, and enjoy the weekend!
Nolichucky Roots - Susan from Nolichucky Roots and I share a common interest in Carpatho-Rusyn heritage. She is truly a woman after my own heart especially when it comes to surname variations. This week I enjoyed her story, "Catching Some Zs, or What's in a (sur) Name?" very much, where she ponders the frustration of, well Z. Susan, I feel your pain. I also enjoyed her article, "Treasure Chest Thursday: What they kept."
Basia's Polish Family: From Wilno to Worcester - I'm thrilled to find another blogger writing about the Polish community in my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts. I have enjoyed hearing Barbara speak at a local genealogy conference and have both of her books on Worcester Poles published by Arcadia Books. Just today I found her blog article, "Finding 19th-Century Houses on 21st-Century Maps" particularly interesting and useful. Thank you Barbara.
Rainy Day Genealogy Readings - I love this blog. I started following Jennifer's blog a couple of weeks ago when I saw it mentioned in one of Greta's Genealogy Bog Follow Friday round-ups. I was fascinated by her recent article, "Topics in Research-The Great Grasshopper Plague of '74." In general, I love newspapers. Not only do newspapers offer information about our ancestors, but newspapers put our ancestor's world in context. Don't even get me started. My husband's eyes start glaze over when I periodically exclaim that I could spend the whole day reading old newspapers (and the census, and city directories). He doesn't share my level of enthusiasm, shall we say. Or maybe I just need to get out more...
Small-leaved Shamrock - I just started following this blog today. What's a nice Polish girl doing following an Irish genealogy blog for you might ask? When asked, I tell my Irish friends that there are no Irish roots in my family unless the boat from Poland made a stop in Ireland somewhere along the way. What I discovered is that Lisa's writes about her family in Schuylkill County, PA. If you read my blog posts, "Postcards from the Edge: Genealogy Road Trippin'" and "What in a Name? (An Ongoing Series): Radziewicz" you know that I've been researching Victoria (Szerejko) Radziewicz who lived for a time in Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, PA. I'm looking forward to learning about Schuylkill County from Lisa.
Finally, I found a super cool website this week--Warszawa - Wycieczka Wirtualna or a Virtual Tour of Warsaw. I discovered my grandfather's brother, Feliks Szerejko, and his wife, Leokadia Szymanska, were married at the Church of the Holy Cross (Kosciol sw Krzyza) in Warsaw on 07 Sep 1919. If you go to the Virtual Tour of Warsaw you can actually click on a little camera icon and view a 360 view of the interior of the church. I have to say it again, cool.
That's it for this edition of Follow Friday. TGIF. It's time to get off the computer, get outside, and enjoy the weekend!
Heritage Zen's Big Reveal: My New Template
With four months of blogging experience behind me I decided Heritage Zen needed some sprucing up, or as Emeril Lagasse likes to say, I decided to "kick it up a notch." Frankly, I needed a little more excitement from my template. The old template served me just fine, but I was looking for something new and a little more glamorous. Kind of like getting a whole beauty make-over rather than just settling for a new color of lipstick, if you know what I mean. I wanted something functional but pretty and with a few more options. I finally found a template that I liked and spent a good part of yesterday downloading and organizing it with assistance from my husband, a tech geek by profession. I will say I'm glad I made the change now while my blog is fairly new, because I did have to tweak it quite a bit to get everything to work correctly. Anyway, take a look and see what you think. So far I'm enjoying it. Now if I can just get someone to nominate me for the "frumpy middle-aged mommy" episode of TLC's "What Not To Wear" I'd be all set...
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