I Give Thanks - 2016 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. As I do each year around Thanksgiving, I am looking back at my life in 2016 and everything for which I am thankful.

So far 2016 has offered me blessings and opportunities that have gone way beyond my expectations. Again, I continue to work hard, treat people the way I want to be treated, try to live an authentic life and a life marked by abundance. This year, I give thanks for . . .

• My Creator who knows my name, every hair on my head and every cell in my body. And despite what others may say, each day I celebrate that I am a child of G_d, that death has no shadow, and I choose to live in the light.

• My family, including my ancestors, whose efforts, perseverance as well as their mistakes and failures, helped bring me forth. I owe my life to them.

• My country where I can enjoy many freedoms and I hope never to take them for granted. And a huge thank you to the men and women in all branches of the US military who work and fight to keep those freedoms for us all.

• The ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength; the ability to dress myself and cook for myself and family. There are many who can't do the simple things that each day I take for granted. I also thank the caregivers who help those who struggle with these daily tasks.

• The wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do. Most days I am truly blessed, for they are the same.

• For my health. I have lost an amazing 110 pounds since July 2015 from a bariatric operation that has saved my life.

• That I live in a time and place where I can be who I am.  And I can accept others as they are.  And I can voice an opinion.  And I can listen to the views of others.

• The knowledge that ABUNDANCE and the ability to let go is a true blessing. My mother, a wise woman if there ever was one, once told me: "Let go of what you are holding on to. Only then can your palm be open and face up to receive the next good thing coming your way." Words I live by each and every day.

• The desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys.

• My husband of almost 17 years who celebrates me at my best and still loves me at my worst. He appreciates that: I've never been on America's Most Wanted, that I've never owned anything Hello Kitty, that I can find Waldo almost every time, and he loves it when I'm opinionated. He knows I would follow him anywhere, and that I have. And we both know that it just gets better every year.

• A vibrant and generous community of genealogists and family historians including those I only know in the online world. Each and every day you challenge me to look at genealogy from new perspectives, you share your knowledge and resources without a second thought, and you encourage me to get back up and do the genealogy dance despite bouts of occasional ill-conceived reasoning and mistakes.

• The family of fellow genealogy bloggers: how they inspire me, how they challenge me, and how they make me think.  They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

• A career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love.

• Knowing that the greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think. And that only dead fish go with the flow.

• A roof over my head and a meal on the table each and every day in 2016. I'd like to do this one again in 2017, please.

• The friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me.

• A universe that bends towards justice.

• And to my mother. I can never say thank you enough to the woman who brought me into this world and to someone from whom I learned life's lessons.  Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning.  We didn't always agree, but she also let me know that was okay too.  She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

I give thanks.

© 2016, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.

I Give Thanks - 2015 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. As I do each year around Thanksgiving, I am looking back at my life in 2015 and everything for which I am thankful.

While 2015 has been one of the most difficult years so far, it was not without its rewards and abundance. This year, I give thanks for . . .

• My Creator who knows my name, every hair on my head and every cell in my body. And despite what others may say, each day I celebrate that I am a child of G_d, that death has no shadow, and I choose to live in the light.

• My family, including my ancestors, whose efforts, perseverance as well as their mistakes and failures, helped bring me forth. I owe my life to them.

• My country where I can enjoy many freedoms. And a huge thank you to the men and women in all branches of the US military who work and fight to keep those freedoms for us all.

• The ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength; the ability to dress myself and cook for myself and family. There are many who can't do the simple things that each day I take for granted. I also thank the caregivers who help those who struggle with these daily tasks.

• The wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do. Most days I am truly blessed, for they are the same.

• For my health. At one point I actually feared that 2015 would be the year at the end of my dash. With careful planning and support of family and friends, I've lost over 70 pounds since my gastric surgery in July and I'm experiencing the best health in almost 10 years.

• That I live in a time and place where I can be who I am.  And I can accept others as they are.  And I can voice an opinion.  And I can listen to the views of others.

• The knowledge that ABUNDANCE and the ability to let go is a true blessing. My mother, a wise woman if there ever was one, once told me: "Let go of what you are holding on to. Only then can your palm be open and face up to receive the next good thing coming your way." Words I live by each and every day.

• The desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys.

• My partner of almost 16 years who celebrates me at my best and still loves me at my worst. He appreciates that: I've never been on America's Most Wanted, that I've never owned anything Hello Kitty, that I can find Waldo almost every time, and he loves it when I'm opinionated. He knows I would follow him anywhere, and that I have. And we both know that it just gets better every year.

• A vibrant and generous community of genealogists and family historians including those I only know in the online world. Each and every day you challenge me to look at genealogy from new perspectives, you share your knowledge and resources without a second thought, and you encourage me to get back up and do the genealogy dance despite bouts of occasional ill-conceived reasoning and mistakes.

• The family of fellow genealogy bloggers: how they inspire me, how they challenge me, and how they make me think.  They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

• A career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love.

• Knowing that the greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think. And that only dead fish go with the flow.

• A roof over my head and a meal on the table each and every day in 2015. I'd like to do this one again in 2016, please.

• The responsibility and duty of caring for an aging parent which finally came to an end this June.  I am thankful for the journey that was Mom. Where we've traveled, especially in the past 15 years, is not a trip you'll ever find in a guide book.  Despite all that's been written about Alzheimer's disease, especially early-onset, no guide book exists, for each journey is unique.  

• The friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me.

• A universe that bends towards justice.

• And to my mother. I can never say thank you enough to the woman who brought me into this world and to someone from whom I learned life's lessons.  Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning.  We didn't always agree, but she also let me know that was okay too.  She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

I give thanks.

© 2015, copyright Thomas MacEntee. All rights reserved.

I Give Thanks - 2013 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. As I do each year around this time, I am looking back at my life in 2013 and everything for which I am thankful. And at the same time I am setting my plans and goals for 2014.

This year, I give thanks for . . .

• My ancestors whose efforts, perseverance and yes, even their mistakes and failures, helped bring me forth. I owe my life to them.

• A country where I can enjoy many freedoms. And a huge thank you to the men and women in all branches of the US military who work and fight to keep those freedoms for us all.

• The ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength; the ability to dress myself and cook for myself and family. There are many who can't do the simple things that each day I take for granted. I also thank the caregivers who help those who struggle with these daily tasks.

• The wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do. Most days I am truly blessed, for they are the same.

• That I live in a time and place where I can be who I am.  And I can accept others as they are.  And I can voice an opinion.  And I can listen to the views of others.

• The knowledge that ABUNDANCE and the ability to let go is a true blessing. My mother, a wise woman if there ever was one, once told me "Let go of what you are holding on to. Only then can your palm be open and face up to receive the next good thing coming your way." Words I live by each and every day.

• The desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys.

• My partner of almost 14 years who celebrates me at my best and still loves me at my worst. He appreciates that I've never been on America's Most Wanted, that I've never owned anything Hello Kitty, that I can find Waldo almost every time, and loves it when I'm opinionated. He knows I would follow him anywhere, and that I have. And we both know that it just gets better every year.

• A vibrant and generous community of genealogists and family historians including those I only know in the online world. Each and every day you challenge me to look at genealogy from new perspectives, you share your knowledge and resources without a second thought, and you encourage me to get back up and do the genealogy dance despite bouts of occasional ill-conceived reasoning and mistakes.

• The family of fellow geneabloggers, how they inspire me, how they challenge me, how they make me think.  They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

• A career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love.

• Knowing that the greatest prison people live in is the fear of what other people think. And that only dead fish go with the flow.

• A roof over my head and a meal on the table each and every day in 2013. I'd like to do this one again in 2014, please.

• The responsibility and duty of caring for an aging parent.  I am thankful for the journey that is and has been Mom. Where we've traveled, especially in the past 13 years, is not a trip you'll ever find in a guide book.  Despite all that's been written about Alzheimer's Disease, especially early-onset, no guide book exists, for each journey is unique.  

• To my mother. I can never say thank you enough to the woman who brought me into this world and to someone from whom I learned life's lessons.  Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning.  We didn't always agree, but she also let me know that was okay too.  She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

• The friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me.

• A universe that bends towards justice.

• Memories of what was and the hope for what may be.

I give thanks.

© 2013, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Leftover Ancestors - 2012 Edition

An annual tradition here at Destination: Austin Family! Leftover Ancestors so delicious that I couldn't help going for another serving!

Thanksgiving Day

• You knew there would be a family Gathering, and it is inevitable that there would be some family Feuds as well as family Fight.

• And I also found a Bernard S. Turkey Day in the California Voter Registrations – that’s a way to get into the holiday spirit, no?

Turkeys

• Do you think there would there be Turkeys in the US Census? But of course! But not as many Tom Turkeys as you might think – although in 1920 there is a Big Turkey in Todd, South Dakota and a Primo Turkey in Franklin, Illinois.

• There’s a John Turkey Legs along with his wife Lydia Turkey Legs in Big Horn, Montana in 1920! And even a Wish Bone in the Washington State and Territorial Census in 1887. Well, who doesn’t have a few turkeys in their own family tree, right?

Side Dishes

• Side dishes are well represented this holiday season as well, with various Cranberrys although I can’t verify that any were sauced. Casseroles are covered as well.

• There’s a bumper crop of Potatoes and while some might be sweet, a Sweet Potato could not be found. Plenty of Yams, my favorites being Yostus Yam and Stray Yam. I would avoid Harry Yam however.

• In case you were wondering, there was no Mashed Potato but plenty of other people who are Mashed, including Mashed Carpenter, and Mashed Noggie. Another fave: Mashed Clampit, from North Carolina, of course. One note: scrolling down through the Masheds you come upon many listings for nuns, such as Sister M. Joseph, Sister M. Elise. Is there some order of the Masheds that I missed out on?

• Plenty of Stuffings and Stuffins with some Dressings as well. Also, you may call it Corn but some call it Maize. You’ll find most of the Green Beans in the South but not living anywhere near a Casserole (see above). Anyone for Beets? Not sure if any of them went to Harvard.

• And finally, you just can’t eat all these good dishes without gravy. I present Gravy Cooks – from the 1930 US Census, Phoenix, Arizona. In case you were wondering, yes, there are several that arrived by boat.

Desserts

• For dessert there are the usual Pies but which do you prefer? If you aren’t sure there is a Trial Pie and for those who’ve overeaten, a Minnie Pie or even a Zero Pie. There are also those who just want Cake.

Cleanup

• Eventually you have to deal with the Dishes as well as the Silver Ware – why she was bland, I know not except that may have been her maiden name. Wash the Glasses, even the ones that are Chip and gather up all the Napkins.

* * *

And if we’re lucky and fortunate, we’ll all be back to do it again next year! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Photo: Thanksgiving Leftovers via Flickr, used under Creative Commons License 3.0.

Disclaimer: See Disclosure Statement for more information on the material connections I have with Ancestry.com and various genealogy and non-genealogy vendors.

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

I Give Thanks - 2012 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. As I do each year around this time, I am looking back at my life in 2012 and everything for which I am thankful. And at the same time I am setting my plans and goals for 2013.

This year, I give thanks for . . .

• My ancestors and their colorful history. That they persevered and scratched out a life when they landed in America. From Jan Pootman who arrived in 1661 in Albany, New York, to Matthew McGinnes who came from Ireland and became a citizen in 1888. They have taught me that nothing should be taken for granted and that the world doesn't owe you a thing. You make the world you live in.

• A nation where I can enjoy many freedoms that others cannot.

• The strong, independent women in my life - both the dead and the living - who decided that they weren't going to accept life at face value or the way society told them to. These women were fairly conservative, mostly poor, and didn't see themselves as suffragettes or feminists or women's libbers. They just had an innate sense of what was right. And did what they had to do to give their children more than just food and shelter. They gave the gifts of opportunity, laughter, hugs, shoulders to cry on, examples of how to live, faith, wisdom and love.

• The men in my life even given the fact that they have often left all too soon. Grandfathers, fathers and brothers who started families but didn't stick around to see how they finished. These men have taught me how not to behave, how not to treat women and children, and how not to handle responsibility.

• The ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength.

• The wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do. Most days I am truly blessed, for they are the same.

• That I live in a time and place where I can be who I am.  And I can accept others as they are.  And I can voice an opinion.  And I can listen to the views of others.

• The knowledge that I must let go of what is in my hands in order to receive the next gift.

• The desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys.

• An online community of genealogy colleagues whose support is equal to none.

• The family of fellow geneabloggers, how they inspire me, how they challenge me, how they make me think.  They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

• A career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love.

• A sense of humor.

• A roof over my head and a meal on the table.

• The responsibility and duty of caring for an aging parent.  I am thankful for the journey that is and has been Mom. Where we've traveled, especially in the past 12 years, is not a trip you'll ever find in a guide book.  Despite all that's been written about Alzheimer's Disease, especially early-onset, no guide book exists, for each journey is unique.  I can never say thank you enough not just to the woman who brought me into this world but to someone from whom I learned life's lessons.  Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning.  We didn't always agree but she also let me know that was okay too.  She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

• The friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me.

• A universe that bends towards justice.

• Memories of what was and the hope for what may be.

I give thanks.

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Leftover Ancestors - 2011 Edition

Last year's edition of  Leftover Ancestors was so delicious, that I couldn't help going for a second serving.  Here it is again!

Thanksgiving Day

• You knew there would be a family Gathering, and it is inevitable that there would be some family Feuds as well as family Fight.

• And I also found a Bernard S. Turkey Day in the California Voter Registrations – that’s a way to get into the holiday spirit, no?

Turkeys

• Do you think there would there be Turkeys in the US Census? But of course! But not as many Tom Turkeys as you might think – although in 1920 there is a Big Turkey in Todd, South Dakota and a Primo Turkey in Franklin, Illinois.

• There’s a John Turkey Legs along with his wife Lydia Turkey Legs in Big Horn, Montana in 1920! And even a Wish Bone in the Washington State and Territorial Census in 1887. Well, who doesn’t have a few turkeys in their own family tree, right?

Side Dishes

• Side dishes are well represented this holiday season as well, with various Cranberrys although I can’t verify that any were sauced. Casseroles are covered as well.

• There’s a bumper crop of Potatoes and while some might be sweet, a Sweet Potato could not be found. Plenty of Yams, my favorites being Yostus Yam and Stray Yam. I would avoid Harry Yam however.

• In case you were wondering, there was no Mashed Potato but plenty of other people who are Mashed, including Mashed Carpenter, and Mashed Noggie. Another fave: Mashed Clampit, from North Carolina, of course. One note: scrolling down through the Masheds you come upon many listings for nuns, such as Sister M. Joseph, Sister M. Elise. Is there some order of the Masheds that I missed out on?

• Plenty of Stuffings and Stuffins with some Dressings as well. Also, you may call it Corn but some call it Maize. You’ll find most of the Green Beans in the South but not living anywhere near a Casserole (see above). Anyone for Beets? Not sure if any of them went to Harvard.

• And finally, you just can’t eat all these good dishes without gravy. I present Gravy Cooks – from the 1930 US Census, Phoenix, Arizona. In case you were wondering, yes, there are several that arrived by boat.

Desserts

• For dessert there are the usual Pies but which do you prefer? If you aren’t sure there is a Trial Pie and for those who’ve overeaten, a Minnie Pie or even a Zero Pie. There are also those who just want Cake.

Cleanup

• Eventually you have to deal with the Dishes as well as the Silver Ware – why she was bland, I know not except that may have been her maiden name. Wash the Glasses, even the ones that are Chip and gather up all the Napkins.

* * *

And if we’re lucky and fortunate, we’ll all be back to do it again next year! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Photo: Thanksgiving Leftovers via Flickr, used under Creative Commons License 3.0.

Disclaimer: See Disclosure Statement for more information on the material connections I have with Ancestry.com and various genealogy and non-genealogy vendors.

© 2011, copyright Thomas MacEntee

I Give Thanks - 2011 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. Again, 2011 has been filled with challenges, but with blessings as well. And, as the song goes, "I'm Still Here."

I give thanks for . . .

• for all those that went before me. That they persevered and scratched out a life when they landed in America. From Jan Pootman who arrived in 1661 in Albany, New York, to Matthew McGinnes who came from Ireland and became a citizen in 1888. They have taught me that nothing should be taken for granted and that the world doesn't owe you a thing. You make the world you live in.

• a nation where I can enjoy many freedoms that others cannot.

• for the strong, independent women in my life - both the dead and the living - who decided that they weren't going to accept life at face value or the way society told them to. These women were fairly conservative, mostly poor, and didn't see themselves as suffragettes or feminists or women's libbers. They just had an innate sense of what was right. And did what they had to do to give their children more than just food and shelter. They gave the gifts of opportunity, laughter, hugs, shoulders to cry on, examples of how to live, faith, wisdom and love.

• for the men in my life - despite the fact that they have often left all too soon. Grandfathers, fathers and brothers who started families but didn't stick around to see how they finished. These men have taught me how not to behave, how not to treat women and children, and how not to handle responsibility.

• the ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength.

• the wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do; most times I am truly blessed, for they are the same.

• that I live in a time and place where I can be who I am.  And I can accept others as they are.  And I can voice an opinion.  And I can listen to the views of others.

• the knowledge that I must let go of what is in my hands in order to receive the next gift.

• the desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys.

• an online community of genealogy colleagues whose support is equal to none.

• for the family of fellow genea-bloggers, how they inspire me, how they challenge me, how they make me think.  They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

• a career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love.

• a sense of humor.

• a roof over my head and a meal on the table.

• the responsibility and duty of caring for an aging parent.  I am thankful for the journey that is and has been Mom. Where we've traveled, especially in the past 11 years, is not a trip you'll ever find in a guide book.  Despite all that's been written about Alzheimer's Disease, especially early-onset, no guide book exists, for each journey is unique.  I can never say thank you enough not just to the woman who brought me into this world but to someone from whom I learned life's lessons.  Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning.  We didn't always agree but she also let me know that was okay too.  She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

• the friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me.

• a universe that bends towards justice.

• memories of what was and the hope for what may be.

I give thanks.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Leftover Ancestors Anyone?

As I am sitting here feasting on a turkey sandwich with cold stuffing, I wondered if there were any odd “leftover” names via Ancestry.com. Here’s a sampling:

Thanksgiving Day

• You knew there would be a family Gathering, and it is inevitable that there would be some family Feuds as well as family Fight.

• And I also found a Bernard S. Turkey Day in the California Voter Registrations – that’s a way to get into the holiday spirit, no?

Turkeys

• Do you think there would there be Turkeys in the US Census? But of course! But not as many Tom Turkeys as you might think – although in 1920 there is a Big Turkey in Todd, South Dakota and a Primo Turkey in Franklin, Illinois.

• There’s a John Turkey Legs along with his wife Lydia Turkey Legs in Big Horn, Montana in 1920! And even a Wish Bone in the Washington State and Territorial Census in 1887. Well, who doesn’t have a few turkeys in their own family tree, right?

Side Dishes

• Side dishes are well represented this holiday season as well, with various Cranberrys although I can’t verify that any were sauced. Casseroles are covered as well.

• There’s a bumper crop of Potatoes and while some might be sweet, a Sweet Potato could not be found. Plenty of Yams, my favorites being Yostus Yam and Stray Yam. I would avoid Harry Yam however.

• In case you were wondering, there was no Mashed Potato but plenty of other people who are Mashed, including Mashed Carpenter, and Mashed Noggie. Another fave: Mashed Clampit, from North Carolina, of course. One note: scrolling down through the Masheds you come upon many listings for nuns, such as Sister M. Joseph, Sister M. Elise. Is there some order of the Masheds that I missed out on?

• Plenty of Stuffings and Stuffins with some Dressings as well. Also, you may call it Corn but some call it Maize. You’ll find most of the Green Beans in the South but not living anywhere near a Casserole (see above). Anyone for Beets? Not sure if any of them went to Harvard.

• And finally, you just can’t eat all these good dishes without gravy. I present Gravy Cooks – from the 1930 US Census, Phoenix, Arizona. In case you were wondering, yes, there are several that arrived by boat.

Desserts

• For dessert there are the usual Pies but which do you prefer? If you aren’t sure there is a Trial Pie and for those who’ve overeaten, a Minnie Pie or even a Zero Pie. There are also those who just want Cake.

Cleanup

• Eventually you have to deal with the Dishes as well as the Silver Ware – why she was bland, I know not except that may have been her maiden name. Wash the Glasses, even the ones that are Chip and gather up all the Napkins.

* * *

And if we’re lucky and fortunate, we’ll all be back to do it again next year! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!

Photo: Thanksgiving Leftovers via Flickr, used under Creative Commons License 3.0.

Disclaimer: See Disclosure Statement for more information on the material connections I have with Ancestry.com and various genealogy and non-genealogy vendors.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

I Give Thanks - 2010 Edition

It's that time once again for this year's edition of I Give Thanks. While the year has been filled with challenges, as the song goes and as a dear friend said this week, "I'm Still Here."

I give thanks for . . .

• the ability to get out of bed each morning, of my own will and strength

• wisdom to understand the difference between what I must do and what I want to do; often I am truly blessed, for they are the same

• family and friends and the support that they give me

• a nation where I can enjoy many freedoms that others cannot

• an online community of genealogy colleagues whose support is equal to none

• the knowledge that I must let go of what is in my hands in order to receive the next gift 

• the desire to play the entire keyboard that is life, not just the most common keys

• a career in genealogy and family history, doing what I absolutely love

• the responsibility and duty of caring for an aging parent

• a sense of humor

• a roof over my head and a meal on the table

• the friends and loved ones who have passed on this year and what their lives meant to me

• memories of what was and the hope for what may be

• a universe that bends towards justice

I give thanks.

© 2010, copyright Thomas MacEntee

I Give Thanks

As my family and I prepare for Thanksgiving, amid a frenzy of cleaning and cooking, I want to pause and note those people and things for which I am truly thankful.

• Health: although this has not been one of my better years in the health department, I can still wake up, dress myself, prepare a meal and start my day on my own.  For this I am thankful.

• Family: far-flung as they may be, and crazy as they often are, I appreciate the gift of family especially my in-laws who have continuously welcomed this non-Greek boy as one of their own.  For this I am thankful.

• Unemployment: believe it or not, being out of work for over a year has been a gift, albeit one which comes with many heavy burdens.  If it were not for my layoff, I don't think I would ever have started this transition to genealogy as a profession.  For this I am thankful and for the ability to see hidden opportunities.

• Education: growing up poor, my mother knew that a good education was they key to my escape from a life of continual poverty.  And she knew I had to do it myself for it to have value.  Without her constant guidance, I would not be where I am today.  For this I am thankful.

• Writing: through my various blogs, I've been able to develop a writing style which not only serves as an outlet when times get tough, but as an income stream.  For this I am thankful.

• Friends: looking back, I can't believe how many wonderful people I've been able to meet - both in real life and virtually - in the genealogy field.  These folks can be counted on for advice, a good laugh, honest feedback and for just being themselves.  I hope everyone would be so lucky to have friends like these.  For them I am thankful.

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee

The Thanksgiving Letter

Last weekend my sister-in-law asked if I had thought about Thanksgiving and whether we'd like to host this year. I was surprised because usually I am the one who starts planning out the holidays in August!

While I like to host these events, I'd like to think that I make it easy on my guests and provide a relaxed, care-free environment. Unlike Marney's family as shown here in The Thanksgiving Letter.

Via Awkward Family Photos (via Back to San Diego)

© 2009, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just wanted to say a quick note of thanks to all my friends in the genea-blogging community! I will be spending the day with the in-laws and then come home to pack for a much needed vacation.

I will be in the Lake Tahoe/Reno area for a few days but have preposted several items for your reading pleasure.

Thomas

p.s. No I did not make these wonderful turkey creatures this year but the project has been on my to-do list for two years now. They seem simple requiring chocolate covered cherries, vanilla wafers, candy corn, jelly beans and melted chocolate to be used as glue.

Giving Thanks - What I Am Thankful For

Julie Cahill Tarr over at GenBlog by Julie has a great meme started called "Thanksgiving Meme & a Game of Tag." You can get more information over at the Genea-Bloggers group at Facebook by clicking here. And if you aren't already a member of the Genea-Bloggers group consider signing up!

It is difficult for me to slim my list of items for which I am thankful down to just two. Even with a tough holiday season coming up due to unemployment and trying to start a new business, and some health issues - I always try to see the glass as half full and my basket filled with thankful items.

Technology

This is a no-brainer for me, but by listing it I hope others will think about even the little bits of technology they take for granted. I am thankful I live in an age where technological advances are made every day. Having worked in the Information Technology field for the past 25 years, I've come to appreciate the many changes and innovations made in the computing field. What I hope is that we can place these creations in perspective both from a personal standpoint and in a historical perspective.

Right now I can't conceive of a world or my life without an Internet connection. But I think about what life was like before the Internet and consider how people interacted differently, for better or worse. I worry that my Internet usage can easily disconnect me from people but at the same time I look at groups like Genea-Bloggers on Facebook and realize I would never have been able to connect with so many wonderful people otherwise.

I try to remember that the technology itself is "innocent" and the good or bad comes from how we choose to use it, or not use it, in our daily lives.

Health

This has been a tough year for me battling increasingly painful osteo-arthritis in both hips and weight gain. I am improving and in fact November has seen great strides made especially at the gym, working with a trainer, etc. Even with these issues, I am grateful I have full use of most of my body parts and all five senses are still intact despite the ravages of age. I am able to get up each morning, get out of bed, dress myself, prepare a meal, look out my patio window and get started with my day. In keeping with my upbringing and what my mother and great-grandmother taught me, there are many people who have it much worse than I do. I consider myself blessed and trust that I am where I am and in the state of health I am for a reason.

There is so much more to be thankful for and I'll think about those things on Thursday as I sit down with family and celebrate.

And I now tag Apple over at Apple's Tree!

Giving Thanks

I may or may not post tomorrow since it is Thanksgiving and I'll be busy in the kitchen before heading up to Des Plaines, Illinois to be with family.

It might sound a bit cliche, but many of us will probably at some point during tomorrow's dinner, talk about what we are thankful for this year. I just thought I'd put mine here this year as much of it relates to my family history. For without my family, my friends and their influences I wouldn't be at this point in my life with this set of feelings, this set of perspectives, this set of wisdom.

I am thankful for all those that went before me. That they persevered and scratched out a life when they landed in America. From Jan Pootman who arrived in 1661 in Albany, New York, to Matthew McGinnes who came from Ireland and became a citizen in 1888 to my mother-in-law who arrived from Greece in the 1950s. They have taught me that nothing should be taken for granted and that the world doesn't owe you a thing. You make the world you live in.

I am thankful for the strong, independent women in my life - both the dead and the living - who decided that they weren't going to accept life at face value or the way society told them to. These women were fairly conservative, mostly poor, and didn't see themselves as suffragettes or feminists or women libbers. They just had an inate sense of what was right. And did what they had to do to give their children more than just food and shelter. They gave the gifts of opportunity, laughter, hugs, shoulders to cry on, examples of how to live, faith, wisdom and love.

I am thankful for the men in my life - despite the fact that they have often left all too soon. Grandfathers, fathers and brothers who started families but didn't stick around to see how they finished. These men have taught me how not to behave, how not to treat women and children, and how not to handle responsibility.

I am thankful that I live in a time and place where I can be who I am. And I can accept others as they are. And I can voice an opinion. And I can listen to the views of others.

I am thankful for my partner. We've endured quite a bit in eight short years - job losses, accidents, a cross-country move, harassment from a neighbor. I would follow him anywhere. He is my rock. He is my beshert. With him joys are doubled, burdens cut in half. And I am thankful for his family here in Chicago that accepts me as just one more daughter-in-law or sister-in-law. I hope to give to them as much as they've given to me this past year.

I am thankful for memories, anecdotes, and wisdom passed down through the years in my family. For "The Box" with its photos, diaries and other treasures that I sort through every week and try to catalog.

I am thankful for my new family of fellow genea-bloggers, how they inspire me, how they challenge me, how they make me think. They are more than just a group of memory gatherers: they animate facts such as birth dates and death dates; they bring to life how their ancestors lived and loved; and they often share the personal, from reflections to feelings, from past to present.

I am thankful that I am not attached to the material, to things. I intend to leave this world they way I came in - with nothing. But I intend to give back to those that have given.

Finally, I am thankful for the journey that is and has been Mom. Where we've traveled, especially in the past eight years, is not a trip you'll ever find in a guide book. Despite all that's been written about Alzheimer's Disease, especially early-onset, no guide book exists, for each journey is unique. I can never say thank you enough not just to the woman who brought me into this world but to someone from whom I learned life's lessons. Mom gave me my work ethic, my sensitivity, my love of learning. We didn't always agree but she also let me know that was okay too. She also taught me how to say, "Thank You."

Remember on Friday, November 23rd - more information about how to post for the Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories! Have a great holiday, travel safe if you have to travel, and tell someone, "Thank You."

Christmas Already?

I know it isn't even Halloween yet, but for me when I was growing up Halloween wasn't a big deal. For two reasons: 1) up until I was 13 we lived in an apartment and kids just didn't go into apartment buildings to knock on doors; and 2) after that we moved to a rural area 3 miles out of town. So instead of giving out candy, we went trick-or-treating as small kids but the whole idea of dressing up wore off quickly. Besides, Halloween is really more of a modern tradition that grows and grows each year due to slick marketing from costumers and candy companies. I've also been saying that the decision to move the end of Daylight Saving Time a week later, after Halloween, was so kids would have more daylight to trick or treat. As long as the kids are safe, it's fine by me!

Jasia over at Creative Gene sent me an e-mail mentioning that she saw her first Christmas-themed sales ad in the Sunday paper. Ugh! I know I am going to sound like an old f*rt when I say this, but here goes: I remember when you didn't see any mention of Christmas, be it store decorations or window displays, until the day after Thanksgiving. I grew up in upstate New York, about 100 miles NW of New York City. A big part of the "Christmas Magic" was knowing that on that Friday, the whole city would be transformed into this glittering wonderland. Or at least, as a kid I thought so. And Thanksgiving was all about watching the Macy's parade and who showed up at the end? Right, Santa Claus.

These days (insert old f*rt comment here), I see Christmas items creep into Costco at the end of August. Store decorations go up before Halloween. It ain't fittin'. It just ain't fittin'.

I have to admit though, I did start making Christmas decorations back in September. This will be the first year since I moved from California that we'll have room for a large live tree. And a 9 footer takes lots of ornaments. So by time I ordered supplies, mapped out ideas and concepts and color schemes, I knew I had to start early. I will be putting up a new blog called A Catskill Christmas (after Halloween of course) with photos, plans for ornaments, etc. The idea is to not only replicate some of the stuff I grew up with, but to use all natural materials such as nuts, cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, bay leaves, dried flowers and even old photographs. Stay tuned.

And as if I didn't have enough to do (you should know that my friends say that I make Martha Stewart look like a dirty hippie), I've bounced this idea off of Jasia and I think I'll follow through with it: A Genealogy Advent Calendar. I'm going to do some more research today, but starting December 1st, I'd like to do a post a day about some aspect of Christmas and my family history. Postings about traditions, food, funny stories, even sad stories, cookie recipes (yum!) and more. It would also be neat if there were other genealogy bloggers willing to do a Genealogy Menorah around the eight days of Hanukkah, or even a Genealogy Kinara (the candle holder used during Kwanzaa ceremonies) describing the seven days of Kwanzaa.

Photo: this was my fireplace decorated for Christmas in 1997, San Francisco. I made all those items (except the poinsettias of course). Geez, I must have been smoking some good crack then.