Opening Remarks: Red October

I first became a die-hard fan of the Red Sox that year. I was in 5th grade that year and we lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, hometown of the AA minor league team the Arkansas Travelers. The Travelers were the farm team of the St. Louis Cardinals. The Sox went on to lose the World Series to the Cardinals in seven games. Yes, I was the lone Red Sox fan in my school. It was the first of many close calls for Boston, but I faithfully have followed them through their trials and tribulations.

Yaz (Carl Yastrzmeski) was my boyhood baseball idol. I emulated his batting stance, holding my bat up high above my left shoulder all through the years of Little League, High School and American Legion ball. I never realized my dream of playing big league ball, but I also never gave up on my beloved Red Sox. A few years ago my dream, and those of countless other members of the Red Sox Nation, was rewarded when Boston won the 2004 World Series, sweeping the Cardinals in four games.

Having a passion for baseball has stayed with me through the years. Tonight the Boston Red Sox are on the verge of another championship. They lead the Colorado Rockies three games to one and if they win they will have completed another sweep, this time over a team that has captured the imagination and love of many baseball fans. I like the Rockies. They are a group of talented players, none of them huge stars. They play good baseball and their team doesn’t have the huge payroll of say, the New York Yankees, or the Boston Red Sox, for that matter.

In about an hour from now the first pitch will be thrown at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The pageant of the grand old game will be played out again. Even if Boston doesn’t win tonight, even if they don’t win the series, I treasure it all.

I hope you have dreams and I hope you hold onto them with all your might. Dream big and dream often. Life is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Thank you for the opportunity to present another ezine issue to you. Feel free to email me with questions and comments. I welcome the feedback.

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While the main focus of this newsletter is to share thoughts, ideas, and insights on life story writing you should know that I offer various services and also mention some products and services that can be helpful. You are under no obligation to purchase anything, but if any of these products or services are helpful and you decide to utilize them then I am most grateful.

Thanks for reading. – Tom

Featured Article: Family Tree Foliage

It is estimated that more than two million separate Web sites are devoted to genealogy and in one month it is estimated that over 14 million people researched their family history. Have you begun this process? October is considered Family History Month by genealogists. I realize that October is almost over, but anytime is a good time to start your research. There are plenty of places to find help. I list a number of resources and web links on my site at the Research is Fun page.

When you trace your family’s roots and discover the names of your ancestors it naturally begs the question, “What were these people like? And am I like any of them?” The stories behind the genealogy are what really interest me. Hopefully it interests you as well.

You can read other articles on life-story writing here.

Resources You Can Use

The APH and the VHP have joined forces. The Veterans History Project is a part of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center and it relies on volunteers to collect and preserve stories of United States wartime service. The Association of Personal Historians has now committed to at least 25 interviews of wartime veterans per year. I applaud this fine effort. Find out more here.

The other Your Life Your Story

If you visit the website www.yourlifeyourstory.com you will find a site that is interactive and free to participate in. You are invited to share your life stories by registering and posting to the forum. These are real life stories from real people — people like you. Visit it to see what is offered and if you find you are interested in pursuing your personal history story further and want help you can contact me at www.your-life-your-story.com. We are not affiliated, but I’ve been in email contact with them and I’m always in favor of ways to further you telling your story.

Your Family Newsletter

The end of this year is rapidly approaching. Have you thought about how you might document the significant events in your family from 2007 and how you could share them with your family and friends?

Your Life is Your Story can write your annual family newsletter. I'll write a fun, entertaining and concise family newsletter suitable for printing or sending by email. You provide the events and information you want included and I'll flesh out the details in a highly readable report of your family's 2007 experiences, all for under $100. Get the details here.

Closing Information

Any comments, ideas or feedback is greatly appreciated. Just reply to this ‘zine and tell me what you think!

Until next time, – keep your story alive!

Tom Gilbert