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The
"Your Life is Your Story" Blog Archives
© Tom
Gilbert
Read
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quality family history and life story news, views, methods, products,
links, services
...and whatever else catches our fancy of personal
historian
March,
2017
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Why a Personal Historian is a Good Investment
March 27, 2017
It' s time again to adress the issue of why using a personal historians is a good investment and what it costs.
Most people think it is a good idea to preserve the story of your life
or family members. It is especially true when you think about those
family members who are no longer with us. How many of you would go to
great lengths to know what your great grandparents or other ancestors
thought about life? What was it really like 100 years ago? Did they
have dreams and values that were realized? What about the hardships and
tragedies?
In another hundred years will there be people in your family that wish
they could pick up the story of your life? Do you have lessons,
experiences and values to share?
The answers to these questions can be achieved by preserving personal
and family history. You can do it yourself, of course, but how many
people have the time, motivation or expertise to create and finish such
a project?
Personal historians are dedicated to helping you achieve the end goal
of a preserved life story. We have the know how and desire to do this
kind of work. And make no mistake, it is work. If you decided to use a
personal historian, a professional in the field of life story work, be
prepared to make an investment equivalent to a nice vacation or a
car. The amount varies depending on what you want for your end result,
the amount of work involved, the quality of the finished product, and
your budget. This is not a $50 or $100 job. It typically runs a few
thousand dollars to create a manuscript that is well written and runs
100-200 pages.
I found another article recently that makes the case for investing in
a personal historian or memoir professional. Ruth Anne Uhl gives
plenty of good reasons and explains the process from her perspective in
How much should you pay for help writing your memoir?.
The article it is right in line with the discussions I typically
have and it is also similar to what I've seen other professionals give
as guidelines to the process and cost.
By all means, shop around and have conversations. If you are serious
about your life story, or that of a family member, circle back to the
beginning of this post and remind yourself of the value of creating a
memoir. It's value typically outstrips that financial investment. These
stories become heirlooms and legacies. It is indeed a good investment.
World Storytelling Day
March 20, 2017
Today is World Storytelling Day
and is dedicated to the art of oral storytelling. That fits right in
with with life story work. Oral storytelling has a rich tradition
dating back thousands of years.
Are you a storyteller? Just about anyone can be. You need to have some
confidence in speaking to others and it helps to have a flare for
dramatic expression. But you don't have to be a great entertainer to
share stories aloud. You just need a willingness to speak to others
about life, traditions, values and what you find important.
Every March 20, right around the equinox (spring in the Northern
Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern) is the day when globally as many
people as possible tell and listen to stories. These stories are told
in many languages and locales and it celebrates the importance of
sharing inspiration, entertainment and lessons through oral
storytelling. What a great thing!
More information is available at this website.
Chuck Berry Duck Walks into Rock n' Roll Heaven
March 19, 2017
 Another
of rock n' roll's pioneers has passed away. The great Chuck Berry,
guitarist and a true founding father of rock n' roll, died Saturday at
the age of 90.
Chuck Berry influenced countless other rock guitarists, Keith Richards
of the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen among them. His brash
self-confidence, songs about teenage rebellion, joyful dance parties
and fast cars embodied the spirit of rock. His live performances were
exuberant and his characteristic way of squatting low and dancing
around the stage with one leg stuck out in front of him became his
iconic duck walk.
There are so many Chuck Berry songs that showcase his talent and I
played them all at some point in my thirty-plus year as a radio DJ. I
favor Maybelline, Promised Land and Rock and Roll Music, but School Days, Roll Over Beethoven and Johnny B. Goode are anthemic, too. Johnn B. Goode
was even included on a specially pressed golden record for the
Voyager I and II spacecrafts, so someday his music may impact
extraterrestrials.
There are plenty of articles to check out online (I like Jon Pareles' tribute for the New York Times) and you might also be interested in Chuck Berry's autobiography.
Rock n' Roll Heaven has a great lineup and they just added another
stellar member to the band. "Roll over Beethoven and tell Tchaikovsky
the news."
Listening Equals Learning
March 16, 2017
Listening equals learning. What's that?, you say. The statement has a lot to do with how we communicate and learn.
When we have a talk (maybe "The Talk of a Lifetime") about our experiences, strengths and hopes our desire is that those who hear
us are truly listening. When we actively listen to others - leaning in,
making eye contact, nodding and giving other non-verbal cues that show
we are interested - it helps the speaker. They feel validated and
valued.
In education it is crtical that there is good listening. Learning how
to listen well is a skill we can all develop. And it is a skill that
will serve you well all your life.
Often when I am interviewing someone about their life story we both
discover some delightful and surprising things. Telling your story
requires reminiscing. Listening carefully and respectfully helps to
create a safe space and that can result in a deeper and more meaningful
story.
So the next time you are in a conversation, especially one where you
are engaged in the subject matter of your life experiences, try to
listen with all of your attention. I think you might enjoy what you learn from this active listening.
Math Nerds Get Pi in Their Face
March 14, 2017
Happy Pi Day! Today, 3/14, is
known to all math nerds as Pi Day, a holiday of sorts for those who
enjoy mathematical formulas. 3.14 is the shortened version of an
irregular number. The place value of pi has been calculated out to the
trillions and you could keep calculating forever. It is literally
endless.
What is pi? If you answered a round baked treat, I would agree, but you
would have spelled it wrong. Pi is both a Greek letter and the ratio of
the circumference of a circle to its diameter - approximately 3.14159.
I was never a math nerd growing up. In fact, I disliked math. But there
are people who love the purity of mathematics and who take to it like a
duck to water. Now that I have been teaching 5th grade for five years I
am kind of fond of math. At least, 5th grade math, which is more my
speed. I get it and I enjoy teaching it. Yes, we had a lesson on pi
today. Oh, and I gave everyone a slice of either cherry or apple pie.
You can find out more about pi and Pi Day at the piday.org website
(I kid you not!). And if you like fascinating stories about
incredible life experiences (real or imagined) you should certainly see
the film that came out a few years ago, Life of Pi.
Life in Parts - Bryan Cranston
Memoir
March 7, 2017
Happy birthday to actor and writer, Bryan Cranston. Probably best
known for his Emmy-winning role as Walter White in the acclaimed television program, Breaking Bad,
is 61 today. He and I have that age in common. Some people also think I
look like his Walter White alter ego, Heisenberg (bald, glasses, goatee
- no stretch there).
 What I think is best that we have in common is the love of a good story. Cranston wrote and published his memoir, A Life in Parts,
last year. I've almost finished reading it. I love how he put it
together with short vignettes about the various "parts" of his life.
His book title is a play on the fact that he's a hard working actor,
but also that he has had many different experiences that he shares with
humor and insight throughout his book.
Writing a good memoir begins with living a life of awareness for all
the various experiences you have over the years you've lived. It takes
some hard work, but when you finish a good life story there is great
value in what you will have learned about yourself. Plus, if you share
it with others we gain from your unique take on life.
Thanks to Bryan Cranston for sharing his life story.
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