Create a ritual to honor your ancestors

Sometimes you're just feeling blah: the weather's bad, you can't get out of bed and you're struggling to shake off that listlessness. In these moments, the solution is often simpler than we think. This episode, NPR's science desk and Life Kit staff present research-backed mood boosters to instantly shake yourself out of a slump and turn your day around.

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Shaking hands, sending cold emails and asking for coffee can feel unnatural. Networking expert Robbie Samuels explains how to create meaningful job connections in more authentic ways. This episode originally published on October 2, 2022.

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Even if you use a credit card all the time, it can be difficult to understand the ins and outs of how they work. Whether you're a new credit card owner or just want to make sure you're getting the most out of your card, this episode will walk through the fundamentals of the credit card game.

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Today's teens struggle with perfectionism and mood swings, and their parents struggle to have hard conversations with them, according to a recent survey. Teen psychologist Lisa Damour explains how parents can better support their kids as a new school year begins.

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Conflicts with neighbors are common. Trash, noise, parking, weeds — there are seemingly endless ways neighbors can get on each other's nerves. But it doesn't have to be that way. A mediator and a dispute resolution expert say that taking calm, measured steps to resolve conflict can lead to greater understanding and even harmony between you and the folks on your block.

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Seeing a swarm of pesky fruit flies in the kitchen is frustrating. We talk with a fruit fly researcher about how fruit flies make their way into your home, how to ripen fruit without attracting them and how to trap them.

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If you're struggling to save for long-term goals, find yourself lost in a sea of clutter or are concerned about consumerism and climate change, there are ways to curb your shopping habits. This episode, journalist Stacey Vanek Smith talks to writers, influencers and activists in the sustainable fashion industry about how to reign in overconsumption, rethink our power as consumers and challenge ourselves to buy less.

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Prenups aren't just for the rich and famous. Family law attorney Theresa Viera explains how to talk about it with your partner and decide whether it's right for you. This episode originally published August 31, 2023.

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Spending time in the forest isn't just enjoyable, it's good for your health. Here are some research-backed exercises to try the next time you find yourself under a canopy of trees.

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Strong muscles are good for us. They help prevent injuries, strengthen bones and improve balance. But it can be hard to build muscle mass if you're intimidated by the weight room or unsure of how much weight to lift. Writer and audio producer Alex Sujong Laughlin shares her weightlifting journey — and her own tips and challenges along the way. This episode was originally published October 12, 2021.

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Genealogy Gems Podcast episode 233 with Lisa Louise CookeSeptember 2019 In this episode: Today we’re going to take a look at what so many records and record collections have in common: they are often Lists. Now that may sound pretty straight forward, but there’s a lot more to Lists than meet the eye. A list of names, places or other information has a lot to tell us and can be used in unique ways. Professional genealogist Cari Taplin joins me in this episode for a conversation about what is so lovely about lists.   My Summer Vacation If you’ve been following me on Instagram – you can find me or by searching for genealogy gems podcast in the free Instagram app – then you know that I’ve spent a bit of my time this summer getting a taste of some of the work many of my ancestors did and probably that many of your ancestors did: farming. Bill and I have a close friend who owns his great grandfather’s 1904 homestead in North Dakota. A few years back Bill went up there to help them open it back up and get things up and running. This year we helped them harvest their crop of oats. (They even have a sign in the field that says “These oats will grow up to be Cheerios.”) Of course, we used equipment that our ancestors may not have had. I learned to drive the combine, and I disked the field with the tractor. But in many ways, things haven’t changed all that much. One of the things that really struck me was how the farming community out there pulls together. Now to put this in perspective: the 240-acre homestead is about two miles down a dirt road for Canada. The house has fallen into disrepair over the decades, so our friend bought an old farmhouse in the nearby town where he grew up. That town has a population of just over 50 people! So, we’re talking about a pretty remote location, and folks are scattered on various farms miles apart. But when a tractor was in need of repair, within the hour a neighbor would be pulling up ready to crawl under it alongside our friend to work on it till it was fixed. When a piece of equipment was needed that he didn’t have, it would soon be rolling down the road from a neighboring farm to pitch in. Everyone had one eye on the sky at all times to watch the ever-changing weather, and there was such a commitment by all to make sure no neighbor was left with unharvested crops before a storm hit. So even though the combines of today are motorized massive machines with air conditioning and stereos, the work ethic, the commitment and the community was unchanged from when his granddad first filed his homestead claim. Bill and I felt really blessed to be a part of it. Think of us next time you eat your cheerios.   GEM: Tapping into the Power of Lists with Cari Taplin If you’ve been doing genealogy for any length of time, then you have probably encountered a list. They come in all shapes and sizes, and at first glance they may seem very straight forward. Cari Taplin, a certified genealogist out of Pflugerville, Texas, says it’s worth taking the time to really examine lists carefully because there may be more there than meets the eye. Cari  currently serves on the boards of the Association for Professional Genealogists and is the Vice President of Membership for the Federation of Genealogical Societies. As the owner of , she provides speaking, research, and consultation services, focusing on midwestern and Great Lakes states and methodology.   Types of Lists Nearly every time we sit down to do genealogy research we run into a list. There are loads of them out there. Here’s just a starter list of the lists you might run into: indexes of any kind city directories tax lists petitions censuses church membership members of a club or society fraternal organization member lists community groups committees lists in newspapers like hotel registrations, letters at post office hospital admittances and discharges cemetery books event participants jurors estate sales militia rolls voter lists land lottery winners school class lists yearbooks agricultural lists   Significance of List Construction Of course, not every list is alphabetically organized by any means. We might run into a list of prison inmates listed by number, or burial sites listed by plot or location. The information can be organized in many different ways. Cari says that the way the list maker decided to organize the list tells us a lot about the information. For example, a list that is alphabetized might be an indication that it is a recreated list. Other ways that lists may be constructed include chronologically or by location. Here are follow up tasks you can do: Evaluate for potential error Locate the original source   List Explanation or Instructions Understanding the thinking behind how the list was constructed is also important. The U.S. Federal Census is a great example of a list that has other background documents such as the enumerator instructions. We don’t see these instructional documents unless we go looking for them. The instructions provide background on the creation of the list, and that can help us get more out of it. Research Tip: : The Decennial Censuses From 1790 to 2000. From that page you download the PDF of enumerator instructions. Here’s an example of how understanding the census enumerator instructions can help you better understand how to interpret it: In 1900 the census was answered as if it were a particular day. This means that if someone died a few days later, they may still be listed as alive in the 1900 census. If you know that they died that year, you now have more information that it was after the enumeration date. Genealogy websites like Ancestry, FamilySearch and MyHeritage often provide background on the creation and purpose of their record collections.   Tax List example: there are laws behind them. Look up the statute. Google to find summations of tax laws at the time. Keep in mind that they might be in order of location. When analyzing a list, ask yourself the following questions: What was this list created for? Why is it in this order? What does that then tell me about these people?   What’s we’re really talking about is educating ourselves so that we’re not contributing to the errors that get out there. It’s an investment in accuracy.   Context It can be tempting to just scan the list, grab your ancestor out of it, and move on. But if we do that, we could be leaving a lot of genealogical gold behind. “Evidence mining requires attention to detail, including details that might initially seem insignificant.” ––BCG, Genealogy Standards, #40, p. 24 Here are some ideas as to what we should look for: Sometimes it’s just a name (example: petition lists) There might be columns at the top – pay attention to those details for more understanding Other people in the list: the FAN Club (Friends, Associates, Neighbors.) Look for those names in other documents.   Organizing Your Research and the Data Collected from Lists Cari uses spreadsheets to organize her genealogical research project data. Come of the benefits of using a spreadsheet are that you can: easily sort the data easily manipulate the data visualize the data in different forms   Free Download: Read and download the free spreadsheet template.   Explore the Bigger List Often times you do a search, and you find a single record. But that single record is actually part of a massive internal list, an indexed list from which the search engine is pulling. An example of this is when you run a search for your ancestor at the  After finding your ancestor’s record, you can then run a search by that land description to find other people who owned land and possibly lived nearby. on the batch search technique that Lisa mentioned.   What Constitutes Proof? “Evidence mining requires attention to detail, including details that might initially seem insignificant.” – BCG, Genealogy Standards, #40, p.24 Review the Genealogical Proof Standard in the show notes for Genealogy Gems Podcast   2 men with 1 name When everyone in the family wants to name their children after Grandpa, you can end up with a lot people in a county with the same name. You need to tease them apart. Questions to ask: Who did they associate with? Who were their siblings? Where were each of them located? All of these things can help differentiate them. A spreadsheet is an excellent tool for this.   The Yearbook List Example Very often the list of names is the full list of students. However, not every student necessarily had their photo taken. Count the names and then count the photos to verify you have the right person. Search the to try and find another photo of the person to compare.     Cari’s Main Message Don’t skip over a list because it’s lacking some identifying information. You still need to record it. You may come back to it one day!   Visit Cari Online:    Profile America: The Gregorian Correction Wednesday, September 11th. This was a day that didn’t exist in Colonial America in 1752, as the familiar calendar underwent what is called the “Gregorian correction,” switching from the ancient Julian calendar to adjust for errors accumulated over centuries. After September 2nd, the next day was September 14th. The British parliament’s Calendar Act of 1750 had also changed New Year’s Day from March 25th to January 1st. As a result, the year 1751 had only 282 days. Since then, with leap years built in as in 2020, the calendar has remained constant.  Sources:              News: Watch Lisa’s new MyHeritage Education Center to watch videos and read article to help you get more out of using MyHeritage. Watch the presentation at the MyHeritage Education Center:

Genealogy Gems Podcast Episode 232 with Lisa Louise Cooke August 2019 Please take our quick which will take less than 1 minute.  Thank you!   In this episode: Exploring what you can do to go deeper in your genealogy research for a more accurate family tree with Elissa Scalise Powell. Irish genealogy radio host Lorna Moloney, a professional genealogist with Merriman Research, discusses Irish genealogy.   MAILBOX: Marcia Finds Treasure on eBay “I recently remembered your idea of searching for family related things on eBay. My grandfather and his brother both worked as agents for the Wrought Iron Range Co. of St. Louis. They sold excellent quality wrought iron stoves and my great uncle did very well there as a supervisor. I did a search for the Wrought Iron Range Co on eBay and immediately pulled up a history of the company, an advertisement for the range and a metal they gave away. I bought them all! However, the best goodie which I am still bidding on is a “salesman’s sample Wrought Iron Range stove about 12 inches tall and 14 inches long in color and with all working parts. (Photo: The stove Lisa inherited from her grandmother.) I may not win the bid, but I am thrilled with what I found. This will bring my grandfather’s occupation to life for my great nephews!!!!” More eBay Research Strategies on Genealogy Gems: Learn more about eBay alerts in .  eBay strategies on Genealogy Gems eBay strategies on Genealogy Gems  about Genealogy Gems Premium membership.   Steve Shares a New German Translation Resource “I came across a new site that you might like to inform your listeners about. It is very new and just getting started, so I know they would appreciate a mention. The name of this new site is "German Letters in Letters"  []. What they are doing is trying to collect letters written between German immigrants to the US and their relatives back home in Germany. You can very easily submit scanned copies of any letters you have and the really neat thing is that they will post them at their site. Once they post them, they are asking for translations by any volunteers. So, this is an excellent way to have any letters in your possession to be translated..... for FREE! I was given about 30 letters written to my GG grandfather, Johann Bernard Husam, who immigrated to Adams Co., Illinois about 1855. They are from his siblings, nieces, and a nephew back in Germany. They range from 1866 to the early 1900s. I scanned them and they are now on this site. I was given these letters by great granddaughter-in-law [my aunt] who spoke German as she had grown up in the Sudetenland area of Czechoslovakia. She had escaped Czechoslovakia at the end of WWII before the Russians invaded. She, thankfully, had translated all of the letters.” Resource Learn more about German research from at Genealogy Gems.   What Ann Likes About the Podcast Hi, Lisa, I'd love to say that your podcast has helped me with a genealogy brick wall but at this point I'm only a "drop-in genealogist," figuring that I'm the only one in the family interested at this time (working on one grandson though, because I think he'd be a real asset) in finding and preserving family stories. I do research in fits and starts. But, I do love your podcasts. I'm catching up on back episodes now and recently listened to one that started with you describing a granddaughter's first Christmas coming up. It reminded me of one of the best things about your podcasts - it's like you're sitting in my living room with me, having a cup of tea, discussing your stories and tips and tricks to help with mine. Thank you so much for all the information, and for your casual, personal, yet professional style!”   Kristine is No Longer a “Cooke-Cutter” Researcher “I just retired and guess what is first on my list of things I WANT to do? :-)  I jumped in with both feet listening to your Premium podcasts and realized a few times that I am the 'cookie-cutter' researcher.  But, no more. You are the Captain of my ship now. Thank you! After binging on your podcasts the last two weeks, the first bit of advice I took was changing the way I searched on Newspapers.com. My family's everyday life's treasures were buried in the pages of the local news! You made me take a second look after I dismissed the possibility of ever reading about them.  Thank you so much for your dedicated work on behalf of all the genealogists. My Premium subscription will NEVER run out.  When a family member says "I don't know what to get you" I'm prepared to solve that dilemma! Warm regards, A listener for life” Resource: Read Lisa’s article called   GEM: Overcoming Shallow Research with Elissa Scalise Powell Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL, is co-director of the Genealogical Research Institute of Pittsburgh (GRIP); past-president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, and 2017 She won the Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Achievement Award. She is a Certified Genealogist®, and Certified Genealogical LecturerSM. You can reach Elissa at . (Thank you to Elissa for contributing notes for this episode.) Visit Elissa’s website at The Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS) The Genealogical Proof Standard was created to help genealogists gain confidence in their research conclusions by providing criteria that can be followed. A genealogical conclusion is considered proved when it meets all five GPS components. The 5 Components of the GPS Reasonably exhaustive research This type of research emphasizes original records that provide the information for all evidence that might answer a genealogist’s question about an identity, relationship, event, or situation Complete, accurate citations to the source or sources of each information item contributing—directly, indirectly, or negatively—to answers about that identity, relationship, event, or situation Tests—through processes of analysis and correlation—of all sources, information items, and evidence contributing to an answer to a genealogical question or problem Resolution of conflicts among evidence items pertaining to the proposed answer A soundly reasoned, coherently written conclusion based on the strongest available evidence Resource The book by the Board for Certification of Genealogists provides a standard by which all genealogists can pattern their work. About Sources Some sources are considered “Low-hanging fruit.” They can be described as: - straightforward research - easily accessible - record type is easily understood - document states the fact desired Many times, genealogists will need to stretch and reach for harder to find sources. These types of sources are: - not straightforward - possibly unknown to you at this time - not easily accessible - time-consuming to explore - take study to understand it - not self-explanatory Elise’s Examples of the Pitfalls of Shallow Research Believing that family stories have been accurately passed down in all details. Believing that official documents are always correct. Believing that published records, especially transcriptions or abstracts, are faithful representations of the original. Premature conclusions can come back to haunt us. Disregarding ill-fitting evidence can create brick walls. Careless citation practices do not give us the tools we need for analysis. Researching and understanding historical context is crucial to solving problems. Barriers requiring expertise beyond our own should not hamper the research process. Assuming there is only one record and suspending research when the first one is found. Assuming that details are unimportant, or not noticing them at all. Elissa also points out that when we do shallow research, we can actually do more harm than good. Shallow genealogical research: Doesn’t allow our ancestors to reveal themselves or their reasons for actions Puts them in the wrong time and place Can create wrong kinship ties Misleads future researchers Causes brick walls Wastes our time Does a disservice to our current family and descendants   GEM: Irish Genealogy with Lorna Moloney of Merriman Research While speaking at THE Genealogy Show conference in Birmingham England in June of this year I got a chance to sat down for the first time with Lorna Moloney host of The Genealogy Radio show which is produced at Raidio Corcabaiscinn. Click ). Lorna runs Merriman Research which is dedicated to bringing educational solutions and resources to a wide audience.  Lorna’s website: Photo: Lisa and Lorna at THE Genealogy Show in Birmingham, England in 2019.     Do you have Irish Roots? Then Irish Roots Magazine is perfect for you! Visit Irish Roots Magazine at    Join Lisa in Person for 2 Exciting and Innovative Days of Genealogy! 1 and 2 day passes available. : 2 days for the price of 1 until 9/15/19.

Where to start with your Scottish genealogy? Tina Beaird of Tamarack Genealogy shares resources and strategies for finding your Scottish ancestors. 

Did you know that your ancestor's surname can help point you into the right area of Scotland?

Waves of migration had their own origins; knowing when your ancestor came to the U.S. can often narrow where you Scotland you should be looking. 

The established church had to keep some records regardless of what religion a person was practicing. Tina shares more about these valuable records, where to find them, and her trick for saving money in getting copies for your genealogy research.

You can find show notes with all of the links at AmyJohnsonCrow.com/8.

Published Jan 20, 2008 SHOW NOTES   If you are new to the podcast, be sure that you go back to the new Genealogy Gems subscription listing that you created in your podcast directory and click that GET ALL button.  Clicking the SUBSCRIBE button will only give you the most recent show and future shows.  By clicking GET ALL all the previous episodes will download for you.   Go to the official Genealogy Gems Website and be sure and sign 1890 census:   MAILBOX: Diana Larson wrote to recommend the American Girl Collection:  "The American Girls Collection books are a great way for children (and adults) to learn about children living through different periods in American historyâAlthough the stories themselves are fictional, they are thoroughly researched, and each book concludes with a brief section containing factual information, photographs, and artwork about that particular time period..." Cathy Paris wrote in about the podcast.  about her dad, Gil Merrill born in 1913 in Franklin, NH  at the Genealogy Gems Podcast   GEM: Lisa's History Podcast Picks By Tony Cocks Website: Website: by the History Channel Josh Bernstein is the host of this series on the History Channel.  Season One.   2005.    4 episodes.  Season Two 2006.  12 episodes   Website: website devoted to WWI history: - From the History Channel Website: : The History Podcast by Jim Mowatt by Dennis Humphrey presents history through Old Time Radio programs.  - The History Channel videocast hosted by Adam Hart-Davis.   Website:  Website:  BRITISH HISTORY: National Archives Website:  Website:  REGIONAL SPECIFIC: Stories , legends, and tales b David Gibson Website:  DELWARE:    Brief historical facts from the first state in the Union compiled by the Deleware Archives.  INDIANA:  Produced by WFIU Public Media in Bloomington, IN. Website: MINNESOTA:  Twin Cities Public Television Website:  MISSOURI:  Michael O'Laughlin of the Irish Roots Podcast OZARKS:  The Museum is located in Springdale, Arkansas   Website:  PENNSYLVANIA:  Produced by WITF radio in Pennsylvania, this podcast covers a wide range of topics and at last count had 66 episodes! SAN FRANCISCO:  Website:  By the National Park Service.  Website:  GEM:  Heritage Quilts                          Lenora HERRING              William Jefferson MOORE                                                    The Quilt found in the suitcase "This quilt is for Ronald L. Moore.   It is the last quilt his Grandmother Herring made before her stroke and death.  She loved him so much.  I love you so very much Ron.  I am so proud of you as a son.  All My Love, Mother" A job started really by her mother Lenora Herring who had made the quilt.  From great grandmother Herring to my young daughters, the quilt had spanned five generations of us stubborn Moores, and brought us all back together again.  Here's a photo of the flour sack quilt that Carolyn refers to in the video: The quilts have always cared for the family - first warming them and then bringing them together, and now leading us to other ancestors we didn't know.  Women may not have had a lot of time to use the power of the pen to document history, but they did have some mighty powerful sewing needles! Coming Soon: An expert quilter who will pass on some ideas for all of us on how to properly care for our heritage quilts.

Join me today as we talked about how to become a better genealogist. Whether you're a beginner or a veteran, your research will improve if you focus on these three things. http://www.GenealogyGold.com

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