When the 2010 Winter GeneaBlogger Games began a little over two weeks ago, I was ready and raring to go. I had great intentions of working on my family history, correcting source citations, doing random acts of genealogical kindness, and blogging all about it.
Sunday as I was watching the closing of the Olympic Games, I realized I had missed out. After I posted my flag for the opening ceremonies, I didn't do anything else for the GB Games. I missed it! So, what happened?
We had an unexpected death in the family and had to travel out of town to attend the funeral. That took two and half days. While we were visiting with the family, I was telling some of the Millennial Generation cousins about their family history. They were surprised to learn they were descended from fugitive slaves who came to Canada on the Underground Railroad. I was surprised that they had no idea. Not only that, they are truly ignorant about slavery and the Underground Railroad in Canada. Our education system has failed them about this important part of Canadian history. How sad is it that me, a white woman, knows more about African Canadian history than our African Canadian cousins? Looks like I will be busy over the next few months compiling information about their ancestors into a book. They need to know from whom they came from.
When we returned home, the kids and I had to catch up on our homework. The methodology course I was taking was ending at the end of February. I had to finish my reading and assignments, and take the exam. So I kicked it up a notch and actually completed the course four days early. Also, as the end of the month was quickly approaching, I still had to read the chapter in Professional Genealogy for ProGen and start my assignment. Yikes! Barely got that done in time.
In between all of that, I did manage to post a short story for the Canadian Genealogy Carnival. Once I finished that, I had to compile the entries for the carnival and get that posted too. Whew! I did read a few posts on other GeneaBlogger blogs about what they were doing in the GB Games, thinking that I still has lots of time to compete.
Furthermore, I was assisting a woman from Florida with her Loyalist ancestry. She is wanting to get her UEL certificate. Turns out she is descended from at least three Loyalist families, possibly four! Wow! So, I spent some time emailing her back and forth, sorting out family names and whose who, then doing some research online and at the local library.
Oh, yeah, I lived "regular life" during that time as well.
Anyway, as I look back at all that I did over those two week, I like to think I was competing in the GB Games after all. It was just from the sidelines! ;-)
Posted by Kathryn Lake, copyright 2010.
