While there are some nice things with LiveJournal, I've decided that BlogSpot meets my needs a little better.

Please update your feeds and bookmarks; I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

http://genblogjulie.blogspot.com/

This blog will stay active for awhile for archives (all posts have been moved to the new blog).

I've been tagged by Kathy at Kathy's Genealogy Blog and Colleen at Orations of OMcHodoy.  So here we go...

***10 Years Ago I........

Moved from sunny Arizona back to snowy Illinois.

Was trying to finish my Bachelor's degree while working full time.

Started to have health issues.

Was hanging out at the bars on karaoke night (and no I did not get up and sing, although I sing very well).

Watched my friends graduate from college and move onto bigger and better things.

***5 Things on Today's To-Do List......

Get cracking on starting my writing/graphic design business.

Run a Windows update.

Contact the city about a business license.

Decide whether to move my blog to blogspot.

Go through the stack of papers on my desk.

***5 Snacks I Enjoy........

Breyer's Health ice cream...yum!

Cheetos

Golden Delicious apples with caramel dip

Sugar cookies

Peanut butter cookies

***5 Places I Have Lived......

Lombard, Illinois

Addison, Illinois

Elmhurst, Illinois

Prescott, Arizona

Bloomington-Normal, Illinois

***5 Jobs I Have Had.....

Secretary

Call center for the IRS

Administrative coordinator

Technical writer

Business analyst

Now the hard part, tagging 5 others!

Well, it seems like almost all of the blogs I follow have been tagged.  If you haven't been tagged already, then I humbly say, tag...you're it!

Kathryn over at LOOKING4ANCESTORS posted a challenge to fellow bloggers:

I have a challenge for you for this edition of Fun Friday. Spend some time this week-end reading blogs. First start with your favourite blogs, and then, branch out and read some new blogs.

The challenge is to leave a personal comment on at least ten of the blogs you read.

I usually leave comments when I find some really helpful advice. I want the author to know I appreciate them taking the time to share their advice help others.

I do leave comments when I find something interesting, but don't always.  I should take more time to do this, as people have taken the time to post something that I enjoy reading.

I'm participated in this challenge and plan to make this part of my blog-reading routine.

Here's a list of posts I commented on for the challenge.  Enjoy!

As I peruse other blogs, I see some pretty neat things.  I came across digital scrapbook pages and thought I'd give it a whirl.

This scrapbook page was designed by Raspberry Road Designs.  The photo is of Joseph CAHILL and Jean Marie MILLER taken on their wedding day on 28 October 1967; privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.

Amir Dekel over at I Dream of Genea(logy) posted an interesting research question about who to include in the ever-growing tree.  This is a question I myself had after I kept adding people that really had no "direct" relationship.  I started to respond to Amir's post via a comment, but it's a little hard to explain in such a short amount of space.  Plus, I believe in visuals, so I decided to do a post instead.

Now, when I say direct here, I don't mean direct-line.  I include every last cousin I can find.  What I don't include are their ancestors beyond the point where we became related.  Huh?  Basically, I don't bark up the "married into" family tree, unless I need to (for more information, research lead, etc.) or want to (interesting story, possible connection to other family, etc.).

So, for example, my second-great-granduncle, Edward P MULLIGAN married Sarah RALPH and had four children.  I will of course travel up Edward's line, since his father is my third-great-grandfather.  I will also travel down Edward's line to capture all those pesky cousins.  But, I will not do anything more for Sarah since she only married into my family.  I would only do this if I found that her family (or another spouse or other children) could prove useful in my research.

Sometimes this can lead to missed opportunities, as was almost the case with two of my first cousins twice removed.  Clarence L ROTTMAN and Ethel ROTTMAN were brother and sister, and each married a COSTER (Alma and George respectively).  Because I hadn't initially included the parents for George and Alma, I may have overlooked the fact that they shared the same parents and were indeed brother and sister.  Because I had copies of documents and my sources referenced, it was easy for me to go back and make the connection.

While I suppose siblings marrying another family's siblings is somewhat common (this is not the first instance in my tree and probably not the last), I'd rather miss them initially, than to have oodles of collateral branches out there just blowing in the wind.

Vilhelms BRIEDIS - Vilhelms was the husband of my grandaunt Florence McMAHON.  He was born on 13 October 1908 and passed away on 23 February 1993. [1]

Timothy J McMAHON - Timothy is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born 14 May 14 1874 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to Timothy McMAHON and Margaret RYAN.  He died on 14 October 1939 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois. [2]

Thomas CAHILL - Thomas is my great-great-grandfather.  He was born in 1860 in Thomastown, Kilkenny, Ireland to Michael CAHILL and Anne HALE.  Thomas died on 15 October 1929 in Aurora, Kane, Illinois. [3,4]

Noah WEBSTER - Yes, "the" Noah Webster, LL.D. is my third cousin eight times removed.  He was born on 16 October 1758 in Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut.  The "father of the dictionary" died at the age of 84 on 28 May 1843 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut.  [5]

William Norton - William is my 12th great-grandfather.  He was likely born in 1558 in Sharpenhoe, Kent, England and likely died on 19 October 1622 in England. (Note:  I have not confirmed the accuracy of this information as of this date.)  [6]

Notes

1.  Social Security Administration, "Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com), entry for Vilhlems Briedis, 1993. 

2.  State of Illinois, death certificate no. 28236 (1939), Timothy J McMAHON, State of Illinois Department of Public Health. 

3.  Thomas CAHILL, "Rothe House," database, Irish Family History Foundation (http://kilkenny.brsgenealogy.com/search.php). 

4.  robmy_vicc, "ROBVIC2006," database, Private Family Trees, Ancestry.com (http://trees.ancestry.com/fhs/home.aspx?tid=956976&pg=2)

5.  Family Search, "Ancestral Files," database (www.familysearch.org), Noah WEBSTER (BDVR-NG). 

6.  Cahill Family Tree papers; privately held by Julie Marie CAHILL Tarr.

So many blogs, yet so little time to constantly update my link list on my blog.  My solution?

Well since many of the blogs I follow (over 100) are using Blog Network on Facebook, I cheat and just add a link to my Blog Network page.

When anyone clicks on the link, they're taken to my Blog Network page, which lists all the blogs I follow.

Personally, I think it's great for several reasons:

1. I don't have to remember to go and add new blogs.
2. I'm not limited to a particular number of links.
3. I don't have to manage the links.
4. It doesn't make my page go on for miles.

I've not been blogging too much since I've been busy scanning photos for the last few weeks.  When you get into a rhythm, you just don't wanna stop!  I have many things to share and hope to be writing a lot more very soon. 

TGIWW (Thank God it's Wordless Wednesday)!!!  ;)