The count-down to The Colorado Family History Expo has already begun. The Expo will be held 12-13 June 2009 in Loveland CO bringing you the latest tech to trace your roots. I’m serious. No other conference series strives harder to teach what is new and what works. http://www.fhexpos.com
So Holly Hansen and her army of cohorts are launching their Blogger Bistro and Twitter Cafe in a white tent with a state-of-the-art computer, a live internet connection, and a huge screen tv. I have the distinct honor of being one of 7 bloggers who will report on the Expo and its doings during the conference itself.
I have done this independently before with the help of my webmaster Kathryn and her equip. And Dick Eastman’s online wireless connections. This will be different, because you can be there: in person or by remote access.
That’s right, you can follow the two-day event on Twitter, even if you cannot attend. Obviously, the best thing is to attend, get your own Twitter pass, and share what you are learning with your own circle of friends and family. Second-best, is to follow the bloggers and their Twitter trail.
This is the latest NEW thing to capture tech attention. For persons and celebrities. For businesses and the media. And for genealogy!
Twitter and Your hardest-to-find Ancestor–
Just capture the vision: 140 characters per message is enough to promote your hardest-to-find ancestor. Promote to the world–people who will never read or write a genealogy. People who share the same hard-to-find relatives you have. People who may have the old family Bible or who know where it is. People who grew up with their folks’ “Rogue’s Gallery” (my Mom called it) of ancestors on both sides of the stairs.
An email came to me asking for relatives and I discovered the writer was living in China. Related to me, residing in China.
Capt James Brown of North Carolina and my Yorkshire Horrocks girls–
On my way to the Family History Library a couple of weeks ago, I encountered Erold Wiscombe walking down the sidewalk. He was carrying a very large book. It was the history and genealogy of Capt James Brown of North Carolina. Erold researched and wrote the book with the help of a cousin Jim Klein.
In this huge book were my Horrocks girls, the daughters of my 2nd great grandfather, Hezekiah Mitchell of Honley, Yorkshire, England! Can you imagine my surprise? In a book that I knew was being written. By two men that I knew quite well. Information on my own hard-to-document ancestry–I am a believer.
Millions of persons and companies and churches and relatives are already using Twitter to follow each other around, sharing their every inane thought and action.
Let’s put them all to work sharing what they know about your hard-to-find ancestors. And mine.
Doesn’t take hours; only takes minutes a day to pose your query and monitor responses. Who would have thought it could be that easy!
First, you learn how. Second, you ramp up your doings a notch.
The difference between reality and fiction: fiction has to make sense. Tom Clancy, Larry King Live.
Oh, by the way, I am also speaking at the Expo. And selling books about my research system which quarantees a 96% success rate. And sharing my vast research experience and knowledge to all who come by my booth in the exhibit hall. And blogging and tweeting my readers and genealogy friends. Your favorite genealogist, Arlene Eakle http://www.arleneeakle.com
PS Stay tuned. There is much more to come.