Flags of The Participants!

Miriam at AnceStories has posted the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer 2008 Genea-Blogging Group Games. Make sure you drop by to see all the beautiful flags created by everyone via WeAreMulticolored.

As I sit watching the Opening Ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics from Beijing, I’m reminded once again how we are descended from different nationalities, from many countries and all walks of life, and we are all striving to decipher the mysteries surrounding our ancestries. Yet we have come together in a spirit of cooperation as we begin our own “games”.

This is the flag I created bringing together my British and German ancestry as a very proud citizen of the United States.

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Freaky Friday – 1st Edition

This picture (look at the door) reminds me of the homes in the “shire” in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  Large doorknob in the center of the door!  This picture was taken in California during the trip I took with my parents in the mid-60s.  I don’t remember if this was at Disneyland or Universal Studios.  The original photo is a slide that I scanned.  My dad (I believe) was the photographer.

Why it pertains to “genealogy”: it is part of the story of my travels as a child that I can pass on to my children and grandchildren.  That they may know that I was able to see a vast majority of the United States in my youth, my experiences, the things I saw, and how I remembered them. 

Why I chose this picture?  Kind of freaky – doorknob in the center of the door?  Weird!

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New Friday Challenge

As I prepare for the Genea-Blogger Group Games, I decided that I would start my own “prompt” or “challenge”. If anyone wants to play after today – that would be great but not required.

I have participated in “Wordless Wednesday” (albeit only once – this week), have read “Twice Told Tuesday” postings on Shades of the Departed, as well as have submitted entries for Smile for the Camera (also on “Shades”) and Carnival of Genealogy, hosted by Jasia on Creative Gene. So . . . I wondered . . . what about “Freaky Friday”? Remember the movies? The original with Jodi Foster, then there was a re-make, then the latest one a few years ago with Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis? The premise revolves around a mother and daughter who end up switching bodies and learning how to adapt?

“Freaky Friday” here in the Genealogy blogosphere would require some thought.  Some ideas:

1. Which Ancestor would you want to switch places with for one day? Why? What do you hope to learn? What challenges would you face? What challenges would your ancestor face living as you?

2. Pick another genealogist (does not have to be a professional) you would switch places with for one day.  Why did you pick that person? 

3. Pick a different decade or century you would choose to live in for one day.  Explain why and what you learned (you’ll need to do some homeworkabout history).

4. Pick one country of your ancestors that you would live in for one day – during their lifetime.  Explain why and what you learned. (again – homework on history and geography)

5. Submit a photo or two that screams “Freaky” or “Friday” (or both!) and explain.

Yes, I know we are all going to be really busy in the next couple weeks working on our competition in the “Games”, but there are many others out there who are cheering us on and for one reason or another not able to participate.  I wanted to give those who are not participating as well as those who are, to have a fresh prompt (one of the challenges is “Write! Write! Write!”). 

I will be posting my “Freaky Friday” soon.  If you rise to the challenge – today or next week – let me know so I can give a Shout Out to your blog.  If you are on the Genea-Blogger Group at Facebook, post a message so the group can check it out!

Thanks to all who participate – or even just stop by to read my entry for each week’s “Freaky Friday”!

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