Genealogy research is exciting, and in the process we accumulate numerous documents, files, photographs and notes. But what is the point of having all this information unless we have some way of telling the story, the ‘what happened’, that will interest and inspire the future generations. How do you go from researching your family history to writing a family history?

Most people will have researched beyond the basic birth, marriage and death details, beyond the census, and tried to find the ‘deeper’ history of ancestors’ lives.  However, this is not always possible.  With the best will in the world, sometimes all we have are some dates and places, an occupation, and not much else.

How can you construct a life story from such basic details?  If you are writing up your family history, perhaps for your children, or as a gift for members of your family, how can you make an ancestor’s life sound interesting when all you know is his birth, marriage and death details?

Like putting together a jigsaw, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Learn a bit of background history and things begin to fall into place.

Let’s take for example an ancestor named John Walker Bott,  and the only information you have is the usual baptism, census details, marriage and death.  However, by piecing together the known facts, and by researching history and using pictorial resources, you can write his biography.

The key point is in getting to know the times your ancestor lived in.  The internet is full of useful information, maps and pictorial images that you could use to illustrate your story (be careful about the copyright on images and if in doubt, ask permission from the website if you are going to make your work public).  Museums, libraries and churches are also a good source for local parish history.

To illustrate, here is an excerpt from “John Walker Bott’s” history:

When John Walker Bott and his sister were born in 1814, the nation was celebrating the downfall of Napoleon, Jane Austen had just published Mansfield Park, and the actor Edmund Kean had made his debut as Shylock at Drury Lane Theatre.

While these bits of information have nothing to do Bott personally, they set the context for the world into which he was born.

Books about the history of costume or housing are also very useful, and again you can find websites about fashion through the ages, which can help you to get an idea of how your ancestor dressed.

Find out about the history of the places where your ancestors were born and lived, to provide a setting for their lives.  Here is what life was like where Bott was born:

By the time of JWB’s birth, Newcastle-under-Lyme was a well appointed town, with good paving, gas lighting and a supply of good water.  It had two churches, the main one being St. Giles where John was later to be married…… It would have been a very busy and bustling town at this time, lying on the main turnpike road from Liverpool and Manchester to Birmingham and London….

Following Bott through the census, his life follows the usual pattern of the head of a Victorian family; the birth of five children, the death of his wife, Louisa, his second marriage two years later and the birth of further children.  By looking at the number of rooms and by researching the addresses, we can see that his fortunes were increasing as the quality of housing improved.  He goes from ‘employed’ to ‘employer’, and at one point there were 10 people living in the household, including stepchildren from his second wife’s previous marriage.

Back to the history books, and if we look at the history of education, we can see that the 1872 Education Act made school compulsory for all children between 5 and 13, so John’s children were likely to have been scholars at the nearby school, next to St. Mark’s Church.

Here are some of the closing words of John’s story:

John Walker Bott died on 14th August 1874 at the age of 60.  For a hard-working man in a physically tough trade this was a good age at this time.

Throughout his life he would have seen many changes as the Victorian age grew and developed.  He had lived through the cholera epidemics of the 1830s and 40s.  When the young Queen Victoria came to the throne he would have been a young man of 23…. He experienced the rapid growth and expansion of the railways, and would have known about the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.  Did he, like many others, travel by train to visit this amazing international exhibition?

Writing a family history therefore does not have to be just a chronological list of personal events.  It can be enriched with all the information you can find that would have touched the lives of your family.  Your family history then becomes a living, breathing account of real people with real lives that will inspire the next generation.

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Savannah's Bonaventure Cemetery. (photo by Ann Baekken)

In 2003, the American Institute of Paranormal Psychology named Savannah America’s Most Haunted City. Ghosts, apparitions or paranormal activities have been reported at many of Savannah’s inns, restaurants, private residences, and of course, cemeteries.

There are many magnificently restored buildings nestled around Savannah’s 21 squares. Many of these buildings are stately homes supposedly still occupied by former owners. James Habersham has been known to roam around the Olde Pink House, now a restaurant, but formerly his home. Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts, was born and raised in Savannah. Her parents, long deceased, are said to still roam Juliette’s childhood home.

Savannah’s Sorrel-Weed House, visited by The Atlantic Paranormal Society in 2005 as part of their “Ghost Hunters” Halloween special, is supposedly haunted. The story goes that Mrs. Weed caught her husband in a compromising position with one of the Weed’s many slaves. Mrs. Weed, very distraught, ran back to her second-floor bedroom. After a long argument with her husband, she either threw herself (or was thrown) to her death from a second floor balcony. Soon after Mrs. Weed’s death, the slave found with Mr. Weed was found hanged in her slave quarters. Both women are said to be still roaming the grounds.

The Hampton-Lillibridge House was said to be so haunted, that Jim Williams (of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” fame) had an exorcism performed at this former boarding house. On countless occasions, residents and passersby have heard the sound of jazz coming from inside the home.

The Kehoes were a very prominent family in Savannah, as Mr. Kehoe owned the ironworks on the riverfront. The Kehoes built this fireproof, all-iron home and lived there with their 10 children. The Kehoe’s heirs sold the house in 1930 and the property changed hands many times to include use for 65 years as the Goette Funeral Home. It is now a beautiful bed and breakfast where many of its visitors report supernatural occurrences such as a woman screaming, a nurse shushing visitors, the Lady in White making appearances, and several instances involving ghosts of children.

The list goes on and on!

So, what is it about Savannah that makes it so attractive to ghosts and ghost stories? Many people start with the fact that Savannah is literally built on its dead. Savannah was the first city in Georgia founded in 1733. It was established in the same location as the Creek and Choctaw maintained their burial grounds.

As the colony began to grow and thrive, it needed more room. Buildings were erected on the burial plots of the original colonists. Tombstones in cemeteries were moved to make room for sidewalks and roads. Places of worship were erected on the graves of slaves.

Second, Savannah has a very violent history. Many bloody battles and skirmishes were fought in Savannah. One of the bloodiest battles of the American Revolution, the Siege of Savannah, where about 1200 men lost their lives in one hour, was fought in Savannah.

Also, the city has been victim to many city-wide fires, at least two yellow-fever epidemics and several hurricanes.

Third, Savannah has been a major port city since the days of King Cotton, so many a sailor has ventured through Savannah spinning a romantic tale or two.

Fourth, Savannahians are (proudly) an eccentric bunch, as were their ancestors, which adds history and volume to the ghost stories.

Whatever the reason, the ghost stories are endless, earning the Savannah the right to the title of America’s Most Haunted City.

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It is difficult to overstate the importance of eating breakfast. People who take time for a morning meal consume fewer calories over the course of the day, have a stronger desire to exercise, and are less likely to be overweight or obese.

People who skip breakfast are more likely to snack on junk food throughout the day, and overindulge on fatty meals for lunch and dinner. If you are thinking about devising a healthy weight loss plan of action, think breakfast!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You have probably heard this many times, and it’s true. Even the name says it all. It is meant to break the fast you give your body from not eating since you put your head down on the pillow the night before. How you eat when you wake up in the morning dictates how your day will go. If you are trying to implement a healthy weight loss program, eating a healthy breakfast makes the difference between success and failure.

Just because breakfast is the most important meal of the day doesn’t grant you permission to go into a feeding frenzy. That’s exactly what Americas most popular breakfast restaurants are setting you up for, so make a conscious effort not to buy into it. They peddle fatty scrambled eggs, sugary muffins and donuts, and pancakes covered with enough syrup and whipped cream to launch your blood sugar level up into outer space.

Foods loaded with unhealthy fats, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates are not how you want to start your day, especially when you are trying to have a healthy weight loss. They zap your energy levels so you will feel lethargic, and tell your body to store fat instead of burning it. To help you avoid these morning mishaps, fill your cupboards with the following foods to ensure a successful and healthy weight loss.

Here are some healthy breakfast foods you can try:

Soy-Protein Shake

Imagine getting 2,000 calories worth of nutrition for about 180 calories without the fat and sugar. It’s the closest thing you can get to diet magic, and it’s the best way to begin every day. What happens when your body gets the right nutrition? It begins to heal itself in ways you never thought possible. Nothing on any restuarant breakfast menu is going to offer good health like that.

Green Tea

Making sure you are well hydrated is an important part of breakfast, so why not give your body the best liquid possible? Unplug your coffee maker and find a different route to work that doesn’t pass by a Starbucks. One cup of green tea every morning will give you enough energy to last an entire day, and you will not get the jitters like you might from coffee. Want to know the best part about green tea? It helps your body actually speed up your metabolism! Try finding that weight loss benefit in a fatty, over-priced latte.

Oatmeal

Remember when you were a kid and your mother made you eat oatmeal instead of your favorite cereal? That’s because it was healthy…and it still is, no matter how you prepare it. OK, so you can’t dump tons of sugar on it and make it taste like Apple Jacks, that’s a given. But you can sweeten it with fresh fruit or cranberries and raisins to enhance the taste. Just because you are older now and can make your own decisions doesn’t mean your mother wasn’t right.

Scrambled Eggs With Vegetables & Steak

So you say you want to splurge sometimes and eat a real American breakfast like the kind you get at a truck stop? I hear you loud and clear. There’s nothing wrong with wanting that…if you want to gain weight. How do you do it while sticking to your healthy weight loss plan? Be creative. Make yourself an egg white omelet with fresh vegetables and lean meat. Just because a truck stop wants to serve you certain food in a greasy way doesn’t mean you can’t eat te same thing in a healthy way.

Fresh Fruit With Granola

Remember that recent high-protein low-carbohydrate diet fad that came and went faster than you could say Atkins? No one is on it anymore, and no one is thinner or healther because of it. Don’t ever let anyone convince you that something like a fresh apple is bad for you. Your body needs carbohydrates and there are few healthier sources than fruit and granola. It makes a great substitute for high sugar cereals. If you can sprinkle some protein powder on top of it, it’s an even better way to start your day.

So there you have it…five of the best breakfasts you can eat for losing weight in a healthy, natural way. It’s not easy to change your taste palate, but try these suggestions little by little as replacement for the high fat, high sugar choices that made you gain weight. Living a healthy lifestyle is essential for healthy weight loss, and choosing to eat smart for breakfast is the first step in the right direction.

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Are you looking for the keys to stop anxiety? Are you always stressed or do you suffer from panic attacks? Here are two strategies to help lessen your stress and stop the things that lead to you having a panic attack in the first place.

Think positive to stop anxiety

If you suffer from anxiety, then you are no stranger to feelings of despair and failure. The automatic negative thoughts that a person with anxiety has are responsible for negative feelings and the behaviours that come as a result.  Negative thought processes related to anxiety include magnification, personalization, generalising, emotional prediction and many others.  You must first determine the negative thoughts that are affecting you.

Once you have identified the negative thoughts that affect you, then you must always challenge each thought as it occurs to you simply by refuting it or invalidating it. For example, if you are being bothered by the sense that you are a failure, you can invalidate it by telling yourself that there is nobody who is 100% successful in life and by fishing from your past all things you have done wel,l including the seemingly small things and hanging onto to them. Further, you could tell yourself that in the future things could turn out better for you and therefore instead of being overwhelmed by a feeling of failure, concentrate on improving yourself with the future in view.

Meditate to stop anxiety

In some cultures, meditation has been a method of how to stop anxiety since ancient times. Research has proved that meditation is an effective anxiety-reduction and de-stressing technique as it calms the mind and relaxes the heart. Normally, the prescribed frequency for doing meditation is twice daily with each session being around 25 minutes. For it to be effective, you have to do it regularly.

How to Meditate

If you want to know how to stop anxiety by using meditation, then you should follow these simple steps:

1. Determine a set time for meditation and choose a special place for it.
2. Sit on a chair, your feet planted flat on the floor, your hands in your lap; your back upright; your head facing forward; and your muscles relaxed.
3. Let your mind drift from the concerns of life and focus on your breathing.
4. Breath in and out slowly and deeply using the diaphragm and each time you breathe out, say the word calm and be sure to remain relaxed.

1. Don’t be a spendthrift. Simply put: If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. Sure we all want those designer clothes, bags and shoes or the handsome sports car, but the fact of the matter is most of us just can’t afford to make the purchases. The simplest answer to this problem is: If you can’t afford it, just don’t buy it. Learn to control yourself. This is often the most basic of things to understand, but it is one of the most difficult to do when all those “things” are staring you right in the face and all your credit card and financing companies are telling you that it’s OK.

2. Just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t make it a good idea. In today’s credit crazy world, accumulating massive amount of debt is no longer a disgrace. Everybody has a car to pay, monthly payment on a house and credit card payments. Buying something you simply can’t afford, especially in this tough economy, can double your suffering of paying later.  If you cannot pay it with a cold hard cash, you probably cannot afford it.

3. Making someone else rich by paying interest on almost anything. You probably know by now that when you pay interest for something you purchased, you are actually overpaying that item for the benefit of having to use it now. The act of paying interest simply means that the price you are paying in order to make the purchase is more than than the actual sale price of the item. You are throwing away more of your hard-earned money to own that item than the product’s producer thought the item was actually worth. For example, if are able to buy a new car for $30,000 with a loan with a 6% interest rate for 5 years, you’ll end up paying over $35,000 for the car.

4. Don’t expect somebody else, especially the government, to save and bail you out. In times of economic downturn like this recession, people often turn to the government to help them out, but more often than not this is also the time when the government has the least flexibility money-wise, with its ballooning deficits and spending, to help its own people. In most cases, the government’s help will be temporary, so in your own ingenious ways you’ll have to save and bail yourself out.

Always remember . . . Nothing works until you follow it up with ACTION. Enjoy & prosper!

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Everyone wants a more restful night’s sleep. Are you doing any of these things that may interfere with your sleep?

Curling up: Did you know that sleeping all curled up is not good for your back? This could result in back pain. The best way to fall asleep is on your back, flat out, with maybe a pillow under your knees to flex your lower back.

Having pets sleep in your bed: Animal hair can trigger off asthma and other allergy attacks, so it is advisable to keep your furry friends out of your bed. Even children’s stuffed toys can be carriers of dust mites. And that is something you need to watch out for.

Sleeping face down: Sleeping face down can wake you up in just a little while because of the disrupted breathing that this can result in. You will not be able to breathe properly when sleeping face down and this will wake you up.

Dropping off in your make up: Apart from producing dark circles around your eyes, eye makeup can irritate your eyes while you sleep. So before you hit the hay, even if you are bone tired, take a coupleof minutes to completely remove all traces of makeup from your face and neck.

Sleeping in a cold room: With the air conditioner on full blast and you feeling absolutely cold, you could curl up in a bad posture while sleeping. And this is bad for your spine. So sleep in a comfortable temperature, and set the timer on in your air conditioner before it gets too cold for you.

Putting flowers in your bedroom: Fresh flowers and their sweet scents are great to have in your room. But not while you sleep and in your bedroom. Flowers have pollen that could trigger off an allergy attack in allergy-prone folks.If you still insist on flowers, have some low fragrance types.

Sleeping with a bedside lamp on: It’s hard to sleep deeply with the lights on. If you are used to sleeping with the light on, gradually dim it over the course of several days.

Cleaning your bedroom at night: Many disinfectants have chemicals that can irritate your skin,nose, throat and lungs when you sleep. So avoid cleaning your room in the evening, but give it a once-over in the morning.

Staying in a freshly painted room: Paints and varnishes also have chemicals that can irritate the system. So, if you have gotten your room painted, sleep somewhere else for about 3 weeks and then come in to inhabit the place after all the dust and chemicals have settled.

Sleeping in: We all love to sleep, and given the chance we will sleep a lot longer than we need to. And this can leave you feeling groggy and tired and not at your best. So, get just your requried number of hours of sleep and wake up bright and alert to face the challenges of a new day.

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There are many people who hear the words “insulin resistance” and think diabetes. While the two are related, they are definitely not the same. Although insulin resistance is not diabetes, it is a condition that can lead to diabetes.

What happens to most people with insulin resistance is that they have high levels of both blood glucose (sugar) and insulin circulating in their body simultaneously. A person who is insulin resistant has muscle, fat and liver cells that do not make appropriate use of insulin because the cells have a weakened ability to respond to the action of the insulin hormone.

Here are some common symptoms of insulin resistance:

• Exhaustion – The most common symptom of insulin resistance is that it wears people out, with exhaustion being common. While there are some who are tired morning or afternoon, there are others with IR who are exhausted throughout the day.
• Increased Blood Pressure – Due to the high levels of insulin circulating in the body, another symptom can be increased blood pressure.
• Foggy Brain, Poor Memory – The fatigue associated with insulin resistance is not just physical. Therefore another symptom is brain fogginess in the forms of poor memory, inability to think creatively, forgetting what you were about to do, and others.
• Hypoglycemia, Low Blood Sugar – While low blood sugar is normal when meals are not eaten, prolonged periods of “hypoglycemia” is not a normal thing and can be a symptom of insulin resistance.
• Bloating or Gas – Intestinal bloating or gas is produced from carbs in the diet. For many, excessive amounts of gas are a sign that one may have insulin resistance.
• Sleepy After Eating a Meal – If one gets sleepy immediately after eating a meal containing a lot of carbohydrates, that too can be a sign of the condition.
• Large Buttocks, Large Abdomen – Prominent buttocks in women or a large abdomen in men is an indication of too much fat and are symptoms of insulin resistance.
• Depression – An issue with depression is yet another symptom.

Now while the symptoms above are common to many other illnesses and conditions, it is important to note them if you suspect you are insulin resistant. Diabetes should not be taken lightly and neither should the possibility of being insulin resistant. At your next physical, or before, if the symptoms are prevalent, ask your doctor to test you for insulin resistance.

The most important thing to remember is the a proper nutritional diet of whole foods, exercise, and care of self is a good way to stay healthy and to even rid your body of conditions like insulin resistance. Take your health in your hands.

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A number of crops can be grown or harvested during any season except winter.  That is why for gardeners, finding the right crop to grow during winter season — as well as the ones that can survive cold weather and be harvested during the winter season — is really a challenge.

A gardener has to think not only of which seeds could be planted in the vegetable garden but also which ones can be sown during a particular season. There are a couple of seeds one could plant or harvest during winter.  Some of these seeds, with some useful notes included, are provided below.

Broccoli.  Planting broccoli during winter avoids the usual problem of pests such as infestation of caterpillars.  Some varieties take 1.5 months while others take 3 months to mature and ready for harvest.  Make sure that soil in the vegetable garden is fertile and never dry, and provide lots of lime in the pH 6.5 to 7.5 range.

Cabbage.  Have enough fertilizer as cabbages feed heavily.  Maintain a pH 6 as cabbage needs lime.  It takes two and a half to three months to have it ready for harvest.

Lettuce.  Some varieties are ideal for winter sowing.  There might be a need for a glasshouse for vegetable gardens in very cold areas.  Have the seeds lightly covered and make the soil’s surface firm.  Additionally, the soil must be kept moist and make sure the soil is fertile to avoid the harvested produce from being bitter.  It normally takes 2 months before the lettuce is ready for harvest.

Onions. Onions are one of the most rewarding vegetables when grown in the garden. You have to prepare the bed with compost and bone meal. Once the bed is prepared, sprinkle the onion seeds. It takes 4-5 months for onions to mature. Birds love to feed on onion saplings, so it is essential to protect the young plants. For this you can set up a scare crow or use those small baby mosquito mashes. Place these mosquito mashes over the young plants until they grow well enough.

Other notable seeds that can be planted during winter are garlic and peas.

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For most of your working life, you’ve looked forward to the day when you can quit your job and start enjoying retirement. But in recent years, talk of longer life expectancies, uncertain Social Security benefits, declining pension benefits, unknown inflation rates, and low retirement savings made retiring at a relatively young age seem difficult. Then, in the past couple of years, declining investment and home values made it seem even more difficult to retire at any age.

More and more people are coming to the conclusion that either retiring later or continuing to work during retirement is necessary. Working doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stay with your current employer. Rather, many individuals are taking on totally different jobs, which can allow them to try something new, provide more free time by working less, or ensure less stress.

Besides the nonfinancial reasons for working, there are several financial reasons:

• You have more time to save. Each additional year you work is an additional year you can continue to save for retirement.
• You shorten your retirement period. The longer you work, the less time you’ll spend in retirement, which means you need less money to fund that retirement.
• You can delay Social Security benefits. Each additional year you wait to take Social Security benefits, up to age 70, will permanently increase your monthly benefit.
• You keep health insurance benefits. One of the most significant costs in retirement is health care, and you can delay those costs by working at a job that provides this benefit. Some companies are helping employees with retirement issues by allowing phased retirement, where hours are gradually reduced until full retirement. One possible advantage of staying with your current employer is that the pay may be higher than if you started over in another profession.

• How will phased retirement affect your benefits? Many pension benefits are calculated based on your earnings in the last few years of your working career. If you don’t want to take pension benefits yet, make sure your pension will be calculated using earnings while you worked fulltime.
• What will happen to your salary with reduced hours? Will you receive a pro-rata share of your pay, or will a different pay scale be used? Will you be entitled to pay increases in the future?
• Will you be eligible for health insurance benefits? Find out the company’s policy regarding health insurance benefits for part-time workers. This will be especially important if you move to part-time status before age 65, since you won’t be eligible for Medicare.

Make sure there is a mutual understanding about your hours. Can you take time off to travel? If you don’t like part-time work, can you go back to your full-time job? If your employer doesn’t offer a phased retirement program or you want to try something new, investigate your options before quitting your job.

Previous generations were able to retire easier due to the generosity of company pension benefits and Social Security. But longer life expectancies, less generous benefits, and declining asset values mean that it is time to redefine retirement. What many are seeking is not so much total leisure as more leisure or a more meaningful lifestyle. Many are finding that those goals can be accomplished while still working, with those additional working years providing more financial security.

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Camping gets more and high tech, like this portable solar panel for charging batteries. (photo by Michael Pereckas)

One of the coolest things about camping is the toys. Whether you’re riding trail bikes, driving four-wheel drives, camping in storms, camping in remote areas, camping on mountains or camping by the beach, a gadget of some type can be involved. Gadgets make life easier, cooler and definitely more fun.

Yes, there are those “man vs. wild” type campers out there that complain that you don’t need fancy gadgets when you go camping. However look at Bear Grylls, the original “man vs. wild”, does he not have a very cool survival knife? If you’ve ever seen those things in the shop you’ll discover it’s got about 5 different gadgets built in. Camping gadgets are not only fun and cool, one could go as far as saying they are essential.

If you’ve done any camping at all you’ve probably used a GPS , you’ve probably lit a fire without matches, you’ve probably cooked or eaten using titanium materials and you’ve probably used a LED head lamp. We probably don’t consider these to be gadgets, but they are!

Here’s just a sample of the geeky gadgets you can take camping:

• Wind up LED torch – Yep never need batteries, ever! Wind up technology and LED technology gets better every year. With current technology you simply never need to buy batteries.
• Solar recharger – Everyone’s “i” device runs out of steam — but yours doesn’t have to! About 4-6 hours in the sun will fully change most “i” devices
• Titanium cooking and eating gear – Super lightweight and incredibly strong, nothing beats titanium if you’re a geek.
• Night vision mono scope – Because it’s just cool to see what’s running around out there. You don’t need a super expensive “special forces” version, just get a basic mono scope to have some fun.
• Survival knife – For everything from surviving in the wilderness to cutting up an apple.
• Portable coffee brewing machine – Because everyone needs “their fuel.”

There is an impressive array of cool camping toys and gadgets to head out into the bush with. Look around next time you’re camping; you wont be the only one taking technology outside!

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