Sentimental Journey Down Memory Lane

Sentimental Journey down memory lane. I was a member of our Public Speakers Group at Tomales High School, so long ago. Seems it was never a challenge to talk to people but sometimes a challenge to figure how to say it so they would understand my thoughts.

Writing came easy for me and I worked on the school newspaper and helped with the Annual in the background.

I have actually had a book published by the School District I worked in regarding terms for laypeople working with school employees. It was designated to help parents and para professionals to understand terms used by the school system. Mr. I. W. encouraged this to take place. I was in college at the time working towards a degree, working and being a full time parent with husband just retiring from the military.

A job offer arrived and I took a turn in my goal. I stayed semi involved with the school system and worked in an office downtown, then learning real estate terms and concepts. What a fun job that was. It was one of the most exciting, fun, terrifying
jobs I ever held. We start with minimal money and when I left the money was so high up the scale I feared any mistake of any kind. I saved an escrow company major grieve when I found an error in their files. The owner called and thanked me and sent me the largest bouquet of flowers I have ever seen outside a funeral home. My boss was very pleased.

I saw the way greed changes a person and it frightened me badly. I believe it was a greed not even thought of, so not deliberately done. That bible verse really hit me hard. You know the one about the eye of a needle and a camel etc. money being a real problem for mankind.

I left there and came home and did genealogy and gardening and helped to care for ill family members along the way. In 1989 I went to work at Denny's doing a different bend on life. Not my first time to waitress, nor my second but it was at that time a good company to work for. I also had friends that worked there, and children in college in need of funds.

Dad's health down the road spiraled and so did Mom's so after a trip across country with them and much quibbling amongst co worker's I called a spade a spade and left Denny's for the second time. I missed my customers but not the back room scenes
by employees.

Back to genealogy I came in full swing, and I cared for an Aunt and then an Uncle and in between a cousin and a dear, dear friend. By 1996 I had lost 3 of them, including my Dad.

I was still caring for a new Aunt and a awesome Uncle as was needed. I lost both of them by 2001 spring. I kept active in the local society and tried out in other societies also.

From some time in 1990 or so I worked for the Golden Gate Forum on AOL as a HOST for Genealogy. I did the Mid Atlantic Region. My best area of expertise. I did this for 9 years and then worked for another person when they started a new program when AOL's was retired. I have given hundred's of on line lectures and talks.

I was setting here trying to decide, is it easier to talk in front of people or on a keyboard. My fingers some times fumble on the keys, but my mind sometimes skips a bit when talking. I somehow do not think one is worse or better than the other. I enjoy doing both.

One of my biggest happiness events was putting on the first major online genealogy seminar and having many world known key note speakers in the chat rooms. What a awesome October that was so many years ago. To those who participated way back when, thanks for making it a reality.

So that is my story line.