Today has been a "labor day" for us - Fred working on his computer, and I on mine.  Sometimes we get caught up in whatever project we're working on and time slips by almost without our knowing it.  Other times we find ourselves in some sort of muddle that we just need to stick with in order to finish or fix it.  We've both had computer-related problems, and when Fred came to let me know the problem he's been struggling with is now solved, I right away asked for help with my boondoggle - and now we're both sailing along again, operating just fine.

In the process of cleaning up my desk - a chore I do only when absolutely necessary in order to locate some lost item or when Woody hops up unexpectedly and topples my piles of stuff - I pulled an old file out of the cabinet that had a label coming loose.  It read, "Digital Stuff."  I didn't remember filing anything like that, at least not recently, but when I began sifting through the notes and clippings, I began to remember.  There were a couple of sheets of writers guidelines, and a clipping of a course description with no indication who was giving it or where, but it was titled, Creating a Memory Book Workshop.  With is was a very small clipping from the Caledonian Record advertising an evening workshop I did at Boxcar & Caboose back in 2005.  I remember that evening quite well, although I hadn't thought about it for years.  I met some very nice people and I was delighted when at least two of them later got in touch to tell me they'd successfully published memory books on line for their children.  One was a gentleman whose mother had written a lot of poetry, as I recall.  She had recently passed away and he wanted to preserve her writings and make them available to his siblings and their children.  Another had started a memoir but had stalled; and all it took was a nudge towards digital publishing to get her momentum going again.

That was fun and gratifying for me, but then I remembered speaking to a Senior Citizens group in Cabot, probably about the same time, 2005.  I went prepared with little pads of paper I'd begged from the folks at Troll Press in St. Johnsbury.  I'd attached bits of ribbon in a loop at one side of each of them to hold a pencil so they'd have something to take away from the meeting.  I proceeded to tell them how wonderful it would be if they would jot down bits of memories and then later write or type details.  If that seemed to hard, I suggested they might get their children or grands to tape them telling stories of their life, and then I offered to help them pull it all together and make a book.

I remember there were no questions and the only comments were something like, "I could never do that."  I distributed my note pads with pencils and concluded my presentation.   There was polite applause, they each picked up a note pad, and left.  I never heard from even one. 

That was a relatively short time ago, but anything to do with a computer was way too scary for most older folks.  Now lots of seniors use computers and do remarkable things with them, and I get queries regularly from older folks who are doing genealogies and are adding photos and bits of additional text.  I always tell them to be sure to save a copy for the historical society when they get it finished.  Trouble is, families keep on growing and some of these genealogies never actually get finished.  How could you possibly come to the end when relatives are having babies or passing on so there are new records to add all the time?

Maybe that's why my seniors never got back to me with their family histories - they never finished whatever they may have started!

I also found in that file a 2005 article titled "What Are Blogs And How Will They Change Our Lives?"  That prompted me to find out when I started this blog, and I was surprised that it was in October, 2005.  This will entry number 2,741 - that's more than one a day for the past seven years!!  I know I'm gabby, but lots of posts are provided by others.  That is really what this blogging business is all about, but I expect the only life this blog has changed is mine.  I enjoy connecting with people here, and it's always a good feeling when I can put someone in touch with someone from their past or provide information that is somehow helpful to them.  It is most gratifying that so many people tell me they read the blog regularly, and I guess that's why sometimes, like this afternoon, I'm writing about not much of anything, but at least there will be an entry when you log on.