RJFN: 23 Nov to 29 Nov

I did some genealogy research this week but mostly spent my time personalizing my new computer (which I got over a month ago!).  Isn't the Google Pack great?  I just downloaded that (and it took no time at all) and immediately had all my favorite programs on my desktop.  I did the Google Pack on my Vista laptop also and the main difference between it and the Win 7 version is the neat Google Reader icon which is new.  So now I'm only one click away from my Reader at all times, yay! (In case you can't tell, I love my Google Reader- which is about 75% genealogy blogs)

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I also set up my iTunes on the new computer and am loving the new Home Sharing option.  One new discovery (which have actually been around for years) that I'm liking is Podcasts!  I always have to have something playing in the background, usually it is TV (TCM is my stand-by station, there is always a great movie on there) but when I'm on the computer it is usually music (I'll listen to anything) via iTunes or Project Playlist (my mother is a Pandora fan but I've never really gotten into that site) or an audiobook but now when I'm blogging or doing research I'm listening to Podcasts, usually of old radio programs.  I don't and won't use Twitter but I do follow the GeneaBlogger tweets so when I found out about the free audiobook I ran over to Audible and got A Christmas Carol on one computer and My Man Jeeves on the other (I know, I kind of cheated - but I'll do anything for a free audiobook!).  So thank you to GeneaBloggers for the heads up on the promotion (which ended on Thanksgiving).  I'm also liking the Penguin Radio Room which I discovered through footnoteMaven here.

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If you're like me you get migration, emigration and immigration mixed up.  But I learned a fun device in my Sociology class to remember which means what and I thought I might pass it along:
Migration = Move (or Mingle) within a territory (i.e. my ancestors migrated from New Jersey to California)
Emigration: Exit a territory (i.e. my ancestors emigrated from Italy)
Immigration: Come In to a new territory (i.e. my ancestors immigrated to the US in 1920)

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I'm so excited that I'm on Google Wave now- though I'm still feeling my way around the place.  I think it is going to be the future of communications so I may as well familiarize myself with it now.  If you aren't familiar with Google Wave, it is basically a mix of e-mail, social networking, and instant messaging along with a good dose of originality.  I see a lot of potential in Google Wave and Google has a history of churning out projects with a lot of potential that turn into winners so I see good things for this new venture.  I have some invites left, so if you'd like to join the Wave, comment this post or e-mail me (family history researchers and genealogy addicts only please!).

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Blog of the Week:

Speaking of Google Wave, I wouldn't be on it if weren't for the generous offer of invites put out at one of my favorite blogs (and one of the first genealogy blogs I started following), Begin With 'Craft.'  Begin With 'Craft' is one of my favorite blogs for a lot of reasons but the thing I like most is that when you are reading the posts you can really tell that a lot of thought and research went into every one and that is something we should all try to emulate.   I also always leave wishing I had ancestors from Georgia because Begin With 'Craft' really is full of information on great resources for that state as well as southern genealogy in general.  If you don't have this blog in your reader or aren't following it then you are really missing out!

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Colonial and Revolutionary War databases are currently free to use (until midnight) over at World Vital Records.  Most of the research I did this week was spent playing with those databases.  I don't normally do much pre-1800 research mainly because it just isn't an area of interest for me.  But I decided to play around with it a little bit.  Sadly, I didn't make any discoveries but that is a pretty common outcome for me when I use World Vital Records.  I also did some research on Lost Cousins which I found through a podcast by Lisa Louise Cooke.  I love the premise of the site and I'm excited to go back and try and find some more "lost cousins." The site is a Britich based site so at present, I think it really only works if you have fairly recent British ancestry.

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We had a small Thanksgiving at my house.  It isn't my favorite holiday (it isn't even in my top ten... it probably falls somewhere between Flag Day and Arbor Day for me), but I enjoy doing the cooking so that was the highlight.  I made a Cornish game hen for the one meat-eater in the house, a green bean casserole and roasted fennel.  Pumpkin pie was desert but I always prefer cranberry sauce (jellied and straight out of the can please!) on just about anything so that is what I had.