DearREADERS,In previous blog posts, Ol' Myrt here experimented with WikiTree.com and some embeddable widgets. See:DearMYRTLE's WikiTree: 5 generation updatable pedigree widget BETADearMYRTLE's Embedding a pedigree chart in your blog?With today's email comes news that Chris Whitten the genuis behind WikiTree has made the embeddable family tree widgets available for all bloggers and website owners: 22 March 2011 - WikiTree.com WikiTree is proud to announce the release of its new “widgets” that enable you to freely display a family tree ...

My apologies to the Wizard of Oz folks. IF I ONLY HAD A CLUE… I could while away the hoursConsulting with some web sitesOf family history fame I could save the data to my discShare it with my Uncle FritzIf I only had a clue. There’s my mother’s second cousinOur e-mails would be buzzingIf I could understand How to trace things back to AdamOr at least beyond my GrammaIf I only had a clue. OH WHY, just tell me whyThe internet is popular with some?I can’t find a thing perhaps becauseI am all THUMBS….And haven’t begun. I’d be absolutely ...

DearREADERS, My simple reminder posting about last night's NBC television broadcast of Who Do You Think You Are? inspired a brisk reaction. Anonymous posted this comment: "I caught the depressing Rosie O'Donnell episode when it first aired several weeks ago. Quite a depressing episode and a dubious time investment is my take. Sorry if pointing out this stinker of an episode offends anyone, but I gotta call 'em like I see 'em, Myrt." Among the tasks we have as genealogists is to determine the facts of an ancestor's life from surviving documents of the time period. Then ...

DearREADERS,Friday nights are a welcome break from a hectic week, thanks to NBC's Who Do You Think You Are? broadcast and the Geneabloggers Radio show. WDYTYA?Celebrate St. Patty's Day with an emotional journey to the homeland to discovery Rosie's roots. Rosie O'Donnell Friday, March 18th 8/7c (TV-PG) Watch a preview » GENEABLOGGERS RADIOListen to internet radio with Geneabloggers on Blog Talk RadioStarting with this week’s episode of GeneaBloggers Radio,Thomas will be posting  “show notes” for each upcoming episode. Thomas says ...

DearREADERS,Having two roaming national genealogy conferences is highly desirable in the eyes of many researchers who dislike the thought of consolidating NGS and FGS annual conferences, and I can understand why. Both NGS and FGS meet in different cities each year, bringing genealogy experts to folks in various parts of the US year over year. There are regional experts brought on board for some sessions at both conferences. My friend Roger explained such a merger would translate to a five year rotation, where the conference would be held in the east, west, north, south, and middle ...

DearREADERS,For fun today, I've been emailing back and forth with Chris of WikiTree.com. He asked me about what changes I'd like to see on my interactive pedigree chart widget. He reminds me this is just in BETA, and that I'll be the first to test this out on my DearREADERS. Be sure to give your feedback on how you like the look of the widget by posting a comment below this post on my blog. As he was tinkering around a WikiTree widget that would work with width of my blog (which is very close to the Blogger.com default), Chris asked if I wanted dates, or ranges of dates, etc.. ...

DearREADERS, Something odd has come to my attention. There is a mistaken belief that because Ol' Myrt here favors joining FGS and NGS conferences into one annual event, I am not acknowledging the tremendous volunteer effort it takes to create those conferences. A dear friend brought this concern to my attention and this blog entry is to clear the air. I specifically take umbrage at comments that Ol' Myrt here doesn't appreciate volunteer efforts. BACKGROUND My Anne Roach blog comment and my blog post NGS and FGS: Rethink your policies in light of RootTech have nothing to ...

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: This was just received from our friends at the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Please address all inquiries to amagno@nehgs.org. Access Program Part of collaboration withJewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts andAmerican Jewish Historical Society Photo from NEHGS.Boston, MA–March 2, 2011 –The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) today announced that, together with the Jewish Cemetery Association of Massachusetts (JCAM), and the American Jewish Historical Society of New England ...

DearREADERS, Thanks for the positive feedback about today's workshop webinar. It's fun to do things "LIVE" and set aside the PowerPoint presentation, isn't it? Here's the next offering on Myrt's docket: DearMYRTLE’s Twitter/TweetDeck Workshop Webinar© Confused by Twitter, but want to know more? This live demo takes you through setting up a Twitter account, and setting up your Twitter page and learning about hashtags. Switch gears and explore the ...

DearREADERS,February 25th we launched the GeneaWebinars.com site complete with a calendar and blog posting space to spotlight upcoming genealogy webinars. All known genealogy webinar hosts and presenters have access to the blog and the calendar. Reader response has been overwhelmingly positive, so positive that we now have a dedicated Facebook page. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING The Scrappy Genealogist said This is a very cool and timely blog idea. It was such a smart move to make it possible for others to update. Just last night I put links in my search bar for Legacy and ...

DearREADERS,Tomorrow is the third class session in a series from yours truly about how to do a blog. During DearMYRTLE’s Blog Tweaking Workshop Webinar© Ol' Myrt here will tweak one of her own blogs live, and then work through other Blogger.com challenges and solve problems for several other bloggers. The problems we're going to solve are typical of those beginning and intermediate bloggers have in the blog creating process. The selected bloggers have applied in advance for Myrt’s ...

DearREADERS, I have been dying for you all to have access to the "official" RootsTech 2011 Videos. There have been copies here and there, but this is the official line-up Jay Verkler - RootsTech 2011 Opening Day AddressBarry Ewell - Digital PreservationCurt Witcher - Keynote: The Changing Face of Genealogy Brian Pugh - Cloud Computing, what it  is and how we used it to build FamilySearch.orgThomas MacEntee - Virtual Presentations Roundtable with Geoff Rasmussen, Maureen Taylor, DearMYRTLE, Lisa Louise Cooke, Marian Pierre-Louis, and Allison StaceyBrewster Kahle - Saturday ...

DearREADERS,Mr. Myrt and I await 4 new "hip replacements" for the Ford Van in Des Moines, Iowa. So what better time to blog a reminder about watching tonight's episode of Who Do You Think You Are? on NBC? Tonight it will be an encore presentation of Kim Cattrall's ancestral quest. This time I plan to just relax and enjoy the show, without taking notes or tweeting or anything.  So set your TV to tune in tonight, Friday, March 11, 2011 at 8:00pm EST/ 7:00 pm CST. Mr. Myrt and I will be sure to watch it from our hotel room, and yes, he assures me Des Moines is in the Central ...

Free Seminar on a Watershed Movement in Discovering Where to Find Your AncestorsThe Riverton FamilySearch Library Hosts Event on March 19 RIVERTON, UTAH—The rapid digitization of records online is a crucial event in genealogy today, but records are appearing so fast on so many websites that most genealogists have no way to know where to find the best record. At this month’s Saturday Seminar, hosted by the Riverton FamilySearch Library, keynote speaker Michael Ritchey will address the topic “The Power of We: A Watershed Movement in Discovering ...

From: Brenda DearMYRTLE, Can you please post Feb & March under you organization tab on your blog page? Enjoyed the [MORE Blogging] webinar on Legacy today also. DearBRENDA,Thanks for reminding Ol' Myrt here. In addition to creating certain blog posts, like the ones announcing the February and March Organization Checklists, I've got to remember to copy/paste the link and a few interesting tidbits to the "tab" or "page", to make it easier for people to locate them in my blog.  When someone goes to my blog, he is at my "home page" which shows ...