A Milestone: My First Business Cards!

I have just reached a very significant milestone in my life. I am now a super-ridiculously-excited-owner of business cards!

So excited I feel like I'm dancing
on top of the world!

What prompted me to make this decision now?

I had been thinking of getting business cards for a while. Alona tweeted me last year about getting them for my genealogy. So many of you hand them out at conferences and other events, and I have always thought that was really rad. I guess life just got busy and I pushed it to the back of my mental to-do list.

Fast forward to Week 2 of University in March. One of my subjects this semester was Developing Professionally. Essentially, the course was about what happens after we leave Uni, how to find a job and all that scary stuff. Anyway, we had a guest lecturer from the Careers & Employment Service. She was talking about marketing strategies when she said...BUSINESS CARDS! My eyes shot up in an instant. She mentioned how they are a great networking and marketing strategy, and also suggested that we use them as a mini resume so to speak.

At the beginning of this month I started to seriously consider it. My question was though, do I get separate criminology and genealogy business cards or have all the information on the same card? Last week, after discovering that VistaPrint was having a 50% off sale, I ordered them. I was playing around with designs for a couple of hours before I settled on two that I love. Yep, I decided to stick with keeping the two separate. They look much neater, and besides, I highly doubt that that Criminology Professionals would be interested in my genealogy business card (although they should be!).

They arrived tonight and I am so excited! They are very cute! Let me know what you think :)

Ooo yeah! I love them so much!

Genealogy Business Card

Criminology Business Card

Isabella Gow Reddoch

Isabella Gow Reddoch, was born in 1885, in Ardoch, Perthshire, Scotland. Her parents were Isabella Gow & John Reddoch, & her mother died when she was 12 years old. She was the middle child with four older siblings & four younger siblings. According to her death certificate, she was a nurse & never married. Isabella Gow Reddoch died at the young age of 33 on December 26, 1918 at the Reddoch’s home, Tullibardine House, in Kinross, Scotland. Her father, John, had died three years earlier in 1915.

The death certificate of Isabella Gow Reddoch (courtesy of Scotlands People).

Death Certificate of Isabella Gow Reddoch (Source: Scotlands People)

Isabella Gow Reddoch, Nurse, Single.
December 16, 1918. 10:15pm. Tullibardine House, Kinross.
Female. 33 years.
Father: John Reddoch, Builder (Deceased)
Mother: Isabella Reddoch, M.S Gow (Deceased)
Cause of Death: Phthisis Pulmonalis.
Informant: James Reddoch, brother.

Isabella died of Tuberculosis, which affects the lungs.

Seen below is the funeral card from her brother, James.

Funeral Card for Isabella Gow Reddoch
From my personal collection

Video: Archives Adventure

NEW VIDEO: ARCHIVES ADVENTURE!

My adventure at the Queensland State Archives last Thursday. I went on a private behind the scenes tour! So awesome!

Video: Technology for Genealogists Meme

NEW VIDEO: A TECHNOLOGY FOR GENEALOGISTS’ MEME!

Check it out & don’t forget to hit that like button! :D

Reader Geneameme

I love books & reading, so I decided to do the Reader Geneameme. Check it out & go hit that thumbs up button pretty please! :)

(Image Source: Fanpop)

Video: Ancestors' Geneameme

NEW VIDEO: THE ANCESTORS’ GENEAMEME!

This was super fun to do! Let me know if you’d like me to do any other challenges such as naming as many ancestors as I can in a minute or 5 minutes etc. :-D

My Response to a Geneameme!

This Geneameme was created by Jill at Geniaus. What a great way to end National Family History Month for 2013! It’s been fun y’all!

1. What are the titles and URLs of your genealogy blog/s?

My genealogy blog is called Genealogically Speaking.  

2. Do you have a wonderful “Cousin Bait” blog story? A link to a previous blog post might answer this question.

In July, someone contacted me after seeing a post about my Great Great Great Grandparents Daniel Guyton Smith & Louisa Clementine Brister. She googled their names and my post came up. Turns out she’s also a descendant! Woo! Now we talk via twitter, e-mail and Facebook! :-D

3. Why did you start blogging? Is there someone who inspired you to start blogging?

I’m Gen Y, and growing up I have always had various personal blogs especially when I was in high school. I’ve had my personal Tumblr since 2009ish. Last year I just randomly decided I wanted to blog about my genealogy too. 

4. How did you decide on your blog/s title/s?

I knew I wanted it to have genealogy somewhere in the title, but I also wanted it to be clever & different. I was going back and forth with my boyfriend & in my head tossing up ideas. Somehow I thought of Genealogically Speaking & I absolutely love it!

5. Do you ever blog from mobile devices? What are they?

I’m yet to blog on Genealogically Speaking from a mobile device, but I probably will as I’ve recently acquired a new phone, a Samsung Note 2. The note taking facility on it is wicked, and I’ve also created a genealogy section on my phone.

6. How do you let others know when you have published a new post?

My twitter, and now more recently, my Facebook page.

7. How long have you been blogging?

I’ve been genealogy blogging since Nov 26, 2012.

8. What widgets or elements do you consider essential on a genealogy blog?

Definitely the tag function! It allows you to see any posts with that tag - a great way for discovering new blogs to follow.

9. What is the purpose of your blog/s? Who is your intended audience?

The purpose of my blog is to document & talk about my personal genealogy, and anything genealogy related that I find interesting! Intended audience – anyone that’s interested!

10. Which of your posts are you particularly proud of?

Hmm! There’s a photo I posted of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents graves that’s attracted a bit of attention, which was very surprising. 

But I really love the post I did about the Father/Daughter genealogy day I had with my Dad earlier this year. 

11. How do you keep up with your blog reading?

I’m a bit on the slow side with my blog reading especially when I’m really busy at Uni, but I’ve added the blogs I read a lot to my favorites. This new Paper.Li thing is really cool too!

12. What platform do you use for publishing your blog/s?

Tumblr. I did create a WordPress, but I found it too confusing, lol. 
[7 Feb '14 Edit: Now using Blogger!]

13. What new features would you like to see in your blogging software?

I’m actually not sure!

14. Which of your posts has been the most popular with readers?

The one I mentioned above – the photo of my Great Great Great Great Grandparents graves.

15. Are you a sole blogger or do you contribute to a shared blog?

Sole blogger, though I’d love to contribute to a shared blog one day!

16. How do you compose your blog posts?

If it’s a long one, I’ll write it in Word first, and then copy & paste, and add the pictures etc. Otherwise, I’ll create it straight from Tumblr.

17. Do you have any blogs that are not genealogy related? If you wish please share their titles and URLs.

I do have my personal blog, but as it is more geared toward my generation, I will keep it to myself for now ;)

18. Have you listed your blog/s at Geneabloggers?

Sure have!

19. Which resources have helped you with your blogging?

Geneabloggers definitely! They’re amazing. And of course those who read my blog, and share it on twitter – y’all rock! I just love being part of the genealogy blogging community! Oh, and I can’t forget the NextGen Genealogy Network. Their support is wonderful too!

20. What advice would you give to a new Geneablogger?

Definitely find a platform you feel comfortable using. You don’t have to be all fancy schmancy, and you don’t want to use anything too challenging – at least not straight away! Find your feet, just start blogging, and have fun!

I’m hoping that over the coming years, I can influence more young people into the world of genealogy! You’re never too young to start :)

Gould Genealogy: Don't Stereotype a Genealogist

I thought some of you might be interested in Gould Genealogy’s latest blog post about young people & genealogy. I even get a mention :)

Don't Stereotype a Genealogist | Genealogy & History News

I hope that many more young people become interested in genealogy in the coming future!