Inspiring Blogs 300Welcome to 2016 and to my latest Inspiring Genealogy Blogs post. The following are a collection of blog posts that I’ve read during the past month that I have found intriguing, useful and/or inspiring and wanted to share with you.

In this edition of Inspiring Genealogy Blogs posts we have posts that cover: handwriting, bullying, genealogy myths, copying, genie companies plans for the future, is genealogy expensive, why it is worth your time, and what to do when you find out a suprising/shocking fact about a relative … together with a whole heap more!

So grab yourself a cup of tea or coffee, get comfy and enjoy some great reads.

As I mention every time, I find that reading blog posts helps me keep up with the latest news, products as well as what’s happening in general in the world of genealogy. And if you happen to already follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and to some extent Google+, you already know that I like to share with you the interesting things I read.

Mom, I Thought I Knew You
Have you ever had a conversation in which something innocent is mentioned, but it turns out to be a bombshell. That is what happened to Denise, and it helped make sense of more of her genealogy. Read the full article …

Cursive Writing a Drying Art Form
Shannon of The In-Depth Genealogist decided to take her son with her on a recent research trip, after all he wants to be a historian. However she didn’t count on this comment “Mom, I don’t know how to read cursive handwriting. We don’t have to do that in school.” While she was aware of a number of articles that had been written about this over the past few years, it wasn’t until then that the reality of it hit home. Read the full article …

How to Save Time and Actually FIND the Ancestors You’re Looking For
Lisa Louise Cooke tells us of her own recent experience about not learning how something worked before using, and then wasting time and getting frustrated. She then puts this in the context of genealogy and how if we read the card catalogues of databases, to know what is covered, we could be saved from the same type of frustration. Read the full article …

Has Genealogy Become Too Expensive?
Some would say yes, some would say no, but either way Thomas MacEntee from GeneaBloggers has created “Genealogy Bargains” which lists the current sale items each week. Be sure to follow for the latest. Read the full article …

If You Don’t Put it Online – Your Descendants Will Not Find It
Whether you’ve been researching your family history for 5 years, 15 years, or even 50 years – your search skills have improved year after year. During that time your collection of information of records increases, but the bottom line is “If You Don’t Put It Online – Your Descendants Will Not Find It!” Don’t let all of your research go to waste. Read the full article …

Six Reasons Genealogy is Worth Your Time
The reasons family members start researching their lineage are as varied as the people themselves. Joe from the Treasured Lives blog gives readers six very solid reasons why active study of your genealogy is worth your time and attention. Read the full article …

Copying – Do I Really Have Permission?
Here’s some important questions everyone should consider:
1. Can I upload the handout to last week’s genealogy class online?
2. What about attaching an  image to my ancestor’s profile in my online tree?
3. Can I share someone’s Excel worksheet to a Facebook group?
4. If I cite where I got an item from, does that meet the concept of “fair use?
The Organised Genealogist blog together with DearMyrtle have created a series of YouTube videos covering numerous questions on this topic. Read the full article …

Here’s Why Writing Things Out By Hand Makes You Smarter
Ok, this is actually nothing to do with genealogy. Still it is an interesting article, and it resonates with me. The article starts out by saying “Typing is fast. Handwriting is slow. Weirdly, that’s precisely why handwriting is better suited to learning.” Personally I still take handwritten notes at the genie talks I go to. Why? Because I learn better. I know a number of speakers would prefer that you don’t, as they make it very clear their notes will be available afterwards … still this way works for me (and for others obviously). Read the full article …

No (DNA) Bullying
There is a fine line between asking nicely, and becoming a bully – and the same applies when it comes to asking your relatives if they would take a DNA test. Sadly when they are your last hope of getting a test for that branch of the family, and they say “no”, you have to respect that, rather than become a bully. Here’s some wise words on this topic. Read the full article …

Ancestry.com and FamilySearch Look Back, then Forward
The Ancestry Insider takes a look at both Ancestry.com’s and FamilySearch’s recent posts about the past year, and announcements of some of what is coming next. Read the full article …

Ten-Minute Methodology: How to Ask Good Research Questions
To be a good researcher you need to focus. And while I know you want to know “everything” possible there is to know about your great great grandma (or whoever),  tackle the questions one-by-one. You’re more likely to get a better result. Read the full article …

My Top 10 Genealogy Myths – Part 1
This is not a new post as it was written in October 12015, however it is a new-to-me-post, and I loved it, and wanted to share it with you. Beth from the Living with Beth blog, has come up with her top 10 genealogy myths, and I have to say she’s spot on. I’m sure I could think of more, but the 10 she’s chosen are all valid. What do you think? Be sure to click on the link to part 2 at the bottom. Read the full article …

Happy reading.