Saturday, February 21, 2009

Records, References and Lists.


Records, references and lists are very useful things - I love them; use them and KEEP them. I think most of us do to some extent. Photos old and new are a visual record, and although I often don't like how I look in them I keep them as a record.
This old picture is of me at about age 5. I can tell that cause I still have my baby teeth and my hair long. I am wearing a dark red dress hand knitted by my Mum. My elder sister had one the same. Photos help me to remember events and times past, because I have looked at those same photos many, many times - each time restoring the moment - it helps reinforce that memory.
I am writing about this today cause I see that I have written 300 posts. (that seems quite amazing ).Blogging is a modern form of record and I love it and all it offers. When I was young I know I kept a diary on and off but got rid of them at some stage partly because I either didn't like what I had written or more likely how I had written and spelt it. ( shame really )
I know it was because I didn't like my own handwriting, no matter how many times I wrote , "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog." - which we did daily in Form 1 and 2.( in cursive handwriting ) When I was in my first year of teaching , the school I was at had a school style that was taught - script, and I had to quickly learn it and use it on the blackboard and in everything I wrote for the kids in my standard 2 and 3 class. I practised it and liked it and became good at it and use a version of it to this day - I now LIKE my own writing.
I have printed out my Blog from the very beginning so have a hard copy to keep as a record. I have already had occasion to use it as a reference.
Other records I keep are in list form. All the books I have read since 1982.The usual list of birthdays ,deaths etc.I have a record now, of major purchases, we've made: what: when and from where and price as well as the guarantee. When we need to know when the roof was last painted or the septic tank emptied I can look that up too.
For the orchard DH or R keeps Weather Records. Maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall measured in a gauge and emptied early each morning, and wind if present. We have been delighted to record over 2
" of much needed rain in the last 2 days. THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE. We have noticed that at almost the same time last year the same pattern occurred in the weather.
I keep letters too. Some from family now gone.Others are not so old.( I can tell because I printed it out and kept it ) that I wrote my first ever email on the 29 th of July 2001.; to my younger son in London. His going there was the reason we first had to be on line. He is still there are we both write and send photos back and forth frequently. I have kept many email and photos for him in case in the future he wants them as a record since he left NZ.
Sometimes records and letters are so treasured; like the ones written by ancestors when they first made the journey from UK to NZ. We have some of those.
Are any of you record keepers? Why?
Now I should go and back up some of my computer files especially the photos as I haven't done that in a while.
Thanks to all those who leave me helpful and encouraging comments!

10 comments:

meggie said...

I too, destroyed my diaries. I was never a fulltime diarist, but kept intermittent ones for about 4 years when young.
I have kept old letters, & am so happy I have one of my grandmother's written to my mother.
I should back up my blog, & have not really thought about printing it out, but recently I was thinking of having a book made. I have read of some other bloggers who have published their blogs. It would be a nice way to keep it. Heavy editing would be needed I think- for me anyway!

molly said...

What a sweet looking little girl you were! Your record keeping is very organized! I should adopt some of your ideas! It must be nice to have one place to look when you want to remember all those pesky dates! Instead of a gazillion different folders.....

Unknown said...

What a delightful photo Ali - memories are our history - they make us what we are and give us our grounding

Joyce said...

This blog is the best record I have ever kept and I wish I had printed it out from the start. You were smart to do that. I may get it made into a book one of these days.

Françoise said...

What a nice picture of you!
I am a record keeper too, not always very organized. And sometimes, I want to get rid of everything... but I don't do it.

Laurie from Rotorua said...

wow Ali
you have just reinforced what I have said on my latest blog about social history, but you are actually doing it. I have thought for a long time I should write down some of my memories if not for this generation but may be the next. Many years ago we had a dodgy period in our marriage and we emailed evey day he from the other side of the world and me from UK very long long emails with our thoughts and feelings about every thing, I actually have a hard copy of 2yrs emails and also a floppy disc ( remember them ) or I should say 9 disc's full of them. I always thought they would make a good book ...but don't think he would be to keen..oh well just dream .

julieQ said...

I have very few articles from my youth, but many pictures and letters from later in my life...and I need to get them all organized! I feel like the historian of my family, and want to pass on that information to future generations.

Unknown said...

I don´t keep records like that, I have often thought about printing my blog but...

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Lovely picture of you when you were little. I keep all sorts of things! Emails, articles, letters, pictures. I have been blogging for over 2 years and am on my third blog - i've kept the other 2 on line, but they are now retired from public view. It would be great to make them into a sort of book.

Rose Marie said...

As keeper of our family genealogy files, I tend to hang onto certain items for keeping and distributing amongst family members.
My DH is a record keeper and he has spreadsheets showing temps., gas prices, electricity, wages etc. It is interesting to go back 20 yrs. to see the amount of gas, etc. that we used compared to today and surprising we see less usage. Good for the environment.
I, also have a hard copy of my blog along with photos and have referenced it many times. That and my quilt journal is used a lot. One day, my goal will be to put both into book form to add to the genealogical files for passing along to a family member. We must leave our footprints in the sand somehow so that our descendants will know more about us.