The "Your Life is Your Story" Blog

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February 8, 2010

Asking Difficult Questions

There are times when personal historians are interviewing someone about their life that they tread into areas that can be difficult to talk about. Divorce, suicide, a cheating business partner, death of a child, alcoholism, abuse and so on.  Probing these areas can be delicate.

What I've found is helpful is to get an overview before heading down that rode. I like to find out what kind of life story we are going to present. Is it going to be focused on happy moments? Triumphant times? Or are we going to discuss things that might be hard, but are essential to a person's story. It helps to get idea of what areas are ok and what are off limits.

I do encourage people to be honest about their lives. Nobody is one dimensional and the struggles are part of who you are and where you've been. Often they become turning points in our lives. And if  ahead of time I have some idea about these areas then when I interview the subject I am sensitive...but we can't dance around them.

One thing you should consider before sharing your personal history/life story is what do you want to reveal and what is the point of these revelations. I hope you do it for more than shock value. If you are revealing some painful or tragic things remember that others who've been through something similar will find they relate more to your story. And when you overcome hardship you can share your experience for the benefit of others.

February 7, 2010

The Culture of the Super Bowl

Today one of the biggest (many argue it is the biggest) sporting events in the world takes place in Miami, Florida. Super Bowl XLIV has the Indianapolis Colts playing the New Orleans Saints. The Colts have been there before and have arguably the best quarterback in the game, Peyton Manning. The Saints are in the big game for the first time ever. Many are rooting for the underdog. One of the interesting side stories is that Peyton's dad, Archie Manning, played most of his NFL career for the Saints. And during that time the team usually had a losing record, even though Archie was a pretty good QB.

Cultural events like the Super Bowl can fit into your life story when you consider what you are doing for the game - a party, watching for the television commercials which are expensive and often controversial or unusual, ignoring the contest, or perhaps going to the event. It serves as a marker in time. I know that's true for me. The one time I was actually able to attend a Super Bowl in person was 1991 in Tampa, Florida when the Giants played the Bills. It turned out to be a very exciting game that went down to the wire. But the night before something happened to me that led to a life changing event. I won't go into the personal details, but suffice to say I got into some trouble and it led me to confront something that needed to be radically changed in my life.

Big events in life such as the Super Bowl are something to enjoy and share. We all like to comment on major motion pictures, best-selling books, cultural phenomenon and so on. We also are impacted by major calamities (the recent Haiti earthquake for example). When you face your own life changing event it can be a turning point that forever changes you. I hope it is for the better, even if it seems bad at the time. I know that has been true for me and I'll never forget the day before Super Bowl XXV in 1991 and how my life's course was changed for the better.

February 4, 2010

I'm a proud grandpa for the very first time! My daughter gave birth to Jacob Ray yesterday. It was a long, hard process before he came into the world. She went into labor on Monday night and after trying very hard for 27 hours a decision was made to do a Caesarian section to safely bring the baby into the world. Turns out that was necessary as he was "stuck" in the birth canal.

All is fine now with the mom, but she is sore (understandably!) and recovering. My son-in-law has been fantastic and helpful through it all and is already changing diapers and doting like only a new father can. All family members are basking in the glow of new life - God's great gift to us all.

Now that I have entered into the new (and sacred) role of grandparent I am injoyful anticipation about how this will stretch and grow me on my life journey. Many who are already "grands" are probably nodding in agreement as you read this. One of the fascintating and rewarding parts of life is how we can share our heritage, values and experience across the generations.

February 1, 2010

As we start a new month there might be a tendency to put the past month behind you. I know I easily fall into that practice. Summer ends and you move into Fall. The December holidays pass and it is on to the New Year.

However, the crippling earthquake that has caused so much loss of life and property in Haiti last month should still be very much on our minds. It will take a long time for this country to recover. Since so many charitable efforts are underway you might wonder which ones are doing the most good or are the most effective.

Here is a list of what many consider the top charities helping in Haiti. Of course  there is the American Red Cross, by also World Vision and Doctors Without Borders are listed. Do what you can. Every bit helps.

January 30, 2010

The Passing of Salinger and Zinn

A couple of prominent Americans died this past week. The one getting the greatest press coverage was J. D. Salinger (check out Scott Ditzler's piece in the Kansas City Star), the reclusive novelist best know for the Catcher in the Rye. That book has been very influential and a favorite for youth ever since its publication in 1951. Many a rebellious teenager has related to the angst of the book's featured character and narrator, Holden Caulfield. The novel is still a frequently encouraged read in literature classes.

Howard Zinn has left a lasting legacy through his books and teaching, especially with his People's History of the United States. He was a lifelong activist dedicated to social justice. His critical insight of American society and history are important to anyone who wants to dig deeper into the story of America. He was controversial and also willing to stand up for his principles in the face of opposition. He encouraged others in this approach, mentioning it in his 1994 autobiography, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train. I found the peice written by Randy Shaw about Zinn's passing to be of interest (posted at BeyondChron.org).

With the passing of these two notable figures I am again struck by how lives, and particularly those who write about life, can impact and influence us. Your story is also important and the impact it will have on others is relative, depending on who you write the story for.

January 26, 2010

Holocaust & Intolerance Museum of New Mexico

Despite the amount of historic coverage of the horrific genocidal treatment of millions of Jews by the Nazis in World War Two it is surptising how many people don't know how such a thing came about or much of the background. Not knowing about the causes of such racial profiling and the harm and hatred that results from it means the pattern can easily continue. That's the lesson of history repeating itself.

In Albuquerque there is a museum whose purpose is to educate people about the Holocaust as well as to teach them about other genocides and forms of bullying that have affected people around the world. The Holocaust & Intolerance Museum of New Mexico is joining with other museums, theaters and cultural centers around the world to present a free screening of The Colours of the Holocaust.  The Albuquerque screening will take place January 27 at 7 PM. This is a film by Finnish photographer Rax Rinnekangas about the least-known reasons for the world's longest hatred: antisemitism, the birth of Aryanism in Europe in the 19th century, the subsequent shift to Nazism in the first half of the 20th century, and the impact of its consequences on the spiritual climate after the war.

Educating ourselves about historic events, even ones that are painful to study, is important so that we can combat hate and intolerance in our world and promote understanding through education. This is the mission of the Holocaust & Intolerance Museum of New Mexico (more at their site). The Colours of the Holocaust film will be shown in many other locations on January 27, so check your community events calendar.

January 22, 2010

Investing in your company's history

As people still struggle through the realities of the economic downturn and less  revenue many businesses are wondering how to survive, turn the corner and grow. These are not easy questions to grapple with.

One of the investments I believe can be helpful for a company is to preserve their history, their story, by archiving it with a corporate history. This process can be helpful on a number of levels. It allows your company to show your community, your customers, your prospects and the world what you are all about. What your key services are. The history of your contributions. It's a nice "show and tell".

The process can also help you by being reflective about values and benefits and help you see where you need to go and grow.

Stefani Twyford (noted personal historian, member of APH, and specialist in video histories for individuals, families and companies) was recently featured in a business roundtable discussion in Houston. Her company, Legacy Multimedia, has been dealing with the challenging economy. You can read the  Houston Chronicle article here. And I recommend her excellent blog.

January 18, 2010

Shaken and Stirred by Haitian Earthquake Relief

Over the past few days the news has been dominated by the major earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12. The amount of casualties, destruction and suffering is staggering. Haiti is a country that has been mired in poverty for many years. It is difficult to imagine what life is like there, especially in the aftermath of the earthquake. As a personal historian, what I am most impressed by is how people are willing to help when major tragedies strike. Like  Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami disasters of a few years ago, relief agencies have sprung into action. People are donating, often in innovative ways because of relatively new technologies like texting and social medi. Churches and schools are taking up collections and fundraising. The disaster reminds us once again that we are all part of a global family and when such tragedy strikes it demands a compassionate response.

However you might be moved to help, go for it. Additionally, record your thoughts about this historic disaster. What has been going through your mind? What do your friends and family have to say about it? How are you talking with your children about the Haiti earthquake. These are probing questions that go to the heart of character and compassion - important elements of anyone's life.

If you would like to see a list of organizations and ways to help Haiti you can visit this resource and information page on Examiner.com.

January 15, 2010

Priceless Legacy Company to Hibernate


I got an email from Priceless Legacy Company Founder & CEO Peter Gudmundsson. It was one he was hoping to never have to write. It appears that after a two and a half year run he's putting his operations into what he calls "hibernation". Essentially they will cease offering their excellent life story preservation options. It appears that the attempt to mass market (for lack of a better term) personal histories was not successful, at least not in this time, this economic climate and with their business model.

I have advocated Priceless Legacy Company for a while and pitched it to many people. I think they had a good product, but I understand the financial challenges of doing this as a large scale option. Their advantage was offering a better price point than solo-preneurs can, but even at their base price options they did not attract a large enough client base. They will keep their website up for the time being as they phase out operations.

What Peter Gudmundsson has in common with me and many other personal historians is the absolute and utter belief in the importance of preserving your family history. Lifes are being lived out - but people do pass on, and often they take their stories (and your family history) to the grave. There are so many reasons for why you should tell your story. And many ways to do that. I encourage you to keep exploring options (you must be on this site reading this posting because you have some interest in the subject!). I will continue to point the way to various life story preservation options, working with me or with other providers. So keep coming back to visit...and here's to your story!

January 11, 2009

New Grandma "Growping" for Answers

The newest edition of  GRAND magazine (all things about grandparenting) has an article with new grandmother Carol Orsborn. She has some interesting insight about her new grandchild, her responsibilities, spending time, learning from previous generations and a bit of "Boomer" perspective (she is senior strategist at VibrantNation.com). And her preferable term for reinvention is "growping". Groping and growing - yeah, I like that.

This is timely stuff for my wife and I. Our daughter is just one month away from birthing our first grandchild. Excited? You betcha!

January 8, 2010

Happiness is Keeping Your New Year's Resolution...Focus

Syncronity is at work this morning. I happened to catch a bit of NBC's Today Show and a guest, Gretchen Rubin, was on talking about her new book, the Happiness Project. Ok, I thought - interesting.

Then when I got online and was searching for something to post about I visited Dan Curtis' site as he always has interesting stuff. He had a link to suggestions on how to stick to your New Year's resolutions. I clicked and ended up on a page and excellent article from Gretchen Rubin!

As I mentioned a few days ago, keeping resolutions works best when they are in the contest of meaning and purpose for your life. Ms. Rubin's encouragement and points (think big, write it down, review it contantly, be specific) are all "spot on". You can read her article here.

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