99 Things Genealogy Meme – Aussie style

Geniaus has ‘dinkumised’ (see end of post for explanation*) the ‘99 Things Genealogy Meme’ that Kinexxions put together in 2009, and has thrown open the challenge to both Australian and foreign bloggers to join in.

It sounds like fun!

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize (colour optional)
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

Here is my contribution:

1. Belong to a genealogical society.
2. Joined the Australian Genealogists group on Genealogy Wise
3. Transcribed records.
4. Uploaded headstone pictures to Find-A-Grave or a similar site.
5. Documented ancestors for four generations (self, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents)
6. Joined Facebook.
7. Cleaned up a run-down cemetery.
8. Joined the Genea-Bloggers Group.
9. Attended a genealogy conference.
10. Lectured at a genealogy conference.
11. Spoke on a genealogy topic at a local genealogy society.
12. Joined the Society of Australian Genealogists.
13. Contributed to a genealogy society publication.
14. Served on the board or as an officer of a genealogy society.
15. Got lost on the way to a cemetery.
16. Talked to dead ancestors.
17. Researched outside the state in which I live.
18. Knocked on the door of an ancestral home and visited with the current occupants.
19. Cold called a distant relative.
20. Posted messages on a surname message board.
21. Uploaded a gedcom file to the internet.
22. Googled my name.
23. Performed a random act of genealogical kindness.
24. Researched a non-related family, just for the fun of it.
25. Have been paid to do genealogical research.
26. Earn a living (majority of income) from genealogical research.
27. Wrote a letter (or email) to a previously unknown relative.
28. Contributed to one of the genealogy carnivals.
29. Responded to messages on a message board.
30. Was injured while on a genealogy excursion.
31. Participated in a genealogy meme.
32. Created family history gift items (calendars, cookbooks, etc.).
33. Performed a record lookup.
34. Took a genealogy seminar cruise.
35. Am convinced that a relative must have arrived here from outer space.
36. Found a disturbing family secret.
37. Told others about a disturbing family secret.
38. Combined genealogy with crafts (family picture quilt, scrapbooking).
39. Think genealogy is a passion not a hobby.
40. Assisted finding next of kin for a deceased person.
41. Taught someone else how to find their roots.
42. Lost valuable genealogy data due to a computer crash or hard drive failure.
43. Been overwhelmed by available genealogy technology.
    (No! Bring it on!!)
44. Know a cousin of the 4th degree or higher.
    (We haven’t met in person though, does that count?)
45. Disproved a family myth through research.
46. Got a family member to let you copy photos.
47. Used a digital camera to “copy” photos or records.
48. Translated a record from a foreign language.
    (I found someone else to do it for me)
49. Found an immigrant ancestor’s passenger arrival record.
50. Looked at census records on microfilm, not on the computer.
51. Used microfiche.
52. Visited the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. 
53. Used Google+ for genealogy.
54. Visited a church or place of worship of one of your ancestors.
55. Taught a class in genealogy.
56. Traced ancestors back to the 18th Century.
57. Traced ancestors back to the 17th Century.
58. Traced ancestors back to the 16th Century.
59. Can name all of your great-great-grandparents.
60. Found an ancestor on the Australian Electoral Rolls
61. Know how to determine a soundex code without the help of a computer.
62. Have found relevant articles on Trove.
63. Own a copy of Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills.
64. Helped someone find an ancestor using records you had never used for your own research.
65. Visited the main National Archives building in Washington, DC.
66. Visited the National Library of Australia.
67. Have an ancestor who came to Australia as a ten pound pom.
68. Have an ancestor who fought at Gallipoli.
69. Taken a photograph of an ancestor’s tombstone.
70. Can read a church record in Latin.
71. Have an ancestor who changed his/her name.
    (If I have an ancestor who changed their name I’d like to find them, but I don’t wish for an ancestor who changed their name)
72. Joined a Rootsweb mailing list.
73. Created a family website.
74. Have a genealogy blog.
75. Was overwhelmed by the amount of family information received from someone.
76. Have broken through at least one brick wall.
77. Done genealogy research at the War Memorial in Canberra.
    (Seems a bit silly that I haven’t since I live in the same city… but there you go…)
78. Borrowed microfilm from the Family History Library through a local Family History Center.
    (Almost, I borrowed it through a local family history society. I don’t mind who I borrow it through, so long as I can borrow it)
79. Found an ancestor in the Ryerson index.
    (No, but I have found relatives)
80. Have visited the National Archives of Australia.
81. Have an ancestor who served in the Boer War.
82. Use maps in my genealogy research.
83. Have a convict ancestor who was transported from the UK.
    (I don’t mind either way, so long as I have the proof)
84. Found a bigamist amongst the ancestors.
85. Visited the National Archives in Kew.
86. Visited St. Catherine's House in London to find family records.
87. Taken an online genealogy course.
88. Consistently cite my sources.
    (You’re not going to check this, are you?)
89. Visited a foreign country (i.e. one I don't live in) in search of ancestors.
90. Can locate any document in my research files within a few minutes. (See 88)
91. Have an ancestor who was married four times (or more).
92. Made a rubbing of an ancestors gravestone.
    (That would be naughty)
93. Followed genealogists on Twitter.
94. Published a family history book (on one of my families).
95. Learned of the death of a fairly close relative through research.
96. Offended a family member with my research.
    (Not that I know of… perhaps I’m just insensitive…)
97. Reunited someone with precious family photos or artifacts.
    (I hope she’s looking after it)
98. Have a paid subscription to a genealogy database.
99. Edited records on Trove.

 

* ‘dinkumised’ will immediately be understood by any dinkum Aussie to be derived from the word ‘dinkum’ - which the Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1992 defines as a colloquial expression meaning ‘genuine, right’. Australian’s will further understand that the genuine or rightness referred to is most frequently used in reference to the Australian-ness of the item being described. So, when Geniaus says she has ‘dinkumised’ the list she means that she has made it genuinely Australian.