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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: Rishile on Tuesday 21 February 12 09:13 GMT (UK)
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I have just realized that this is the first hobby I have had where the majority of people involved feel the need to ‘pay it back’. Whether it’s helping other people break down those brick walls, photo restoring, look-ups, transcribing, photographing graves – I think we all do something to help others with their research.
So, I wonder why that is. Is it because most of us are of a – err – certain age? Or just the fact that the hobby is so interesting even if it isn’t our own information we are looking for/at? Or because it is relatively easy to pay back because there is so much that can be done from the comfort of our own PC and at times that suits us? Or do we feel that by paying back, we are learning more that we can then put to good use in our own research?
Or all of the above?
What are your thoughts?
Rishile
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morning rishile.
all of those reasons apply to me, plus the fact that i like to solve mysteries weather my own or someone elses, the satisfaction of solving very old mysteries is especially satisfying.
then of course if you help someone else, others will help you.. as for being of a "certain age" i am ;D
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I agree Hulme-griff. They all apply to me plus, I suppose, that warm fluffy feeling you get when you help someone else. And, yes, I'm of that age too (obviously ;D).
I have learnt so much and found so many interesting websites when I've been looking for something for someone else only to find I've needed that same website later in my own research (and then can't find it).
Rishile
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Definitely 'all of the above', with particular emphasis on
the hobby is so interesting even if it isn’t our own information we are looking for/at
Linda
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Definitely 'all of the above', with particular emphasis on
the hobby is so interesting even if it isn’t our own information we are looking for/at
Linda
That's how I feel too. I get just as excited about solving someone else's puzzle as I do about my own
Jan ;)
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i recently found a web site dedicated to music in the 50's and 60's in southampton. on there was a picture of my great uncle gil hulme with louis armstrong. needless to say i contacted the site. now one of my pictures of him is on there too, what a little gem for someone to find. people with a common interest are so helpful and willing to share information
griff
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Don't think it's as much of people of a certain age but more of a certain hobby.
When people are helpful not only with their advice but finding out things you have been stuck on, and giving the info freely without any thoughts of recompence it gives one a good feeling if you can help someone as well.
Who knows you may even find you can loosen a few of your own brickwalls as I have on one occasion. I suppose it has helped with the internet ever expanding :)
Jean
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I do agree with you Jean.
I have a friend who is considering starting researching her family history. I told her about RC and said people are always willing to help if you are stuck. All they ask for their trouble is 'thank you'. She was horrified and said she couldn't possibly ask for help because she didn't know enough to help others. I told her she would, in time. We all have skills that we can use to help others.
Rishile
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I think a lot of us have discovered skills we didn't even know we had!
Tell your friend that there are probably topics on the Totally Off Topic board that she might be able to help with, until she gets up to speed with family history :)
Linda
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what I love about group problem solving is everyone comes at a problem from a different strategy set and sometimes it is that randomness which gives people a breakthrough, and the attitude of 'do unto others' is always a bonus. What's the criteria for 'certain age' though, is that mindset or physical age? ;D
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One of my satisfactions comes from being able to (finally) make use of information onerously but hopefully gathered which turned out to be of no actual relevance to my tree.
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What's the criteria for 'certain age' though, is that mindset or physical age? ;D
I feel it's the (whatever) age at which someone realises the mortality of their parents, and thus their own, and wanting to know more about the people in their family who came before them.
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what I love about group problem solving is everyone comes at a problem from a different strategy set and sometimes it is that randomness which gives people a breakthrough, and the attitude of 'do unto others' is always a bonus. What's the criteria for 'certain age' though, is that mindset or physical age? ;D
Yes - I think this is a lot to do with it too. The hobby is so varied and can be looked at in so many different ways that having a group look at the problem will bring more answers (and sometimes more questions) than one person can.
Rishile
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I do agree with you Jean.
I have a friend who is considering starting researching her family history. I told her about RC and said people are always willing to help if you are stuck. All they ask for their trouble is 'thank you'. She was horrified and said she couldn't possibly ask for help because she didn't know enough to help others. I told her she would, in time. We all have skills that we can use to help others.
Rishile
That is exactly how I feel, always asking but unable to help :-[ its a confidence thing and by the time i`ve searched out information the person has got their family tree all mapped out ;D but love reading peoples posts and seeing their queries resolved, one day I will feel useful enough to help this is certainly a hobby that you want to share with people :)
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I know I love the feeling I get when I get to help someone else in their research. As of being of a certain age, I don't think I qualify. I'm currently 45 but started researching since my late 30s.
I think a lot has to do with how you are brought up as well. My family is a very close knit family. I'm the youngest of eight. Everyone one of us stayed within an hour's drive of our parents. With a very religious (Roman Catholic) and moral upbringing, you never think twice about helping somebody out.
Regards, Jim
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I have always been a helpful person whether age 18 or 55 and this may be due to my upbringing.
Several reasons why I love helping on Rootshchat;
Others have helped me when I started out in 2007.
I enjoy the challenge of finding Family info, esp if it requires "detective work".
I like working with other people on some queries.
It keeps Alzheimers away!
Trish :)
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I do agree with you Jean.
I have a friend who is considering starting researching her family history. I told her about RC and said people are always willing to help if you are stuck. All they ask for their trouble is 'thank you'. She was horrified and said she couldn't possibly ask for help because she didn't know enough to help others. I told her she would, in time. We all have skills that we can use to help others.
Rishile
That is exactly how I feel, always asking but unable to help :-[ its a confidence thing and by the time i`ve searched out information the person has got their family tree all mapped out ;D but love reading peoples posts and seeing their queries resolved, one day I will feel useful enough to help this is certainly a hobby that you want to share with people :)
But this is what I have tried to explain to my friend. We all have different skills to bring to the table. It’s not only about helping others break down those brick walls. You may be a military expert (something I always seem to need), or be able to read old handwriting, or have local history knowledge, or just know some good websites or books that are interesting and informative. Or you may be prepared to take photos in your area to help people.
This hobby is about so much more than just finding the names of our ancestors – there’s a lot more we all want to find out and you could be the link that helps.
My friend lives in the US and has extensive knowledge of American history (she has a degree to prove it) but is still worried in case that sort of information isn’t needed.
Rishile
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I'm sure she'll be greeted with open arms! :) :)
Why not send her a link to this thread and ask her to pop in and say hello. No obligation!
Linda
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adding to that, i think its so helpful even if you dont ask questions just to read through topics and get ideas of where to search and what to look for. its helped me enormously to think of other ways to approach problems. only when i can't see a way round or its a subject i know little or nothing about do i ask, and someone always has an answer.
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Rishile,
I think you have nailed it in your thread post. The thing is, we probably haven't really thought about why we do it, it's just good to help others. And I don't think its unique to genealogy, as Hulme-griff touched on with the music site post.
I encountered the same helpful attitude when I contacted an antique clock collector, who had on his website biographical data about one of my wife's ancestors. I used that as a starting point, and then contacted him to correct a couple of points. He was helpful, and also grateful that I took the time to send him more information.
I also have to mention the various librarians and archivists from the more unusual establishments (other than normal record offices etc). Sometimes they have gone above and beyond a normal reply.
Darren
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Pinefamily – I didn’t mean for one minute that the only kindhearted people are involved with geneology – I actually believe the majority of people are kind and generous given the opportunity. It just strikes me that on the various geneology forums on the internet, if you post a question, you get a response in a couple of minutes. There always seems to be somebody available who is willing to give up their time to help you or to be prepared to explain something you don’t understand. Maybe it’s because it is a growing hobby now and more and more people are involved.
Rishile
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And I totally agree with you, Rishile. I only meant to show how people outside the asylum of us genealogists are willing to be helpful as well.
I use the word asylum because what other hobby do you know of that as soon as you crack one brick wall, you go in search of another one? :)
Darren
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I use the word asylum because what other hobby do you know of that as soon as you crack one brick wall, you go in search of another one? :)
Hill walking?
"when the bear came over the mountain, what do you think he saw?
Another **&&**## mountain!"
eadaoin
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I don't really like asking for help but when I have I've found people are usually more than willing to help.
I remember when I first started family history back in 2000 and I wanted to order my first ever certificate but had no idea what to do (didn't know about forums like this then) so I phoned up my local registrars office, explained I was a total novice and the man very kindly spent ages going through the procedure with me, even giving me a rough outline of what I should write on the letter requesting the certificate (in those days you could still use local registrars to order certs)
The same happened when I wanted to purchase a microfiche reader. I knew nothing about them and didn't really know what I wanted or needed but the company I phoned were so helpful....the poor man must have spent over an hour going through everything with me. But he was so patient and kind, by the time I hung up I felt I'd known him for ever! (he probably thought I was complete nutter!!! ;D)
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what other hobby do you know of that as soon as you crack one brick wall, you go in search of another one? :)
Darren
I think you're doing something wrong. If I crack one brick wall, I find TWO more.
Rishile
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I think the other thing about wanting to help other researchers is the relief of finding a forum where other people are just as interested in the research as you are.
How many people have you spoken to, when you're in the middle of a search and have found an exciting clue, who look at you as if you're completely nutty?
I know all of you lie awake at night thinking of what you've found, and the implications, or where you can look next, or racking your brains for other ideas to break down a brick wall......I can't tell you how relieved I am, and how happy I am to help (if I can), someone else who is - amazingly - just like me.
I've just been doing some research with someone only very peripherally connected - as I am - with the people we are looking at. And she and I have both been up at night worried about some of the things we've found. I know you'll all understand!!
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So, to summarise, we love the whole damn shaboodle of a mess we got ourselves into and couldn't live without the folk who're helping to straighten it out, or at least make it bearable!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Well done coz - got it in one!! ;D ;D ;D
Rishile
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Well done coz - got it in one!! ;D ;D ;D
Rishile
;D ;D
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Well, I can definitely say that I am not 'of a certain age'......
I am of an 'uncertain age'.... when I wake up in the morning, I am uncertain about so many things.... the day of the week being the first :)
Seriously though, what is so great about this hobby is that we have such a mixture of ages, occupations, interests, political beliefs, religions, technical savvy, nationalities, etc, but we all have one thing that unites us.... an interest in our ancestors. I came to this forum knowing very little about how to go about tracing my ancestors, and I've learned so much. I try to help others as much as I can, but I still have a lot to learn.
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I totally agree...but why wouldn't you want to help as i have had help finding things i never thought i ever would, thanks to other people...Its been amazing to say the least..And that YAY moment you get when you find someone is just as good when you are able to help someone have that moment as well...also to know that you are not the only one beating your head against a brick wall is somewhat comforting...sad but comforting..I have also made some wonderful friends in my short time on this site....so to pay it back you bet!!!!
Oh and yes sadly the age thingo does help ::)
Thanks all
Sally
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Griff ..... I was a student of Gil's for 5 years from the age of 10 to 15 & I studied Clarinet & Sax with Gil until the sad demise of his wife Nora and then eventually Gil died himself ...
My uncle Kenny Clarke used to play for the Southampton All Stars (Glenn Milller Band)
both my Uncle and Gil were arch rivals at times & yet I studied with Gil for 5 years ...
Kind regards Dean Elson
http://www.deanothesaxman.freeservers.com
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Can i say that my somewhat pot holed road has been filled in a bit thanks to some amazing hole fillers now i just have 1457839028389 miles to go!!!!! so exciting to think i will be taking this to my grave with me!!!!!
just realised i will be in a pot hole !!!!! Oh my oh well at least i will have all the information with me to get all my ancestors to fill in the blanks!
Cheers all
;D
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I admit to being of a certain age, but I am currently helping someone and I am getting as much pleasure from that as I do when I find my "own".
The RC community has helped me previously and now I am retired, I have a bit more time, and am feeling a bit more confident to be able to help others.
The added bonus is that I discovered Nanny Jan and I have a great grandmother in common, so I might find other relatives along the way!
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I think all of the reasons given.