My Portfolio

The past few years I've tried to start my own tradition of going to visit Shelby & co. in September. It's just about the perfect time to be in New England - at the tail-end of summer, starting to get cool and fall-ish, and time for apples in the orchards.

Today I taught week #2 of my 6 week 'Unlock Your Personal Stories' workshop at my local library, near my home nestled in the foothills of the Mt Lofty Ranges in Adelaide. I was tired this morning, having sat up until 1.30am to participate in a webinar with colleagues in the...

I am a Personal Historian and I am passionate about my work helping others to gather, organise and preserve their life stories to leave as a precious legacy for future family generations. My passion for life stories began as a wee girl, snuggled on Nan's generous lap, when I constantly requested...

I envy those people who have always known what they wanted to do when they grew up. The only occupations I remember feeling passionate about as a youth centered around horses and ballet - not too promising for a city-dweller with two left feet. Reading was always my favorite pastime, so...

Various jobs and careers were had from the time I was out of high school until the present time.  My first paying job was working at Thiokol where solid rocket fuel was made and tested for the NASA rockets.  I worked in the rocket propellent casting can cleanup.  I liked the...

When I finished my college education at Utah State University in 1968, I had to wait until graduation in 1969 since there was only one graduation each year and I had a summer class to take before I could meet graduation requirements.  My first assignment was in Mountain View, Wyoming on...

With my diploma fresh in hand I was hired to teach fifth grade in Roanoke County, Virginia, which was 32 miles from my mom's house.  I was given a choice, first grade or fifth grade.  Having my mom and her sister my Aunt Helen as veteran fifth grade teachers as support, I chose...

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LEGACY STORY PROMPTS Story prompts cover all facets of one's life. Reading other member stories helps you move beyond the blank page. Write a paragraph or page. It's your legacy! Pass it on! Tip: The more stories you read and add comments, the more others will comment on yours. That's the...

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After I got out of the Army I went to work at the local flour mill. That lasted a whole two weeks. Being outside in a tee shirt with a six foot fan blowing on you to keep you cooled off while it was snowing outside was not what I was...

I don't know what drives me to start up and run new businesses. Maybe I'm a glutton for punishment, having tried so many things and failed more than I have succeeded. The part I like most is the dream and bringing the dream into reality. I believe most everyone has at...

  I used to work at a place called Zayer Warehouse when I was still in High school. We would pack up stocking, socks and many other department store items to be shipped to all the Zayer department stores. I would also work on the conveyor belt logging all the boxes...

When it comes to work and career, how do you define success? Success in the workplace can sometimes be measured in sales, upward mobility, specific accomplishments or a body of work. It also can be defined by the intangibles such as personal development, education or consistency and reliability. Whether your work...

It was a windy October Saturday in Chicago, 1994, and we were spending the weekend with Ed and Anna, who had just moved into their apartment near the Univ. of Chicago campus.  Ed was beginning graduate school and Anna had started a new job at the University Hospital.  We were eager to visit the big city and they were very brave to...

When I was nine years old my mother quit her job at the factory. She was pregnant.  I was very excited for another sibling.  My sister was 4 years older than I and she was way ahead of me in school and ideas. My brother was born in March of 1945, that made...

Pride - it's a sticky word... I'm not really comfortable with it. It often accompanies things like arrogance, bragging and the such.  But there is no denying the feeling of being pleased over certain accomplishments, moments, and people in life. I've tried to think of moments in my life I have felt proud...

Christmas circa 1988 or '89.  My family lived in Jackson, NH.  It's was a pretty small town back then, probably a population of 600, give or take a few.  Kids all over the wold get gifts on this magical day.  In Jackson, NH, two kids received quite a surprise under the...

FFA Motto: Learning to Do; Doing to Learn; Earning to Live; Living to Serve During my ninth grade year at Bear River Junior High School, I registered for Agricultural Science and became a member of the Future Farmers of America organization.  The four years that I participated in the program were...

In the spring of 1972, I had signed a contract with Brigham Young University Genealogical Research Center to direct American Research.  The research was done by students who were taking classes in research methodology and doing actual research on various problems that had been commissioned by individuals and family organizations.  This...