Registration prices will increase after August 15th. Register todayto join the hundreds of others who have already registered.
A CGSI conference is a great place to learn, share, and connect with the genealogy, history, and culture of those from the Czech and Slovak ancestral lands of Central Europe. The format allows you to connect with information, resources, and other attendees via presentations and workshops,tours, networking opportunities, films, and social events.
I will be presenting five sessions at this conference. Hope to see you there!
Program and Registration Booklet
Complete conference details are available on CGSI.org and also the Program and Registration Booklet, which you can download by clicking here.
We encourage you to review the conference details to fully understand the workshop, tour, and dinner options before completing your registration.
Please visit the CGSI website toview the most current information on presentations and workshops and tours.
Online Pre-Conference Platform
Beginning on September 16th conference attendees will have access to Whova, an online platform to connect, discuss topics, organize virtual meet-ups, and more.
All conference registrations automatically include access to this online platform, but access is available if you are unable to attend the conference in-person.
Even if you are not attending the in-person conference in Milwaukee, for just $25 you can purchase access to just the pre-conference platform.
Copyright 2023, Lisa A. Alzo and CGSI. All Rights Reserved.
Below is an announement from the Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast about their 2023 Polish Genealogy Conference which will be held virtually via Zoom on October 21, 22, and 28, 2023.
I will be a presenter at this conference. My session, “Diseases, Disasters, Distress: Bad for Your Ancestors, Good for Genealogy!” will be on Saturday, October 28th from 12:45 – 2:00 p.m.
If you have Polish roots, you won’t want to miss this event!
2023 Polish Genealogy Conference Online – Zoom
Sponsored by
The Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast, Inc.
and
The S. A. Blejwas Endowed Chair of the Polish and Polish American Studies Central Connecticut State University
Conference Details
The conference provides an opportunity to learn strategies for tracing your Polish-American and Eastern European roots. The speakers are well known in Polish genealogy circles and their discussions will enable attendees to fill in the missing pieces of their family history. Speakers have extensive experience in their respective fields and have been featured at numerous regional, national and international conferences.
The Conference will be held on October 20, 21 and 28. The conference will be held online using Zoom.
Attendees can be from anywhere in the world!!
For more conference information and registration form, please click this link. Every attendee will be entered into the prize drawing which will be held on October 28.
Cost – Members – $25 Non-Members – $40
If you are NOT a member of the PGSCTNE and would like to pay the discounted members price, please join here. Joining the society will give you many advantages including our webinars, bulletins and society newsletters.
After signing up, you will be sent a link, for each day of the conference, prior to the event. All lectures will be given in English.
For further information, please email Diane Szepanski and Lauren Siembab, Conference Chairs, at conferencepgsctne@yahoo.com.
Copyright 2023, Lisa A. Alzo and The Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast. All Rights Reserved.
In March 2010, I launched a series of 31 blogging prompts for celebrating and honoring the “fearless females” in our family trees. Many bloggers participated and I was asked if I planned on running them again. I’m happy to say that this series is still going strong and is back for a 13th year.
Badge graphic courtesy of Denise Levenick; edits by Lisa Alzo
Also, you can download the free badge above to use on your blog to indicate your participation. [A special thanks to my friend and colleague, Denise Levenick, The Family Curator, who created the original version of this badge especially for me for the 2016 edition of Fearless Females].
It is a perfect time to start writing about your female ancestors.
[Group of young women reading in library of normal school, Washington, D.C.]Library of Congress, (Johnston, Frances Benjamin, 1864-1952, photographer.); REPRODUCTION NUMBER: LC-USZ62-100288 (b&w film copy neg.) DIGITAL ID: (b&w film copy neg.) cph 3c00288 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c00288]
Prompts
Fearless Females: 31 Blogging Prompts to Celebrate Women’s History Month
You can choose to do some of the prompts, or all of them–there’s no pressure–it’s meant to be a fun exercise to focus on the women and make sure their stories are told!
March 1 — Do you have a favorite female ancestor? One you are drawn to or want to learn more about? Write down some key facts you have already learned or what you would like to learn and outline your goals and potential sources you plan to check.
March 2 — Post a photo of one of your female ancestors. Who is in the photo? When was it taken? Why did you select this photo?
March 3 — Do you share a first name with one of your female ancestors? Perhaps you were named for your great-grandmother, or your name follows a particular naming pattern. If not, then list the most unique or unusual female first name you’ve come across in your family tree.
March 4 — Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents? Write a post about where they were married and when. Any family stories about the wedding day? Post a photo too if you have one.
March 5 — How did they meet? You’ve documented marriages, now, go back a bit. Do you know the story of how your parents met? Your grandparents?
March 6 — Describe an heirloom you may have inherited from a female ancestor (wedding ring or other jewelry, china, clothing, etc.) If you don’t have any, then write about a specific object you remember from your mother or grandmother, or aunt (a scarf, a hat, cooking utensil, furniture, etc.)
March 7 — Share a favorite recipe from your mother or grandmother’s kitchen. Why is this dish your favorite? If you don’t have one that’s been passed down, describe a favorite holiday or other meal you shared with your family.
March 8 — Did one of your female ancestors leave a diary, journal, or collection of letters? Share an entry or excerpt.
March 9 — Take a family document (baptismal certificate, passenger list, naturalization petition, etc.) and write a brief narrative using the information.
March 10 — What role did religion play in your family? How did your female ancestors practice their faith? If they did not, why didn’t they? Did you have any female ancestors who served their churches in some capacity?
March 11 — Did you have any female ancestors who died young or from tragic or unexpected circumstances? Describe and how did this affect the family?
March 12 — Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do? Describe her occupation.
March 13 — Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation.
March 14 — Newsmakers? Did you have a female ancestor who made the news? Why? Was she famous or notorious? Did she appear in the social column?
March 15 — Write a six-word memoir tribute to one of your female ancestors.
March 16 — If you could have lunch with any female family member (living or dead) or any famous female who would it be and why? Where would you go? What would you eat?
March 17 — Social Butterfly? What social organizations or groups did your mother or grandmother belong to? Sewing circle, church group, fraternal benefit society or lodge? Describe her role in the group.
March 18 — Shining star: Did you have a female ancestor who had a special talent? Artist, singer, actress, athlete, seamstress, or other? Describe.
March 19 — Have you discovered a surprising fact about one of your female ancestors? What was it and how did you learn it? How did you feel when you found out?
March 20 — Is there a female ancestor who is your brick wall? Why? List possible sources for finding more information.
March 21 — Describe a tender moment one of your female ancestors shared with you or another family member.
March 22 — If a famous director wanted to make a movie about one of your female ancestors who would it be? What actress would you cast in the role and why?
March 23 — Create a timeline for a female ancestor using your favorite software program or an online timeline generator such as OurTimelines. Post an image of it or link to it.
March 24 — Do you share any physical resemblance or personality trait with one of your female ancestors? Who? What is it?
March 25 — Tell how a female ancestor interacted with her children. Was she loving or supportive? A disciplinarian? A bit of both?
March 26 — What education did your mother receive? Your grandmothers? Great-grandmothers? Note any advanced degrees or special achievements.
March 27 — Do you know the immigration story of one or more female ancestors? Do you have any passenger lists, passports, or other documentation? Interesting family stories?
March 28 — Do you remember your mother’s best friend? Your grandmother’s? How and where did they meet? How long were they friends? What activities did they share?
March 29 — Create a free Fold3 Memorial Page or a Genealogy Trading Card at Big Huge Labs for a female ancestor. Some of you may have created your own card back in September 2009 following Sheri Fenley’s post over at The Educated Genealogist. This time, the card is for your female ancestor. Tell us about who you’ve selected and why and then post a link to what you’ve created.
March 30 — Did you receive any advice or words of wisdom from your mother or another female ancestor?
March 31 — Pick one female ancestor and write a mini-profile (500 words or less).
BONUS: Take all of your postings and turn them into a memory or tribute booklet for future generations.
Post an entry on your Blog when you have created your tribute. Tell us how you did it (what format, how you printed it or digitized it, etc.).
Also during the month of March you can save 30% off the Finding Your Female Ancestors course on my online education website, Research Write Connect (regularly priced at $99; now $69.30 with discount). Click here to register and use coupon code FEARLESS2023 to claim your discount through 31 March 2023. The course is self-paced with no start or end date so you can purchase at the discounted price and start the course whenever you choose.
Welcome to The Accidental Genealogist. We have switched blogging platforms. We are currently in the process of making changes to this blog. Please check back soon!
Fifteen years is a fairly long time to spend on an activity and I have enjoyed using this platform to share my experiences as a genealogist and writer.
When I shared my first post “Welcome to My Blog” on June 28, 2006, I really did not know what to expect. I wondered if anyone would read what I shared and certainly did not anticipate I would still be blogging all these years later.
My second blog post(2 July 2006) detailed why I decided to name my blog “The Accidental Genealogist.” I wrote:
“Here I’ll share my thoughts, experiences, profiles on some of my favorite ancestors, and other useful information for genealogists who like to write, as well as tips on writing and publishing for writers who happen to be genealogists.”
I like to think I have achieved my goals of sharing information and inspiration for genealogists and writers.
Confessions of a Geneablogger
In 2014, I wrote an article entitled “Confessions of a Geneablogger” for Internet Genealogy Magazine (it appeared in the December/January 2015 issue).
In the article, I listed five reasons to blog. Here is a quick summary of that article [used with permission].
Five Reasons to Blog:
Below are five reasons why I think creating and maintaining a blog can be a very positive experience.
1. Giving Ancestors a Voice. One of the many reasons I started my blog in the first place is because it is a forum where I can share stories about my family and document my genealogy research. I don’t have famous pedigree. Most of my ancestors were peasant farmers from Eastern Europe, and not likely to have made the news unless they did something wrong or broke the law. I can use my blog as a platform to write about those ancestors who might otherwise remain in obscurity.
2. Connecting with Cousins. In the genealogy community, blogs are affectionately known as “cousin bait”. Without my blog, I likely would not have made contact with family members I had previously not known. Several cousins have found me because of my online presence, so this is definitely a good thing. I have since met many of these newly found relatives in person.
3. Inspiring and Educating Others. As a writer, instructor, and lecturer, with whom I can share my knowledge about Slovak genealogy, researching female and immigrant ancestors, and writing. I am always grateful for the positive comments and for those who contact me to say they learned something new or were inspired by one of my blog posts.
4. Engaging with Other Genealogists. Many of my fellow bloggers have become some of my closest friends. …We help, encourage, and inspire each other and collaborate on projects or research problems. This is one of the biggest benefits to being a genealogy blogger.
5. Marketing. As a genealogy professional, I feel the need to market my skills and abilities so that businesses, groups, and organizations will hire me to write articles, give presentations, and teach courses. Having a blog is a good way to freely advertise my services and reach a wide audience, although I try to strike a balance, so people don’t stop reading.
I still believe in these five reasons to blog, and look forward to how this blog will evolve as I continue my journey as a genealogist, educator, and writer.
Thank you to everyone who has commented on this blog over the years, contacted me via email, or approached me at a conference or speaking engagement to tell me how much they have enjoyed reading my posts. I appreciate your encouragement and support.
[While I have turned off the comments function of this blog for now, readers are welcome to contact me through the contact form at the top of this page.]
Today marks the 14th anniversary of this blog! It seems like yesterday since my first post on June 28, 2006!
When I created this blog, my goal was pretty simple: to share information about my two favorite topics: writing and genealogy! My second blog post detailed why I decided to name my blog “The Accidental Genealogist.” In it, I wrote: “Here I’ll share my thoughts, experiences, profiles on some of my favorite ancestors, and other useful information for genealogists who like to write, as well as tips on writing and publishing for writers who happen to be genealogists.” A lot has happened in the genealogy world over the past 14 years both in my personal research and in my role as a writer and educator. I have enjoyed sharing news about my personal goals, books, speaking engagements, research finds, travel to my ancestral villages, and more. I participated in Blog carnivals and challenges, and even created my own blogging prompt series “Fearless Females” in 2010 to help share stories of female ancestors in March during Women’s History Month. I have written about research challenges I have tackled and have also had the opportunity to connect with cousins and fellow researchers around the globe. On the professional side, I have shared posts about new databases [affiliate link], software, and other technology tools such as Scrivener [affiliate link] to help with the research process, and writing family history, and online education opportunities I provide with my own webinar bundles, and through Research, Write, Connect Academy, The National Institute for Genealogical Studies, and Legacy Family Tree Webinars [affiliate link]. (See my post “Five Ways to Learn Virtually with The Accidental Genealogist“)
A Look Ahead
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all of my 2020 scheduled in-person appearances were either cancelled, rescheduled to virtual presentations, or postponed until 2021, This has provided more time for me to look further into my family history, finish some writing projects, and develop more educational materials. As my research interests change and my business evolves, I recognize the importance of being able to pivot and try new things. I have plans to change my websites and newsletter, and I have a new blog in the works too. Stay tuned!
A Word of Thanks
Thank you to everyone who has commented on this blog over the years, contacted me via email, or approached me at a conference or speaking engagement to tell me how much they have enjoyed reading my posts. I appreciate your encouragement and support. [While I have turned off the comments function of this blog for now, readers are welcome to contact me through the contact form at the top of this page.] Copyright, 2020, Lisa A. Alzo
All Rights Reserved [Thank you for supporting The Accidental Genealogist by purchasing any products mentioned above, which are a part of the income stream for my writing/genealogy business].
And I would say that as a blogger “13” is a lucky number! I view my experience as a blogger as a journey down a long and winding river. For the most part, the flow of words has been easy and smooth, while at times there have been challenging currents and bends along the way.
When I started writing this blog on June 28, 2006, I had very little knowledge of blogging and was unsure if anybody would even follow me or be interested in what I had to say. My goal was to share information about my two favorite topics: writing and genealogy! My second blog post detailed why I decided to name my blog “The Accidental Genealogist.” In it, I wrote:
“Here I’ll share my thoughts, experiences, profiles on some of my favorite ancestors, and other useful information for genealogists who like to write, as well as tips on writing and publishing for writers who happen to be genealogists.”
Very soon after my first post, I received welcome messages from blogging pioneers such as DearMyrtle and Randy Seaver of Genea-musings.
As I sat down to write this “Baker’s Dozen Blogiversary” post, two concepts kept showing up over and over again: Community and Connection.
The Blogging Community
As the years went by I connected with fellow genealogy bloggers, many of whom I have met in person at conferences and now count among my closest friends.
As a solopreneur/creative most of my work days are spent in my home office (aka The Writer’s Cave) without much interaction with the outside world unless I am on a virtual meeting or presenting a webinar. When I travel to speak at genealogy conferences, I know that I will get to visit with many of my friends/fellow bloggers often over lunch or dinner, and I usually meet many readers who follow my blog.
Connection
Many genealogy bloggers use the term “cousin bait” to describe one of the benefits of blogging. While I certainly have connected with my share of cousins from writing a blog, I have also attracted followers from the genealogy community and other fields.
The most important connection I have made thanks to this blog came in 2008, I received an email from a cousin who reached out to tell me about her family in Kučín, Slovakia. I eventually had the opportunity to meet this cousin and other relatives when I visited Kučín in 2010. I chronicled my heritage travel experiences in my popular series of posts, Sojourn in Slovakia and Sojourn in Slovakia: The Sequel.
I am looking forward to a reunion with this cousin in the fall when I travel to the UK to present at RootsTech London!
I also appreciate those family historians who have participated in my Fearless Female Blogging Prompts series (started on this blog in 2010) to share the stories of their female ancestors.
If You Write It, They Will Follow
So, if you are thinking of starting a blog but have reservations about what you will write about or who will read it, push them to one side and just start writing! Your blog can be whatever you want it to be. As long as you have a passion for your topic, you will find others who can relate to your posts. And if you hit those rough bends and currents, just keep writing and you will soon be back on course!
A Word of Thanks
Thank you to everyone who has commented on this blog over the years, contacted me via email, or approached me at a conference or speaking engagement to tell me how much they have enjoyed reading my posts. I appreciate your encouragement and support.
[While I have turned off the comments function of this blog for now, readers are welcome to contact me through the contact form at the top of this page.]
Where have the years gone? I began writing this blog on 28 June 2006. In my first post I outlined my thoughts about blogging and my goal to write about my two favorite subjects—genealogy and writing.
“Here I’ll share my thoughts, experiences, profiles on some of my favorite ancestors, and other useful information for genealogists who like to write, as well as tips on writing and publishing for writers who happen to be genealogists.”
Very soon after my first post, I received welcome messages from blogging pioneers such as DearMyrtle and Randy Seaver of Genea-musings.
The Accidental Genealogist
Twelve years later, The Accidental Genealogist is still an active blog where I continue to share information about genealogy and writing. I have taken some time to reflect on what this blog has meant to me, so I’ve compiled a list of a dozen lessons I’ve learned along the way.
1.A different style of writing. When I started my blog I was used to writing books and magazine feature articles. I had to master a new style of writing and learn new concepts such as keywords, labels/tags, and other elements. Writing this blog has helped me with focus, tone, and voice.
2.My true passion is storytelling. My second blog post detailed why I decided to name my blog “The Accidental Genealogist.” I became a genealogist because I needed to research my family history for the thesis I completed as part of the requirement to earn an M.F.A. degree in nonfiction writing.This blog combines my interest in genealogy research with my passion for storytelling. While the research is fascinating, my favorite part of compiling a family history is crafting the stories.
3.Blogging is more than “cousin bait.” Many genealogy bloggers use the term “cousin bait” to describe one of the benefits of blogging. While I certainly have connected with my share of cousins from writing a blog, I have also attracted followers from the genealogy community and other fields.
4.I still have family living in Slovakia. In 2008, I received an email from a cousin who had read this blog and reached out to tell me about her family in Kučín, Slovakia. I eventually had the opportunity to meet this cousin and other relatives when I visited Kučín in 2010. I chronicled my heritage travel experiences in my popular series of posts, Sojourn in Slovakia and Sojourn in Slovakia: The Sequel.
5.Blogging is a big time commitment. I follow many other bloggers in both the genealogy and writing fields and have learned that maintaining a blog and an audience requires a commitment to creating interesting posts on a regular basis. I admire those bloggers who post weekly (some even daily), but I have not yet been able to achieve a regular schedule for frequent posts. I do the best I can with the time I have available, choosing to post when I have something interesting or important to share. I am grateful to my readers who stick with me through the dry spells!
6.I should post more often. See #5.I am working on it! In looking back over the yearly statistics for my posts, I observed that some years had a substantial number of posts, while others lagged behind. I know I can do better, so I have started an idea board/blogging calendar using one of my favorite apps, Trello. I hope this will keep me on track for posting on a more regular basis.
7.Blogging is a fabulous free platform for a writer. As a professional writer, I work for many different publications and clients, each with their own stylesheet and guidelines. However, since this is my blog, I can write about my family stories, or any other topic, my way.
8.I’ve inspired others. Thank you to everyone who has commented on this blog over the years, contacted me via email, or approached me at a conference or speaking engagement to tell me how much they have enjoyed reading my posts. I also appreciate those family historians who have participated in my Fearless Female Blogging Prompts series (started on this blog in 2010) to share the stories of their female ancestors.
9.I became a genealogist by accident, but I have stayed a genealogist by choice. Blogging has inspired me to continue my work as a genealogy professional. I am fortunate to be able to share my passion for family history research and storytelling with others through my books, seminars, and online courses.
10.This blog is part of my legacy. In my writings and my seminars, I often advise genealogists to leave their “virtual breadcrumbs” so others can find them and read about their research. This blog does that for me. If the popular assumption about “whatever you put online stays online forever” is true, then the words I publish on this blog hopefully will continue to live on even after I am gone.
11.I still have a lot to say. See #6 above. My blogging calendar now has plenty of notes and ideas for research stories and tips I want to share, female ancestors I hope to honor, and a list of favorite writing tools and products I plan to recommend. My goal is to start a more regular blogging schedule soon.
12.Everything changes. Whether it is in genealogy or in the blogosphere, nothing remains the same forever. The tools, platforms, and methods associated with blogging have evolved over the past 12 years. There is often talk about “Is Blogging Dead?” because of Facebook, Twitter and other types of social media. I personally don’t think so. I plan to continue this blog for as long as possible (another 12 years, perhaps?) and look forward to what comes next!
Thank you to my readers and followers!I appreciate your encouragement and support.
Copyright, 2018, Lisa A. Alzo. All Rights Reserved
Today I’ve reached a milestone for this Blog. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts about my two favorite subjects–writing and genealogy–for five years. Due to other commitments I don’t get to post as often as I would like, and I tend to be a bit more selective about the topics I do choose to write about. Here are my five favorite personal highlights from the past five years:
Sojourn in Slovakia – my series of posts about my trip back to my ancestral homeland in June 2010.
Fearless Females – the series of writing prompts I started in 2010 to celebrate Women’s History Month and encourage other genealogists to tell their female ancestors’ stories.
Top 10 in 10 – My Top 10 Genealogical Moments for 2010 (I also did a list for 2009)
When I first created this Blog in 2006, I wasn’t sure what I would write about or how to do it, and I questioned whether my title of “The Accidental Genealogist” would be a good one, but it seems like it was because since that time I have seen it turn up in other contexts, including when in 2009 I learned that another blog with the same title appeared on another blogging platform long after mine was started. Thankfully, it was a new blogger who understood and found another title.
It’s been a fun five years and I would like to extend my appreciation to everyone who reads/follows this blog and those who have commented on my posts. I look forward to sharing more about my ancestors and about genealogy and writing.
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