Honestly, I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up & I’m in my 50’s. All I knew was I wanted to be independent & was willing to do whatever it took to pull it off. Babysit, pull weeds out of bean fields, clean somebody’s room, return pop bottles, etc. That was all before I was legally allowed to work. Afterwards it was even more-so.
In 2003 my first website went live. It’s not so much that it was built with boring html webpages & basic graphics & images. It’s that every time the boss wanted something changed, I had to download the pages, make the change(s) & reupload them again. But the next year I joined a discussion forum & learned what online software was all about. I’ve loved software & more importantly databases ever since.
In 2004, after my mom died, I also posted all of the genealogical info I’d collected over the years online for the whole family to have. Within no time I attracted distant cousins & in-laws I didn’t even know existed. And it’s not that I didn’t want to talk to them. It’s that l thought we should all chat publicly to attract even more of us. So, I started looking for us a place to do just that.
I was already checking out forums but then I started in on online tree software, CMS’s, blogs, online communities & even a gallery. Over the years I keep coming back to WordPress. I think if I could’ve found a good host back then I could’ve turned it into what we needed. It’s already the CMS & blog straight out of the box. With some plugins it can include the forum, groups & a gallery. The only thing I have yet to find is a tree plugin. But with the rest it’s an online community with a single sign on. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a good host back then, so our sites are all over the net. A tree one place, a blog another, a forum with groups another plus Facebook groups.
I didn’t mean to become to the family genealogist & not only learn about all kinds of history but also photograph & record cemeteries in OK & TX but here we are. At least I learned something. And via my blog I’ll pass it all on to you.
I was a tag agency clerk & notary when I built my first website for my boss. All these years later I’m a notary again. If you live in Tahlequah & need this service, I’d be happy to meet you somewhere. Contact me to make an appointment.
I also had a former neighbor teach me how to crochet doll dresses. After that I got on YouTube & now, I can make about anything you can imagine. I’ll have stuff posted here & on my page. I do hope you check it all out. 🙂