Skuce.com

26 Dec 2011
Christmas

Merry belated Christmas.

Was still in a pretty sorry state after last post: most of my muscles aching, a stitch in my side, a bit of a headache and not much of an appetite. As such I wasn't the most fun person for the Austrian Christmas-eve, didn't consume as what is likely appropriate and my major contribution was my presence.

Christmas day was better, as I had a full night sleep, so hosting the morning wasn't a problem with Nicole's family. Then we had a small break and had the rest of Christmas day hosting my family. Nicole accidentally ordered the wrong size of turkey this year thinking we'd have a bigger party, so we ensured everyone was sent packing in the late evening with plenty of leftovers.

Today we chilled, helped Andrew setup and go through his toys and books, cleaned, and watched a few classical movies. Had a chance to sit down and look through my family database through Family Tree Maker, and note how out of date it is. This was brought up by going through many old photos and trying to figure out who people are when the only wording is relation and first name or how they're related. Going from the church pamphlets, photos and letters all the cousins at the turn of the last century were fairly well acquainted–Just have to figure out who is who. Plucking stuff off the webpage to fill up and fill out my FTM file.

24 Dec 2011
Eh?

I'm sick, or at least night I was. Seems pretty fast acting and unpleasant.

22 Dec 2011
Housework

Nicole put me to work for the last few days, redoing the baseboards, shampooing carpets and general housework. Also fit in a dentist appointment and a fair amount of cooking. Only downside now is that Nicole and Andrew are both sick, and whatever made them sick hasn't affected me. Will be wrapping presents and being pretty busy for the next few days.

17 Dec 2011
Vacation

First day of my winter vacation. Spent the last week at work going full tilt trying to finish off projects for the year, so much so that breaks and lunches were all the working versions. Not everything was finished up at work, but there is always the new year.

FamilySearch Labs now has an interesting project called Family History Books, which has pdf scans of family history related items and genealogies. Currently not much available, but with more sources would be invaluable. Similar in some ways to the Internet Archive and Google Books.

Family Tree DNA has another sale on—here's hoping the exchange rate is good.

Will see about getting some projects done around the house. Pretty sure Nicole has filled out my schedule of things to do. Hopefully going to get some of the genealogy items completed that have been sitting since summer

11 Dec 2011
The Bestest Gift

Being able to sleep in.

Been sick for about the last week, likely a cold, however having the unfortunate side effect of clogging my ears. Which is rather strange, as for some people when I talk they have not a clue what I just said, which makes me wonder if they know what I'm talking about in the first place and are just nodding their heads..

Had work christmas party yesterday, which was nice, except the turnout was fairly low. Today was the work kids party, and Andrew was having none of it sitting on Santa's knee.

27 Nov 2011
Sorting

Have too many directories of files and images related to genealogy. Sorting through, removing the dupes and hopefully making it easier in the long run to see where I've been and where I'm going.

On another note it's amazing how many newspapers there were in Ireland and how far back they go, as listed on the National Library of Ireland. Only big downside I see is they haven't been digitized and it's €100 for a single reel of microfilm.

26 Nov 2011
For Shame

Google has removed the Google News Archives. No more easy searching of old newspapers. If one still wants to browse or do basic searches then they can go to the individual newspaper page at news.google.com/newspapers

21 Oct 2011
Weekend

Have a bit of a longer weekend this weekend for working all of last weekend. Thinking perhaps I should read the writing on the wall and ditch working in the public sector, I could go for standard hours and less bureaucracy.

Findmypast.ie just release a large batch of prison records for primarily the 1800s, there are a number of entries which is nice, however I wish there were other ways to search as there should be more events. Would be interesting to compare what the records contain and what the newspapers said of the event. Tempted to take out a membership, however, there is not much other material that is exciting.

30 Sept 2011
Free

Weekend off. Can get some projects caught up, visit family, and start on all the new Irish Parish records that were just released several days early (this week, officially supposed to be the 4th Oct).

Pre-release of records is a bit buggy, doesn't always load correctly, few transcription errors, some missing images, but there is a wealth of good hard information.

27 Sept 2011
Day off

Worked through the weekend. Got a day off. Haven't seen those in awhile.
Pity the internet doesn't work while I'm home.

19 Sept 2011
Ugh

Nothing like working weekends, and having a cold. Work, Home, Sleep, Repeat.

16 Sept 2011
More photos

Added several more photos. I'm scanning quite a number of photos and slides, however, being rather selective on what is put up, since I'm trying to showcase a variety of different people or family photos. Also some of the photos I have no clue to who they are or how they're related or if they're just neighbours.

Into fall season so things are getting busier at work and now looking at longer workweeks... joy.

15 Sept 2011
I got a medal Medal

Just 3 years and several months late.

12 Sept 2011
Material

I really need to sort through all the genealogy stuff I have, as whenever I work on something I currently just assign it a date, whereas I should be putting it into a counterpart directory that would match the website. Something else on the do list, providing it isn't already on the list.

8 Sept 2011
Photos

Changed the DPI for the online compressed photos from 300 to 200 in the Photo section. All scanned photos are kept archived as high-res uncompressed files, with backup copies (remember first Wednesday of the month is backup day).

5 Sept 2011
Start of the fall season

It should be getting rainier, instead it's hot and sunny. Have been back at work for a week, it's been pretty calm, but it should start getting busier this coming week and then proceed into chickens with no heads the week after.

Went to the PNE over the weekend and saw some of the attractions. Nothing too spectacular.
Day after we went and met up with my parents at Crescent Beach in Whiterock, enjoyed the sun and Andrew was able to play in the cold BC waters at high tide. Probably should've come later in the day when the water would've warmed up. However, was quite pleasant and relaxing.

29 Aug 2011
Hawaii

27 Aug 2011
Frequent Flyer

Just got back from a week and a bit in Hawaii. More later.

16 Aug 2011
Food, &c.

Went to the Kashmandu Cafe on Commercial in Vancouver today. Not really my type of food, as I don't like raw peppers. Due to the confusion going in a large group, we basically had a tasting menu for everyone to share. Not impressed.

Few items of note for the last few weeks, that I didn't previously mention:
I'm back on Vacation after a week at work due to accumulating too much annual leave, so I get to sit back and not do too much for two weeks.
Saw Harry Potter, in 3D on the Imax screen, on our date night (Babysitter was in). Thought it was pretty good.
Visited Barnet Marine Park, which is just off Burrard Inlet, it's pretty nifty with nice sandy beaches and cold water. I never even knew it existed.
Think my expectations from the microfilm were larger than expected. Found a few items, but nothing groundbreaking. I'm now of the opinion that newspapers will be able to offer the breakthrough that I'm looking for, whereas microfilm and other indexes will offer corroborating evidence.

10 Aug 2011
More Newspapers

The British Library has a newspaper subscription service covering 1800-1900. Took a 7 day/200 article membership and in a few hours burned through the membership. It mainly covers British newspapers, but does cover a few Irish ones as well. It has some "saucier" information from petty sessions (eg: who went to jail or who was sent to the colonies), and the occasional BMD.

Will need to get another 200 article membership at some point, and will go hunting for the information not caught by the keyword filters.

4 Aug 2011
More Microfilm

Happy days, a large amount of microfilm digitization's have been made available through the UK National Archives. Newest batch of ADM series should list mariners, seamen, and associated persons in Ireland back to mid 1700s. Will take a while to download as each microfilm reel is usually several hundred Megabytes.

Amendment to above, looks like a bigger dump of microfilm than I thought, will take longer to wade through. Currently looking through ADM 175/13 through 17 which deal with Ireland in the early 1800s, and overlap a with the previously available ADM 175/18 & 19.

30 July 2011
A nice Sunny Day

Congratulations to Sheri Pecenka and Chris Rempel on their marriage today in Popkum, BC. Reception was held in Chilliwack at Dickens British Sweet Shop & Museum.

28 July 2011
Relax

Have a week and a bit off from work, time will be consumed with either going to a wedding this weekend, or with spending time with Andrew.
Did pickup for dinner from a restaurant called Abyssinia, in South Burnaby, which serves Ethiopian. Not too greasy, would recommend that if ordering from that place go with the vegetarian menu.

27 July 2011
Home

Bit of along flight, but it's good to be back. I should probably check my email.

26 July 2011
Done

I've finished teaching for another year, and I've cleared out of the Base. Looks like next year I might be running the course instead of teaching. Will be nice to be back home with the mountains (even with the rain) and spending some time with my family.

24 July 2011
Weekend Off

Didn't have to do remedial or extra training for the student over the weekend (task was given to another instructor), so I went into Winnipeg for the weekend. Visited with my brother and his family which was quite nice, just wish it was a longer weekend.

19 July 2011
HOT!

Not too sure what's going on with this weather. I only know I'll be happy to leave the prairies soon and go back to the coast where it's half this temperature.

Starting to yield some results from the Irish newspapers, however, more needs to be digitized and indexed, as searching through all the irish newspapers to the mid 1700s isn't practical. If the smaller papers from Co Cork are ever done, it should be a gold mine.

12 July 2011
Query

Saw a query about a Skuse line going back to the 1700s, then I noticed that the information that I have for pre-1850 US censuses have errors, as the original source was from transcriptions. However, looking at source images I'm noticing that there are a number of errors. It's now on the list of things to fix.

10 July 2011
Keeping Busy

It's pretty quiet with work on the weekends. Unfortunately the Family History Centre is Brandon appears to be closed (would be nice if they left a note on the door). So took out a 24hr membership to several irish newspapers, to see if I could find anything good. Unfortunately almost none of the newspapers for Southern Ireland are online, especially the older ones going back to the mid 1700s. There were a few items of notes from the 1800s, and several from the 1900s, however, nothing that would immediately aid me in passing my brick wall. There is an interesting incident listed near Skibberdeen in 1813 that has a number of names, which is interesting in that I cannot link it to anything else.

Have transcribed a few of the most interesting items. At some point I will get to the rest of it.

20 June 2011
Medication

When Sick, step 1: Go see a doctor.

18 June 2011
Sick

Have been able to get away without being sick so far this year. Now I'm stuck with a sinus infection that's aggravating my throat. All I want to do is sleep and cough, ugh.

Hopefully will be better by end of the weekend as last weeks work wasn't the most stellar due to me being sick. As least my throat isn't burning anymore.

4 June 2011
Hats off Day

Went to the Heights in Burnaby today to watch the parade, seemed a bit slow and disjointed, and Andrew grew bored after awhile.

Can say that it is fabulous barbecuing weather, and the grill is currently getting a lot of use. I've learned my lesson from last weekend: always have two propane tanks incase the first one runs out; I now have two.

30 May 2011
Back online

Gave up on XP due to too many BSOD's during the install process, and have now started migrating to Windows 7. Hopefully all my software will still work, as I don't want to upgrade anything else. It it isn't broke, don't fix it. Had to upgrade my email client, it was getting a bit long in the tooth.

Everything is now back up and running, just in time for me to go to back to work.

Have even more photos to scan. Doing the count, I'm pretty sure I now have photos all the way back to Ireland through the paternal line.

26 May 2011
Technical Difficulties

Typing on my netbook, as the main computer burnt out. CPU/MB were both about 6 years old, only problem I have now is that my XP install CD doesn't want to work with the new computer system as the parts are too new. Have spent the last 3 days working on it: trying to fix the old system, building the new system, and now trying to get the new system to work.

Time in Kelowna was nice.

20 May 2011
Vacation

Taking some time off of work, going to the interior and relaxing.

10 May 2011
Hurray for Summer

It's good weather out today, and today starts my little vacation/time off work. Seems I've been working almost non stop so far this fiscal, with one period where I almost worked 3 weeks straight. However, for that period of working straight some of that was me off on a work outing in Manitoba. For some strange reason it seems whenever I go on these outings with work, I'm always the one that gets bitten by a tick, which is strange since it was winter conditions in Shilo at the start of the month, and then a few days later warm and spring like with, including bugs and ticks. Here's hoping none of them have Lyme disease.

18 April 2010
Next update

I've had a few things to say since the first post of the year. However, haven't really been able to sit down and get them into a proper formatted post, unfortunately most of the items I now forget. Some things of note between the last post and now:

Tomato Soup Cake: As strange as it may sound it actually tastes pretty good. It's a spice cake.
Fiscal Year end: This year has been worse than others, I think its due to higher ups been a bit too cautious and waiting until the last moment for year end purchasing, to the point that it becomes a real headache for paperwork and time management. Time management being that I'm already busy with everything else they want done before the end of fiscal (eg: inventory).
Mess Dinner: Another annual WO&Sgt's Mess Dinner is done, I will stepping down as President as I've now done it a few years in a row and need a break, plus I don't really have time.
Daycare: The little one is getting big and walking, and going out and about. He seems to consume any spare time at home when he's awake.
Evil Bots: Looks like several internet bots are ignoring the filters I have in place and are skimming the genealogy section for names and profiles. Still trying to figure out how to block them without having to do too much scripting.

10 January 2010
Late Start

Happy belated new year.

Last week of vacation went by pretty quick, same with the first week back at work. Still have the tail end of the Cold: occasional cough but no more congestion and hacking; will be happy when it is gone.

Spent New Years eve with the in-laws then had the hour+ drive into work to host the New Years Levee in the Sgt & WO's mess. Was a rather long day as I was there from start to finish as the President of the Mess, made worse as I as sick. After the levee went home and slept. Day before going back to work was probably the day with most amount of sleep.

First week at work was rather relaxed, as not too many others are back yet. Next week should be a bit more rushing around and the emails/workload will start to pile up again.

This Saturday past we went down to check out the New West Quay. The market has changed considerably since it closed almost 2 ago, and I'm not overly impressed (someone mentioned that apparently the place was dying so all the shops were kicked out for reno). It now feels very cramped, unfinished, and is not baby stroller friendly, plus when the instructions on the 2nd floor said elevator this way it was out a locking door to an elevator that didn't work. Stroll along the Fraser on the boardwalk is still nice though. Finished off Saturday going to Metrotown for window shopping and eats at Thai Palace.

Sunday was spend doing some cleanup from where I tiled and shaving paint off of baseboards. Plus Nicole putting up new tile in the Kitchen (Go Nicole). I took out a 24hr membership with the Irish Times and mined it for as much Data as I could, unfortunately the interface is a bit of a take but not as nice as using Google News Archive. However, at the end I was able to get about 2 dozen marriage, death, birth notices and 1 divorce for Ireland ranging from late 1800hrs to present; I'm sure if I had exact look up dates I could simply check the dates of the newspaper and likely find more (Most of the early listings for the 1800hrs were on the 1st page and the first half of most of surnames were cut as on the leftmost column).

Today we went to Granville Island and discovered that the Market is closed on Mondays for the month of January. Not impressed, but we got a good walk in along the seawall which the sun beaming through the clouds. After went home finished off the 24hr membership with the Irish times, and then watched the movie Inception which is quite a trip.