Letter #27: Paper Kisses

 Letter #27: Paper Kisses

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs.

In the 27th letters in the Grandpa's Love Letters series, Grandpa discusses the plans for their upcoming nuptials--which is only a month away. They need to find a new, furnished apartment in Scranton, buy a gift for their friends getting married, figure out how many people are attending, send out the invites, and get Grandma's ring. 

Thanatopsis: Seeing Death with Postmortem Photographs

Thanatopsis: Seeing Death with Postmortem Photographs

I presented this paper at "The Art of Death and Dying" symposium on October 24-27, 2012. The symposium was hosted by the University of Houston Libraries, in partnership with the Blaffer Art Museum, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, the Department for Hispanic Studies, the Honors College and School of Art. Far from being morbid, this was the best, most well-planned, and liveliest symposium I've ever attended. (Soon afterward, I was contacted to be interviewed for a Norwegian docu-series on death, which is just as awesome and metal as it sounds). 

Letter #26: Consent to Our Marriage

Letter #26: Consent to Our Marriage

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs.

In the 26th letter in the Grandpa's Love Letter series, Grandpa prepares for another weekend home. During the visit, he is going to ask Grandma's parents for her hand in marriage. 

Letter #25: Confession on Saturday

Letter #25: Confession on Saturday

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs.

In the 25th letter of the Grandpa's Love Letter series, life's little annoyances get in the way. It's funny how looking back at this letter so many years later, the problems seem so minuscule in the grand scheme of things. It allows me to put the minor inconveniences of my own life in perspective. Problems at work, headaches from glasses, moving, finding new apartments, and a landlady who no longer wants to do your laundry: it doesn't sound like fun for Grandpa. He probably has a number of sins to confess on Saturday too! 

Letter #24: More Than Ever in Love with You

Letter #24: More Than Ever in Love with You

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs

In the 24th letter in the Grandpa's Love Letter series, Grandpa dashes off a few lines before going out to a movie.

Grandpa's looking for a new place to move into with my grandmother when they get married. He hadn't mentioned that Grandma visited Scranton before, so perhaps the trip with her friend Veronica would be her first. When I knew her, Grandma seemed to keep to herself, so it's nice to see that she has a friend that she feels comfortable to travel with. 

Letter #23: When We Go Honeymooning

Letter #23: When We Go Honeymooning

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs

In the 23rd letter of the Grandpa's Love Letters series, Grandpa has had it! He's decided that the overtime he put in during the previous weekend wasn't worth it, as he had even more work on Monday. (Years before Sheryl Sandberg's ridiculous idea of "leaning in," Grandpa realized that leaning in will only make you exhausted!)

An Interview on The Life Story Coach Podcast

An Interview on The Life Story Coach Podcast

I was recently interviewed on The Life Story Coach podcast about my book, Creating Family Archives: A Step-by-Step Guide for Saving Your Memories for Future Generations.

Hosted by Amy Woods Butler, a personal historian and life story writer, The Life Story Coach helps listeners build careers as professional writers of personal and family histories.

Letter #22: A Mighty Effort

Letter #22: A Mighty Effort

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs

In the 22nd letter of the Grandpa's Love Letters series, Grandpa talks about catching up with his work. He also realizes that working so hard is not sustainable. Part of his work involves filling out tickets related to piece work for clothing, which I imagine is tedious. 

Letter #21: The Flood of 1940

Letter #21: The Flood of 1940

I'm continuing my series of scanning, transcribing, and annotating my grandfather's love letters to my grandmother leading up to their marriage in June 1940. The letters are chronologically organized and preserved, using the methods I discuss in detail in my book, Creating Family Archives: How to Preserve Your Papers and Photographs

In the 21st letter of the Grandpa's Love Letters series, Grandpa buries the headline! The first part of the letter discusses work--working through the weekend to get caught up, dining with his supervisor (which he had written about before), and a friend moving to Scranton.