Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Dragons Exist, I Know.
Twice today, by two unrelated people........ Very Very unrelated.... I have been told this quote by G.K. Chesterton
"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist.
Children already know that dragons exist.
Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
The first time was by Stephin Merritt when he was talking about Coraline the Musical
And the second time by Justin Taylor when he mentions Andrew Peterson's books in a blog post.
Should I take that as a sign? Am I going to be facing dragons? Am I going to have to kill a dragon... or do I just need to read more fairy tales.... Gosh, I hope it's the latter. I don't know that I want to be killing dragons. That sounds scary.
"Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist.
Children already know that dragons exist.
Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed."
The first time was by Stephin Merritt when he was talking about Coraline the Musical
And the second time by Justin Taylor when he mentions Andrew Peterson's books in a blog post.
Should I take that as a sign? Am I going to be facing dragons? Am I going to have to kill a dragon... or do I just need to read more fairy tales.... Gosh, I hope it's the latter. I don't know that I want to be killing dragons. That sounds scary.
Labels: Chesterton, Fairy Tales
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Another Genie Example
Another Genie example
a lady comes in, asks me if I'm "so and so." I am not "so and so". Then she looks at the person next to me, are "you so and so?" No, she is not. She looks back at me, "Well perhaps you can help me anyway.
She starts to go into a spiel sort of like the one I posted before. In the midst of it all, I hear XX church records. I stop her and say where is XX church located because I know for a fact that at least 3 churches exist in Alabama with that name. She tells me and I find the records for that church on Microfilm. These records date back to 1851.
I put the film on the reader printer and sit her down in front of the reader machine. She asks, "how do I find XX church?" I tell her, "It's right here." She begins to scroll through the film, "Yes," she says, "But I need the records for XX church." I again reply, "This is the records for the church." I can ascertain, this lady is not Baptist and I think she is just a little confused about what sort of records are in a church record. So, I continue, "The records for what each church has in the Baptist world varies. There is no set standard for records." So she says, "I need the records for XX church." So, I point out the top of the screen of film where it says 'XX church 1856" and she says, "Oh!"
Then she says, "now where are the birth records for the church." I explain, "Birth records are never included in Baptist church records." "Oh," she says, "Well baby baptisms should work, where are they?" I explain that in the Baptist denomination, we do not practice infant baptism. So she says, "at what age is a person baptized?" I answer, "It varies. People are baptized once they become believers and want to join the church." She says, "At what age is that?" Again I say, "A person is baptized after they have made the decision to follow Christ" "Ohhhhh," she says and then asks, "Well what happens to the babies?" I tell her nothing happens to the babies. So she asks, "At what age will the baby be baptized. My great-grandmother was very religious, she must have been baptised when she was very young." So I explain again, "once the baby has grown up and made the decision that they believe then they are baptised." She says, "Ohhhhhh. Well in general, what age are people when they are baptized." And again, I explain that the age varies because it is when the person has made a decision and that happens at all ages. And then she said.... but Baptists grew out of the Presbyterian faith." I said "I don't know about that but the Baptist faith dates back at least 400 years." She said, "Yes. it does." And then she said, "Well these records won't help me."
Seriously... that conversation happened today. It went on for an hour. .... At no time, did I exagerate.... I'm not even kidding a little.
a lady comes in, asks me if I'm "so and so." I am not "so and so". Then she looks at the person next to me, are "you so and so?" No, she is not. She looks back at me, "Well perhaps you can help me anyway.
She starts to go into a spiel sort of like the one I posted before. In the midst of it all, I hear XX church records. I stop her and say where is XX church located because I know for a fact that at least 3 churches exist in Alabama with that name. She tells me and I find the records for that church on Microfilm. These records date back to 1851.
I put the film on the reader printer and sit her down in front of the reader machine. She asks, "how do I find XX church?" I tell her, "It's right here." She begins to scroll through the film, "Yes," she says, "But I need the records for XX church." I again reply, "This is the records for the church." I can ascertain, this lady is not Baptist and I think she is just a little confused about what sort of records are in a church record. So, I continue, "The records for what each church has in the Baptist world varies. There is no set standard for records." So she says, "I need the records for XX church." So, I point out the top of the screen of film where it says 'XX church 1856" and she says, "Oh!"
Then she says, "now where are the birth records for the church." I explain, "Birth records are never included in Baptist church records." "Oh," she says, "Well baby baptisms should work, where are they?" I explain that in the Baptist denomination, we do not practice infant baptism. So she says, "at what age is a person baptized?" I answer, "It varies. People are baptized once they become believers and want to join the church." She says, "At what age is that?" Again I say, "A person is baptized after they have made the decision to follow Christ" "Ohhhhh," she says and then asks, "Well what happens to the babies?" I tell her nothing happens to the babies. So she asks, "At what age will the baby be baptized. My great-grandmother was very religious, she must have been baptised when she was very young." So I explain again, "once the baby has grown up and made the decision that they believe then they are baptised." She says, "Ohhhhhh. Well in general, what age are people when they are baptized." And again, I explain that the age varies because it is when the person has made a decision and that happens at all ages. And then she said.... but Baptists grew out of the Presbyterian faith." I said "I don't know about that but the Baptist faith dates back at least 400 years." She said, "Yes. it does." And then she said, "Well these records won't help me."
Seriously... that conversation happened today. It went on for an hour. .... At no time, did I exagerate.... I'm not even kidding a little.
Monday, March 15, 2010
A Genie Example
Just yesterday someone asked me about Genies and specifically if they were loud in the library and if that is why I didn't like them....
Again, I respect Genealogy. Really, I do. And some genies are EXCELLENT researchers. I will defend them any day.
But, typically Genies are a handful to deal with. They are very demanding. They don't always understand that my one purpose in life is not to do their hobby for them. They will push themselves right in front of a student to get help and hog the microfilm readers.
AND they will talk to you for hours about their family... whether or not you want to hear about... because honestly, who does want to hear about it. No one!
As an example, this morning I went to check the department's email. And there was a genie request. This request is actually very very simple. Not pushy at all. This person simple wants to know if we have a couple of sets of church records.... But, their email is forever long.... And it made me laugh... because in life and in cyberspace this is just how it goes in dealing with a genie. A question that should have been very short... is super long...
(Proper Nouns have been adjusted... you understand.)
I understand SU Library has a collection of Church records.
I am trying to locate the Minutes of two old MXXXXX County Baptist churches:
1. SG BAPTIST CHURCH in founded c1830s.
2. U BAPTIST CHURCH of GXXXX AL, founded 1868.
In researching my family in XXXXX County, I learned SG BAPTIST CHURCH was originally constructed of logs and located on Airport Road in west XXXXXX County. The cemetery at this location has a number of my ancestors buried there.
The earliest burial at SG was my 4g-grandfather, NOEL TXXXXXX, who died in 1837. He was a RevWar patriot.
We believe Noel TXXXXX was one of the founding members of SG BAPTIST CHURCH. I hope your archive contains Minutes of this church.
At some point it disbanded and members formed the U BAPTIST CHURCH OF GXXXXX in 1868. It also has a cemetery adjacent to the church. I hope your archive contains Minutes of this church.
Since Baptists do not baptize infants (like the Catholic churches), the only way I can find information on my relatives is in the historic church Minutes.
I was fortunate to locate Minutes of a Mississippi Baptist Church in BXXXXX and learned my 3g-grandfather was a charter member in 1813!! The Minutes also contained a great deal of information on his family.
Please check your Baptist church historic records and archives to see if you have the Minutes of SG BAPTIST CHURCH (XXXXXX Co) and U BAPTIST CHURCH OF GXXXXX (XXXXXXCo). If so, please advise how I may get a copy or microfilm.
Thank you.
Again, I respect Genealogy. Really, I do. And some genies are EXCELLENT researchers. I will defend them any day.
But, typically Genies are a handful to deal with. They are very demanding. They don't always understand that my one purpose in life is not to do their hobby for them. They will push themselves right in front of a student to get help and hog the microfilm readers.
AND they will talk to you for hours about their family... whether or not you want to hear about... because honestly, who does want to hear about it. No one!
As an example, this morning I went to check the department's email. And there was a genie request. This request is actually very very simple. Not pushy at all. This person simple wants to know if we have a couple of sets of church records.... But, their email is forever long.... And it made me laugh... because in life and in cyberspace this is just how it goes in dealing with a genie. A question that should have been very short... is super long...
(Proper Nouns have been adjusted... you understand.)
I understand SU Library has a collection of Church records.
I am trying to locate the Minutes of two old MXXXXX County Baptist churches:
1. SG BAPTIST CHURCH in founded c1830s.
2. U BAPTIST CHURCH of GXXXX AL, founded 1868.
In researching my family in XXXXX County, I learned SG BAPTIST CHURCH was originally constructed of logs and located on Airport Road in west XXXXXX County. The cemetery at this location has a number of my ancestors buried there.
The earliest burial at SG was my 4g-grandfather, NOEL TXXXXXX, who died in 1837. He was a RevWar patriot.
We believe Noel TXXXXX was one of the founding members of SG BAPTIST CHURCH. I hope your archive contains Minutes of this church.
At some point it disbanded and members formed the U BAPTIST CHURCH OF GXXXXX in 1868. It also has a cemetery adjacent to the church. I hope your archive contains Minutes of this church.
Since Baptists do not baptize infants (like the Catholic churches), the only way I can find information on my relatives is in the historic church Minutes.
I was fortunate to locate Minutes of a Mississippi Baptist Church in BXXXXX and learned my 3g-grandfather was a charter member in 1813!! The Minutes also contained a great deal of information on his family.
Please check your Baptist church historic records and archives to see if you have the Minutes of SG BAPTIST CHURCH (XXXXXX Co) and U BAPTIST CHURCH OF GXXXXX (XXXXXXCo). If so, please advise how I may get a copy or microfilm.
Thank you.
Labels: Genies
Friday, March 12, 2010
Controversy abounds.... again.
Those of you who know me well… and if you are reading this then you probably do…. Anyway, you know I don’t always handle things in the best way possible. I especially don’t handle controversies within my denomination. I’m usually not even smart enough to understand them but they drive me crazy just the same.
For this reason, I rarely read state convention annuals Or the Southern Baptist Convention annuals…. Even though they are at my finger tips because I know… I will react.
I thought I was getting better through avoidance. But today, my supervisor suggested that I read the front page of our state Baptist paper. I knew this was going to lead to no good for me…. Yet, I went and read the article anyway. Even before I picked it up I knew my “very favorite Baptist” would be involved. I even sort of asked my supervisor about this in order to brace myself… She clearly didn’t understand what I was asking because she said this was a whole new bunch of folks…. It turned out not to be like that… it was a new group but using some of the same ol’ folks. Gah!
I never handle this stuff well. Never ever ever. I hate it. Then I start posting snippy remarks on Twitter. (I do have my account protected now for that very reason).
Here’s the link to the article that upset me this time….
Now again, I’m not really smart enough to have an opinion. But, that never stops me. Reading the article made me wonder… well maybe change is good… even if it hurts… that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move forward. So, that’s me trying to be open minded. But mostly… I just think the same power grubbing man is again stirring up trouble. I’m not for it… It will radically affect each state’s on convention. Even my own job could be affected. (just in what I do… not if I have one) Why do we listen to that one man so much?
Mostly though I regret… that I keep getting sucked into finding out about this stuff… Ignorance could be bliss. I want to be ignorant… my opinion doesn’t count anyway, Just let me be.
For this reason, I rarely read state convention annuals Or the Southern Baptist Convention annuals…. Even though they are at my finger tips because I know… I will react.
I thought I was getting better through avoidance. But today, my supervisor suggested that I read the front page of our state Baptist paper. I knew this was going to lead to no good for me…. Yet, I went and read the article anyway. Even before I picked it up I knew my “very favorite Baptist” would be involved. I even sort of asked my supervisor about this in order to brace myself… She clearly didn’t understand what I was asking because she said this was a whole new bunch of folks…. It turned out not to be like that… it was a new group but using some of the same ol’ folks. Gah!
I never handle this stuff well. Never ever ever. I hate it. Then I start posting snippy remarks on Twitter. (I do have my account protected now for that very reason).
Here’s the link to the article that upset me this time….
Now again, I’m not really smart enough to have an opinion. But, that never stops me. Reading the article made me wonder… well maybe change is good… even if it hurts… that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move forward. So, that’s me trying to be open minded. But mostly… I just think the same power grubbing man is again stirring up trouble. I’m not for it… It will radically affect each state’s on convention. Even my own job could be affected. (just in what I do… not if I have one) Why do we listen to that one man so much?
Mostly though I regret… that I keep getting sucked into finding out about this stuff… Ignorance could be bliss. I want to be ignorant… my opinion doesn’t count anyway, Just let me be.
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