Thanks for visiting my blog on personal history, family history, local history, and history in general. In my humble opinion, blogs are creating a historical record and I want to contribute to the record. After all, history manifests itself in all forms and from all individuals and from all locales, not just from artifacts showcased in museums, from “experts” of sometimes dubious distinctions spotlighted in the media, or from cities of government and commerce. And, yes, I was a history major in college.
Objective: To write something every day no matter what time zone I’m in, even if it’s only a sentence or two (caveat: this hasn’t happened lately, but it’s still a nice goal!). The subject matter may be profound, not so profound, or just bits of trivia. For me, it is a writing exercise and a way to document what is happening in my life and what I discover of people and places. It is documenting history from my eyes. In some of my blogs I hope to escape from academic writing — I spent such a long time getting my bachelor’s degree that sometimes I think I misplaced my sense of humor.
Home Towns (present and past): Portland, Ore.; Honolulu, Hawai’i.; New Haven, Ind.; Fort Wayne, Ind.
Education (present and past): School of Life (ongoing); Portland State University; University of Oregon at Portland; Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne
Interests: Reading; writing; traveling; world affairs; family history; genealogy; oral history recording and transcribing; American (Midwest, especially Indiana, and Pacific Northwest), Hawaiian, Middle East Studies
Work Experience (present and past): Medical-legal/risk management; politics; continuing legal education; law; insurance
© J. L. Bates and chezjlb.wordpress.com, 2009-2012
Your stuff is great by the way. I can’t read it all in one sitting but I will pick away. Couldn’t find you on facebook….but i still finding my way…