O.T. New project

For starters, I want to say thank you to everyone's words of condolences and encouragement that I received when I posted, on this board in October, of my father's passing away at age 102.
Yesterday, I started the project that I have no hope of ever "completing", but at some point in time I will just have to call it "finished", as I am sure memories will surface for literally years to come. As therapy for me and as a way to remember the wisdom, stories and adventures that Dad collected over the years I have begun to (with the help of voice-recognition software) write-down the experiences, travel, stories, and other adventures that he related to me, that make up the Mosaic of a person's life, so that they won't end up being lost or forgotten. At 102 years of age he saw a lot of changes. I was constant caregiver for him since mom passed away 16 years ago. I hope to use this as a way to preserve those memories. The only real question I have is what I'm going to do with all of this when I'm done.

That is a very good question.Do you have any children or relatives?

Vito

Interesting project.

My mother lived to 94, and I have a spiral bound notebook entitled, "The Way Things Were" that she filled longhand about various events in her life, from anecdotes from her childhood, to when she met my father, to various other milestones in her life.

She was the middle one of 9 children, and she was bitter because her father (my grandfather) refused to let her go to high school, saying she was needed at home to help take care of her younger siblings. (I don't hold it against my grandfather, he simply did what he felt was best for the family to function at the time. In fact, he and I were always close and I sometimes think he was more of a positive influence on my life than my own father).

On that point, my mother compensated by being a lifelong bookworm. Even up to a few weeks before she passed away, she was still reading books and learning new things.

Her notebook is not in chronological order, she simply wrote about something when she thought of it. I'd like to someday find time to sit down at my computer and rewrite it in the order that things happened. It would be a treasure for the next several generations.

Good project!

I'd like to offer a suggestion that worked well for me. Get a small spiral bound notebook - the kind that will fit in your shirt pocket - to write reminder notes in. When you think of something your Dad told you, jot a reminder down. Get a bigger notebook to keep in the house to further expand those reminders. You'll think of hundreds of things to jot down that will jog your memory many years later. Had you not written down a little reminder about that certain incident, it would possibly be lost forever. You don't have to write the whole story immediately that way - I'm still writing about incidents that happened years ago, and they're just as interesting today as they were then.

As far as what to do with it when you're done - that may be for someone else to figure out, but the important thing will be getting it written down.

102 years! Man, you were blessed! My Dad died when I was 13 - 51 years ago, and I still have stories that I haven't finished. . . .

What an awsome undertakeing!!The project probably not get 'done' till the end of your lifetime.Then the children/grandchildren will finish/publish it.But that's OK.Get them involved in it early,It will become a family project.As was said,take notes/reminders as they come to mind,to write in detail later.Good Luck!

Do not worry if it is finished, just enjoy the process. I "talk" with my dad when I work on his equipment or use his tools. I know he is there with me in spirit.

We have a very active historical sociality in our county and some folks have already donated things like you will be doing, Old form records, Maps, personal papers etc. Your local group would love to have records and memories of a 102 yr. old

As an old geezer, I would encourage anyone to keep some sort of record of their life's events, and recollections of their parents. I started several years ago writing down all my father's funny sayings, and the old family stories he told. I'm also in the process of writing my own life story, which will utilize old family photos that now mean nothing to my daughters. I have two small grandsons who live far away from me, and they will know nothing of my family if I don't write it down.

Make copies for your family members so they can remember and pass it down to the next generation.

Make sure your local/county genealogical and history organizations have a copy so future generations can read what it was like in the "good old days"

Just Another Old Geezer"; first off, sorry for your loss.

The link below is Wisconsin author Jerry Apps; he holds at least two workshops each year 'Writing From Your Life'. I attended a one day workshop two years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. You probably aren't anywhere Wisc. though.

Jerry suggests writing stuff down, as you did and then self-publishing as software is readily available. Or, use your manuscripts and making copies. As suggested, local histerical
:lol: societies should-would really appreciate such first person life experiences.

Poke for Jerry Apps, he writes a weekly blog; good reading and I have several of his books and enjoy them.

http://jerryapps.blogspot.com/2013/12/winter-solstice.html

What a great project and you are to be commended for providing care for your dad!

Old Geezer, thanks for your post, it's telling me what I should do about the memories with my Dad
I was 29 when my Dad was killed on the job 12/05/1989 (a load of large pipe broke way as they were loading a truck at the finish of the job), he worked commercial construction Dallas area, I was adopted with my 3 younger sisters when I was 6 (9 yrs. later they had a baby my baby sister ,girl catcher too LOL that's another story) we lived on a few small farms for most of my life (probably 90+%) and I remember a lot of times with my Dad, where I live now is the place they purchased in '78 a short time later my Dad purchased a '55 Ford 850 after that we became part owners of this tractor I would do the repairs and maintenance on it together we built a 3 point blade for it to maintain our drive, I still have possession of this tractor I used it for a few years after he was killed then a lot of stuff happened and things nearly fell apart and it set for several years but just a few months ago with my baby sisters support I've got that tractor back up and going, there are a lot of memories with my Dad and I with that tractor and other memories around this small place (27.8 acres) and the other places we lived, I could sit here for hours and tell them but I want right now maybe I'll write them out and post them from time to time.

Thanks Old Geezer
Patrick

Something else that may be of value is a video of you telling these stories. My wife passed away in August at the age of 38. We knew that it was coming (cancer). Any way a few weeks before she died she got with some folks at our church and made a video for each one of our boys. She talked about when they were born and a few other stories. She told them what she thought was important for them to strive for (be Godly and educated). We watched those videos a few weeks ago. Was really nice to see her and hear her words of wisdom.