Finding a Moment in Time

How many people like history? I do! How many people want to find out more about their family and where they came from? I do! How many people like to spend hours or days on end searching on the internet and sifting through archives? *Crickets chirping* I am sure that even my sister who has a Master’s in Library Science and is a research specialist for the government wouldn't say yes to the last question.

                                     

Why is that? Well, in today’s age of technology everything is at our finger tips and just a few seconds away. Research has shown that many people only go 3 pages into a Google search when looking for something. Instant gratification is not something easily attained when researching. But, I am going to give you some of my secrets.

I became a member of a paranormal investigation group, Antietam Paranormal Society. My main role in the group was research, I was given this position before they had ever seen any of my work and, I am going to toot my own horn here, I ROCK! I have an unrealistic NEED to know, which gives me passion for research. I have never fully completed any research project because there is always something else out there waiting to be discovered!

I am going to give examples in my paranormal site research in this blog, but this can easily be used for any type of research.

First, what are you looking for? This is actually one of the hardest steps. It sounds easy, so most won’t put that much thought into it. But there is so much information out there that you have to know what you are looking for. I personally believe that everything is an answer. But, you do have to break it down so you don’t get overwhelmed. Make a list! A list is the best way to accomplish anything. Do you remember elementary school current events… Who, What, When, Where, Why & How. Yes, it is really that easy.

WHO died, was born, got married, got divorced, had an accident, had an illness, was murdered, murdered, committed a crime, was the arresting officer, were they friends with? The list goes on and on.

WHAT happened, land was sold, was the business, war took place, natural landmarks are near, bodies of water, mountain ranges, mineral deposits (rock formations nearby)?

WHEN did all the above happen? Make sure to check as far back as you and as close to today as you can, everything is a clue.

WHERE did all the above happen? This will lead you to new places more often than not.  You have to know the surrounding area because a century ago people did not often travel too far from home, the answer you are looking for might be right down the street.

WHY did the above stuff happen? Sometimes there is no answer to this question, but you still have to look.

HOW did the above stuff happen? You may have already answered this question, just make sure it’s covered.

Now that you know what you are looking for, you have to find it. My first stop is always Google. A trick that I learned is so simple that I can’t believe I overlooked it. When you start typing in the search box, it gives suggestions, read them. After every letter you put in look at the suggestions, it may be that what you need is going to pop up like magic! Also, ask Google questions, seriously type in “What wars took place near Burkittsville?”

The bad part about searching on the internet is that you will go through many pages and hours of time before you strike gold. What is this gold that I speak of? It is when you find something so astonishing that it propels you further into the world of research than you ever thought possible. You get information fever and work harder than ever searching for your next nugget of knowledge. It is amazing when this happens and you want to share your discovery with the world. I know it sounds dramatic but when you strike gold you will understand what I am talking about.

There are many places where you can strike gold. Honestly though, I always start with Google because it leads almost everywhere. You will get links to The National Register of Historic Places, various newspapers, Ancestry.com, and websites dedicated to specific things. If you can find a forum on your subject, that is a way to get an incredible amount of information fast. There is a forum for almost every subject out there, and the people who frequent these sites are doing the same thing you are and love to help others and swap information.

Google Images is awesome! You would not believe the information out there in the form of a picture. It is amazing! I always take snippets or screen shots when I find my nuggets, because I need them for proof. Google Books is beyond amazing. It has left me speechless more than a few times (which is really doing something). I have found books printed in the early 1900’s about towns in my area. These books are sometimes hundreds of pages, and are often free to download. 

At some point you are going to have to go to the library. I know, I know… no one likes to go and wander through the stacks hoping that you can find what you are looking for. Well, let me tell you a little secret. You pay for that library, and the people who work they are there to serve you, period. Ask for help, that is their job. Here in Maryland all of our larger libraries have what is called a Maryland Room. This is where you are going all the historical stuff about Maryland in one place. Call your local branch and see if they have something similar.

One of the things that I utilize the Maryland Room for is the Sanborn maps. These are fire insurance maps that were drawn up many moons ago and show who owned what slice of land. It is very helpful in figuring out your Who’s and When’s. Yes, you can go to the Sanborn website and subscribe, but that was a cost that I am just not willing to shell out, mainly because a lot of the time I have found the same map on Google Images.  Another thing you can do at the library is search through new paper archives. They hold a wealth of information, almost too much at times. Back in the early 1900’s it was still common to see announcements like, “Mr. Smith went traveled 20 miles to have lunch with his cousin Mr. Black in Washington DC.” That might be what you are looking for, perhaps Mr. Smith never made it home and this is the break you needed. Now you know you have to start looking at DC. There are paid newspaper archives online and if you are doing a lot of research it might be worth your while to pay for the subscription. That is a decision for you to make on your own. I do actually subscribe to NewsPaperArchive.com, it is an annual fee and has been the source of much of my gold.

Talking to people is a big part of research, but make sure to take everything they say with a grain of salt. I use personal stories as a starting point and have to prove that it is fact. If I can’t find documentation then it won’t even go into my presentation. Back to elementary school once again, do you remember the telephone game? The teacher would say, “There is a white butterfly in the field” and you would have to whisper it into each other’s ears around the room. By the time it got to the last person it had changed to “there was brown bear in the woods.” I was taught something in nursing school, if you don’t document it, it didn't happen. That is how I do my research; I have to have visual proof. Along with that, just because it’s in writing doesn't mean it’s true. NEWS FLASH!!! Not everything on the internet is true. GASP! Know your sources, back it up with other sources and when in doubt, throw it out. One thing that I live by for research is that if I can find one thing that is contradictory, then that piece of evidence is no longer valid. I am not one to report possible truths; it has to be fact before it becomes part of my report. I will make a part of my report for claims, interviews, and items that I had to exclude. This is so that everyone can see what I found, and perhaps they will be able to fill in the blanks.

When researching people, the first place I always start is Facebook. I will then follow up with a Google search both in Webpages and images. Sometimes you will find a person’s profile on various social networking sites through Google Images because it show’s their profile picture. One of the most important sites that I use in my State is Maryland Judiciary Case Search. All you need is a name and you can find anyone’s court information as this is all public record. All of the information that I find is always public information. Obviously if we are talking about someone from before the 1990’s these steps won’t work.

You are going to run into dead ends. There are going to be times when there is no information to be had. It sucks, but don’t let it discourage you. I find it much better to research with someone else. You feed off each other and when one of you strikes gold, it encourages the other one. My teammates Shannon and Becky are fantastic research partners and when we get on a roll, watch out. We take each other’s nuggets and transform them into a masterpiece. It’s the most amazing thing to start with nothing more than an address and walk away with decades and sometimes centuries of inhabitants. Recently I asked Shannon to help me with personal research project, she was able to find in a matter of hours what I had spent days searching for. Once she told me where she found it, I was then able to reproduce the results. In Maryland deeds are researching utilizing Maryland Land Records; it is a free site that you have to register for. It took me forever to realize why I could find anything on here. Once you log in and are on the first page, there will be a list of all the counties in the state. This is where you begin your search, not the search boxes. Once I figured this out, I can now find the information that I am looking for and some that I didn't know was there. Shannon will always be the deed master, but I can call myself her apprentice. Work as a team and the results will astound you.

I made a comment on a friend’s status one day, “With a name and an address I can tell you the name of your first born child.” Someone commented, “That’s a little scary Sara.”  The truth is; I don’t even need a name… just give me an address. 

To Kill a Stinky Bug

It is that time of year again.  The weather is getting warmer, birds are chirping and the days are getting longer.  Soon the flowers will be blooming and then disaster will strike. 

They are already becoming more active.  Their little wings are beating in a furry as they awake from their hibernation.  The smell is one that you will never forget and you know instantly what it is when it creeps into your nostrils.  The stink bugs are back.  These little buggers have been hiding in your attics, garages, shed and basements.  They are just hanging out and some even seem dead when they are not disturbed.  The stink bugs go into a catatonic state when they get cold, but most aren’t dead… they are sleeping.  Soon they will invade your living space searching for a way to get out into the world, they need to feed and what they want is not in your house.  They want the vegetation in the world outside.

The spring time invasion will be over fast, they just want to get out.  Once this happens they will then attack our gardens and forests looking for anything to eat.  These bugs came to us from China and there are no natural predators here.  I don’t even know what the natural predator is, but it must be something native only to China.  Our only hope is for an “un-natural predator” and I have figured it out.

Last fall when the days were getting shorter and the nights were getting cooler, we were invaded.  It was a Stink Bug Armageddon.  My house was peppered with these things; I was scared to open my car door because they were nesting in the jams.  My screened porch became something you would expect to see in a horror movie… bugs everywhere.  We tried so many things to get rid of them.  First sealing all of the cracks on the porch and 30 tubes of caulk later they were still getting in.  We tried dish soap, alcohol, and carburetor cleaner and even brake clean; and let me tell you, there is something wrong with an insect that can’t be killed with ether.  Then we decide that extermination was not a possibility, the Orkin man even told me that he couldn’t do anything.  Now it was time to displace the fiends.  The shop vac became a daily ritual, at least once a day we would suck up the bugs.  Some days it had to be done twice, and most of the time it would take an hour to complete one sweep. 

It was time to use technology, there had to be answer out there in cyber land, so we Googled to find an answer. Finally, after countless hours we came across something that people were raving about.  The reviews are amazing and we had to try it.  The cost was little deterrent because if it worked, could you really put a price on that?  We ordered the Talstar Pro and anxiously awaited its arrival.  When the bottle arrived I first read the directions.  I was surprised at how many different species of insects this stuff killed.  I was pleased to discover that after it dried it was harmless; you can spray this stuff in your kitchen if you need to (not on food of course).  I love that I don’t have to worry about my dog licking it, because once it dries, it’s safe!

Now it’s time to mix the potion in my sprayer,I got a 2 gallon pump thing like you use for refinishing your deck.  I took it outside and started spraying with a smile on my face.  My smile quickly turned upside down as I noticed the stink bugs flapping their wings to get the stuff off like they did with everything else we tried.  Disappointed, I continued to spray until all 2 gallons were gone and I  etreated inside once again.  The next morning when I emerged from my house I was greeted by a wondrous sight.  Could it be?  Are they all dead?  There were piles of bugs on the ground everywhere!  Stink bug genocide had occurred over night!  What a great thing to wake up to!  I had to get the push broom the sweep them all up, there were so many!  Now to spray the rest of the house, I am declaring this a stink bug free zone!  For the next 2 weeks the results remained the same.  Every stink bug that landed on my treated house died and required removal by broom.  Such a welcome change, I enjoyed the outside of my house again! 

While Talstar Pro is an excellent product, nothing is perfect.  It will rinse off when it rains and has to be reapplied periodically.  I’d guess every 2 weeks would suffice, but since we didn’t discover it until the end of the invasion, I can not be sure on that, it may need to be reapplied every week.  Regardless of how often you have to use it, the bottom line is that it works and it works amazing well.  Make sure to get behind and under things as these are the place these thing like to hide.  I pulled my clock off the wall and was shocked to see dozens crawling out of the nail hole on the back.  How do they all fit in there in there anyway?  It was like watching that illegal alien video on YouTube.

Buy your Talstar Pro, get your sprayer and mix it with the laugh of an evil scientist.  You are about to witness a beautiful sight. 

Moving on up

How many of you truly know how to move? 

Do you start packing weeks before the move?  Do you buy boxes, bubble wrap, dish packs?  Do you stress out when filling the truck and have to make multiple trips?

If the answer to any of the above were yes, then the answer to the first question is NO.

My husband and I know how to move, we have made an art out of it.  Don’t get me wrong here, we don’t enjoy it.  Maybe that is why we are able to accomplish what we do. 

We can pack an entire house, move it and unpack in the same day.  I swear to you, it can be done and I will tell you how.

You are still living in your current house; you don’t want it cluttered up with boxes.  That would suck to have to walk around boxes for a month or more, don’t do that.

1-2 weeks before the move start acquiring boxes.  Liquor store boxes are the best, they have built in handles and if they can support a case of beer, they can support your stuff.  I know what you are thinking, “they are too little.”   Let me ask you, why do you need big boxes?  You don’t, big boxes are heavy.  If you call the liquor store ask them to save the boxes and you tell them you will pick them up 15 minutes before closing every night, and you prefer that they NOT break them down.  You will need at least 2 times the boxes you think you will.  I would get at least 100 for the average sized house.  Collect some newspapers too.  You will need 7 days worth of a normal paper.  If you are using the Washington Post or something like that, then 3 or 4 days should be fine.

I know that there is no way you are going to be able to resist packing before the big day, so I will tell you what you can pack. 

Pictures off the wall- all of these will go in to a beer box standing up straight.  You will have some that won’t fit in the box, those big pictures stay on the wall until moving day.

Clothes- pack the opposite season’s clothes.  DO NOT USE BOXES.  Use trash bags, you can take them straight from the closet still on the hanger and put them in the bag.  Don’t pack the clothes in your drawers, you will find out why a little later.

Items from the shed/garage/basement- DON’T PACK YOUR TOOLS.  You are going to need them.  But, you can go ahead and pack your grass seeds, fertilizers, bird seed, ect.  Again, use the trash bags.  Anything that would rip the bag goes in a box.

Kitchen items- only the ones that you are not going to need.  Items that you use for holiday dinners or things of that sort.  You could also go ahead and empty your china cabinet (if you have one) most people don’t use their china everyday, they keep it on display.  I will say that this is one thing I do use dish packs for.  You can go to Lowes or your local home improvement store and buy the padded sleeves to put your china in.  They even have boxes for your stemware. 

While you are packing I need you to keep one thing in mind.  The boxes have to stay in the room they are packed in.  Why?  Because, it will make your moving day that much easier, trust me.

Now we will fast forward to the day before your move.  If you are moving too far away to make trips, this is where the bulk of your packing will take place.  First thing you need to do is pack for a 3 day trip, like you are going to a hotel.  Put those bags out of the way.  Then you start in the bedrooms and move to the rest of the house.  Utilize trash bags for clothes, shoes, purses, toys.  Save your blankets, sheets and pillows; you will need them later.

Moving is a perfect time to “de-junk.”  Seriously, if you haven’t touched it in a year… you don’t need it.  Make a pile for eBay, Craigslist, Goodwill or just trash it.  When your help gets there they can dig through your pile, they will love it.

Kitchen items- pack it all.  Most of the time plates & bowls can be piled up and place in a box, unless you are going a long distance.  Use your dish & bath towels as packing paper (so to speak). Why buy bubble wrap when you own something better?   Make sure that your cleaning supplies are together, do not separate them.  Utensils and silverware can be dropped in a box with all your other kitchen items.  Junk drawers, just dump’em in a box, worry about going through that when you get to your new house.  Also, you have dirty dishes in the sink… I know you do.  If this is a short move then take them with you and wash them at your new house.  Longer moves (cross country and stuff, yeah not such a good idea… wash it first.)

Bathroom- nothing special here, put it in a box.

Knickknacks - Here is where the newspaper comes in.  Rip the paper in half and wrap each item in a piece.  If they are small items then you can put a few items in the same piece of paper.  No tape needed, just wrap it and put it in the box.

AV equipment- nothing special again.  Stack 2-3 items in a box and MAKE SURE THAT THE WIRES ARE WITH THE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IT GOES TO.  You will thank me for this.

Movies, video games, toys- Pack them up using boxes and bags as needed.  Laundry baskets come in handy in this phase.

Now just pack everything else.

The day of the move!

More than likely in the top of your rental truck there is a space over the cab.  Put boxes up here that you don’t need right away… like your knickknacks. 

If you have children the keep out the toys until the end, again… trust me.  You want that to be the last thing on and the first thing off.  Keep those little guys occupied.

Couches first, pushed up against the side of the truck with the back facing the middle.  Put a mattress on the couch against the side of the truck.  The space between the mattress and the back of the couch is where your flat screen TV goes, wrapped in one of your comforters.  Make sure it is secure and won’t move, use more blankets.  Mirrors, big pictures and other stuff like that can go between mattresses as well.

Dressers are next.  Stack them if you can.  Take the drawers out (with the clothes still in them) and carry the empty dresser out first, then put the full drawers in the dresser while on the truck.  Wrap mirrors in comforters and place between items so they won’t shift.  After all the furniture is in, then come you bags.  They go on top along with any other boxes that you have left and any items that did not get put in a bag or box.  Pack to the ceiling before starting a new row.  You are paying for the whole truck, use it.

After that space is full, start bringing the boxes, room by room.  All of the bathroom first, then the kitchen, then the bedrooms, then the basement, ect. 

Cleaning supplies go on last or can go in a car; you are going to find things that you will want to clean before moving your stuff in.  Mainly the kitchen cabinets, most people do not think to wipe out the cabinets before putting your stuff in there.  I clean my cabinets at least twice a year, I have moved into far too many houses with nastiness in the cabinets.

Again, keep in mind while packing the truck that you paid for the entire space, meaning that your stuff needs to be packed to the ceiling.  It has to be, because then it can’t fall.  If something can fall, that’s how stuff gets broken.  You don’t start a new row until the previous one is to the roof.

You are going to be tempted to put the mattresses in last so that you will for sure have somewhere to sleep that night.  This is the precise reason that the mattresses go in first.  You can’t stop until you have the truck empty.

Now that we have the truck figured out, let’s talk about you using pickups instead of renting a truck.  If you are doing a cross city move, this is the way to go.  You move one room at a time, it’s that simple.

Use signs in your new home that match exactly what you marked the boxes with so your help knows what room they go in.  Example:  If you mark your boxes with bedroom, then they will drop them off in the nearest bedroom.  Yes, I know your friends are great.  But, after carrying 10 boxes up the stairs they will figure that they got it this far you can do the rest.  You need to label Master Bedroom, Little Jimmy’s Room and even Master Bath.  Idiot proof it.  Label your boxes correctly when you pack them; hey, you could even color code it if you are feeling spunky.

Unloading the truck is as simple as loading it, just in the opposite order.  When the truck is unloaded and everything is in the house, feed your help.  Get a few of them to put the beds together while you wait for the pizza to arrive; you need somewhere to sleep after all.  Nothing to eat before it’s done, and please, NO ALCOHOL until you’re done.  You don’t need drunkards carrying your stuff. 

The rest of the evening is for you to unpack.  And since your stuff has only been packed for 1 day, nothing got dirty in the boxes.  Just take it out put it away and go to bed.  Do not pick through boxes, if you need something in a box, unpack the entire thing.  Again, this is one reason we use small boxes.

The next day you should be finishing up putting your china away, hanging pictures, arranging furniture.  It should all be done within 2 days after the move.  The more you move the better you will get.