googling grandpa

  I saw an advertisement for a company that writes and prints your personal stories. From what I heard you will get an e-mail from the company each week to prompt you to write a memory or tale or whatever. They'll ask questions. You respond to that, and they write your story. After a year your book will be finished and published. There are options available for the cover and including pictures as well. That's as much as I know about it right now. It's an intriguing idea. The advertisement I saw urged you to purchase that for your aging parents/grandparents. They don't have a lot of time left so you had better get those stories while you can. Yes, that was implied, and it is simply the truth of the matter. Still, I think it is a wonderful idea. I saw no mention of cost so I'm guessing it is substantial. I expect it has to do with just how many and how long those stories are. I've been working on shortening my short stories somewhat, I tend to ramble on. More words don't always make for a better story. Tolstoy never got the message on that. Today some scholars say it doesn't qualify as a book, novel, poem or historical work.

  These blogs of mine currently number 4,783 not including this one. That's a lot of writing. How many of those I would want included in a book I can't say. In a way I guess I'm like Tolstoy, I'm just writing what I'm thinking about. Well okay, his works are far superior to anything I could compose but I'm thinking about the sheer volume of words. He included his personal philosophy in his works, along with bits of history. I have all of that. If I had to explain the context of a number of my blogs that would certainly add to the count. Many things I write about are contemporary and in a few years would need to be explained. I was reminded of that a few years back. I was talking with a young person and discovered he had no idea who Kennedy was, what Watergate was all about or what year the twin towers were attacked. It was all history to him. 

  I have never attempted to categorize my blogs in any way. I've thought about that though, you know, personal stories, historical events, philosophical and religious writings that sort of thing. I could apply the Dewey decimal system to them. Well, the truth is I'm not that familiar with the Dewey decimal system but I know it could be done. I looked it up and philosophy falls into the 100 bracket. I'm thinking I'll just let AI do that task for me one day. There is simply too much to read. 

  I have checked into having my blogs published in a book. In fact, I have done that, just once some years back. It was just a small volume. It contains eighty-five pages with pictures. Eighty two blogs beginning March 21 of 2011 and ending June 21, 2011. Bound in hard cover the cost was about a hundred dollars. It has been sitting on my bookshelf ever since. I've read it of course and I'd say it isn't all that interesting a read. My hope is that the grandchildren or great grandchildren will one day take an interest in reading those words. That's assuming reading text is still taught by then. But I'm sure there will be AI to translate text to sounds. Already have that in fact, I can push a button and the computer will read the text for me, although I'm not certain how that works. I find it a bit creepy to be honest about it.

  I do like the idea of that book though. I think it could become a treasured thing, having the words and thoughts of our ancestors. I've often wished I knew the thoughts of my parents, grandparents and other ancestors regarding everyday life for them. Why did great great grandfather join the union army and go to fight? Why did the family move from New Jersey to eastern long island? What was all that like? What did they think about current events and current legislation. 

 I also think it will take a few generations for that to become appreciated. That is especially true if you are just the common man. What I mean by that is, no one of importance. Someone like me. I enjoy no fame; no notoriety and my name will be forgotten rather quickly. My attempt at immortality is contained in the words I have written. When I was born there was no birth announcement in the local paper. It was free, but no one bothered to tell the paper. And today there will be no obituary in any paper when I'm gone. There may not be a paper. But it will probably be on Facebook. I'm told my blogs will remain on a server somewhere, presumably forever. All you have to do is find them. I like that idea too. Googling your 2nd great grandfather for historical perspective. What an amazing thing that could be. Or, just read the book.