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past-presence.bsky.social

Accredited Genealogist®️Canada Western Provinces. Things I love: Chinese Canadian 🇨🇦genealogy; military history; the Prairies. I blog at past-presence.com.

88 posts 181 followers 115 following

Posts 22 Comments 28

For Family Day weekend, I took a deep dive into a 140 yr old mystery and learned things I never knew.

submitted 3 hours ago • 1 comment

Just saw the first “SK Snow Snake” of the year. About two metres long, it was hanging off the hood of a late model dark SUV and sparking away. 😅 (It’s a block heater cord still attached.) I would have gotten a photo for all you fine folk but I was driving and that’s illegal, never mind unsafe.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

I’m doing a deep dive research post. It’s day three. Took a break to do a little doomscrolling and no thank you world, I’m going back to my 140 yr old mystery for a while longer.

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

It’s always wonderful to be included in Gail’s genealogy à la carte. 😄

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

My TBR pile just got bigger. Adding this one to my list. 🤩

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Entire cities are resolving their differences to work together. I wish we were anywhere other than where we are but there’s some comfort in seeing us all row in the same direction.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

This essay about 🇨🇦 from the head of the Juno Beach Centre struck me deeply. Happy 60th to the 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦.

submitted 8 days ago • 0 comments

I’m spreading the word to my Canadian friends because while the Institute is in the US, it is virtual and it will include a presentation by a Japanese Canadian expert, Linda Kawamoto Reid. Linda’s impressive résumé includes a decade as the archive for the Nikkei Museum, BC. Book your spot now.

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

When they make the words that we use too hot for us to say, they silence us. And that, my friends, is the point.

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

How an Ottawa journalist found my lost family village It's been a revelatory couple of weeks. In this post, I'll share the story of how I learned that Ottawa journalist and jazz pianist Peter Hum is my cousin, and how he solved the mystery of my lost maternal family village.

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

This conversation between @sadiyaansari.bsky.social and @tanyatalaga.bsky.social is ruining my best efforts to get work done this morning. My new plan is to buy both their books and read voraciously.

submitted 69 days ago • 0 comments

Years ago when I was just starting, my client asked me to explain this baffling disease that her mom experienced in the Netherlands, post WWII. Traumatic. Terrifying. Life altering. Now, I am nostalgic for the days when we didn’t know that polio is sudden infantile paralysis.

submitted 70 days ago • 0 comments

I have been reading genealogy à la carte up for years. It’s always a “pinch me” moment when I’m in it. 🙏🙏🙏 Gail.

submitted 70 days ago • 0 comments

The last three books I bought were solely to support the indie bookstores I was in. The books I’m actually reading were from the library. Please tell me I’m not alone in this.

submitted 70 days ago • 1 comment

What a year. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me.

submitted 74 days ago • 0 comments

Never in my life has a publisher decided my time to own a book was up and deleted it from my shelves. Can’t say the same about ebooks.

submitted 80 days ago • 0 comments

When libraries open, it’s to great fanfare and usually ribbon-cutting by an esteemed luminary whose name sits above the lintel. When libraries close, it’s done in secrecy and often by the ones least able to do anything about it. The same with archives. I feel a chill wind blowing.

submitted 80 days ago • 0 comments

I ❤️ a book list. And indie bookshops. Here’s a regular conversation in our life. Him: OK we’re here. How much time do you need? Me: 🤩 Him: Half hour? Me: 🤩🤩🤩 Him: An hour? Me: … Better meet me in the cafe.

submitted 80 days ago • 0 comments

Happy US Thanksgiving! May the letting out of waistbands begin.

submitted 86 days ago • 0 comments

This is happening in a few hours. I’m so looking forward to talking about the film with everyone. If you’re free, come join us. Use the QR code to register.

For Family Day weekend, I took a deep dive into a 140 yr old mystery and learned things I never knew.

I’m doing a deep dive research post. It’s day three. Took a break to do a little doomscrolling and no thank you world, I’m going back to my 140 yr old mystery for a while longer.

It’s always wonderful to be included in Gail’s genealogy à la carte. 😄

My TBR pile just got bigger. Adding this one to my list. 🤩

Entire cities are resolving their differences to work together. I wish we were anywhere other than where we are but there’s some comfort in seeing us all row in the same direction.

This essay about 🇨🇦 from the head of the Juno Beach Centre struck me deeply. Happy 60th to the 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦.

I’m spreading the word to my Canadian friends because while the Institute is in the US, it is virtual and it will include a presentation by a Japanese Canadian expert, Linda Kawamoto Reid. Linda’s impressive résumé includes a decade as the archive for the Nikkei Museum, BC. Book your spot now.

When they make the words that we use too hot for us to say, they silence us. And that, my friends, is the point.

How an Ottawa journalist found my lost family village It's been a revelatory couple of weeks. In this post, I'll share the story of how I learned that Ottawa journalist and jazz pianist Peter Hum is my cousin, and how he solved the mystery of my lost maternal family village.

This conversation between @sadiyaansari.bsky.social and @tanyatalaga.bsky.social is ruining my best efforts to get work done this morning. My new plan is to buy both their books and read voraciously.

Years ago when I was just starting, my client asked me to explain this baffling disease that her mom experienced in the Netherlands, post WWII. Traumatic. Terrifying. Life altering. Now, I am nostalgic for the days when we didn’t know that polio is sudden infantile paralysis.

I have been reading genealogy à la carte up for years. It’s always a “pinch me” moment when I’m in it. 🙏🙏🙏 Gail.

The last three books I bought were solely to support the indie bookstores I was in. The books I’m actually reading were from the library. Please tell me I’m not alone in this.

What a year. Thanks to everyone for sticking with me.

Never in my life has a publisher decided my time to own a book was up and deleted it from my shelves. Can’t say the same about ebooks.

When libraries open, it’s to great fanfare and usually ribbon-cutting by an esteemed luminary whose name sits above the lintel. When libraries close, it’s done in secrecy and often by the ones least able to do anything about it. The same with archives. I feel a chill wind blowing.

I ❤️ a book list. And indie bookshops. Here’s a regular conversation in our life. Him: OK we’re here. How much time do you need? Me: 🤩 Him: Half hour? Me: 🤩🤩🤩 Him: An hour? Me: … Better meet me in the cafe.

Happy US Thanksgiving! May the letting out of waistbands begin.

This is happening in a few hours. I’m so looking forward to talking about the film with everyone. If you’re free, come join us. Use the QR code to register.

For us up here in Canada. I’m just screaming into the void.

Thank you to genealogy à la carte for the lovely piece. ❤️