How would you start recording your memories.

[battyrat]

Something I have been thinking about doing for a long time now is to start to record my memories on certain things in writing and pictures.There are many ways of starting to do this but the first stage must be gathering those memories into one place in a format that can be easily accessed and added to or changed if necessary.I would also like to start to gather evidence in the way of photographs of objects and places etc to go with it.

I was thinking of using an index card system divided up into things like schools,television,holidays,etc to start as I don't feel that confident on computers.

I was also thinking of including memories of my brothers and sisters and parants perhaps even long lost friends if I could relocate them as they are intertwined with my own on many things.

It would also put another section in with my family history.

How would other members of this forum start to gather information and how would you store it and what system would you feel to be best for the job?

Also what other things could you include in it and what other sources of research could be used to gather long lost memories or info on things that I cannot myself remember but must of took part in.

[darren]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

one way of recording memories is to get and keep old photos of you your parents friends etc.
Try and remember dates, places, and times, where you went what you did etc.

You could also record memories by trying to find old footage say on a camcorder if your parents had one.
Most of my memories are in things i collect etc.
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first things first you could ask your parents about there family history like what they did as kids where they worked etc.
And ask them about there parents their jobs what schools they went to.

Do a search on your family tree etc.

you could also try and hunt out any old toys u still have or ask your parents what toys they got you.
and put different memories into sections is a good organised way.

well this is what id do.

[HG]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

Personally I would go along the website/blog route ot just gather everything in related folders on my pc, but if you're not very good with computers I guess it's not for you, but it isn't hard to do.

Another source of memories are local newspapers, I spent a few days at Christmas a few years ago going through local newspapers from the 1970s at the library and they brought back a lot of memories of school and of things that had happened.

[darren]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

yeah newspapers is a great idea.
with the internet around this has made rthings much easier to find old memories people etc.

Personally I would go along the website/blog route ot just gather everything in related folders on my pc, but if you're not very good with computers I guess it's not for you, but it isn't hard to do.
gioing online and perhaps being able to check old issues of certain newspapers could bring up results as u will not be able to find them in there original form.

Another source of memories are local newspapers, I spent a few days at Christmas a few years ago going through local newspapers from the 1970s at the library and they brought back a lot of memories of school and of things that had happened.

[skooldays]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

I had exactly the same issue
si i started blogging my memories initially in no order
its true that collatting online is easier as the web will be the main memory tool
i also used a spreadsheet
at the top wed the year
Then next row my age that year
next row was my sibling birth etc
next row my teachers and bosses at the relevant school or work
next newsworthy events
Then my memories for each year
it was just s cut and paste if it wed in the wrong year
soon the order started to make sense with photo and other factors like chart music films etc

im still releasing one year of memories each week sd ee speak

hope this helped

[Sly]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

A database on computer would be your best bet. I know you said you are computer illiterate but working your way around one of those is easy enough if you spend enough time playing about with it. Another option would be to put it on a website of some sort, but that's a bit complicated unless you know what you are doing.

The beauty of a database is you could put in key words and it would filter through it for all matches, or even sort stuff into periodical date. Plus it's tidier than having everything strewn out in boxes and on paper around the house.

[battyrat]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

Really an no good at computers at all,not the modern computers anyway.Getting better all the time bit by bit so may be possible one day to use a data base.

Our local library does not carry old papers or microfilm.We used to have a records office in town,but this was moved to another town half way across the county which will be diffacult for me to get there.I was thinking of writing to my primary school to see if they still hold records of my time there.It may just be teachers log books or other notes from the time or posters of jumble sales or plays that we did,but I have a feeling if they did they probably won't allow me to go through the older ones which would relate to my time there.
Rarely ever looked at photographs of myself or recent family from the late 60's onwards.It will be a good starting point.I did ask dad last night but it appears that many documents that we had are long gone as over the years my parants tend to clear out anything they felt was not needed.They were pretty good at it too.

What databases do you use?

[Paulos]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

I've sort of started doing this in a way. As I've probably mentioned on here before a lot of my old childhood stuff has not survived various house moves etc so I don't have those physical things to give me memories any more, I now have a photo bucket ac which when I've found pictures of old toys, books, games etc that I used to have (a lot from this website!) I have stored the images away.

Of course there is also your comments trail right here on DYR, everything that you have talked about is stored away for you to go through again when ever you like.

[darren]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

this site itself is a way to view many of our memories as well.
one thing i always thought of doing was getting a diary and writing down specific dates of where and when i went on holiday what toys i got for christmas and what christmas it was.
if u do not have space perhaps writing down dates,places u went on holiday etc would be an idea.

I've sort of started doing this in a way. As I've probably mentioned on here before a lot of my old childhood stuff has not survived various house moves etc so I don't have those physical things to give me memories any more, I now have a photo bucket ac which when I've found pictures of old toys, books, games etc that I used to have (a lot from this website!) I have stored the images away.

Of course there is also your comments trail right here on DYR, everything that you have talked about is stored away for you to go through again when ever you like.

[Sly]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

[QUOTE=battyrat;166887What databases do you use?[/QUOTE]

I used Open Office, which is a free open source program that lets you do word processing, spreadsheets, databases and presentations. Just type Open Office into google or whatever search engine you use and it will direct you to where you can get it. For what you are planning on doing it should be sufficient.

[battyrat]

Re: How would you start recording your memories.

Thankyou.I downloaded open office.Use to have microsoft but for some reason I have been blocked for using it earlier last year.

Started to go through the old photos,and it was quite a surprise at just how few photo's of myself as a child actually still survive.I could say less then 20 all told if I take out the baby photo's.Some I was looking for I have not found.These may be with my sister so I will have to check to see if she's taken any.

This site is a great place to be.Many of the threads here especially those that relate to things that were around in the 70's or early 80's has certainly jogged a few memories and have started to clear up a few loose ends.