Here it is, February. By putting the snazzy Family History Writing Challenge badge in my sidebar, I committed to taking part in the genealogy marathon that the Armchair Genealogist is hosting, starting today.
Damn you, Armchair Genealogist for making that badge so snazzy that I coveted it!
The Preemptive Kvetch
What was I thinking? February is my busiest month, with a huge freelance writing/editing project due and a commitment to be on the culinary committee of the Tucson Festival of Books, which takes place in March. It’s also the month of Tucson’s huge Gem and Mineral Show and I rented out my guest room to one of the vendors. Having a semi-stranger in my house will require me to get dressed every day rather than lounging around in my bathrobe. I also need to keep my home from falling into complete squalor.
Feeling sorry for me yet? Or have I used up my sympathy quota in self pity?
Why This Challenge Is Good for Me
Coveting badges and kvetching aside, I know this is good for me. I am a perfectionist, an inveterate self-editor and tinkerer. But when it comes to meeting a daily word count, the perfect is the enemy of the good. I like being forced to put up 350 less-than-perfect words every day.
It will also force me to focus, as I promised in my New Year’s goals.
The Plan
I am going to explore the lives of Ezriel Kornmehl and Viktor Kornmehl, the two family members I introduced in the post The Doktors Kornmehl & Professor Freud. I’ll discuss the methods being used to investigate them, the brick walls I’m encountering, perhaps create a time line…. I imagine griping will be involved.
I’d like to concentrate on words. Finding pictures takes a long time and this is a writing, rather than a picture-posting, challenge. That said, today I have included a photo of Dr. Jill Leibman Kornmehl, genealogy detective extraordinaire and the source of much of the information I am going to be posting. Just so you’ll have a visual for future reference.
Lynn Palermo says
Alright Edie, I see the self-sabotaging setting in all ready!! And I must say the badge looks divine on your blog! Looking forward to reading about Dr.Liebman. Write on!
Edie Jarolim says
Ha — Self-sabotage is part of my writing process! Seriously, thank you for hosting this challenge, Lynn. I’m hoping it’ll get me to write a little more freely.
Kristine says
Good for you! I have failed almost every challenge I started this year so I wish you much better luck. Hopefully February will prove to be more focused and productive for us all.
Edie Jarolim says
Thanks, Kristine! And here’s to a productive February for you too!
Abe Hirsch says
I assume you have Jill’s Kormehl family tree contribution to http://www.turteltaub.com. Her husband and I are distant cousins and grew up together in Buffalo. I am connected because Mindl Kornmehl married Bernard Turteltaub presumably in Tarnow. How can I get a copy of Leonard Schneider’s book.
Edie Jarolim says
Abe, welcome! Did you also know Arthur Aronoff, who found Bernie Kornmehl through this blog too?
Getting hold of Leonard Schneider’s book is the $10,000 question. There are no copies left. I have not been able to get hold of one either. We are trying to convince him to do a new version, but he probably doesn’t want to go through this huge undertaking again. But perhaps you can get him to email you a copy of the family tree. I’ll contact you directly with his information.