It's Hump Day Hip Tip time again. Actually it feel's like it's been a 2-hump Hump Day. Am I the the only one that feels like this was a rough day?

Anywho, I was still able to find you a Hip Tip. Today I went over to YouTube to watch a video [Don't remember what.], and I saw a promoted video from Ancestry.com, and because it was only hours old and not a promo commercial, I did it. I clicked it.

And? I'm SO glad I did. Ancestry.com has begun a Desktop Education Series called Ancestry.com LIVE. [I like that name. It's like Saturday Night Live.] Like I mentioned, they just started them, and there are only 2 in the series so far. The videos aren't too long either ~ 20 minutes, and the premise is that each video answers a question submitted by an Ancestry.com user ahead of time.

Now, Ancestry.com had a chance to make this a formal teaching video series, and I'm SO very glad they didn't. It's an informal video that will be enjoyable to the new users and the not-so-new users of Ancestry.com. I actually felt like an Ancestry.com researcher was in my home showing me how to use Ancestry.com. [Oh yeah, they were.]

Ancestry.com is on to something here. And I have a feeling that it's good. But don't take my word for it. I embedded below the 2nd video where the Barefoot Genealogist, Crista Cowan, is answering the question, "How can I use a death record to learn more about my ancestor's life?"

If you're unable to view the video, then please check it out here: http://youtu.be/iwz6891V4do

So what do you think. Hip Tip, huh? Go take a look at the series on their Desktop Education Series Playlist. Then go take a look at the main Ancestrycom YouTube Channel. Why? Because they have a ton more videos on there. And? Their designer(s) did a fantastic job on their YouTube Channel. It's pretty.

And who doesn't need 'pretty' on a 2-hump Hump Day?

~C

Okay. It's been a while since I've visited Geneabloggers.com's website. So sue me. BUT...

Did you know that the ever-industrious Thomas MacEntee has a very hip search box capability in the sidebar of his website? But this is no ordinary run-of-the-mill search box. Oh no. [Thomas never does anything ordinary or run-of-the-mill.]

Thomas has a fantabulous search box that can search the 2000+ Geneabloggers' blogs on Geneabloggers.com. He even invites visitors to search surnames in his fantabulous search box.

You're probably thinking, "Duh. It's been there for a while, Caroline."

And my reply? "When was the last time you entered a surname that you've been researching in that fantabulous search box to see if other geneabloggers are researching and blogging that surname?"

Yeah. "Duh."

Now, more common names like, oh I dunno like Smith, are not gonna be easy to search, but I tried a less common surname in my line, Blacketer, and BINGO! I have some peeps to contact.

"Hello? Yes. Um. You don't know me, but I noticed you are a fellow Geneablogger, and I noticed that you blogged about some Blacketer ancestors..."

Yeah. Duh. So go over to Geneabloggers.com and look for some geneabloggers blogging about the same surnames as you in that fantabulous search box.

Thanks, Thomas! =)

~Caroline