Have you come across Journal Jars? Google them for detailed info and examples, but basically, they are a jam jar full of slips of paper, each with a question or phrase to prompt a memory. The idea is that you give the jar, with all the slips of paper and a blank notebook as a present. When the recipient has some spare time, they take out a slip of paper, read the question and answer in it the book you gave them. Because they are only answering one question at a time, it is less daunting. However, if they are 'on a roll' they could answer a few at a time. Just remember to ask them periodically how they are getting on and remind them that you would like their book back Hope this helps Heather PS I started prepping some jars for my parents and others of their generation. Unfortunately, Mum and Dad weren't that keen on the idea so I didn't take it any further. However, I'd be happy to share the questions I'd thought of if that would help anyone. On 19/02/2012 18:38, Louis Mills wrote: > It's appropriate to capture these memories. One thing I did to capture some of my mother's memories before her death was to write down some questions and tape record a session with her. My mother was in her 20s when World War II started and lived near Trafalgar Square in London for a few years while serving as a WAAF. > > It was not as easy to do as I had hoped. My mum was showing signs of early Alzheimer's. Her memory of her youth was strong, but she'd quickly forget the questions I had asked. I noticed, too, that her accent thickened the further back we went in time. And she mumbled more. She cried during a lot of it, even when the events were pleasant ones. I was very uncomfortable, but stuck with it. She had been in a teenage dance troupe that toured England, Clifton's Cabaret Kids, an had once been in a show with Louis Armstrong. She remembered him vividly, although she wasn't on the stage at the same time as he. > > My mum took a job in a chocolate shop as a young woman, thinking she'd love to be able to sample the wares they sold. But she said that after a week, she couldn't stand the smell of chocolate any more and left after three weeks. It was years before she could eat chocolate again. > > So I'm recommending everyone on the list find mum or dad or some relative willing to talk about the old times, record them and save it for prosperity. It would be great if you could save it on the Internet in a Portable Document file, maybe with a few photos, but the tape itself will be worth more than gold to you after this person passes on. > > Lou > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Hi, Heather, My cousin did this for my Aunt's 90th birthday two years ago. However, some of the papers just had memories a family member had of her. (No homework involved unless my aunt wanted to enlarge on someone else's memory.) My Aunt Bette is still very sharp at 92, has always liked reading, word and number puzzles, and her personality could be described as enthusiastic about almost everything. She is still working on her memories. She was supposed to do one a day for a year. (365 pieces of paper takes a bigger jar!) Memories and questions were submitted by the whole extended family regardless of age, and my cousin did some editing so there were no duplicate questions. Sometimes, Aunt Bette did more papers a day because she thought it was fun. Some days she did none. It all worked out in the end. She finished the year and had so much fun with it that she is going back through the jar again this year supplementing her recollections with more information! Our family has greatly benefitted by this remarkable project. --Carolyn, in Minnesota, USA -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of The Quineys Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 3:29 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LEI] Recording memories/Journal Jars Have you come across Journal Jars? Google them for detailed info and examples, but basically, they are a jam jar full of slips of paper, each with a question or phrase to prompt a memory. The idea is that you give the jar, with all the slips of paper and a blank notebook as a present. When the recipient has some spare time, they take out a slip of paper, read the question and answer in it the book you gave them. Because they are only answering one question at a time, it is less daunting. However, if they are 'on a roll' they could answer a few at a time. Just remember to ask them periodically how they are getting on and remind them that you would like their book back Hope this helps Heather PS I started prepping some jars for my parents and others of their generation. Unfortunately, Mum and Dad weren't that keen on the idea so I didn't take it any further. However, I'd be happy to share the questions I'd thought of if that would help anyone. On 19/02/2012 18:38, Louis Mills wrote: > It's appropriate to capture these memories. One thing I did to capture some of my mother's memories before her death was to write down some questions and tape record a session with her. My mother was in her 20s when World War II started and lived near Trafalgar Square in London for a few years while serving as a WAAF. > > It was not as easy to do as I had hoped. My mum was showing signs of early Alzheimer's. Her memory of her youth was strong, but she'd quickly forget the questions I had asked. I noticed, too, that her accent thickened the further back we went in time. And she mumbled more. She cried during a lot of it, even when the events were pleasant ones. I was very uncomfortable, but stuck with it. She had been in a teenage dance troupe that toured England, Clifton's Cabaret Kids, an had once been in a show with Louis Armstrong. She remembered him vividly, although she wasn't on the stage at the same time as he. > > My mum took a job in a chocolate shop as a young woman, thinking she'd love to be able to sample the wares they sold. But she said that after a week, she couldn't stand the smell of chocolate any more and left after three weeks. It was years before she could eat chocolate again. > > So I'm recommending everyone on the list find mum or dad or some relative willing to talk about the old times, record them and save it for prosperity. It would be great if you could save it on the Internet in a Portable Document file, maybe with a few photos, but the tape itself will be worth more than gold to you after this person passes on. > > Lou > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message