To all of you whose loved one’s stories I have gathered over the years–please know that audio tapes are pretty much OUT. A lot of folks no longer have a tape player. If you would care to have those tapes converted to cds, zip drives or MP3 s, let me know as we are able to do this service now All further interviews will be on a digital recorder.

My grandson, Mick Brungardt, is doing actual conversions of the tapes to the medias mentioned above. Mick, a professional web designer, set up my website. Several of you have commented on its quality and ease to get around. Should you or someone you know need web design work you can contact Mick at www.info@coopADventures.com or Mick@dynamick.com

The cost of the conversion is $40 per tape which will be on 2 cds due to the time difference.

Once this is done you can make copies from your cds or we can make extra sets for $4 per cd.

I have copies of all the interviews I have done, so you don’t have to search through boxes and drawers wondering where your tapes might be.

You can contact me at www.jan@kidviewz.com or jan@lifesreflections.com

I recently attended a Social Media class and am amazed how versitile the various sites can be. A new one for me is Yelp.com if you are not familiar with it you might like to check it out. It seems a good way to put out the word especially when you have had great service at an eating establishment or any other place where you were satisfied with the treatment you received/a great product you purchased. They felt Linkedin was the more professional of the three social media sites, although they felt Twitter and Facebook are beneficial..
We were encouraged to share meaningful books. I have read just finished reading Crush It –a great book on using Social Media especially Twitter and Facebook to further your on-line business. The other is The Four Hour Work Week, this, too, is about on-line marketing. I ordered both from Amazon and saved a bit of money ordering used books.
Both were in great condition.
Another book I have found very useful in my Personal Historian business, Life’s Reflections, is Cyndi’s List.
It was most beneficial when I started Life’s Reflections several years ago.
I have interviewed over 500 people, who shared their personal stories and family memories .   56 are from one family –the Juan de Jesus Vigil family who settled in southern Colorado at the base of the Spanish Peaks aka Las Huajatollas.
The early family came from Spain in the l600’s and settled in Mexico, later moved to the New Mexico Territory and then into the Colorado Territory about 1860–several years before Colorado became a state. The Spanish Peaks. are located not far from Trinidad and Aguilar Colorado. The Vigil family settlement was called Trujillo Creeek. Several of the homestead houses are still standing as well as the school house, church and the family cemetary.
You can find their website on my website www.LifesReflections.com where you can find more about how to capture you or your loved one’s memories, family history and  family stories.  I can do it for you in a three hour interview in person or over the phone.  If you wish to do the story gathering yourself I have a Life’s Reflections Questions ebook you can order from my website.  The questions are comprehensive and are the same questions I use in the interviews I do.

Jan Lindgren Receives Award

A few weeks ago Jan Lindgren was honored at the 11th Annual Senior Heroes Award Reception, sponsored by Jefferson County Council on Aging and the Senior’s Resource Center.  Congratulations Jan!

From yet another one of Jan’s community networking groups, Enterprise Wheat Ridge: “Our very own Jan Lindgren, owner of Life’s Reflections www.lifesreflections.com and www.MyHistorian.com was honored at the Jefferson County Salute to Seniors Heroes Celebration on Thur. May, 7^th at Clement Community Center in Lakewood. She was nominated by Enterprise Wheat Ridge for her work on behalf of promoting Enterprise Wheat Ridge and mentoring women in Jefferson County. Jan has helped E WR get some terrific new members by visiting businesses, encouraging them to come to our meetings and create buzz about E WR! Congrats Jan! “

Have Fun . . . Shaking the Family Tree!

About the Founder, Jan Lindgren

Jan Lindgren is the founder of Life’s Reflections.  She began audio-recording family memories in 1982 when her mother was quite ill. Jan realized there were many things about her family she did not know and never would unless she asked her mother the right questions. After her mother passed away, Jan continued to interview relatives and close family friends. She continued to learn more about her heritage from each recording session. She started the business, “Life’s Reflections” and has been interviewing and audio recording people ever since. Knowing that she could not interview everyone – she came up with the D.I.Y. or Do It Yourself  Life’s Reflections Memories Booklet so that anyone interested in preserving family memories would have the tools to do so with ease.

Jan is a former elementary school teacher. She resides in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Jan has four grown children and 10 grandchildren. She earned both her Bachelors Degree and her Masters from the University of Colorado.  She is a member of the Colorado Historical Society and the Lakewood and San Luis Valley Historical Societies.  Until recently, Jan was an adjunct instructor for Adams State College as well as working for the History Center of Fremont County, interviewing local persons about civic history.  Jan is also a member of the Custer County Historical Society, and a number of local business, networking, and community organizations.