|
|
 I am a News Archivist and Researcher. I am one of those rare history graduates that is actually using the degree on a daily basis and getting paid good money for it! How did I get where I am? Read on to find out. I graduated from John Marshall High School in Milwaukee in 1987. Then I started college at Cardinal Stritch in Glendale were I met my then husband-to-be in 1989. Then, in 1990, my parents decided to sell their house in Milwaukee and build a new house in West Bend and I moved with them up north. For awhile, I had a difficult commute from West Bend to Milwaukee every day to attend classes. In 1989, I got a job as Assistant Manager at Waldenbooks Bayshore Mall. This paid for my college tuition so I wouldn't have to take out loans. I majored in both English and History. After graduating in 1992, Frank and I decided that marriage could wait until I was finished with Grad school. I wanted a Masters Degree right away and a career to go with it before settling down in marriage. I entered the Library and Information Science program at UWM in 1992 and decided that I wanted to work in a corporate or private research library or archives. I did internships at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans Library in Brookfield, WI and at Universal Foods Corporate Archives in Milwaukee. When I graduated in 1995... and I had a job waiting for me !!!! In the late summer of 1995, I had interviewed for my first corporate library position as a News Archivist and Researcher at the Kenosha News, a newspaper in Kenosha, WI. I got the job!!!! By that time, Frank and I had set our wedding date. Fast forward to August 25, 1996. Frank and I married in a beautiful ceremony in Belgium WI. We decided to go on a short and quick getaway to DC right after the wedding since my brother was getting married 2 weeks after us and we couldn't plan a long vacation. We actually took our honeymoon in May of 2000... but I am getting ahead of myself. We decided to use our honeymoon money to design and build a house (I guess we are just too practical) Our dream house was finished in 1998 and for the last few years we have been creating an English style garden in our yard. On top of all this, I run by own business teaching rubber stamp art in the Southeastern Wisconsin Area. In 2000, we finally took our honeymoon... to England, Scotland, Wales and across the English Channel in the "Chunnel" to France. We are going back to London in March of 2003... photos from this trip will be posted here upon our return.
Other interesting stuff: I am the webmistress for many websites: this one, the Kenosha County WI GenWeb project, American Local History Network County sites, American History and Genealogy Project County sites, Angelica Gibbs Reader's Guide, Lily Cottage Site, Aberdeenshire Scotland GenWeb, Pommern Roots, and the Kenosha County Genealogy Society. I also own the Southeastern Wisconsin History and Genealogy Web Ring and the Southeastern Wisconsin Site Search systems.
Professional memberships: My Alma Maters: Cardinal Stritch University - Milwaukee, WI (Undergraduate degrees in History and English) University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, WI (Master's Degree SLIS) Frank and I are members of the National Trust of Great Britain and also English Heritage Society. I am a member of the American Hemerocallis Society and I garden as a hobby. Currently I have about 125 different daylilies cultivars in the garden. We just finished landscaping a new portion of our yard and created several new daylily beds this spring.
Michelle's favorite TV Programs:
Michelle's favorite musicians:
Michelle's favorite movies:
Michelle's favorite books:
Next trip... March 2003.... London:
After that ... July 2003... Las Vegas:
And also.... 2004... Ireland:
My Rubber Stamping Art Web Site My Stamping and Scrapbooking HobbyI am a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and rubber stamping instructor in Southeastern Wisconsin. I have done stamp classes and workshops as far north as Mequon and as far south as Kenosha. I haven't done any classes in Illinois yet, but I am available for northern Illinois.I have seven years experience rubber stamping and scrapbooking. I regularly work with teachers and other hobbyists. Please Email me if you are interested in hosting a workshop or placing an order.
My JobIn May 2003, the Wisconsin Library Association is hosting a tour, luncheon, and discussion on News Librarianship. We will be meeting and touring the Kenosha News Library/Archives and the newly remodeled Kenosha News building. For more information, contact me or the WLA office in Madison.
I primarily do research for news reporters and news editors, index news stories into a database, and
archive PDF newspaper pages. I supervise a photo archivist. I regularily do work for the Publisher of the paper,
the sales staff, and the
Customer Care Department. I also work with the Kenosha County Historical Society on historical features for the paper.
I assist local historians, college professors, and detectives with news research.
For more information about being a News Librarian, go to the SLA News Division's web site at
SLA News Division Please visit our Web World  Please visit our Home  |
 Professional Memberships Special Libraries Association What is a Special Librarian? SLA News Division Association of Wisconsin Special Librarians Wisconsin Library Association Interests Luminarium Research Centre for illuminated Manuscripts Scottish Centre for the Book Monarch of the Glen Scottish TV show Web Site American Newspaper Repository American Journalism Historians Association British Library Newspaper Library A Brief History of Newspapers Society for the History of Authorship, Reading & Publishing BBC BBC Scotland Ballykissangel Irish TV Show Official Web Page Victorian Living Literary Resources -- Victorian British Victorian Web Scholarly Resources for Victorian Research American Geographical Society Collection Pioneer Diaries The Big Tea Tea Council Electric Scotland Walker's Shortbread - Best shortbread in the World! Devonshire Cream Teas National Trust Scottish hillwalking Hobbies Rubber Stamping Links Scrapbooking clipart Cats Cute Cats Cat-Tea Corner: recipes, cats, clipart, and more Kenosha County Humane Society Feline Information Source Gardening American Hemerocallis Society Flowerweb Royal Horticultural Society Cornwall's Major Gardens Hadspen Gardens and Tearoom Places I have Been My parents were great believers in travel as an educational experience. Every year my parents would take the family on a major vacation (some years even taking us out of school for a week). As a child I visited Walt Disney World Orlando FL, twice (Frank and I and the family went back in 2001), California (twice), Washington State, Oregon, Washington DC, Tennessee, the Carolinas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, Colorado, St. Louis, MO. They also took us to Mexico one year and another year we toured Canada. You could say I get around. In college, my parents encouraged me to take summer classes in Madrid, Spain. For the summer, I attended classes and traveled around Spain visiting places like Segovia and Toledo. In Madrid I visited the Prado and saw the original Picasso works, I visited the Palacio Real (The Royal Palace), Went shopping in downtown Madrid, and attended an authentic Flamengo Dance Program. Through college, I didn't travel much since I was using all my money for tuition. In 1997, we visited Cocoa Beach Florida. In 1998 and 1999, we were too busy building a house and designing a landscape to go anywhere.
2000 Our Honeymoon
May 6, 2000: Rented a car (practiced driving on the other side of the road) Traveled in Reading, Berkshire;
visited Stonehenge, Wiltsire; stopped at Hadspen Gardens and TeaRoom in Somerset, and drove on down to Exeter in Devonshire.
May 7, 2000: Drove to St. Ives (Carbis Bay) and hiked along the coastal public footpath. We also visited
the 15th century St. Nicholas Chapel and toured this Medieval City. Had dinner on the coast while watching the fishing boats.
My favorite fishing boat was called the "Celtic Lass" and looked like it belonged in a classic English novel
or the subject of a poem.
May 8, 2000: Drove to Penzance (no, we did not burst out in song about pirates!) and Marazion, Took a small boat
to St. Michael's Mount island estate in Cornwall; Drove back up to Wiltshire to the village of Lacock (Parts of Harry Potter
movies were filmed in Lacock, a charming Medieval town that has been preserved; Took a walk near Bewley Common and
visited St. Cyriac's 15th century chapel. Medieval Village of Lacock
May 9, 2000: Drove to Castle Combe (the movie Dr. Doolittle was filmed here in the 1950s) The village looked exactly like
it did 50 years ago in the movie!!!! After a short visit to Castle Combe we drove to Bath and toured the famous Roman Baths and
of course, Bath Abbey. This city is incredible!!! A must see for any visitor to England! Drove to Shropshire through Bristol
and stayed over night in a small village called Minsterley. Castle Combe - The prettiest village in England
May 10, 2000: It is time to go to Wales!!!! On this bright, sunny day, we drove into Wales (very interesting road signs in Welsh
language when you cross the border) We spent the day at Powis Castle and Garden. This place is simply stunning. Got back on the
road again and traveled through Preston, to Southport, a village just south of Liverpool.
May 11, 2000: Visited the Lake District home of Beatrix Potter and the poet William Wordsworth. Took the ferry across Lake
Windermere to Hilltop and Dove Cottage. Then we drove to Keswick. Frank wanted to go to the Keswick Motor Museum (one of the
two "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" cars is there. Then on to Carlisle for the night.
May 12 2000: Drove from Carlisle up to Scotland!!! My great great great great grandfather was born in a small village called Ruthwell
Ruthwell Parish Church
May 13, 2000: While we didn't want to leave Langley Castle in the morning, we needed to go on our way... next on our list
Northumberland and Hadrian's Wall at Housesteads. In the afternoon, we drove to Yorkshire with its fabulous picturesque countryside.
We visited Swaledale, Reeth, Muker, and stayed overnight in Sowerby (near Thirsk)
May 14, 2000: On to the famous city of York. We toured the city visiting its Medieval walls, York
Minster, and the Roman Fortress. Next up, the tiny little village of Laycock!!! Why did we go to Laycock? Well, it should be
obvious!!!
May 15, 2000: Today we traveled through Halifax to get to the Peak District and Castleton. We stayed overnight in a barn
behind Hawkridge Books. What a charming place. Frank and I both loved Castleton's shops. We toured the dark and
damp "Blue John" mines and purchased the rare "Blue John" element in several necklaces and as souvenirs. Hawkridge Books and Accomodation
May 16, 2000: Shakespeare calls... on to Stratford. We toured Stratford-Upon-Avon and visited all of the Shakespeare tourist sites. In the afternoon,
we drove back to London and turned in the rental car. We took a cab to our hotel near Marble Arch and settled in for the next part of our vacation.
May 17, 2000: Today we toured the Tower of London and walked around the Tower Bridge
area along the Thames. We had dinner at Harrod's department store. We took a London
bus tour and took lots of photos including a few really good photos of the Parliament
building when we took a boat down the river. Virtual London
May 18, 2000: We visited St. Paul's Cathedral and climbed up to the very top of the dome to the whispering gallery. This experience was incredible. We were able to
photograph the city of London from the top of St. Paul's dome!!!! Beautiful!!! Of course, we didn't miss the Millenium Wheel!!! We visited Westminster Abbey next.
Incredible.... a must see.... This is simply the most beautiful cathedral in the world!!! In the late afternoon, we went to Buckingham Palace.
May 19, 2000: Vive le France!!!!! We left Waterloo station in the morning for a day trip to France across
the Channel Tunnel. We took a bus tour around the city of Paris to view Notre Dame, Paris Opera House,
Academie Nationale de Musique, Palace Vendome, Il de la Cite, the Seine River, Arch of Triumph, Place de Gaulle,
Place de la Concorde, and but of course, the Eiffel Tower!!!! In the afternoon we took a tour of the Louvre Museum. In the evening, we
took the train back to London.
Channel Tunnel
May 20, 2000: Today we took a tour of Windsor Castle and the village of Windsor. As we were watching the changing of the guard at
Windsor, the Concorde airplane flew overhead! To end our honeymoon, Frank took me to see Vanessa Redgrave star in Shakespeare's
"The Tempest" at the Globe Theater!!!!!!! The production was excellent. No one can beat Vanessa Redgrave as Prospero.
(No, we didn't have to stand in the center for a pence, Frank got tickets for the upper balcony!)
Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
|
 You may E-mail me here: genkitty@sbcglobal.net 
|
 "Meaning in Space and Time: A study of Philosophy of History" This is a study of the similarities and differences in the historical philosophies of Orosius, Voltaire, and Croce. Currently working on a complete history of Religion in Kenosha County, Wisconsin complete with timelines, historical photos, in-depth research and interviews. |
 |
Lilacs Again By Chase Twichell
A bridge of lilacs crosses the brook
a thirst. Cold water, fast water,
That quenching. An outdoor museum--
Thick with scent, thick with bees,
What did I mean, "a bridge of lilacs"?
could take me back--take me
Ontario Review #47 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
European origins of my ancestors:
Dykers Croft, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland |
 MacPherson Clan Motto |
 Birnie Crest  Birnie Coat of Arms |
 |
"This is the true joy of life -- being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." ---George Bernard Shaw |
 |
Graphics courtesy of J. L. Hiner Absolute Bedazzlement |
Graphics courtesy of Cat-Tea Clips Cat-Tea Corner |
Graphics courtesy of 3D Flags 3D Animated Flags--By 3DFlags.com |
