A client has been telling me stories about life in rural Prince Edward Island during the mid 19th century. This mini autobiography depicts how growing up on a farm located half a mile from a dirt road was challenging with no power or water. There were plenty of kids, plenty of chores and only just enough food and clothes. There was however, lots of love and plenty of fresh air.
When someone is telling their story I don’t want to miss any of the precious details. Even though I’m pretty good at note taking, I know I will miss something. That’s why I use Voice Record to capture the conversation. I have this app on my ipad which makes it easy for me to set up.
Once the conversation is finished, I send the mp4 file to my computer. I can then send it on for transcribing. I have found the online service of Speedpad to be an efficient way to turn the recorded words into a word document. At a cost of $1 USD per minute of recording, it’s a reliable service and definitely saves time typing or note taking. You have the freedom to be present, listening to their story so you don’t miss any important, details.
I love the sentiment and intent of the above quote on the wall at Sands Funeral Chapel, “Life is a Story. Tell it Well”. The quote to the left is certainly a guide for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love some of my stuff, but I cherish my experiences more.
People get concerned that as we age, we won’t remember our experiences. Another excellent way to collect memories is to find the stories in photographs.
* Talk about who is in the images and where you are.
* What was the day like? Why were you there?
* Was it a special day? How did you get there?
Other story generators are the artifacts of life, a special ring, a piece of artwork, a favourite t-shirt, book, statue or medal, etc, etc. Everyone has them, artifacts that hold deep meaning for you. Share the stories of why they’re important to you.
Making an audio recording while someone just talks is an easy way to collect stories. If you are concerned that someone might find it strange that you’re recording the conversation, just relax, press the start button and start talking about the weather. Most people will forget about the recording once they get on a roll with their stories.
Growing old beats the alternative of dying young. And the longer you’ve been around the more memories you collect. I can help you keep those memories alive for future generations.
