Dear Jean: Who do you recommend to do filming of our stuff / possessions? I thought I would like to have a video of our furniture items to preserve the history. As I think more about that, maybe it would be better if I take pictures, have them developed, place them in an album, and write the history below the picture.
Jean’s dad, Jerry Long, talks about family possessions in a video.
Answer: That is a lovely idea. It is great to share the history of your more memorable items – not just furniture, but other special items, too. The process you discuss where you take pictures, print them, put them in an album, and write on each page will be a very long process. If that were me, I would forget my good intentions about ½ way through.
Your initial suggestion is my favorite, and it is something that could be accomplished within a single day! Get out your smart phone, go to camera and set it on video. Then do a video of each item you want to remember; nothing long, maybe about 30-60 seconds of description per item. Make one for each item. I call these snippets. By doing the snippets, you could accomplish your entire task in one fell swoop.
In the future, whether you revisit these snippets yourself or someone else receives your items as a gift, your personal words will make them much more meaningful.
An even better option is to have someone else shoot the video, with you appearing in it, instead of you just being the voice. How cool would it be to ask your child or grandchild to do it with you? That way, they would become familiar with the background and are more likely to appreciate the item and the history behind it. We all want our kids to appreciate the history of our special stuff.
We did this for a few choice items at my parents’ house. Over the years, they enjoyed watching the videos and hearing themselves describe their memories. An additional plus was that as memories faded, the video connected them more directly with the history. Because they were giving the description, their own words became part of the history-telling.
The ultimate gift was that when my siblings were dividing up the things from Mom and Dad’s house, we shared the snippets. Those items again became so much more special.
Do not forget that if you want the history to be appreciated later, you make sure to share the videos. Otherwise, how will anyone be able to enjoy the treasured memory?
Dear Jean: How can older/homebound women get haircuts? Are there traveling stylists or a list somewhere of people who serve homebound folks? My mom is disabled and has chair limitations; she can’t go to just any salon.
Answer: What an interesting question. Surely your mom is not the only one with this challenge. Let’s ask our readers. Hey all, do you have any ideas? Hairdressers, if you are willing to help, send me your information, and I can share it.
Jean Long Manteufel writes a column each month about life changes associated with aging. Send your questions to Jean@TransitionsWithJean.com or call 920-585-7769.