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Let’s Get this (Graduation) Party Started

May 29, 2024

Graduation season is full of excitement and of the unknown. So much potential in those next steps. Before moving on, we’re diving into the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of graduation and how “kids” today are celebrating it, too. Take a moment to remember all your school day “firsts,” “lasts,” and “favorites.”

POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE 

This is not just a descriptor for how we celebrate this milestone but the name of the more than century-old classic song played at graduation ceremonies. Sometimes also called “The Graduation March,” the song is actual one of five marches composed by Sir Edward Elgar, starting in 1901 and stretching out over a 30-year period.

If you’re eager for some modern music to boost your post-ceremony celebrations, we found an eclectic list of 24 tunes from Billboard that’s full of themes about growing up and making new memories. Here are the first five:

      • Vitamin C, “Graduation (Friends Forever)” is a smart starter to the list for the "Easter egg" buried in the chorus… do you hear Pachelbel’s “Canon in D” floating through? 
      • Green Day, “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)”, to which one of the founders of Artifcts commented, “This is from when I was in school. Is it actually still popular?!” 
      • Queen, “Don’t Stop Me Now.” Listen close, we hope this for all our grads. 
      • Lizzo, "About Damn Time,” because we all need a little reassurance. 
      • OneRepublic, “Good Life” shares an important theme about the power in letting go.

GRADUATION CAPS 

Otherwise known as mortarboards, as in the flat board used by masons and bricklayers, thus representing the skill of a master worker. Maybe! Or maybe it was inspired by the shape of quads on the campuses of Oxford University, where many graduation customs are believed to have originated. Either way, before you walk out that door with your cap on, remember to wear the tassel to the right as you enter and move it to the left once all graduates have received their diplomas.

DIPLOMAS 

Have you ever heard them referred to as sheepskins? No, not us either. But somewhere apparently this is true as every graduation “facts” site will report and harkens back to when diplomas were made from sheepskin. Let’s be glad paper and printing industries have come such a long way.

WOMEN, YOU’RE SHINING 

Women are now more likely than men to graduate from college. A modern phenomenon and trend that’s strengthening. In 2022, 39% of women aged 25 and older had completed a bachelor’s degree or more as their highest level of educational attainment compared to 36.2% of men in the same age range, according to the US Census Bureau.

The ‘why’ of this trend is complicated. In an October 2021 Pew Research Center survey of Americans without a degree, men were more likely to say they just did not want to get a four-year degree and that they did not need one for their career aspirations, which is unsurprising given the continued dominance of men in many high-paying trade skills, including electrical, plumping, and construction, among others.

“The fact remains, that if we want more women in the board room, we need more women completing degrees beyond high school. Brava!” said Artifcts co-founder Ellen Goodwin.

ACT NOW: SORT THE STUFF, SAVE THE MEMORIES 

In mere days, your amazing graduation photos and videos, mementos, garb and more will be relegated to the land of memories. You’ll struggle to dig them up and share them. The details will slip away. What did that teacher say? Who was in that awesome picture with you as you tossed your cap? What did the design on your cap look like?  

Collection of graduation photos and videos on an iPhone

 
 
What will you remember?!
 
 
Photo and video chaos from graudation. Save the memories, one Artifct at a time. The ceremony, the friends, the parties, the acheivements.

Here’s your checklist for graduation stuff, but don’t forget to check out Artifcts School Days inspiration checklist, too (available here)!

      • Certificate or diploma 
      • Graduation gown, cap, cords 
      • Announcement 
      • Awards 
      • Video and photos of the ceremony, with your parents and mentors, with your very best friends, of the post-ceremony party, etc. 
      • Capstone or thesis 
      • Portfolio items, prototypes 
      • Speech 
      • Press coverage, newspaper and online 
      • Book and people who inspired you 
      • Favorite study music and study places 
      • Pics of dorm room and off campus residences

 
 
Beyond School Days and Graduation, we have dozens of other FREE downloadable checklists waiting to inspire you!

We wish the graduates the very best in all their nexts and offer warm congratulations to the parents and mentors who helped them along their way.

xoxo, the Artifcts Team

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So Much 'Stuff:' How They Suck Us In and How We Can Resist!

Careful what you ask for. In his book “Stuffocation,” author James Wallman details how in the post-industrial revolution US economy of the 1920s and 1930s, there was too much of everything, everything produced by farmers to industrial machines. We overachieved! Rather than produce less, the goal became getting consumers to buy more, even if they had enough. Advertisers had to up their games.

The trick was how to get people to lose the “lasts a lifetime” expectation and develop a desire for the newest version, model, or edition that industry was now only too happy to churn out. The fashion industry already exemplified this and now the rest had to catch on, landfills be damned, and provide cheaper, disposable, fashionable everything. 

Fast forward 100 years and the "buy more" concept has persisted and matured, leaving no industry untouched. Here are a few examples to get you thinking like the advertisers do. 

GADGETS.

Millions regularly trade in their favorite gadget—whether a phone, tv, fitness tracker, or otherwise—for the next model the moment it’s released, waiting in line to ensure they are the earliest of adopters. And tech's just the obvious example.  

COLORS!

Have you thought about why there are “colors of the year” and “of the season” that pop up in your feeds and inboxes, often with seasonally suggestive names, like “breezy blue?” All the companies fall in line with their similar version of the “it” blue of the season, until it’s suddenly a beautiful gem green and yet again you rethink your clothing and home decor choices. 

DESIGN CONCEPTS.

Design concepts trend just like colors. Recently “glaze” has popped up on hot pink garments from Lulu Lemon and green frames from Framebridge. This is not to be outdone by “scalloped” edges on picture frames from Archival Methods, mirrors and tables from School House, and toilet paper from Charmin. Product and marketing experts know how to get modern buyers to buy. 

MATCHING SETS AND COMPOSITIONS.

Here’s yet another reason to buy – sets. Whether that’s a matching clothing set or a gallery wall of frames, moving you to buy not one, not a set, but MORE all at once. I mean, the picture shows 10 frames make a gallery, so I guess I need one of each, right? 

Maybe these tactics do not sway you. You have a certain style, and you stick to it. Timeless. Functional. You! What about ...

ENTICING DISCOUNTS.

... the sneaky “up to 30%” off offers? Have you fallen for those? You browse or click and nearly nothing you’re interested in is 30% off, just a tactically chosen few which you overlook as you accelerate through the checkout process because you are already there in the store or your credit card or other digital payment means is already available on your phone or laptop. 

6 Strategies to Help You Muffle the Calls to Buy

We first published this story in honor of Earth Day and in recognition of our general philosophy here at Artifcts that you should stop and smell the roses more often when it comes to your ‘stuff’ to appreciate what you have and why you have it, we’ve curated some easy tactics you can use to halt more stuff from coming into your home. We're republishing it today so you can revisit these strategies before your holiday shopping begins and hopefully save some money and avoid being lured to buy 'stuff' you'll regret later. If nothing else, put #3 into action today!

1. Unsubscribe. (Yes, catalogs, too. Check out options). Have you heard of that movie from 80s, "See No Evil, Hear No Evil?" That's the idea. If you are not seeing those emails and notifications, you are so far ahead of the game. Worried you’ll miss a sale? Set a reminder to check back when you know they usually have sales. Or simply sign up again later if you truly miss seeing their emails. 

2. Delete payment methods. Unless you are on a recurring payment plan that requires a purchase, delete and/or do not save any payment information anywhere. Make it inconvenient to make that purchase. You’ll have to get up out of your seat to get that credit card, giving you time to think again. 

3. Work ahead for sales. You’re a deal hunter. Fabulous. So are we. Save items to your shopping cart weeks before that next big sale. In the US, big sales are like clockwork on major holidays. By preloading items to your cart, you have time to think on it. When you return weeks later you might discover that at least some of those items are not as “must have” as you first thought. 

4. Visualize where it will go, where and when you will wear it. Maybe you love a beautiful, framed picture, a side table, a cool clock, a dazzling watch, or a “travels-beautifully” dress. Pause to think, where exactly will I hang this picture in my home? Where will this table fit? You already have a watch. Why do you need or want this one? 

5. Keep savings goals front and center. Do you have debt to pay down? A big trip you’re dreaming about? What about ambitions for a lower stress summer with the kids in camps they’ll love? Keep photos of your goals around you. Track your savings each week. Or add to your savings each time you resist a purchase as a reward toward your goal, even if it’s only skipping that espresso. Whatever it takes for you, remember the thrill of that purchase might be short-lived compared to your still more thrilling goals. 

6. Skip “{fill in the blank} math.” Here’s a recent example of this straight from our teenage daughters and their talk about “girl math.” Normally the swim tops and bottoms are individually $30 but there’s a buy one-get one sale. Dear daughter picked out a swim set and said, “Awesome, I have $30 more dollars to spend.” On something, anything, no idea what, but let’s go spend! Sigh.

_________________

We feel better already, reminding ourselves of these strategies. We're not turning over a minimalist leaf or shaming anyone for enjoying a bit of shopping. But we do hope your buying does not lessen anything else in your life, from enjoying your home to taking those trips of a lifetime you save for and remember always.

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Unusual Digital Artifcts from Genealogy 

Earlier this year we called out on social media for a genealogist​ who ​was interested in collaborating with us to see if our co-founder Ellen was in fact related to a global superstar.

Guess who the mystery superstar was? Lady Gaga!

This potential connection seriously confused Ellen, who asked, “Isn’t she Italian!?” whereas her family has a mix of Luxembourgian, German, French, and English heritage. It turns out Lady Gaga was a case of an over eager auto correct in a text message from Ellen’s genealogist aunt. The message should have read Lady Gage, with an “e,” as in the wife of Thomas Wentworth Gage, a commander-in-chief, North America, during the early days of the American Revolution. Granted, Lady Gage is still in impressive ancestor, but she somehow lacks the awe power of Lady Gaga.

We met with our volunteer, Jill Browne, Founder of Clutter School (@MessyNestDeclutterCoach on IG), and discussed exploring other family history instead, potentially through what, with a ​bit of ​latitude, could become ​ancestral ​Artifcts.

Today we’re sharing the highlights with​ you​, Artifcts style, as Family History Month ends, and we all settle in for a long winter’s nap, aka the holiday season with our family where family lore and history are born and shared. Seize the moment. Use these Artifcts as inspiration as you ask for details, sift through old family photos, and maybe even take home an heirloom or two, and Artifct That!

Over to you​, Jill​!

An Uncommon Ancestry Approach to Artifcts 

I love the concept of Artifcts. To me Artifcts offers an opportunity to create a digital museum of whatever one wants to preserve.  
 
As a geographer, I am fascinated by the immovable parts of our histories: landscapes, buildings, towns, roads, statues, and so on. As a genealogist, I can't resist a good cemetery, too. As Winston Churchill said, "We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us." He was talking about the Commons Chamber in the UK Houses of Parliament, but the same thing applies to our homes and to the shapes of our cities and towns. Buildings and cultural landscapes show us what we think is important in the part of the world we occupy.

This collection of Artifcts includes only one portable object, and it’s not in Ellen’s family's possession. It's in a museum and probably most people in her family have no idea it exists.

But with this one object, we can all appreciate how a single artifact can become a significant piece of family history to dozens, even hundreds of people with the passage of time. After​ ​all, you probably don’t even know your third cousins, and yet you share the same 2X great-grandparents. If any family heirlooms that belonged to those ​distant ​great-grandparents still exist, most likely you and your third cousins, their descendants, have no idea, or, if you do, have lost the history behind them. 
 
This is one reason why I love the intersection of genealogy and Artifcts, and ​it’s also ​my defence of Artifcting things you don't actually own. It gives people a chance to share and to discover parts of their family's history that basic genealogy doesn't usually include.

Now, let’s check out this Artifcts collection!

The Artifcts

Out of the many possible objects and stories tied to Ellen’s May (maternal) and Bowker (paternal) heritage, here are the ones I chose for Ellen’s ​ancestral ​deep dive:

      • a piece of WWI trench art, 
      • two cemeteries, 
      • a town, 
      • a homestead, and 
      • a national historic site. 

Artifct #1: First World War Trench Art engraved "Leut AH Yorton"

The Artifct preview below shows a piece trench art, in this case a decorated artillery shell. The ​etching​​ indicates​ France, May 21, 1918, A. H. Yorton​.​ ​It ​commemorates the day Andrew Yorton entered the trenches with Wisconsin’s 127th Infantry. As this article from the Lewis Army Museum points out, it's not known whether Andrew created this piece himself or commissioned the work, but the article does offer amazing details of Andrew's service during WWI.

 
 
 
 
Trench art engraved "A. H. Yorton", illustration in "An Introduction to Trench Art: The Story of AH Yorton," Allie Krisko, "Virtual Exhibits," Lewis Army Museum, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, photograph on website (https://lewisarmymuseum.com/virtual-exhibits: accessed 23 October 2024).

And who is Andrew to Ellen?

Andrew Henry “Hank” Yorton (1886-1959) was Ellen’s ​second ​great-uncle, the elder brother of Ellen’s great-grandmother, Rena Yorton Wilson (1888-1965). ​In January 1906, ​Rena ​​married Glidden Wilson, ​​the very man who bought the family harp ​that ​Ellen has often referenced and shared here.

From a family history point of view, the story here is that Ellen’s great-grandmother and all the rest of her brother Andrew's family had to endure the long wait while he was away in France, never knowing if he would return. He sailed for France on February 18, 1918, and while the war officially ended on November 11, 1918, he​ didn’t leave​ France ​until​ December 10, 1918.

The US ​observes​ Veterans Day, and Canada Remembrance Day, every November 11th, making this ​shell ​a fitting Artifct to share and reshare this time of year.

Artifct #2:  Two cemeteries in Aurora, Kane County, Illinois 
 
Can a cemetery be an Artifct? In my book, yes! Cemeteries are pieces of our heritage that connect families to their past. As physical places, they create a tiny dot on the map where we can say, yes, this is part of me. I would be especially likely to keep a cemetery as an Artifct if it had several generations of my ancestors. I don't have that, but Ellen does, and then some!

In fact, Ellen’s maternal family ancestry converges in Aurora: If Ellen were to look at just this one geographic area, she would find the impact of multiple ancestral families.

The Marywood Cemetery in Aurora has the graves for Ellen’s May and other ancestors going back in a nearly unbroken line to their very arrival in the US.  
 
The ​Calvary​ Cemetery has the ​graves and memorials for the ​original May family immigrant parents, Johann Petur May (1799-1861) and his wife Anna Knapp May (1794-1857), who were from Luxembourg. Their son, Nikolaus May (1838-1909), buried in Marywood, was also born in Luxembourg. He emigrated with his parents and at least some of his siblings in 1856. 

The May parents died within a few years of their arrival, but their son Nikolaus, continued to live in Aurora, where he married Eva Kellen (1842-1910). Eva, while born in Germany, had a father who was native to Luxembourg as well. That’s why it’s unsurprising to see Luxembourg feature prominently in Ellen’s maternal side DNA profile.

Artifct #3: The Town of Clockville, New York

Clockville also gets my vote for another unconventional family history Artifct. It has a known connection to not one but two families in Ellen’s family tree (Yorton and Lamoreux). In addition, Clockville is so small, that if Ellen were to visit, no matter where she’d venture in Clockville, she’d probably be retracing her ancestors' footsteps.

Remember Ellen’s great-grandmother Rena Yorton from our Artifct above about the trench art? She descended from Paul Yorton (1793-1871) and among her siblings was a brother, Hank, who was born in Clockville, New York. This is just a hamlet, but in its cemetery, you will find their dad Paul, Ellen’s 4X great-grandfather.

It’s through Rena’s brothers that the connection the Lamoreux family is made: Hank married Electa Lamoreux, and George married Electa's sister, Elizabeth Jane. This connection between the Yorton and Lamoreux families persisted as a number of them migrated west from Clockville to Wisconsin, where Ellen grew up. The “Old Lamoreux place” near Ashland, Wisconsin, is well known and Hank’s and Electa’s son Morris lived there at the end of his life.

BONUS TIDBIT: When you’re conducting genealogy research you often find threads you don’t have time to pull in the moment. This is one of those threads and too good not to share. Previous research by Ellen’s aunt traces the Yortons back to the Netherlands and Germany, although some other members of Ancestry.com may have found different lineages than her aunt, including a potential family association with the Dutch East India Company in Cape Town. That may be valid or completely fanciful. More research for another day!

If Ellen were to visit [Clockville], no matter where she’d venture, she’d probably be retracing her ancestors' footsteps.

Artifct #4: Castle Garden Emigrant Depot

Castle Garden deserves an Artifct if for no other reason than to dissuade you from potentially thinking of Ellis Island as THE point of entry for immigrants to the US. Not so fast!

It’s understandable that many people associate Ellis Island with the immigration of their families, as many immigrants to the USA did pass through the famed location.

But "about 20% of Americans can trace their ancestry to someone who went through [the earlier arrival station] Castle Garden,” according to the US National Park Service. Ellen’s May ancestors immigrated to the US in 1856, which would have put them in the right time frame to be processed at Castle Garden.

Artifct #5: Bowker homestead, Shabbona, Illinois

For the 5th and final Artifct, we’re switching gears for a peek into the paternal (Bowker) side of Ellen’s family to place them on the map (wink, wink) before we close out this genealogical Artifct exploration.

On March 16, 1849, Daniel Bowker bought 160 acres of land from James Jack, a Private in the Army who was given a Military Warrant for the land. Here is a copy of the transfer document dated December 20, 1850.

 
 
Bureau of Land Management, land transfer James Jack to Daniel Bowker, no. 43544, 20 Dec 1850, for SW12-Tp38N-R3-E3M; image General Land Office Records (https://glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=1020-324&docClass=MW&sid=42unaev4.g2y#patentDetailsTabIndex=1 : accessed 16 Oct 2024).

The land is close to Shabbonna's Grove, named for Chief Shabbonna, a Potawatomi Chief and notable figure in the history of the area. Here is a map of Shabbonna Township, DeKalb County, Illinois from 1860, with Daniel Bowker's name on the south-west quarter of section 12.

 
 
 Lamb, Daniel W, Map of DeKalb County, Illinois (Philadelphia: Daniel W. Lamb, 1860), enlargement showing D Bowker's land (SW 1/4 of section 12, Shabonna Township); image, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4103d.la000110/?r=0.306,0.82,0.288,0.127,0 : accessed 16 Oct 2024).

You can see how the area looks today – wide open farmland – on Google street and satellite view. 

Genealogy and Artifcts

These are the sort of Artifcts that genealogy and family history research can turn up, with only a taste of the finer details left in to give you a feel for how genealogists go about the telling of family history. But for most people, it’s not about the historical facts and dates but the key themes, stories, and connections behind these discoveries that matter most. And have no doubt, there are loads of more conventional artifacts hanging out in Ellen’s tree should she go looking to Artifct them, too – census records, photographs, drawings, certificates of birth, marriage, and death, and so on.  
 
Artifcts is a wonderful place for keeping and sharing memories. The five Artifcts I've shared are about recovering memories, recognizing the connections, and discovering and sharing the stories and doing so in a way that resonates through the generations. I hope they inspire you to preserve and share your own family history discoveries, traditional or otherwise, too.

Happy Artifcting! 
 
Jill

Enjoy all things family history? Take a look back at these ARTIcles, too.

DIY Family History Book: Publish Your Artifcts with Akin

An Easier and More Personal Approach to Family History

Use Artifcts Timelines to Enrich Your Family History

10 Ways Genealogists are Using Artifcts That May Help You, Too

How to Artifct Family History and Heirlooms

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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65+ Years Old & Brain Health on Your Mind?

Let’s dispel a myth first thing in case it’s lingering in your mind: Dementia is not a normal part of aging.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, research has shown many risk factors contribute to causing Alzheimer's and other dementias, including genetics, behaviors, and habits. "While some risk factors, such as age and family history, may be set in their influence, there are many risk factors that can be changed to potentially reduce a person's risk of cognitive decline."

The organization Hilarity for Charity: Bringing Light to Alzheimer’s nicely summarizes some of these factors in this simple graphic (read more at https://wearehfc.org/5-brain-health-habits/):

5 Brain Health Habits

Artifcts wants to play a role in reducing the risk of cognitive decline and helping people to get ahead of symptoms to adjust those factors within their control and others that could be influenced through medical intervention, too.

How will Artifcts do this?

Glad you asked!

Join Our Brain Health Study Today!

Like many, our co-founder Ellen’s family has been enduring the uncertainty and fear that often come with a loved one living with dementia. We’re grateful to share with you an opportunity to potentially bring to this world an easy, early access screening tool to get ahead of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia that's as simple as creating 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Artifcts!

Information about joining a brain health study with Artifcts

 
 
CLICK THE IMAGE to learn more, or fill in the interest form at: https://redcap.link/2rbbhnwt 

The Artifcts-UMass Chan Medical Brain Health Study—funded by the Massachusetts eHealth Institute—is looking for volunteers age 65+ to join an at-home, Artifcts web/app-based research study that aims to answer whether the Artifcts platform can be used as a digital screening tool for cognitive health. Just imagine being able to screen your own brain health anytime, anywhere with the Artifcts you create every day anyway? We could flip the script and get people thinking about and acting on this information earlier than ever when more can be done to prevent and slow decline.

Participants will receive a one-year Artifcts membership at no cost to create and privately share Artifcts for the study, all from the convenience of your personal device (e.g., phone, tablet, or computer). You may be eligible if you are:

      • 65 years of age or older
      • Fluent in English
      • Able to give consent to participate; MCI/dementia status is not a determinant of participation
      • Able to provide/create audio files via Artifcts app or Artifcts.com

Please act today. We need your help to make this research study a success. Take the first step to enroll today and/or share with a friend or loved one who may qualify. Learn more >

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© 2024 Artifcts, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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