I'm a visual learner.

It's always better to show me how to do something rather than tell me. I love photographs. I love that they take a special moment and immortalize it. Not to say that I don't love a good story and I love hearing stories about my relatives.

Did you know that I'm related to the family with the largest number of tonsorial artists? The barber experience was much more than a haircut and a shave several years ago...and because there were so many tonsorial artists in my heritage, it's no wonder my interests are so varied and often combine science and art. One of my ancestors was Brigham Young's tonsorial artist and traveled with him. Rather than cutting Brigham's hair with scissors, the singeing technique was performed. It's very interesting, and I plan on diving in a little deeper to find more details and more stories from my family. I believe my mother has pictures somewhere too!

There is a document on project gutenberg from BYU and if you search the document at this link for the word, "tonsorial" you will find out more about John Squires, my relative. Here's the paragraph in the document: 

There was a wardrobe department, which was equal in importance if not

superior to the scenic arid property departments. This was presided

over by Mr. Claud Clive, an expert tailor, who with his assistants,

manufactured all the costumes for the male characters of the plays,

while the female costume department was presided over by Mrs. Marion

Bowring. Mr. Robert Neslen had general charge of the costume and wig

department, and dispensed the necessary apparel and wigs to the

company. There was also a tonsorial artist connected with the house,

who was always there to curl a wig or put it on in good shape for the

actors who needed such assistance. John Squires was the tonsorial

artist--he was a busy man in those days. He had his shop in a little

adobe house that stood directly opposite the "President's Office" on

the lot where the Amelia Palace was afterwards erected. John was the

President's barber, and had a large run of custom from the church and

tithing offices, besides nearly all the actors patronized him, so that

he was a prosperous man in the community. He continued to shave his

share of the people up to within a recent date, when he was obliged to

retire; "age with his stealing steps had clawed him in his clutch," so

this knight of the razor was reluctantly compelled to lay down the

implements of tonsorial art, the strong steady hand that once could

clean a man's cheek in about three strokes had grown weak and

tremulous, and but recently he passed peacefully away to that better

land where it is to be hoped there is no shaving or need of hair-dye.

His place is amply filled, however, for John has a numerous

progeny--and all his sons and grandsons, so far as we know them, are 

barbers. Here we find a true touch of heredity. 

On the same note, there is a really interesting and moving book that has just come out called "Dear Photograph," by Taylor Jones. Visit  http://dearphotograph.com/ for some awesome pictures and memories of families. Maybe you have some of your own you could share? Here's one that me or my children might be holding up in the same fashion someday...