Have They Untied The Knot?

Mr. Lambert has been my neighbor for 4 years already. He moved in with his wife of 14 years to the house previously occupied by the Samsons.

Although that house was not the biggest in the village, it was certainly liveliest. The Samsons always had barbecue parties during the weekends, while the Lamberts usually had dinner parties at least once a month.

Everything changed two years ago when Mr. Lambert’s wife left him. I’m not sure if they’re legally separated already. Some said that his wife already filed a divorce suit, while others told me that the couples simply agreed to live apart.

One of my neighbors asked me if I could do a little sleuthing on the former couple so that we could find out once and for all if the two have already severed their marital ties or are just living apart.

I don’t know if I’ll accede to the request. Mr. Lambert hasn’t been very open with us about the topic, so I’m quite sure that he would be quite upset if we will browse through his marital records.

Idle Mode

Does anybody have an idea on how to shake off holiday hangovers? I still can’t pull myself back up to work. My mind and body have been on “holiday mode” since the 23rd.

My boss allowed me to have the day off yesterday since most of the tasks that I have to finish this week can be done at home. I wasn’t able to accomplish anything, though. What a waste of time. I only had to conduct simple and routine online vital record checks, but I still wasn’t able to do it.

I really have to get my office adrenaline going. I’m expecting waves of paperwork after the New Year, and I’ll surely drown in them if I’ll still be in idle mode by next week.

My officemates have been exhibiting such symptoms, too. I just hope that we would be able to rebound in time. Otherwise, our boss would give us an extended and permanent holiday

Long Live Prof. Langley! :)

I can’t seem to take my mind off the party that I hosted two days ago. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that my social life has been rotting since college graduation. I’ve even hosted bigger parties before. However, the one that I threw on the 23rd was very special since that was the first time that my close college friends and I got together after we received our diplomas.

We spend the whole evening reminiscing. We talked about the campus heartthrob back then and our respective crushes. Of course, the ones who brought their spouses with them were quite silent when we were discussing the topic.

Our conversation suddenly turned to Prof. Langley. He was our very jovial humanities professor. I think nobody skipped his class for the entire semester. I volunteered to conduct a people search on him so that he’ll be able to attend next year’s reunion. Steven threw a distasteful joke by saying that I should do a death records search instead of a live people search since Prof. Langley was already very old when we got out of college.

Well, guess what Steven – I found him. And he’s still alive!

Adopting a Solution

I watched a re-run of 7th Heaven last week. I think I’ve already told you before that it’s one my of favorite TV shows.

The episode that I saw last Friday was about the struggles of two teenage boys who were separated from their mom because the latter had drug and drinking problems. Reverend Camden tried to reunite them, but the mother refused to take responsibility of her sons.

One of the solutions that Rev. Camden thought of was to send the two boys for adoption. However, their mother didn’t want to relinquish her rights over them.

It’s very crushing to see situations or problems such as the one presented in that episode of 7th Heaven. I’m sure that the story was based on an actual one, as many of the program’s episodes are. That’s one of the reasons why I’m quite hesitant when I’m asked to go through adoption records for a study or report. I usually make the lame excuse that the records are sealed. However, I’m fully aware of the fact that closed adoption files can be unsealed.

I wish every adopted child the best this Christmas season.

The Gift of Life and Good Health

Every family relishes the Yuletide season since it’s usually the only time of the year when they’re complete. Sure, there are also other holidays or occasions that draw family members together. However, it is only during Christmas when people will actually go through lengths to shun work and be with their loved ones.

It’s therefore sad and regrettable when a family member dies or gets sick during this season. I don’t know if there are credible statistics as to the number of people who die in the month of December. I hope that the numbers are low. I haven’t tried searching for a study on it on Google yet. Maybe I’ll conduct my own survey or research by checking online death records. But, then again, maybe I won’t. The last thing that anybody needs this season is a sad news or fact.

I hope that all of us will be blessed with good health this Christmas.

Sleigh Bells and Wedding Bells

I’m quite surprised by Hallmark’s findings that many couples don’t think that December is a good wedding month. August topped the survey, followed by June and July.

The festive mood of December should make it an ideal month for exchanging vows. Just imagine, renting a hillside villa for your honeymoon, waking on a chilly morning in each other’s arms, playing in the snow, and sipping a hot cup of chocolate thereafter.

But, then again, ‘tis the season of runny noses. Indeed, who would want to sniff their way through their “I dos.” I guess I’m just biased because December is my favorite month.

I haven’t randomly checked some marriage records yet to verify if the 9th place finish of my favorite month in Hallmark’s survey was justified. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised if I would only find two or three of these vital records that bear the month of December as the date of marriage.

Infidel

It’s Saturday again tomorrow. While some of my officemates would be heading out to the lake to learn fishing, I’ll be stuck in my garage to supervise its renovation. The two carpenters that I’ve hired weren’t able to finish the shelves last week, so they’ll be back tomorrow for the final touches.

My dad loves pocketbooks, so I guess you already know what those shelves are for. I tried reading one novel from his cold war selections. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’m enjoying it so far.

The author of the book I’m reading has a penchant for using the word “infidel.” I already counted 27, and I’m not even halfway through the novel.

An infidel in the former Soviet Union means a traitor, while an infidel here in the United States usually refers to a cheating spouse. The word may bear different meanings, but the process or means of catching a Soviet or American infidel nowadays is basically the same.

While catching a cheating spouse requires some of Ian Fleming’s ideas, it absolutely doesn’t require the use of a revolver. The end product of your sleuthing should be a divorce record (that is, if you caught him or her cheating), not an arrest warrant. 

Wedding Bell Jitters

My cousin flew in from Chicago to visit a relative of ours who’s expecting to give birth anytime this month. Philip is a doctor, and is currently training to become an anesthesiologist.

We had a good long talk yesterday. I asked him how his girlfriend is doing, and he said the she’s been having her mood swings lately.

Lina and Philip had been a couple for almost 4 years already. I always ask Philip on when he’s going to propose. He always says “soon.” Well, I’ve been getting that answer for almost 4 years now. Talk about redefining the word “soon.”

I asked him the same question again yesterday. This time, I got a different answer. It seems that the reason why he doesn’t want to get married is that he’s afraid that they might end up getting divorced in the future. I told him that that’s not the general rule, and that many couples end up parting ways because they didn’t try to understand, analyze, or anticipate the problem.

I don’t know if I was able to convince him that majority of all marriages in America doesn’t end up in divorce. I told him that if he’s really afraid of messing things up once they got married, then he should anticipate every problem that would most likely lead to divorce. He could do this by checking out the divorce records of others in order to learn from their mistakes.

Finding the Womb

I recently met an old high school friend at the airport. I was leaving for Portland at that time, while he was going to visit his parents in Dallas.

Fred showed me a few pictures of his wife and two lovely daughters that were taken on his cell phone. I asked him about his holiday plans, and he said that they’ll be spending it with his parents in Dallas. I told him that they should spend the New Year with his wife’s parents to even things up. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know where they are.

Deborah (Fred’s wife) was just adopted by her present parents when she was just 2 years old. While he wants to find out who her real parents and relatives are, Debbie seems to be hesitant in tracking them down. I told him that it would be hard to through with the undertaking without his wife’s cooperation, especially since adoption records are sealed.

I sure wish that we could’ve talked for a few more hours, but his flight was already called for boarding. Before we parted though, I gave him some quick tips on how to be able to check adoption records even if they are sealed. I hope that Debbie would cooperate with Fred. I’m sure every adopted person is curious as to the identity and whereabouts of his or her parents.

Struck by the Star

Do you ever wonder if the Hollywood star that you’re drooling over is already married? Many actors and actresses are getting dozens of marriage proposals from strangers all over the world whenever they appear in public. This doesn’t surprise me anymore. What amuses me though, is that some of the stars who are getting such proposals are already married.

A friend of mine once asked me, “what’s so amusing about it?” He told me that even ordinary married men and women get courted by other people. I agree with him. It would seem that there are people who don’t respect the sanctity of marriage anymore. However, those who do still commit the mistake of courting or letting themselves fall for a married person.

One of the reasons why many people fall head over heels for Hollywood starts is that they don’t know that they’re already married. This is not surprising, considering that many artists are concealing their true marital status.

I know that wishing for a star on your wedding day is somewhat surreal. However, if you want to keep it a little bit real, make sure that he’s not married. All you have to do to ascertain this is to check his marriage records. This vital record could either make your daydreams more believable or impossible.

The Best Evidence

What is the best evidence that could prove a person’s death?

I’m sure many of you would say that a death certificate would put to rest any suspicion as to whether or not a certain person is still alive. I agree with the majority on this. Indeed, even the courts would forego with lengthy eyewitness accounts about a person’s demise if it is shown a verified copy of the deceased’s death certificate.

However, there are times when death records do not conclusively prove that a person has already passed away. Believe it or not, there are documented cases where the person who was supposed to be dead appeared in the probate proceeding which was constituted to determine the amount of property that each of his heirs should receive.

I’m not saying that you receive or look at death certificates with a doubting mind. My point is, do not accept anything as gospel truths. If you’re confronted with any vital record, make sure that it is authentic and that the facts or claims stated therein are very likely to be true.

Blind Date

Paul and I have been setting up his brother on a blind date with one of my officemates. We wanted it to be a surprise for the both of them, but Sam had been very persistent in asking me for some details about his date.

I promised Sarah (my officemate) not to tell Sam anything about her except her name. She wouldn’t even let me tell him her age. This got Sam more curious as to the identity of his date.

I knew it was a mistake for me to have given him Sarah’s last name. Sam wasted no time in searching for any detail about her on the Internet. It’s a good thing that there are many Sarah Bakers in the state. He gave up on the search after spending 5 hours on the computer.

Sam looked at the wrong places. MySpace alone produced hundreds of results when he typed in Sarah’s name. He should’ve just checked an online birth record database or vital records search service for a look at Sarah’s background. Well, I guess he’ll have to wait until Saturday.

Not So Secret Marriages

Is there such a thing as a secret marriage? We’ve all seen movies wherein couples secretly escape from their parents who disapprove of their relationship, and ask a priest to marry them.

Stories like that are very romantic indeed, but they are far from being real (well, at least the part where their union stays unknown for eternity).

Vital records, such as those pertaining to marriage, are open to the public. Hence, one cannot validly claim that he or she had a secret marriage. Anybody could inquire or check out marriage records to verify if a person is married or not.

The civil status of a person is a matter of public concern or interest. Everybody has a right to know if one is married or not, especially if the former plans to enter into a contractual relation or agreement with the latter. Remember that marriage has certain implications on contracts entered into with either or both spouses.

Former Russian Spy Dies

I was quite surprised to hear that former Russian spy, Alexander Litvinenko, died from poisoning. Litvinenko has fled the former communist state for fear that he would be killed because of the disclosures that he had made against his former bosses.

Yesterday’s headline about his death would not have shocked me if the alleged murder happened 20 years ago when the former Stalinist state still had an iron grip on its citizens. But Russia is now a democracy, and its once feared KGB has already been decimated due to lack of funding.

Although the London hospital where Litvinenko was confined said that he died due to poisoning, some doctors and analysts claim that the cause of death has not yet been conclusively determined. I haven’t read the latest news on the issue yet. Maybe they have already determined the cause. I might have to check his death records online to verify if he has indeed died of poisoning, or of some other cause.

For Better or for Worse

Call me a hopeless romantic, but I’m one of those who espouse the belief or position that marriages should last longer than diamonds. It’s true that marital discords can’t be avoided, but the dissolution of the bond should not be the logical conclusion or remedy for such problems.

I’m quite disturbed by the fact that many spouses are too quick to jump the gun whenever they are beset with problems or disagreements. While some of the divorce decrees that I’ve read have cited justifiable grounds in dissolving the marriage, many have just based their decision on dubious grounds.

Spouses should read these vital records in order to forestall any similar event or conflict that might lead them to contemplate on having a divorce. The couples have started out with much love and hope for each other when they gave their vows on their wedding day. I believe that such affection can still be rekindled if the parties are given the chance to explore other avenues to resolve their differences.

Cloning

Are you fond of watching Arnold Schwarzenegger movies? Many say that the California governor acts like a cyborg or clone. Well, if I’m not mistaken, I think he did play the role of a clone or cyborg in one of his countless movies.

Cloning is a staple in sci-fi movies. The genre is replete with titles where humans or animals are being cloned in order to spy on their subjects or enemies. While present-day scientists have already cloned a sheep, I think it would still be quite some time before I can see my artificial twin.

There is another kind of cloning that is going on today that is more irritating and damaging than seeing a double of yourself kissing your spouse and playing with your dog.

Identity theft is becoming rampant, and the authorities are having a hard time curbing it. This kind of cloning robs you of critical personal information that are usually contained in various vital records, such as birth certificates. These data can be used to purchase things or consummate various kinds of transactions online! So be very careful when opening up to people. Who knows, you might find a clone of yourself buying things at e-Bay.

House H(a)unting

My sister made a surprise visit last Sunday. I was really glad to see her, but my initial reaction was anything but cheerful since I was still sleeping when she rang the bell.

I had no clue as to why she passed by. We talk regularly on the phone, but we seldom see each other because her place is a good 2-hour bus ride from mine. When I jokingly asked her if she was in the neighborhood to distribute Thanksgiving invitations, she just raised an eyebrow and told me that she was actually in town to look for a new home.

There’s a small unit a few blocks from mine that has been begging to be bought for over a year now. The vendor claims to be the son of the house’s previous tenant who died a year ago in Pennsylvania.

I haven’t seen that neighbor of mine for around 2 years already. I guess he really did pass away. Some of my neighbors are a bit skeptical, though. They suspect that the vendor is just trying to con his father. I haven’t told my sister yet about that house. I’m thinking of running a vital records search on the previous owner first, particularly for death records or files, before prodding her to seriously consider buying the unit.

Muscled and Aged-Out

Paul called me up a few days ago to ask if I wanted to watch his daughter’s soccer game. Being a rabid fan of football (soccer, I know), I happily obliged.

Lizzy plays midfield. She kicks hard and runs fast, but her stamina usually betrays her midway during the second half. She’s quite big for her age, but her opponents still outsize her. They even seem quite old to be enrolled in middle school.

Anyway, Lizzy’s team lost. Paul said that she takes defeats lightly. However, I heard her complain that some of the opposing team’s players are already over-aged.

I didn’t want to meddle, and I certainly wanted to give the other team the benefit of the doubt. However, I still told Paul that he should try checking out the vital records of Lizzy’s opponents, such as their birth records, in order to determine once and for all if the other team played fair or not.

I still haven’t heard from him about it.

Personality Prediction

One of the weird things that I love doing during my free time is personality-guessing. I don’t have a crystal ball for this hobby of mine. All I usually have are just vital records that were freely given to me. The subjects of my “experiment” are usually close relatives since they’re the only ones who are willing to fill me in on their birth and other personal details.

A person’s disposition or temperament will be mainly determined by his genes and by the environment under which he will be reared. If his parents are very kind and loving persons, then you could reasonably expect him to be the same when he becomes a parent. If he’s born and brought up in a place where everybody’s struggling, then you can bet that he’ll also be tough as he grows up.

A birth certificate doesn’t only tell how and when a person was born. This vital document could also very well predict how he will turn out to be in the future.

Is She... Dead?

I’m not really a fan of horror movies. Even if I’m already too old to believe in the boogey man, ghost movies and stories still scare the goose bumps out of me.

I was unfortunate enough to watch a frightening movie about a girl who was haunted by her sister whom she’d never met. The graphic and sound effects really did their thing because my goose bumps were never shy in showing themselves throughout the film.

My mind was hypnotized for 90 minutes, absorbing every detail that the director has thrown in the movie. When the film ended though, my mind started to work again and began questioning the storyline.

The girl in the movie suspected that it was her long lost sister who was haunting her. However, no proof of her death was ever shown. Hence, the ghost could’ve been anybody’s. She could’ve at least checked some databases containing death and other vital records to see if her sister was indeed already dead. Who knows, it might’ve turned out that that the ghost wasn’t that of her sister’s after all.

What a way to ruin the movie experience, huh?

The Best Evidence...

Which of the following can best tell or prove the date of your birth?

a. your mom
b. your dad
c. your birth certificate
d. all of the above

Your mom had probably etched that date in her heart (not to mention in her tummy when it’s a caesarian section) because of the pain and the joy that she felt when she gave birth to you. On the other hand, your birth record contains all the essential details regarding your natal day, including the people who took part in it.

Both sources are reliable. However, your birth certificate weighs heavily since it is the best evidence of your existence. If both sources would be pitted against each other in court, the paper would definitely win. The law gives more credence to documentary transcripts or accounts of an event than to oral testimonies. The reason for this is simple – man’s memory is fallible.

Vital Friends and Relatives

Going through government registries or databases for a person’s birth records or marriage records can be a bummer. Acquiring these documents might also take days and will also cost you a few dollars. You might be wondering then if there is an easier or cheaper alternative. Well, of course there is, and it doesn’t even require the participation of your purse or wallet.

If you want to know a person’s birth date, or if he is still single or married, try asking his relatives. Choose only the immediate ones though, preferably his parents or siblings. Cousins are not really that reliable. My cousin Anne lives only a few blocks away and we frequently go out on family gatherings, but still I can’t get her birth date nailed on my mind.

Friends are also good alternatives to vital records as far as personal info is concerned. Take note of the rule that I’ve mentioned with regard to relatives. Ask only his close friends. Don’t rely on just one either. Ask two or three of his friends so that you’re more or less sure that the information you’ve received are correct.

Don’t Waste Paper

Having too much of anything is definitely bad. Likewise, focusing on a particular thing with a frightening intensity makes one miss the whole picture. Everything has to be taken in moderation. Hmmm... so what am I getting at? Well, I just realized that I may have excessively highlighted the importance of vital records in my previous posts.

There’s nothing wrong with relying on official records to verify a person’s claim as to his personal circumstances. However, relying solely on them may be a little bit too much, especially if the reason for it is not that important. I mean, you wouldn’t ask your best friend for his or her birth certificate when she fills out the “date of birth” line in your journal would you?

Resorting to vital records to verify a person’s background or personal circumstances is justified if it concerns an important transaction or activity. However, don’t ask for a death certificate when your friend tells you that her father has just died and that she wants you to come to the funeral. Such insensitivity might earn you a similar certificate of your own.

Substituting the Vital for the Worthless

Vital records provide detailed personal information about a person. For example, birth certificates contain a person’s complete name, the name of his or her parents, and their nationalities. Obviously, this document reveals much about a person.

I’m often surprised then as to why people ignore these vital records when conducting background checks. Some even look at various employment or school records for information that are explicitly stated in single-page birth certificates.

Maybe people ignore vital documents because the information contained therein are the basic ones you could easily get from verifying one's e-mail address or blog page. However, those sources of information are provided for by the person himself so there is a big chance that the data may not be accurate or complete due to inadvertence.

Keep in mind that many do not trust the people that they communicate with on the Internet. Hence, it would not be surprising if some of the personal details that they post on the Internet are false. In fact, this is even advisable to prevent identity theft, which is rampant in cyberspace. Official records are still the best sources of information since they are verified.

Who Are You?

Are you fond of using Yahoo! Messenger, or Windows Messenger? I love chatting with people I do not know, especially if they’re from another country. I learn a lot of things about people and culture through online chat networks.

Several years ago, I got close with one of my chatmates from Hong Kong. Her name is Jennifer Hwang. We’ve been chatting for about a year then. In one of our conversations, she asked me if I wanted to take a vacation in their country. Although I had no immediate plans of going to that part of the world, I still said yes because I really did want to see Victoria Harbor.

She offered to be my tour guide. I thought that was great considering that I don’t know anybody in Hong Kong. However, I only half-heartedly considered her offer. Even though we’ve been chatting for quite some time then, I still had doubts as to her identity. Years have passed and I didn’t push through with the vacation plan. I guess I should’ve just checked some of her vital records, such as her birth certificate, to see if she was really telling the truth about herself.

Well, I guess it’s too late for that. She already migrated to Canada.

As Good as the Real One?

I recently visited a friend of mine in their new house. The façade looked great and refreshing, but the furniture arrangement inside looked like a cut and paste job from their old apartment. I guess they spent more time on the paint than on the furniture lay out.

They were still fixing some things on the kitchen so I decided to spend some time with their daughter. She was very lively and kept on asking things. I then saw her opening up her account on My Space. She has about 100 friends on her list. Wow. I can’t imagine an 11-year old girl having that many friends. I asked her if she knows each of them. She said yes and started telling stories about each of them. I was surprised because she knows their full name, age, address, and all sorts of details that you could only know by verifying one’s vital records.

It then occurred to me that online communities such as My Space or Friendster could be an alternative or informal repository of vital records as far as birth, marital, and other personal details are concerned. Of course, they are not reliable or credible. But for those who just want to take a peak at the vital records of others, My Space and Friendster could somewhat quell that curiosity in them.

Honesty Needs a Policy

In a world where a man’s word or claim is just as good as that of another’s, the need and importance of evidence can never be sufficiently stressed. You should always have something that can back your words up.

The same thing is true with regard to your identity. Unless you’re a celebrity where everybody recognizes you despite layers of disguises, you can’t expect to process or consummate a transaction without showing any proof of your identity.

IDs, birth certificates, social security data, and other vital records have made transacting convenient and safe. Without it, fraud would be rampant.

Hey, I could be Michael Jackson if I want to without those vital records to prove me otherwise. Just imagine life without them. It would simply be chaotic. But then again, it might be great. Without my birth certificate, I could easily claim that I’m still in my early 20s. Unfortunately though, nature has a way of showing that you’re lying about your age. If only I had more hair…

Proof of Existence

Cyberspace was just blossoming when the Sandra Bullock thriller, The Net, made it to the box office. The movie was about an ordinary employee who inadvertently entered a prohibited Web site that contained very sensitive information about a crime.

For fear that Bullock might soon disclose what she saw to the authorities, the perpetrators of the felony decided to get rid of her. They first began by erasing her identity in all government and private databases. Of course, the first to go was her birth data. Everything else followed, from her social security information to her credit card records.

The movie made me realize how important vital records are. These documents are proofs of your existence! If you don’t have that many relatives or friends, then those records are the only ones that you could rely upon to show that you are who you really claim to be. Without them, you’re just another faceless John Doe...

Romancing the Stone

Reality TV shows are the IN thing right now as far as primetime television is concerned. I would probably need an extra paper if somebody would ask me to list all reality programs that are currently on air in various TV and cable channels.

“Survivor” has obviously edged out the others in gluing viewers to the tube. My favorite though, is “The Amazing Race”. However, of all the reality entertainment programs that I’ve come across with, Joe Millionaire struck me the most. This show is all about a guy who is depicted as the most eligible bachelor in America because of his wealth and good looks.

The competitors are several gorgeous women who are given time and opportunities to get to know Joe without the glitters. I sometimes wonder if they would like Joe without the “bling blings”. There are some men or women who marry for money. Not surprisingly, many of them divorce their spouses a few months or years thereafter.

If you think you’re partner just wants to romance the stones on your fingers, check out for possible divorce decrees under his or her name. This vital record might save your heart (and money) from unnecessary pains and losses.

Divorce Decree – A Fact of Life

I’m not really a fan of romance novels, but Richard Gere and Julia Roberts movies still sometimes make their way through my weekend DVD list. I guess there’s really a hopeless romantic in each of us that burns strongly when fanned by tales of love.

A divorce decree is virtually the proverbial “pail of water” for those who keep on dreaming that love stories always end up the way Danielle Steel wants them to. Indeed, a Stephen King novel is sometimes more believable than those rosy paperbacks that usually end up as New York Times’ #1 bestseller.

Vital records, such as divorce decrees, chronicle the various facts in our lives. Although it speaks of a period or moment that is sometimes worth forgetting, it shouldn’t be relegated to the “Recycle Bin” of our brain. The document may not tell a very desirable tale, but it is important (and sometimes entertaining, too) just the same.

What are Vital Records?

Ok folks, listen up... :)

Vital records are called as such because they are made up of documents that document the most vital / important / fundamental moments in our lives. So what are they? They are birth, marriage and death records. These three were the original vital records but today we also include divorce records on the list.

Why one needs vital records is varied and complex. Some use it for business, some for personal reasons, and others just out of simple curiosity. But don't worry, we'll cover all these myriad details in my next posts. Stay tuned!