Sunday, April 26, 2009

Blogoversary. . . Number 1

Well, it would seem that year number 1 is gone already. How time flies. I actually forgot all about it. I have been so busy lately that blogging has taken a back burner. Shame on me. But, I figure you have to go where life leads.
Thinking about when I started blogging brought to mind all that has transpired this year. I've met so many wonderful people. All of you Genea-bloggers! How marvelous you all are! I didn't even know you were out there. It's great to have gotten to know you all. I've learned so much and gotten so much work done as a result. I enjoy the community of like-mindedness. It's been a wonderful year full of results, friendships, lessons and fun. I've made more contacts than ever before. Can't ask for much more than that!
I can only hope that year 2 is just as productive. That I continue to grow in every area of my life. With Facebook and Twitter added to this blog, I find that it is easy to branch out even more, into places I thought I would never be. Explore other areas that I could not go before. So much to do and so little time.
You all have added such wonderful texture to the canvas of my life. Thank you all.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Still Plodding On . . . . .

I have been updating files. Actually, file. I am still working on my Janes/Jaynes file. I have entered hundreds of sources, numerous individuals, photos and documents. I still have to finish up adding the census cites then I will be done, completely up to date with my Janes/Jaynes family. Sounds good. But . . . . :o) . . . . I have 3 more to update after this one. It is going to take a while.
NEW PROMISE TO SELF:
I will enter sources, individuals and documents as I go. I will not say, "I'll do it later", not once! This will not happen again.
I hope I'm listening. I am sniffling, sneezing and headachy which requires meds. But, of course that is NO excuse. I'll be very mad at myself if I come to this point again in a couple of years.
I can't believe how it piles up so fast. Anyway, I pulled all my files of the people in the file and have gone through the notes again. Some little treasures there. They didn't fit the last time I went through them, they do now. That is always fun. Besides it is very nice to see how far along I have come on some of the lines in the file. While still at a standstill on others. In particular my David Janes in Kentucky. I think in the end I will have to go through all the Janes in the area and find where they belong. Perhaps then I can see another avenue in this family. Though I am still pretty certain that he is the son of David from the "History of the Janes-Peek Family by Dr. Collins. If that is the only Janes family/line in the area, I will be even more certain. I can't find his death. I know they came north to Indiana to Washington County after 1860, as he is in the Washington County census in 1870. But other researchers have him in Kentucky after that, so it is still up in the air. So the hunt will continue when I have the time.......
I am doing all of this in the RootsMagic 4. I am VERY happy with this program! I cannot even say how happy. Sources are a breeze. It's nice to NOT have questions about how to cite a particular source. I've run into just about every kind citable (if that is a word) and no questions. I wasn't sure about 3, but I am pleased with 4. I've gotten quite familiar with the program now too.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Techno Gen, My World - Blogging Prompt #14

I'll start off saying that over the past 3 days I have gotten so much work done! The only way to get used to a new program is to use it, use it, use it! So I did! I have added, to be exact now, 133 individuals (44 families), and 202 source/citations. I was using/learning the new RootsMagic4. I have to say I am really pleased. I wasn't sure about version 3 but this new one is excellent. The source/citing in particular. I could not have gotten so much done otherwise. I did not have to go to help at all. It is a really friendly program.
All of this is in only one of my files. the Janes/Jaynes file. I have my main file broken into 4, plus I have the kids and in-law files. (It's just easier for me to work on broken up.) So my first technology is the new RootsMagic4. (Bravo and thanks Bruce B.!!)
I'm actually rather low-tech. I use Windows Notepad a lot. I also use Treepad, the free version. Though during the past few days I have added notes to RM4's "To Do" under the person I need to do about. RM4 allows me to print them out so why have a dozen things up and running.
I never take in gedcoms from people or from online. I will go over them and by hand, extract things I need. I use MudCreeks GenViewer to open and look at gedcoms. I bought it several years ago and it continues to be fine, even when I made the change to Vista from XP. I worked on genealogy for many years before I got on the internet. So, I still tend to want to work on paper first, though I am getting very 21st century in the past couple of years! I may toss out those pencils yet!
Irfanview . This is the most important word people can learn! LOL! This little viewer has become THE most important image tool I have. It will batch resize! What a wonder! It will also open .gif format, which Windows no longer supports in Vista). I have PaintShopPro8 for doing any touch-ups, etc. to my images. I am happy with version 8 and have not updated. I also have GIMP, but I am not as comfortable with it.
Since blogging I have had so much help and a lot of contacts. I think blogs are the greatest thing since sliced bread for genealogy nowadays! Besides it's fun and you get to talk genealogy! Most people just want me to shut up. Now I can talk and talk.... (just click the little x on your tab above :o) Then there is Facebook, Twitter and all the other online goodies to help with the contact/aid and conversation part of the addiction...sorry, hobby. Let's see, I can Tweet and comment on FB at the same time, I can send a note, post, etc. from Diigo (Diigo is wonderful) to FB or Twitter. This is only the beginning........
NOW I have to learn "Cloud Computing"!
I really am a minimalist. The less stuff the more work as far as I am concerned.

This is my first time at Blogging Prompt. Nice!

RootsTech!

 Today is the day!!!!