New Books

I have 2 books to add to my genealogical library.  Genealogical Proof Standard by Christine Rose and The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Coomb and Joseph M. Williams.

I love new books.  I love old books.  Actually I love any book.  So I'm happy.

A Productive Week

The first week of the Do-Over has been productive.  I've decided the basics for the new file.  File naming, forms, storage and anything to do with basic research. Everything is neat and waiting for data.  I have started renaming documents and photos already.  I'm not really in a hurry as I can rename them as I work on the new file.  My folder naming will remain the same system, as it has worked well for me in the past.  I have used Folder Marker for a long time and colored my folders the same as I use in my RootsMagic to mark families.  My files, documents and photos, are getting a new system.  I didn't come up with it.  Diane Ritchie showed her naming system in the Facebook group Genealogy Do-Over and I adopted it with minor changes.  I'm happy with it.

I also watched Dear Myrtle's Beginning Genealogy Study Group.(YouTube link)  I really enjoyed it.  I will try to get to all of them.  I had enjoyed Mondays With Myrt as well this week.  You can see Mondays with Myrt on YouTube as well, or check the DearMyrtles's Genealogy Community on Google+.  I don't really know how to link to that one.

I am feeling better but the Do-Over has me excited again about my research. I have needed that in a big way.  I feel it has been a good start on week number one!

Genealogy Do-Over 2015!

 Finally it's a new year.  I can say with absolute certainty that I am not sorry to see the old year gone.  The past 2 years have been awful.  Today, I welcome this new year with the hope that it will be a better year.  I intend that it will be a more productive year.    For the first time I have set my intentions in writing.  Not resolutions.  Intentions.  I do not need to "resolve a problem".  My "intent" is to have a better year.  So I step into 2015 with purpose to have a great, productive year.  My hope is for better health and strength. 

I will start my year off in the morning with the Genealogy Do-Over.  I'll be following along with Thomas, putting the right research habits in place as I go.  I hope to learn a lot of new techniques.  I've been at this for so long, over 30 years, but I didn't start online until 1999.   I have a lot to work on in the citation area.  I am unable to travel so I will be learning good ways to obtain records by mail, I hope. 

I have been sitting and watching everyone rush around over this thing.  I can not move so quickly so I have waited.  I will be going at a slow pace.  I want to do it right this time.  I don't want to pile it on so big I run out of steam.  I really have a final goal to reach.   When you are told you are dying, a lot of stuff goes through your head.  One of my thoughts was my work.  Why had I worked so hard for so long on my family history?  What was I to do with it?  Well, I have figured that out.  My goal is to have a clean and well documented file to leave online and to create books to leave a hard copy for those who come in the future.  Tada!  I have a plan and I get to live too.  Good stuff there! 

I have closed my big file (a little over 7000 individuals) for the last time.  I will have a nice clean, empty file to start work on come morning.  When I open my shiny new  RootsMagic7 in the morning it will be the beginning of a new adventure.  By the way, congrats to Bruce for the "Best Genealogy Product of 2014" (for RootsMagic7) by Tamura Jones.   I will not argue about it as I am in total agreement!

Good Hunting Everyone!