As you know, I tend to get behind in my tasks when a thing called "life" gets in the way, and participating in Amy Coffin's 52 Weeks to Better Genealogyhttp://www.geneabloggers.com/52-weeks-genealogy/is one of my behind tasks. I love her ideas, and actually made a list of the ones she did last year to use as future blogs if i ever need an idea.
This entry is from Challenge # 5- Play With WorldCat
I actually have played with it a few times since the challenge was announced. The first thing that I learned was to write my search term as "SURNAME" family history. When I did this I was pleasantly surprised to discover several books that existed about members of my family in which I had no idea.
For example, I am a descendant through the Cozart, Cossairt family who came to the United States by landing in New Jersey in the 1600s. When I entered "Cozart family history" in the search box, a book surfaced called "A genealogy of the three branches of the Bumpass family...John Bumpass (1736-1813)...Samuel , who died in 1776... Winnifred (1745-1819), who married Anthony Cozart III in 1739.. written by William Moses Jones. A 2nd entry for this book goes into further detail by discussing these three branches, including the connection to Plymouth. What was confusing about the entry was that it stated "no libraries with the specified item were found.' That was confusing to me since i thought the purpose of Worldcat was to tell me where to find the results.
In another case for my Raley Family, I was referred to an internet site for further research and to a county repository for loose family papers.
In all three cases I was thrilled. I have new information to seek out, and other sources to use in verifying what I know at this point. One source builds to another, etc. and I can see the definite benefit of WorldCat and will place it in my arsenal.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Update on the Winter Games
Although I do not have much to show for in my medal count for the past few days, the experience itself is so much more valuable.
My focus today was Category 6- Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
Task A; Comment on a new genealogy blog (to me) was easy and I found several that struck a chord for me to leave a comment on.
Task G: Use the Follow feature on a Blogger-based genealogy blog and follow one or more blogs. I definitely added to my Google Reader tonight, first by viewing some of the newer blogs that have been featured recently, and then by starting to read some of the other blogs that are participating in the Winter Games. I love reading what others have to write, but the irony is that in doing so I did not even get through all the Olympic participants to view tonight in order to move on to some scanning I had planned. How do those of you that subscribe to hundreds of blogs do it? Everyone has so much to say.
So my count tally to date is rather small, but I am learning and growing in the experience.
To date: Back Up Your Data- I have earned a medal
Organize Your Research:- Silver Medal
Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acs of Kindness- Silver Medal
Tomorrow I hope to spend some time on citing some sources that need my attention, figure out why DropBox is fighting with me, expand my knowledge of maps, and catch up on 52 weeks of genealogy challenges. Whew! We'll see how that goes!
In the meantime, take a moment to use the symbolism of the Vancouver Olympics and the stories of athletes who have overcome obstacles in which no one believed they would walk again, or run, or compete and how they broke through their own brickwalls just to be in the moment as inspiration to try "one more avenue" for that elusive ancestor or piece of documentation that has to be out there somewhere in your own travels today.
My focus today was Category 6- Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acts of Kindness!
Task A; Comment on a new genealogy blog (to me) was easy and I found several that struck a chord for me to leave a comment on.
Task G: Use the Follow feature on a Blogger-based genealogy blog and follow one or more blogs. I definitely added to my Google Reader tonight, first by viewing some of the newer blogs that have been featured recently, and then by starting to read some of the other blogs that are participating in the Winter Games. I love reading what others have to write, but the irony is that in doing so I did not even get through all the Olympic participants to view tonight in order to move on to some scanning I had planned. How do those of you that subscribe to hundreds of blogs do it? Everyone has so much to say.
So my count tally to date is rather small, but I am learning and growing in the experience.
To date: Back Up Your Data- I have earned a medal
Organize Your Research:- Silver Medal
Reach Out & Perform Genealogical Acs of Kindness- Silver Medal
Tomorrow I hope to spend some time on citing some sources that need my attention, figure out why DropBox is fighting with me, expand my knowledge of maps, and catch up on 52 weeks of genealogy challenges. Whew! We'll see how that goes!
In the meantime, take a moment to use the symbolism of the Vancouver Olympics and the stories of athletes who have overcome obstacles in which no one believed they would walk again, or run, or compete and how they broke through their own brickwalls just to be in the moment as inspiration to try "one more avenue" for that elusive ancestor or piece of documentation that has to be out there somewhere in your own travels today.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Winter 2010 Olympics- An Update
This is one of those nights when I can't sleep with so much on my mind so I thought it was the perfect time to open the laptop in the dark and address some of the tasks and categories for the Winter Olympics.
I began this with much excitement and unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way (needing to buy a new router (those of you who read this blog know that I must have a ghost who curses electronics), our girls basketball team is in the throes of basketball tournament fever (and that's BIG if you live in Indiana!), and so on. However, I have been able to dedicate some time to my categories.
Category 2: Back Up Your Data
Task C: Back up all your data using a flash drive, an external drive, CDS, DVDs, or an online source.
I happen to use all of the above at this time. Every time I download my pictures from the camera,
I immediately save all new data to 2 different external hard drives. One of them goes in a
waterproof safe and the other leaves the house. (This is happening approx. 1x a month) After any
info is downloaded or added to my FTM program I save it to a flash drive and also to one of the
external hard drives.
Current count in Category 2: 1 medal
Category 3: Organize Your Research
Task C: Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, sctapbooks, collages, protective holders, etc.
I am currently taking a scrapbooking class called "Library of Memories" from Big Picture
Scrapbookinghttp://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/ and our current asssignment invloves this very
task, except on a larger scale. So I have just organized a couple years of photos over the past 2
weeks with more to go.
Task E: Create at least 20 data entries in your database, or scan 20 photos, or scan 20 documents.
I am currently scanning a couple small albums of my mothers that are full of cemetery photos and
houses that family members have lived in throughout Illinois, Indiana, & Kentucky. As of this
writing that numbers to approximately 75 photos (and they are also being immediately being
backed up.
Current Count in Category 3: 2 medals
There is much more to do and I am really looking forward tomorrow to reading several of the new blogs I haven't looked at yet, as well as learning how to add photos to Find a Grave, and some of the other tasks.
In the meantime, say a little prayer for my girls here in Indiana will you? They are playing at the next level tomorrow and I would really like to see them move up to semi-state, especially since this is senior year for some special ones to me.
Until next time, keep plugging away and may you find much success.
Kim
I began this with much excitement and unfortunately sometimes life gets in the way (needing to buy a new router (those of you who read this blog know that I must have a ghost who curses electronics), our girls basketball team is in the throes of basketball tournament fever (and that's BIG if you live in Indiana!), and so on. However, I have been able to dedicate some time to my categories.
Category 2: Back Up Your Data
Task C: Back up all your data using a flash drive, an external drive, CDS, DVDs, or an online source.
I happen to use all of the above at this time. Every time I download my pictures from the camera,
I immediately save all new data to 2 different external hard drives. One of them goes in a
waterproof safe and the other leaves the house. (This is happening approx. 1x a month) After any
info is downloaded or added to my FTM program I save it to a flash drive and also to one of the
external hard drives.
Current count in Category 2: 1 medal
Category 3: Organize Your Research
Task C: Organize at least 20 photos into photo albums, sctapbooks, collages, protective holders, etc.
I am currently taking a scrapbooking class called "Library of Memories" from Big Picture
Scrapbookinghttp://www.bigpicturescrapbooking.com/ and our current asssignment invloves this very
task, except on a larger scale. So I have just organized a couple years of photos over the past 2
weeks with more to go.
Task E: Create at least 20 data entries in your database, or scan 20 photos, or scan 20 documents.
I am currently scanning a couple small albums of my mothers that are full of cemetery photos and
houses that family members have lived in throughout Illinois, Indiana, & Kentucky. As of this
writing that numbers to approximately 75 photos (and they are also being immediately being
backed up.
Current Count in Category 3: 2 medals
There is much more to do and I am really looking forward tomorrow to reading several of the new blogs I haven't looked at yet, as well as learning how to add photos to Find a Grave, and some of the other tasks.
In the meantime, say a little prayer for my girls here in Indiana will you? They are playing at the next level tomorrow and I would really like to see them move up to semi-state, especially since this is senior year for some special ones to me.
Until next time, keep plugging away and may you find much success.
Kim
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Genealogy Games- Winter 2010
Hi to all those who live in the so-called warmer climates and have not been hit with some sort of snow or blizzard this winter. After our last winter blast that fell overnight Sunday with several more inches the kids are out of school for 2 days, cars are sliding through the intersections, and one more politician has suddenly decided to resign from the Senate, our own Evan Bayh. Whatever your feelings, its just one more knock on a crazy time that historians will be able to write about in years to come.
I failed to establish a plan of attack in my competition for the Winter Olympics and felt I had better get down to a few plans and ideas at this point since the opening Ceremony is over and unexpected withdrawals and changes are aflutter in Vancouver and I would not want that to derail my plans.
So my categories are: Cite Your Sources, Back up Your Data (perfect for one who is fighting this issue right now), Organize Your Research, Expand Your Knowledge, Write! Write! Write!, and reach Out and Perform Random Genealogical Acts of Kindness. Each category has a list of tasks, A through F or G, so tomorrow I set up a small table to let you know how I am doing within each category and my medal total.
I love this idea so much for its unconventional manner in assisting me in getting a list of tasks completed that are already sitting inside my "to do" binder. I plan to use it as the beginning of a training regiment of maintaining focus.
Please keep in there with us as we work through this process.
Until tomorrow, Kim
I failed to establish a plan of attack in my competition for the Winter Olympics and felt I had better get down to a few plans and ideas at this point since the opening Ceremony is over and unexpected withdrawals and changes are aflutter in Vancouver and I would not want that to derail my plans.
So my categories are: Cite Your Sources, Back up Your Data (perfect for one who is fighting this issue right now), Organize Your Research, Expand Your Knowledge, Write! Write! Write!, and reach Out and Perform Random Genealogical Acts of Kindness. Each category has a list of tasks, A through F or G, so tomorrow I set up a small table to let you know how I am doing within each category and my medal total.
I love this idea so much for its unconventional manner in assisting me in getting a list of tasks completed that are already sitting inside my "to do" binder. I plan to use it as the beginning of a training regiment of maintaining focus.
Please keep in there with us as we work through this process.
Until tomorrow, Kim
Saturday, February 13, 2010
2010 Winter Games- Let Them Begin!
I have been amiss in the past week to ten days in my blog activities for a variety of reasons, the best being that her high school basketball team is currently in the throes of tournament time (and won quite a "barn burner" tonight-one of those "Indiana terms that seems to surface every year in February.)
Regardless, I was pleasantly pleased to see on Geneabloggers http://www.geneabloggers.com/ that there is an Olympic event for genealogists. The 2010 Winter Games have several sports, including the ones I plan to participate in: Back Up Your Data, Organize Your Research, Expand Your Knowledge, and Write! Write! Write! In each category there are a list of tasks to complete. The more done during the Olympics, the better the medal.
For example, in Write! Write! Write! the tasks include: write a summary of what your blog is about and publish it on your blog, participate in a genealogy or family history related carnival, and write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.
I really like this for several reasons: an opportunity to globally participate with other bloggers in a fun event, its a reminder to stick to those New Year Resolutions I made on this blog just a few weeks ago, and it gives me some new tools to investigate and try out in my family research.
Consider partciapting in this fun exploration. Even if you only complete one task in one category you are one step farther than you were yesterday!
Regardless, I was pleasantly pleased to see on Geneabloggers http://www.geneabloggers.com/ that there is an Olympic event for genealogists. The 2010 Winter Games have several sports, including the ones I plan to participate in: Back Up Your Data, Organize Your Research, Expand Your Knowledge, and Write! Write! Write! In each category there are a list of tasks to complete. The more done during the Olympics, the better the medal.
For example, in Write! Write! Write! the tasks include: write a summary of what your blog is about and publish it on your blog, participate in a genealogy or family history related carnival, and write a brief biographical sketch on one of your ancestors.
I really like this for several reasons: an opportunity to globally participate with other bloggers in a fun event, its a reminder to stick to those New Year Resolutions I made on this blog just a few weeks ago, and it gives me some new tools to investigate and try out in my family research.
Consider partciapting in this fun exploration. Even if you only complete one task in one category you are one step farther than you were yesterday!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wordless Wednesday- 10 February 2010- a small town jail
This is the jail for Maunie, White County, Illinois in its hey day. I have to admit that more than one ancestor spent a night there. It's not in use today, but stands as one of the reminders of an earlier age.
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