17 May: a word from Judy is to write often. It doesn't have to be a lot; just write frequently.
11 May: writing is scary but also consistent with giving back to our communities. Write and write often and it gets easier and easier. You find that you are your harshest critic. So, be gentle on yourself.
8 May: didn't realize it had been so long since I blogged. I commit to doing better even if the weather is fabulous outside.
30 Mar: it's a beautiful day here in Seattle. We have to enjoy each of these gifts of good weather when we get them as predictable good weather won't be here until July.
14 Mar: tomorrow is the Ides of March (Ides is the 15th of every months, so there is also the Ides of April!) Don't forget the women! (Abigail Adams)
9 Mar: later: try doing up a research plan for one of your tough problems. It might reveal some hidden discrepancy or lack of documentation which you can fill. Perhaps it will lead you to a "Eureka Moment!!
9 Mar: look at your personal library, even if you aren't a genealogist and see what is there and what isn't. Do you have some gaps. Fill them and remember some of these gaps can be filled with a digital library of free books available on the web.
18 Feb: sometimes the obscure is far more interesting than that which is easily revealed!
2 Feb: Hug a librarian! They are special people.
28 Jan (later): compare indexes. There are different approaches and they make a difference in how easily you use the book.
28 Jan: Write, write, write!!! and then write some more. I am tryhing to get very comfortable writing in a genealogical style. I am not a great writer but I can get better. I am not a great exerciser either but I work at it!
2 Dec: Have you really read Evidence Explained? You should take some time to do that....these "dark days" are good ones to start to get comfortable with the theory behind the output (citations.)
25 Nov: Post Turkey Day Stress Syndrome. We went to a friend's house and therefore, I have no leftovers! What to eat while watching the football games? Luckily it's soup weather here in the NW.
12 Nov: On the next a rainy or snowy day, cuddle under your flannel quilt with a good book and a cat in your lap. Warm cider makes everything just right. Take time to appreciate the change of seasons and the shortening of days.
23 Sept: I am procrastinating on something. Have to get after it tonight! If you have something you are procrastinating about, don't.
3 Sept: Happy Anniversary Blog! You are 1 year old today.
30 Aug: using a table can sometimes clarify thinking so that those brick walls will come tumbling down!
26 Aug: It's a gorgeous day in the NW. I am going to garden.
22 Aug: sometimes it's a single clue that tips the balance and sometimes its the "weight" of the evidence. Both are valid; both require careful analysis to arrive at the conclusion.
18 Aug: what have you done for the community of genealogists lately?
31 Jul: my yoga teacher has us state an intention before every practice, something we are bringing in and something we are letting go of. I am working on bringing in patience and letting go of anxiety.
5 Jul: I am off to the Newberry on Saturday. Looking forward to exploring this wonderful private library. I will also be with a new friend I met at the NGS conference. She might even convince me to "go on the clock!"
17 Jun: In the NW we have to enjoy every sunny day as they are a gift. It might be harder to do in other climes but I urge you to try.
29 May: It's time to assess where I am at with my documents etc. I would love to join Karen and Samford but not this year. Perhaps next.
27 May: Memorial Day was spent with my mother going to the cemetery to put flowers on the graves of her parents and in-laws. I never figured out why she did it. I now live 1/2 a continent away and cannot lay flowers on her grave. Now, I understand.
29 Apr: I wrote the last blog when I was very distracted. Hope it is ok. My tree peonies are blooming and look fabulous. I will post a picture soon.
27 Apr: don't hesitate to send me questions about the conference while I am there. I would appreciate knowing what you are thinking.
15 Apr: Tax Day. Our day to pay for all those wonderful services we get from national and state entities such as libraries and historical societies, NARA and other national groups. Pay with pride and know that we have some of the lowest tax rates in the world of the developed countries!
13 Apr: I am already getting excited about the NGS Conference (Cincinnati in early May). I look forward to meeting you. Keep in touch.
3 Apr: Have you listened to the hype around the 1940 census? It will be interesting to /use but I am not one to "shove someone else aside" to see it.
24 Mar: enjoy the delight of your client when you present your product. Of course, your findings also might not be to their liking which raises other issues, but that's why it is even more important to enjoy the ones who are happy!
17 Mar: Professional Genealogist is a great reference for the person like me who is just starting.
26 Feb: Every experience, good and bad, teaches us something, if we are just open to learning the lesson!
25 Feb: I know nothing about Irish research and so I listened to a couple of the famiysearch.org videos on the topic. While that does not make me an expert, I certainly know more than I did!
22 Feb: Have you listened to a webinar lately? I am listening to Geneabloggers Radio show on Friday night (not a webinar, I know) and watching a number of online video feeds. I recommend you check out geneawebinars.com; it's a common posting site for upcoming webinars.
19 Feb: Don't be afraid to change course when it appears you are going down the wrong road. But, also do not feel obligated to do so, because you are told to; especially, if you feel passionate about the journey you are on.
13 Feb 2012: remember, the more you write the more chance for lack of coordination or increased mistakes. but, alternatively, complete the job to it's fullest. Make it be something of which you can be proud.
4 Feb 2012: don't be afraid of doing a major revision or even starting over with your writing. You will become more efficient as you work at it.
22 Jan 2012: visit a library; they are amazing places. If you cannot visit a library in person, check out the holdings of your state historical archive/society. They have a wealth of information available.
15 Jan 2012: Check out a NARA class or other classes in your area. There are lots of things to learn.
7 Jan 2012: It is great fun to check out your surname in the Oxford English Dictionary. For example, I found out that Bode was 9th c. for Messenger. Later, I identified the ancestor who carried the mail between two cities in Ostfriesland in the 1700's and took the name Cornelius de Bode, my mother's birth name!
1 Jan 2012: Have a great 2012! I am.
30 Dec 2011: Thematic Networks or something like them may have a place in your analytical toolbox, especially for interviews.
24 Dec 2011: Have a very happy holiday. Interview an older relative. Remember even your older brother has a different perspective of your parents and grandparents than you do.
18 Dec 2011 (later): might be interesting to try this exercise on some other of the articles as well.
18 Dec 2011: what's in your toolbox?
11 Dec 2011: for the type of analysis that genealogists do, the question of "what is enough" is always a grey area.
10 Dec 2011: Carefully think about each relationship and on which clues you are actually basing your conclusion. If it leans towards "possible" you might want to gather more information/evidence.
3 Dec 2011: enjoy the days before Christmas. I think they are the most fun! Our tree is up! How about yours?
3 Dec 2011: The hotel for the conference was already sold out of the great rate rooms at the beginning and the end of the conference. Even if you don't know if you are going to Cincy, book the room. No harm; no foul.
27 Nov 2011: PM: don't lose sight of the goal....to be a better researcher in genealogy. Certification cannot make a bad researcher better.
27 Nov 2011: AM: Keep working on the assignments all the time but with "rest" time in-between. They improve with reworking. By letting them sit for a while, the assignment can be more dispassionately read and self-critiqued.
23 Nov 2011: Happy Thanksgiving! "You know you ate too much at Thanksgiving when you have to let out your bathrobe".....Jay Leno
19 Nov 2011 (PM): it is nice to assess your progress every once in a while. It keeps you grounded in what you need to do to advance further.
19 Nov 2011: Every once in a while, take reasonable risks. It's good for the soul.
6 Nov 2011: The Client Report is probably the only place that some graphic creativity can be exhibited. But then again, you won't be graded on your color selection!
5 Nov 2011: Today my mother would have been 100 years old. Happy Birthday, Mom. I love you.
29 Oct 2011: You need to spend the time to get your set up right for the way you work. Make sure you leave room for the cat!
29 Oct 2011: I use The Master Genealogist software program and find that it masters flexibility; however, it is not graphically appealing.
27 Oct 2011: It is not idly I recommend going to your academic library but rather that they have materials to support your genealogy research. Even the driest of lineage papers can be made less so by the addition of "narrative pictures" describing context, mores and life patterns.
25 Oct 2011: do as I say, not as I do.....write every day. Research is so seductive that one has to have a discipline about writing. Now, I just need to take my own advice.
23 Oct 2011: check out Michael Hait's blog: http://michaelhait.wordpress.com/category/board-for-the-certification-of-genealogists/ He has some very interesting observations about applying for certification and what didn't (primarily) work. Very enlightening to me.
19 Oct 2011: Read even the articles you disagree with as they will also give you new ideas, some of which you will accept or reject.
17 Oct 2011: while it would be nice to just pick one format and go with it, my experience is that this is not as easy as it sounds. There is no silver bullet that I see except working through each one. For me, writing citations does not come naturally.
16 Oct 2011: use a chronology when you have a lot of information that has a span of time associated with individual components. You can then compare and contrast that information against historical events.
15 Oct 2011: I consider asking people for help in areas where you may not have as much knowledge, part of the educational process.
14 Oct 2011: I am planning on going to the NGS conference in May of next year. Maybe you will go also and we could get together for a chat. What do you think?
12 Oct 2011: when you get a chance to do genealogical hunting, enjoy it. Too often we find ourselves laboring when this is the part that we should pause and appreciate.
8 Oct 2011: In genealogy, we rarely can say that what we write is absolutely true. We rely on clues and probability. It's critical to understand that we are selective in what we accept or do not accept as proof and that we outline why we come to the conclusions we do.
4 Oct 2011: let your work product sit for a day or two, then reread it. Sometimes you see things you missed before--grammatical errors, syntax problems and lack of clarity.
4 Oct 2011: for the client work, since you can limit the number of hours you work on it, consider doing something WAY outside your comfort zone. It's a chance to learn about a region or topic you know little about.
26 Sep 2011: follow your instincts and do not compromise.
25 Sep 2011: Try outlining your paper and see if the document withstands that higher level scrutiny.
24 Sep 2011: Be dispassionate about what and how you write. Write something you would want to read. The Case Study is a mystery and you are the detective. How did you solve it?
22 Sep 2011: Sometimes you have to ask for help from others. I am a firm believer in the "cosmic account".....I do not count the times I help someone as I know that over the years so many people have helped me that I am always in deficit!
14 Sep 2011: Don't be afraid to ask for help. I go to quilt shops with my friend even if she knows that I have no interest in quilting but I love fabric and colors. She likes being my "lovely and able research assistant" to help me.
11 Sep 2011: Don't buy Greenwood's book unless you really think you need it. I think that using a library copy will get you all the info you need. This is particularly true if you folks are recent immigrants like mine.
6 Sep 2011: Check out the articles in the NGS Quarterly. They can help with citations, writing style and how to make a "scientific" article worth reading.
4 Sep 2011: Watch the videos on becoming certified. There appear to be two. One on the BCG website and the other under the tab for Education in Familysearch.org.
3 Sep 2011: Let the reason why you want to get certified drive the "way" you get certified. Then make a plan! Then, of course, go do it!
Do successful genealogists need to have an insatiable curiosity? Absolutely! Anyone can copy down birth and death dates, etc., but it takes someone with an insatiable curiosity to ferret out what it means. Not everyone can do that.