Truthfully, regarding genealogy --- I want it all!!! And I want it NOW.
At some point in my life around the half century mark, I recognize I can not have it all and I can not do it all. I am realizing the same with genealogy. There are just so many hours in a day, so much money in the bank, and so much get up and go in this body.
Once the shock wore off that I can not have it all and could not do it all, I had to resolve how to cope with this new life cycle. (Did I mention my husband and I raised 7 children, worked full time, and were heavily involved with community activities?) The thought that someday we would no longer be able to work at that pace had not come to mind to us.
To muddle through with this new life cycle, I find myself becoming a list maker and a prioritizer. (Yes, I do make up words when it serves me)
When I make list , I first start just brain dumping and put everything down on a piece of paper. Then I come up with some kind of criteria to prioritize the list. Example "Things to Do"
criteria "Must dos versus Wish to dos" and
Urgent versus Not urgent.
MUST and URGENT get the highest priority. Unless I do not like the task and then it goes on my husband's NAG (oops I meant to say, my husband's to-do) list.
So My Genealogy Wish List:
Find more direct-line ancestors
Breakdown brick walls
Visit cemeteries and take photos of grave markers
Visit places of significance of my ancestors and take photos (their church, their residence)
Stay involved with my local genealogy societies
Continue to associate and learn from other genealogist
Meet new cousins
Meet historians of the interesting places my ancestors lived
Travel over seas
Attend all genealogy conferences
Read all genealogy and history books
Become proficient at several genealogy software programs
Scan all my family photos and organize them all
Write books ---I am now in the midst of 5 such books right now
Plan a trip to Texas
Plan a trip to Ireland
Plan a trip to France
Work more on my nephews Italian ancestry
Get more people in my family interested in genealogy
Structure and present orations
Join more genealogy societies (Texas, Lake co.Tenn., Chapins Foundation,
Read all the genealogy periodicals published.
Master Roots Magic
Prepare comprehensive maps for each lineage
Have family reunions
Okay for right now; that is my list Now I can group them;
Group 1:
Plan a trip to Texas
Plan a trip to Ireland
Plan a trip to France
Visit cemeteries and take photos of grave markers
Visit places of significance of my ancestors and take photos (their church, their residence)
Meet historians of the interesting places my ancestors lived
Group 2:
Structure and present a subject of interest
Join more genealogy societies (Texas, Lake co.Tenn., Chapins Foundation,
Attend all genealogy conferences
Stay involved with my local genealogy societies
Continue to associate and learn from other genealogist
Read all the genealogy periodicals published.
Read all genealogy and history books
Group 3:
Become proficient at several genealogy software programs
Master Roots Magic
Prepare comprehensive maps for each lineage
Scan all my family photos and organize them all
Write books ---I am now in the midst of 5 such books right now
Group 4:
Get more people in my family interested in genealogy
Meet new cousins
Have family reunions
Work more on my nephews Italian ancestry
Find more direct-line ancestors
Breakdown brick walls
Final Analysis:
Plan trips to include:
Visit cemeteries and take photos of grave markers
Visit places of significance of my ancestors and take photos (their church, their residence)
Meet historians of the interesting places my ancestors lived
My trip to Texas is planned for December 2010
My trip to Ireland is planned for August 2010
Group 1 in the planning!!!
Share my unique individual genealogy experiences with others
Structure and present subjects of interest
Join more genealogy societies (Texas, Lake co.Tenn., Chapins Foundation,
Attend all genealogy conferences
Stay involved with my local genealogy societies
Continue to associate and learn from other genealogist
Read all the genealogy periodicals published.
Read all genealogy and history books
I have several presentations on my Grandma's Geni Camp scheduled already.
Group 2 on it's way
Become proficient at several genealogy software programs
Master Roots Magic
Prepare comprehensive maps for each lineage
Scan all my family photos and organize them all
Write books ---I am now in the midst of 5 such books right now
Mastering Roots Magic and careful input disciplines will go a long way to allowing the maps, books, and photos organize themselves.
Group 3 possible with the help of Roots Magic.
and Group 4 I think will be a natural fall out of these activities.
So I have my long exhaustive list of 25 items narrowed down to 3 priorities:
Plan and take my planned genealogy trips
Perfect my Grandma's Geni Camp presentation
Master Roots Magic
and most of all have fun.......
Sounds like you might "have it all." Good luck and good hunting.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joan. Learning to do that that we can do and being happy with it.
ReplyDeleteRuth, You wore me out after reading your lists with all the things you want to do! Had to laugh a few times, because there were things I also want to do, like reading genealogy periodicals, my stack is 5 yrs. old. You are ambitious and good luck with your goals. And when you master RW4, I'll know who to turn to.
ReplyDeleteInspiring. :)
ReplyDeleteI like your lists! Regards and Many Blessings.
ReplyDelete