May Update



I am continuing my latest project, auditing my sources and documents. What a project of opposites! I have loved looking over my original documents and evaluating the evidence, however, what an overwhelming lofty goal! Every source that I "properly" and uniformly source brings great joy of uniformity and professionalism. I am very grateful for the tiny, albeit crazy voice in my head and from my WWCC English 1010 professor, about citing sources. For every source and document I have, I recorded all the information needed for a properly cited source. Forever grateful for that foundation I laid in the beginning of my research. 

Big shout out to Roots Magic for their wonderful and useful sources and citation available in their software program.  I took the time to watch the online video about sources and citations.  It was extremely helpful and has enabled me to understand the proper way to utilize their citation feature. 

I am reminded of the week I took off from research and organized all of my documents.  I wanted to research, but realized early in my genealogy what value is a document or source if you cannot locate it when you need it.  The Family History Library offered a class on organization and I modeled my organization after the class suggestions.  I have never regretted that huge amount of time spend organizing and I keep reminding myself of the reward for this project; locating any document and source in a matter of seconds.

Several years ago, I took all of my documents, two laptops, and two scanners and set them up at my daughter’s home.  My daughter and grandchildren helped me scan all of the documents I obtained before the invention of digital copies.  That was a big project too!

As, I keep my eye on the goal and end product, I persevere...and look forward to writing again... 

I have taken quite a few days off from my current projects, as my health has been giving me issue and I have needed to step away and recharge.  

More than a year ago, I decided to update my research logs and genealogy diaries.  I have come up with a plan that works for me, and have been able to track my progress.  One thing I have kept track of is my time.  Here are my total hours for the last few months:

March 183 hours

February 194 hours

January 252 hours

December 163 hours

November 148 hours

October 101 hours

Tracking my time has enabled me to understand why some days I avoid my genealogy cave and want to do something different!

I continue to journal every day, and find I am filling up journals very fast.  It has been especially fun to write about the current historical events and wish my ancestors had done the same.  One thing I have found helpful is using different colors of pens.  I did this just for fun, but I found going back and searching through entries was so much easier with different colors of ink for each day.  I incorporated this small but helpful idea in my professional research journals and have found this to be very helpful.  In addition, to journaling, I continue to keep up my personal reading.  Both of these ideas, journaling and reading, were suggested to improve one’s personal writing skills. Journaling and reading were a love of mine, just not a habit.  I have successfully prioritized these two things and now have a healthy daily habit of both.  Since January, I have read 16 books of various genres, but my favorites are memoirs and historical novels.  I believe journaling and reading has helped improve my writing skills and my knowledge of words and ideas.

A year from now the United States will release the 1950 census, so that will be great fun.  Sharpen your indexing skills and get ready.  I have contacted my grandchildren and I am beginning to set up an indexing competition with prizes for the winners.  I really would love these special people to find the passion of family history and what better way than to expose them to original documents and sources; and a little bribery never hurt! 

I am going to several Wyoming cemeteries for Memorial Day and leave a flower for each grave and maybe even go to a few here in Utah. Decoration Day is a great time to remember our ancestors and visit their graves.  Order a copy of my books if you are planning on going to the cemeteries in Lincoln or Sweetwater counties.  The books contain maps and obituaries of each Roberts family member who are buried in the Rock Springs, Riverview, Rest Haven, Kemmerer and Diamondville cemeteries.   


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