So, here it is the beginning of July and I haven't updated my goals for the year since April. I figured I might as well face the music ...
1. Plan (and execute) a trip to the National Archives in D.C. (to coincide with my visit with my mom! I'll be dragging her along with me so we can play with my new Flip-Pal that she got me for Christmas).
Check. You can see the "results" of my efforts here.
2. Request pension files for my military ancestors.
Still working on this one. I have sent requests to NARA for my great-grandfather and my granduncle's military records. I just hope they don't arrive before the middle of August, or I will most definitely fail algebra due to sudden-onset genea-A.D.D.!
3. Break down the brick wall that we call my grandfather's biological parents!
I sent a letter to the NY Adoption Registry this week to see if they could at least point me in the right direction to go about unsealing my grandfather's adoption records. Apparently there is not an attorney or anyone else in New York who has ever had to do this. I find it incredibly hard to believe, but whatever. It's a matter of principle now - I can't go on having a stumpy little branch on my tree!
4. Scan and organize all of my photos. I may have to become a regular at the ScanFests!
I have had to put this one on hold until after my class is through in August. I will be at the August Scanfest though - you can count on that!
5. Re-source all of my research ... well, some of it is sourcing for the first time, but I just need to make sure everything has a source! I guess before I do this, I really need to pick a program and stick with it. I'm bouncing around between 3 or 4 different ones right now ... mainly because I don't have access to the new FamilySearch yet, so RootsMagic has kind of taken a back seat, and I like the layout of Family Tree Maker, but sourcing is confusing to me. Ugh. So many decisions!
All of my documented direct ancestors have been entered, documented, sourced, and media-ized in RootsMagic. I am now working on my collateral folks, and have managed to get quite a few of them transferred as well. Still a ways to go, though.
6. Keep a to-do list in ONE place, and actually work on it! (Thanks to all you folks who have posted some great ideas on how to do that)
I continue to transfer my to-do list to RootsMagic as I transfer all of my data. I've checked off a couple more items on that list since April!
7. Increase my FamilySearch Indexing output by at least twofold.
Just when I was getting ready to gear up for some serious indexing, the site was down for several days, and then school started back. This is something else that will have to wait until August, unfortunately.
8. Finally take a trip to the Family History Library in Ooltewah, TN (yes, it's only about 15 minutes away, I just keep forgetting to go!)
Done! I actually blogged about that here.
9. Transcribe all the documents I have obtained (and will obtain).I sort of forgot all about this goal while I was transferring my data. Fortunately, I didn't forget to transcribe most of the documents in the description of the media file, but there were a couple I missed. I'll have to double-check to make sure I've done them all. In any case, there is now a brand new fluorescent green sticky note on my monitor reminding me to transcribe all documents! My world is literally held together with sticky notes.
10. Last but not least ... start writing my family history! Note: it will probably be 2064 before I actually FINISH it, but at least I can start writing it.I have completed (as much as possible) the general profiles of John Charles Slowey, Harold John Crowe, Sr., and Lucile Francis Stiker. They are nowhere near complete, but at least now they make sense and the holes that need to be filled are easier to see.
I continue to transfer my to-do list to RootsMagic as I transfer all of my data. I've checked off a couple more items on that list since April!
7. Increase my FamilySearch Indexing output by at least twofold.
Just when I was getting ready to gear up for some serious indexing, the site was down for several days, and then school started back. This is something else that will have to wait until August, unfortunately.
8. Finally take a trip to the Family History Library in Ooltewah, TN (yes, it's only about 15 minutes away, I just keep forgetting to go!)
Done! I actually blogged about that here.
9. Transcribe all the documents I have obtained (and will obtain).I sort of forgot all about this goal while I was transferring my data. Fortunately, I didn't forget to transcribe most of the documents in the description of the media file, but there were a couple I missed. I'll have to double-check to make sure I've done them all. In any case, there is now a brand new fluorescent green sticky note on my monitor reminding me to transcribe all documents! My world is literally held together with sticky notes.
10. Last but not least ... start writing my family history! Note: it will probably be 2064 before I actually FINISH it, but at least I can start writing it.I have completed (as much as possible) the general profiles of John Charles Slowey, Harold John Crowe, Sr., and Lucile Francis Stiker. They are nowhere near complete, but at least now they make sense and the holes that need to be filled are easier to see.
Now I just have to make sure I continue to keep this list in front of me so I'll remember my long-term goals for this year! I'm confident that more things will start falling off this list after the middle of August.
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