The Genealogy Search

I thought it would be prudent to print out my source list.  I must be a very good girl because my report was over 300 pages!  My idea was to look at the sources to locate spelling errors or citations that needed a little tweaking.  It seems that things look perfect on RootsMagic (I call that entry blindness) but I have found some errors on my reports.  My top mistakes are spelling and number flipping. It appears that the majority of my mistakes show up in the detail section.  I think the best way to review is to review a few pages everyday.  So wish me luck,!

Organization the perfect start for the new year.  I am running behind but here is my update on my progress for the month of January thus far.  You can join in by following Dear Mrytle’s “FINALLY Get Organized” at http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/p/finally-get-organized.htm þ        Back up your data!  Luckily I have been backing up my data with Backblaze for the past few years, so this was an easy task.  I also have an external drive that I use and store in our safe.  Then of course I use DropBox.  Can you ever take too many precautions to protect your genealogy?  I would rather have overkill then the possibility of losing any of my information.  That happened to me once about 10 years ago when my research was held hostage by an external drive – never to be retrieved again.  þ       Decide on a genealogy software management program.  I am a RootsMagic girl.   ...

Tonight's assignment - Make a timeline for an ancestor.  Please see Randy Seaver's blog at  http://www.geneamusings.com/2014/11/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-make.html  for information!  Thanks for the challenge Randy!  Here is my timeline for my third great grandfather John Nicholas Poundstone: I used RootsMagic to create my timeline.  I then saved the timeline and endnotes to a PDF and used the snipping tool to create a jpeg to upload to my blog.   I now see that I need to correct my endnote 27 - somehow the citation is incomplete.  Good thing Randy had us do the task, now I can correct poor Great Grandpa's citation!  Interesting to note the probate for John N Poundstone was settled about fifteen years after his death!    #SNGF

What a wonderful  day.  The Expo brought renewed acquaintances and new friends  I really enjoyed seeing fellow Pima County Genealogy members .  The opening keynote by Arlene Eakle was very enjoyable.  Arlene shared several ideas and stories of researching. I took the opportunity to hear Lisa Louise Cooke speak twice.  Once on Evernote and again on  Common Surname Searches in Google.  Each  I hear her talk I learn something  new or remember something I had forgotten about.  I am ready to download Evernote and formulating new searches on Google. Colleen McHugh did a presentation during the diner hour in the Ballroom.  Michelle Goodrum and I happily helped Colleen out my passing  and gathering  entries for her drawing for RootsMagic5 that the folks at RootsMagic so nicely donated. Colleen McHugh  during her dinner time presentation The last  program of the day was by Ruth Maness, AG.  ...

The Arizona Family History Expo is just around the corner.  The event is January 20th and 21st in Mesa.  Visit  Arizona Family History Expo  to register for the event. I am looking forward to seeing some of my fellow Pima County Genealogical Society members that I have convinced to attend the Expo.  Too bad the expo is on our regular meeting day, we will leave Barbara Salyer and the rest of the society members to hold their own while we gather new info to share with the group. I am also looking forward to seeing Lisa Louise Cooke of Genealogy Gems, catching up with some of my favorite vendors - perhaps check in to some digital scapbooking????? and checking in with Bruce Buzbee and the RootsMagic crew.  I promised to assist our wonderful member Colleen McHugh during her dinner break presentation What do Skeletons and Family History Have In Common?   I will also be looking forward to seeing my fellow Geneabloggers and meeting some new folks while I a...

Looks like we will soon have information on the Family History Expo in Mesa that will take place January 20-21, 2012 at the Mesa Convention Center.  I encourage everyone to attend.  The event brings classes on skill building, professional research assistance, new technology, vendors, networking opportunities and loads of fun. This is an event that will allow you to meet people with similar interests.  I urge you to meet your fellow Expo attendees, after all genealogists are the friendliest people in the world.  Networking through the last three expo's I have had the privilege of meeting fellow  Geneabloggers , researchers experienced in locations that I research and  Bruce Buzbee who straightened out one of my RootsMagic files that I had somehow messed up. It looks like the Early Bird rate will be $75 if paid prior to November 30, 2011.   That is a bargain price of less than $40 a day.  The event is all day F...

True Miracles With Genealogy is having a contest to win RootsMagic software.  RootsMagic is my favorite genealogy software. If you are interesting in registering for a chance to win this software please visit True Miracles with Genealogy at  http://truemiracleswithgenealogy.com/contests/genealogy-contest-week-threejuly-6-13/ .  Good luck!

I decided to spend some time cleaning up my database. My locations are done, my photos are done, and now I am reviewing every citation and where they are used. I have come to the conclusion that I have improved quite a bit since I started inputting my data. The problem now is that I want my "less mature" cites to be the same standard as that citations I create today. I am almost half way done with my upkeep. I firmly believe that cleaning up roots is the pits! I would much rather be researching or perhaps finish the entering of my vacation finds. Just like a good housekeeper of the home I will soon be a good housekeeper of my RootsMagic. Any Tucson genealogists? A new genealogy club is starting up in Tucson called - for now - the Pima County Genealogy Club. Please share your ideas with the folks starting up the group by answering the survey at http://pimacountygenealogyclub.blogspot.com.

How awesome is it to get to attend a genealogy class sitting at home.  I have attended approximately ten webinars so far and I just love the convenience.  If you are looking for a chance to learn a few new tricks I would subscribe to GeneaWebinars at http://blog.geneawebinars.com.  This blogspot  is put together by Myrt, DearMYRTLE (otherwise known as Pat Richley).  Now I am sure that the blog's webinar listings do not include everything available in the world - Myrt certainly has round up a huge plethora of offerings.  She lists upcoming webinars and archived webinars that are still available for viewing.  I like to keep an eye on Legacy and RootsMagic's webinars.  Legacy has some wonderful speakers including Thomas MacEntee (he's the man), Dear Mrytle, Janet Hovorka, Leland Meitzler, and of course Geoff Rasmussen.  RootsMagic offers a vast array of how to use their software webinars.  There are many other organizations and companies ...

This afternoon I attended the RootsMagic Webinar, Getting Started with RootsMagic.  Although it was a basic overview I still learned a few tricks that I didn't know.  Now I am looking forward to the more advanced webinars that will be offered.   The webinar is available online for download if you would like to view it.  The next webinar offered by RootsMagic will be Publishing a Family History on January 11th.  An important webinar coming up will by the Sources, Citations and Documentation on on February 4th - I would sign up soon since several webinars are all ready full. Thomas MacEntee left a message on my blog that he will be teaching a Build a Research Toolbox webinar for Legacy Family Tree on April 6, 2011 at 1pm CST. Check LegacyFamilyTree website for signups in the near future.  I have never attended a conference class or webinar that Thomas hasn't taught this girl a new trick or two. I had also planned to attend the RootsMagic group at U...

Thank you again Amy Coffin at We Tree http://wetree.blogspot.com/ for the genealogical prompts for the new year. The prompts provided by Amy are an easy way to work on your personal genealogy week by week.  Week 1's prompt is New Year’s- Did your family have any New Year’s traditions? How was the New Year celebrated during your childhood? Have you kept these traditions in the present day I don't remember much of a tradition regarding celebrating New Year's Eve.  Mom and Dad used to invite friends over to share a New Year's Day meal that was shared with friends. I remember playing board games and just having fun with everyone that was at the house.  When my children were younger we invited folks over for a New Years day meal and played games.  Now that the kids have moved out Gary and I are in bed at our usual time although I think we made it to 11 this year and woke up around midnight because of the fireworks. (This is the first year that you could ...

Just made my hotel reservations for the Arizona Family Expo.  Looking forward to a great time catching up with friends, learning some new tricks and meeting new folks.  Just had the above calling card made to share at the expo. I am exploring  Rootsmagic software, perhaps I can catch up with Bruce Buzbee and get some confidence under my belt with this software.   It's always difficult learning something new - old dog new tricks!.

I am so glad that I had the opportunity to attend the banquet Friday night at the Expo.  Dinner was excellent, the company was even better and the presentation outstanding.  The evening started with bloggers seated among the tables sharing the "tech to trace your roots".  I had the good fortune of sitting with Lisa Louise Cooke, Bruce Buzbee and Thomas MacEntee.  The live Genealogy Gems Podcast with Lisa Louise Cooke and her stage manager daughter Lacey Cooke was very entertaining.  Podcast guests included Anastasia Tyler of Ancestry.com (recently featured on The Martha Stewart Show), Bruce Buzbee of Roots Magic - the new sponsor of Genealogy Gems Podcast,   Gena Philibert Ortega, of   Gena’s Genealogy Blog , and the witty and entertaining Thomas MacEntee.  Anastasia shared what we should expect from Ancestry in 2010, talked about the new TV series Who Do You Think You Are? premiering  March 5.  Gena shared how easy it is ...