Friday Followup-Organizing and Going Over

 Between Dear Myrt's Finally Get Organized weekly checklists and Thomas MacEntee's  Genealogy Do-Over topics, this has been a busy month. 

   This is the second go round for me with the Genealogy Do-Over. My approach is to Go-Over the research in my files and database instead of starting from scratch as some are doing.
       This month both lists had organizing the office area on of the  to -do items. Cleaning off my desk, filing papers and documents and putting books back on the shelf felt great! I could sit down and actually do some work. Everything was in it's place and I could find what I needed.
      Making sure that necessary supplies were on hand, I purchased more files and other office supplies. Ordering more acid-free picture protectors will help properly store my ancestor's photos as they are scanned and filed. 
    Like Myrt, I keep a plastic file tote near me so that I can file things quickly as I research. It is very convenient for carrying around the house if I need to move from my office to work in another room to be near the family, Many times, my children and I are doing homework together.
   
   On the Organization Checklist for Week 2 was making sure our work was backed up. Currently, I am using Dropbox and Backblaze. Both have features that help me not worry about loosing my computer data. An external hard drive is backed up monthly and I also have a jump drive on my key chain that contains my genealogy information. 
    My genealogy management program of choice is Legacy Family Tree. It is here that I place all the information that I have on my ancestors. A good source template is included as well as many reports and other features. It is also Family Search Certified.

    My tree is also placed on several different websites. FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, FindMyPast.com, MyHeritage.com and WikiTree.com all have the ability to upload your tree from a gedcom. Connecting with others and having an online backup of your tree are good reasons to use these.
  
    Organizing my paper and computer files is one of the tasks for my Organization and Go-Over goals. I have been going through 30 year old binders, scanning necessary documents, pictures and other items. Originals are put in archival protectors.             
                    Everything else will be thrown away. 
    Yes, I am throwing away duplicates. There were four copies of the same picture in one of my paper files. Who needs four copies of the same picture? The original is scanned on my computer and then placed in a picture protector. The file is uploaded to my online trees and my Legacy Program. That same picture is backed up in the cloud and locally at home. My files are thinner.
 I don't think I will miss those copies!
  
   One of the suggestions for getting things organized was to create an introduction for those that follow. It makes sense to include an explanation of filing systems and where our information is kept. Do we use Binders, filing cabinets or a combination? Are family trees online? What are the passwords and any other access information?
 Making sure that those coming after me will be able to find and understand their family history is something I am working on.

   Another goal was to transcribe all documents for the first 4 genearations. Most of my documents are transcribed and filed correctly for these ancestors so I started the week of Jan. 17th -23rd a little ahead. Like Myrt, I also use the program Transcript. It makes what can be a tedious chore so much faster. Transcribing helps me catch things that I didn't see when just reading through something.

      For this past week the Finally Get Organized Checklist suggests getting involved with FamilySearch Indexing. This is something that I love to do. On Thurs. Feb. 4, I am planning on joining in the Freedman's Bureau Index-A-Thon. This is a joint, live from RootsTech and online at home event. 

   A few other items were already completed and could get checked off right away. These were learning to browse on FamilySearch, making binders for myself and my mother's maiden name and adding my sibling to my genealogy database. 

 Whew! A lot was accomplished this past month on my Organizing and Go-Over goals. 
     My paper files are getting thinner and easier to manage plus-
                                           I can see my desk! 

What Do-Over/Organization goals did you meet this month? Let me know in the comment section below. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you climb your family tree,

  

Genealogy Do-Over Week 11~Social Media and Networking~You've Got a Friend In Me

 Just a few more weeks to go with the Genealogy Do-Over. For week 11 the topics are Reviewing Social Media Options and Buiding a Research Network.

  Reviewing Social Media Options
 In the last couple of years, I have begun using social media more for genealogy. Facebook groups for states, counties, ethnic groups and research topics of interest have provided a wealth of information. Google+ communities have helped with developing skills. Twitter has helped to get answers to questions in minutes as well as given an opportunity to talk with and learn from other genealogists in real time. My blog has helped me to reach out to family members and others interested in the genealogy process. Pinterest has helped me to see what others are doing and get great ideas for research, displaying heirlooms and much more.
  It can be so easy to get so involved with social media that no actual research is getting done and hours are spent reading and commenting. It's the classic BSO. One way I have tried to overcome the temptation to spend my day consumed with all that is happening on the various platforms is to schedule social media time into my day. Having it run in the background as suggested by Thomas MacEntee, helps to make sure an important message doesn't get missed and keeps my day from being taken over.
  Getting more involved with Linkedin will be my next step. I have a profile but haven't done much with it.

Building a Research Network
 Social Media is one of the best places to build a research network, so it always surprises me when genealogists tell me that they don't use any of the platforms. From Facebook, I have had pictures identified, from twitter questions on a difficult research problem answered and cousins found through my blog. There are people I can turn to for help with anything from DNA to research strategies.
  Not all of my network of friends come from social media. Meeting fellow genealogists at Conferences, Society and Club meetings is important too. Taking the time to share what we are working on and how we can help and support each other is a bonus of attending meetings. You never know when a "cousin" may be sitting right next to you. 
  Also important are the fellow researchers who are visiting the repositories the same day you are. Meeting people who are researching the same areas and records can give you ideas on new ways to approach your research. They can be an invaluable part of your network as can the staff of your local archives, historical societies and courthouses.
 So many of those that I have met have become go-to friends for a variety of needs. We have been able to stay in touch via social media in between those face to face meetings. 
 Continuing to attend as many local and regional conferences and meetings as time and finances will allow and making sure I go out of my comfort zone to speak to fellow attendees will help to build my genealogy network.Taking the time to get acquainted with staff and other researchers at local repositories will be just as important as looking at the records contained there.

How do you network? Do you use Social Media? If you do, I hope we have connected and are part of each other's network. If you see me at a conference or other meeting, or at a repository somewhere, please come introduce yourself.
 You've got a friend in me! 

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!



     
   

Genealogy Do-Over Week 10: DNA and Digital Organization

The Week 10  Genealogy Do-Over topics are DNA Testing and Digital Organization.

DNA Testing Options-
      Last year I took the plunge and began DNA testing. My first test was with 23andme. I got lucky and won the test in from a blogger's website. The results got me interested in testing family members and trying out other companies.  My parents and I have tested with AncestryDNA and FamilyTreeDNA, and I have uploaded all the data from all the tests to Gedmatch.com.
       The results showed that my ancestral heritage is mostly from the British Isles with a small amount in Western Europe. That elusive Native American ancestry spoken of by my maternal grandfather's line didn't show up in testing.
   Now that I have begun testing, my 'make-over" will be to work on understanding my results and connecting with other family members. One way that I am learning more about the process and what it means is by taking a course from the Virtual Institute of Genealogy by Blaine T. Bettinger called "(Finally) Understanding Autosomal DNA".

 Digital Organization-
   Making sure all my Digital Files are correctly named for easy finding and placed where they can be found is something that I have been working on for several months. I have also begun adding Metadata as Thomas MacEntee has suggested. Taking a few minutes during the week to check my folders has helped make the process less overwhelming.
   Backing up my computer is a very important part of my schedule. Monthly backing up to an external hard drive, and a keychain flash drive happens on the first of each month...well that's the plan anyway! I also use Dropbox to store my family files. As I add new files, they automatically go to my Dropbox account.

I would love to hear how your Do-Over is coming along. Have you done any DNA testing? How are you handling your digital records? Thanks for sharing your experiences and ideas.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Helping you clinb your family tree,

Genealogy Do-Over Week 9~Cluster Research and Organizing Research Materials

 My participation in the Genealogy D0-Over has brought me to Week 9-Conducting Cluster Research and Organizing Research Materials

Conducting Cluster Research-
  Cluster or F.A.N. (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors) research is a great way to find information on a family. Especially when family records can not be found.. It took me awhile to realize the importance of researching the people that were involved with my ancestor's lives. I am finding this especially true when looking for records in areas where I have many surnames. F.A.N. Club names become intertwined in records for several generations.
 The problem for me is to find a way to keep them straight and remember where everyone fits and why a person is important to which family.


      According to his WWI Draft Card, my paternal Great Grandfather, Manning David Daughrity (1889-1931) worked for WM Folsom, Co. in Sumter, South Carolina. A picture of David and other employees in a store in Sumter may be the place he mentioned. I would like to find out more about this picture, the people in it and his employment there. Cluster research of Walter Mood Folsom and any other employees may give me some answers. Where do I put this information and keep it connected with Manning David Daughrity, Jr.?  For now, I have decided to save anything I find on the WM Folsom Co, or Walter Folsom himself in Evernote with the tags Daughrity, Folsom, FAN, and occupation. Information learned about David's employment or events that might have affected his job will be added to David's Notes section in Legacy Family Tree.

David Daughrity (in the light suit) with co-workers
Sumter, South Carolina
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Research Materials
    One of my homework assignments for my Progen Study Group, this month is to catalog all my research literature. Through the years, I have continually added books, magazines, cds, newsletters, journals and quarterly publications to help me research and learn the necessary skills to do so.

  I have file drawers full of Genealogy Society Newsletters from all over South Carolina. Years worth.  What do I do with them? Do I donate them to a local research library? Keep them "just in case"? 
   
Then there are the Genealogy Magazines, Quarterly  and Journal Publications. The same questions apply to these.

  Using the app  libib I have begun making a list of all the materials that I have. The app will allow me to scan a barcode, enter an ISBN number or manually add an item and then it will provide me to access from my computer, phone or tablet. Many times I have been at a conference or bookstore or even received  an email about a book sale and can't remember what I already have. A list I can refer to will stop me from purchasing duplicate items.
     
   Several years ago I began using Mary Hill's Color Coding System to organize my paper files and photos. Going through each family a little at a time I have been able to get my files organized and under control. Not only do I like to be able to file surnames by color but her way of organizing the folders makes sense to me. Her system works well with my software program because I can color code family lines on it as well. My plan for this part of the "Make -Over" is to be more consistent in getting those papers, documents, and pictures filed and not stacked up on my desk.
   
 How's your Genealogy Do-Over coming along? I would love to hear from you.

Are we kin? Please, contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by.


   

Genealogy Do-Over Week 7~Software and Digitization

 It's week 7 of the Genealogy Do-Over and it's time to work on:
Renewing Genealogy Database Software & Digitizing photos and documents

  Renewing Genealogy Database Software
     The software that I have used for many years is Legacy Family Tree.   It has worked well for me and so I will continue to use it. Making sure that I am using all the tools it provides will be part of my "makeover". There are some great places that provide information on how to use Legacy.  

     The Legacy Virtual Users Community on Google+ is a fantastic resource. The group, run by Tessa Keough, keeps us informed of all the ways Legacy can help keep track of our research. There are videos, Tuesday's Tips and monthly hangouts to help learn how to use the program to it's fullest. 
  Michele Simmons Lewis, an employee of Legacy Family Tree, often writes about her tips and tricks for the program in her blog Ancestoring. 
  Youtube has many Legacy Videos that can help as well. Some are produced by the company itself and others are by other Legacy users.
 Something that I have overlooked and need to access more is the actual Help section in my Legacy program. Where ever you are on the screen it's an easy click to get help with the task you are working on. 
 The legacyfamilytree.com page has links to a help section, videos and books that can help as well.
 My plan is to put a reminder on my calendar to check with the various help aids as often as I can and make sure I am not missing out on something my software can do for me.

Digitizing photos and documents

    Getting all my pictures and documents scanned, labeled, organized and filed is a struggle. Mostly, it's a time issue. 
Caroline Pointer started a Facebook group called Sunday ScanDay where anyone interested can join and chat while we work on our scanning. Sharing what we are scanning and seeing other's pictures and documents is a fun way to get through what can be a tedious chore.  On hold for FGS and Rootstech, I am hoping that the group will start back up soon. Setting this time every Sunday, at 4pmET helped me get through a large pile of scanning To Do items. 
   
   Miriam Robbins holds Scanfest once a month on her blog. She has a handy calendar that can be printed out to help remember what dates it is being held.  
    
    My plan is to schedule a time each week when I will scan, either with a group or without, primarily using my Flip-Pal scanner. Another goal? Not to scan too many things at once time, which results in a large file of scanned items that haven't been named and properly added to my family files on my computer and a large file of "to file" paper and photos that never make it to my family hanging files.
  The goal will be to scan no more than 10 items, name and save the file in the correct folder on my computer. Paper that doesn't need to be kept will be thrown away with original documents and pictures being organized by family in my filing cabinets-using archival supplies, of course!
   

Mary (Baker) Hudson (1920-2010) and Benjamin Allen Hudson (1918-1976)
  1960's
Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina

    Picture of my paternal Grandparents, scanned, named and filed correctly. Success! Now on to the rest of the box!

     The great thing about these goals for this week is that I get to engage with great communities as I learn to better use my software and get those pictures and documents organized.

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Genealogy Do-Over Week 6

Week 6 of the Genealogy Do Over has me:

Evaluating Evidence and Reviewing Online Education Options


Evaluation Evidence
 When adding a Source to my Legacy Family Tree software program, a click of a button takes me to a Source Quality page where I can analyze the information and choose these options:
Source : Original, Derivative, or Authored
Information: Primary or Secondary
Evidence: Direct, Indirect or Negative

There is also an "I don't know" option for each if necessary.

  This is a fairly new tool in Legacy and so as I go over my sources for each ancestor,making sure to use it to analyze each source  attached has been a priority. I have found that going through the process on my computer program has helped me in the last couple of weeks as I have gathered information from Libraries and Archives. It is becoming more routine to evaluate the evidence as I find and record it.

 Reviewing Online Education Options

 There are so many ways to take advantage of online learning for Genealogy!
 Here are some of my favorites:
Webinar Wednesdays (and sometimes Fridays) from Legacy Family Tree Webinars are always free on the day they are given and for a few days afterwards. They also have a subscription that allows for access to all of their past webinars. Each new one is added after the free period. 
  These have been very helpful to learn from the best in the field as they teach on many varying topics. That's where I will continue to be every Wednesday, listening to Geoff and the speaker for that day.
  
Google Hangouts with Dear Myrtle and Cousin Russ are another free way to learn. If you are not familiar with Google Hangouts, it's easy! First set up a profile page on Google+ and then search for the Dear Myrtle community and click to join. Mondays With Myrt is held every Monday, as the name suggests, at 12ET. Topics of genealogical interest are discussed. As Myrt puts it "What ever has crossed our desks this week". Myrt and the gang also hold Wacky Wednesdays where more in depth topics are discussed by one of Myrt's "Cousins". There are also study groups to join in her community as well. There is a Beginning Genealogy class and a Genealogy and the Law class in progress. Information on each of these learning opportunities can be found in Dear Myrtle's community. The great thing about these Hangouts is that they are recorded and are available to watch anytime on Dear Myrtle's youtube channel. I love being part of the community and will participate as often as I can.

Speaking of Youtube, there are many wonderful genealogy videos to take advantage of. When I am trying to find information on a specific subject, I will often search for video tutorial.
   
There are so many more ways to learn on line! Both Ancestry and FamilySearch have classes recorded on their sites. The Family History Library offers classes that can be viewed online.

 Are you on Twitter? The fastest, most entertaining and educational hour is #Genchat hosted by Jen Baldwin of Ancestral Journeys. It's jam packed with information as Jen asks questions pertaining to our subject for the night and we all answer and learn from each other. It's really quite fun and I try not to miss it!

  Didn't get to go to Rootstech 2015 or want to view classes again or see ones you missed? They are now online for free! I will be watching them for the next several months.
  
There are also fee based online classes as well. Our friend Thomas MacEntee hosts several Boot Camps via his Hack Genealogy Page on differing subjects. These are very well done. If you are not able to attend live, you can still purchase the recordings and handouts. I just bought the Scrivener Class presented by Liza Alzo and am looking forward to completing it.

 Another online, downloadable class I am interested in taking is How to Become an Awesome Newspaper Researcher by Kenneth Marks of The Ancestor Hunt Blog.

 There are many online genealogy classes from Universities and Institutes. These are on my bucket list to take in the future. Today, I begin an 18 month journey with ProGen, an online based study group for the book Professional Genealogy.
  
With  Webinar Wednesdays, Monday's With Myrt, Boot Camps with Thomas,  #Genchat on Fridays, ProGen for the next 18months, plus all the other wonderful educational things I add as need or interest arises, will there be time to research? Ah, there's always time to research.....

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people.
Thanks for stopping by!

Genealogy Do-Over Week 5: Toolbox and Citations~Learning From Past Mistakes

Genealogy Do-Over Week 5 has us looking at building a Research Tool Box & Citing Sources.

My Research Toolbox only needed a little help, but my early source citations...well, that's another story!

My Research Toolbox
  Thanks to Thomas McEntee and his Reserach Toolbox Webinars, I started a Toolbox several years ago.
   For the web sites that I visit daily, I have them bookmarked across my Google Browser.  They are accessable quickly and a good reminder of what places I can search.
  My other bookmarked sites are kept in Evernote. As I find sites that I want to use again, I add it to my list. They are categorized by topic such as Geographic Area, Type of Record, Surname, etc. Part of my Do-Over this week was to go through and make sure the links still worked and that I had each link in the correct topic.  Having a Research Toolbox has been a real asset to my research. It's a fantastic resource and time saver. There is no way I could remember all the various places where information can be found. Often I will go back and look at the list and see a link that I had forgotten about. If you haven't taken the time to put together a Research Toolbox, I would highly recomend it. 

Citing Sources

   For the most part, my sources are cited using the source template in Legacy Family Tree-that is the sources that I cited after the source template was introduced. The earlier ones, well all I can say is I tried. These older ones need to be corrected using proper source citation practices. For some reason, I thought "Personal Knowledge"....that was all....was a proper source citation or there's also those that just say something like, "1920 SC census". 
 Studing Evidence Explained by Elizabeth Shown Mills has helped me to understand why the templates are set up the way they are and to be able to tweak them if I am trying to cite a source that is not available in the template.
   This has also helped when I am at a research facility. By learning a basic pattern of citing sources, I can now add a somewhat decent citation to my notes. My old notes left out some of the information that I needed and would result in having to look up a source again and rewrite the information.
     So, as I go through each family, making sure each piece of information is sourced, and sourced correctly is part of my plan. It may take a while but hopefully, I have learned from past mistakes and not repeat them as I add to my family tree.

How is your Do-Over going? I would love to hear from you.
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Genealogy Do-Over: Week 4~Managing &Tracking

  

 Managing Projects and Tasks and Tracking Searches have been the focus of Week 4 of the Genealogy Do-Over.

Managing Projects~
  There are may ways to manage a project or task. I have been using Trello, an online project board, to manage not only my Genealogy projects, but my business, personal and family projects as well.  Trello uses a visual board system where things that need to get done can be broken down to smaller "cards" or items that need attention. Each card can then hold lists, pictures etc. to help complete that part of your project. My lists are named To-Do. Doing and Done. The cards can be clicked on and put into whichever list corresponds with the progress of the task. Trello has an app that can be downloaded to phones and tablets so I am able view and work on my projects from anywhere.

 Tracking Searches~
   This is one area, I must admit, that I haven't been very good at. This week I have taken Thomas McEntee's advice and have been recording what I am searching. Yes, it's been tedious, but I have discovered that it is well worth it. My tracking consists of what data base, who searched and the results of the search. These is recorded in Evernote and then copied and pasted into my Legacy Family Tree. software.
Why Evernote? Because of it's search capabilities within my notes and notebooks. Placing it into Legacy helps me keep all my information together in one program.
 Already, I have seen a benefit to recording online searches and what happens when failing to do so. While searching for a family believed to have been living in Newport, RI in the 1920's , a possible family came up in the search results. In my excitement to see if this could be the one , I neglected to record the search parameters and moved on to look for more information. Now, I can't duplicate my search and find them again. This happened this week-while participating in week 4 of the Genealogy Do-Over! Bad habits are hard to break. This has lead to wasted time and energy as I have tried to find the family again and it will lead to more as I continue to look.  Lesson learned.
 Now, I am off to search through my Chrome browser history-perhaps it will lead me to the right search result. Then, it's on to week 5.
  
Are you participating in the Genealogy Do-Over? I would love to hear how you are doing!
 Thanks so much for stopping by.

  

   

Genealogy Do-Over: Week 3

 Tracking and Conducting Research


Tracking Research:
    The challenge for week 3 was to evaluate how research logs were used in our research.
     I have always kept a log of some sort as I have researched. I have used Legacy Family Tree's To -Do List to help me keep track of things needing to be done and the Research Notes section to record and analyse my finds. Keeping a spiral notebook that serves as a research diary has also helped.
    Here's the problem. Writing in the diary is great, but it's hard to go back and find things that I need so I tend to look for things over again.  My use of the To-Do list and Notes section in Legacy has not been as consistent as it should be and probably has not been used to it's potential.
     Wanting to see how others were keeping track of their research, I participated in Thomas MacEntee's Research Right: Tracking and Evaluating Your Genealogy Research Boot Camp, read all the posts about Research Logs on the Facebook Do-Over Page and went to the Legacy Virtual Users Group Community run by Tessa Keogh to see examples of how others utilize the To-Do and Notes features. Michelle Simmons Lewis has posted some wonderful ideas on how to use Legacy  on her Ancestoring blog.

     With all these examples, I am putting together a Research Log work flow that is best for me. Thomas MacEntee's Excel/Google Sheet Research Log is something that I want to try. Using a spread sheet isn't something that I am used to doing. Another idea is be to create a research diary on Evernote. That way my handwritten notes would be searchable and could be easily copied and pasted to my Legacy note fields. 

Conducting Research
          Starting with myself, I have begun making sure my data is correct, sourced and any missing information is noted and added to my To-Do list. My process will be to work on one family group at a time, adding what I have done to my Research Log and notes. Another part of going over my previous work is to check my computer and hanging files. After checking to make sure my data for each person is up to date and correct, I am organizing picture and document files on my computer and going through the corresponding hanging files to see what needs to be kept, archived or thrown away. Already I have noticed some holes that I hadn't seen before and information in records that I had overlooked. 

     The process is going to take some time but in the end, I will be better organized and my data will be correct for me and for future generations.

On to week 4!
Thanks so much for stopping by!

Catching Up With The Genealogy Do- Over Challenge

   The Genealogy Do- Over challenge by Thomas MacEntee is nearing the end of week two. Since I was out of town for most of week 1, I am running a little behind.

   I have spent the last few days reading Do- Over posts and ideas on line and on the Genealogy Do- Over Face Book page. There have been some wonderful examples of organization,forms and ideas on how to start over or make- over your research.

  A genealogy make- over is what I am aiming for in the next few weeks. 

Week 1 Topics:

•  Setting Previous Research Aside

    My decision is to take one family at time and review all my files and information as if I was looking at each person for the first time. I am not going to start a new data base simply because I have so many people in mine and do not want to have to add everyone again. The goal will be to check every piece of information in my data base, files and notebooks. To make sure I have analyzed and cited each document, correctly named all files and fixed any mistakes in my Legacy Family Tree data base.

• Preparing to Research

  Having Research Plans and Logs in place beforehand is the key to successful research. Looking at all the ideas available, I have decided to tweak and use forms that I can add and maintain on Evernote.  

• Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines

 Over the years, I have tried to stick to a routine but as with all things, I wasn't always consistent. This week I have taken a step back and looked at my work flow. Ideas from others have helped me to restructure the way I will be doing things. From researching, enter data , downloading and scanning pictures and documents as well as keeping those research forms updated, I have put together a work flow that I feel will work better for me.  Writing down the new work flow plan and referring to it daily until it is a habit is the goal.

   The other important focus will be making sure I follow the principles of the Genealogical Proof Standard. Whether I am doing personal research or for someone else, I want my work to be the best it can be.

Week 2 Topics:

   

•   Setting Research Goals

     Making a commitment to use a Research Plan and Log is my biggest goal. I have used them fairly consistently when on a research trip to an archives or library, but I admit that I haven't been as good at using them when doing on line research. I have been guilty of searching the same data base a time or two because I didn't write down where ,when and what I was looking for. 

• Conducting Self Interview

    My information data page on Legacy is blank except for birth and marriage dates. Adding more biographical information for future generations will be something that I will be working on. Using the events and notes sections I will enter important highlights of my life and things that I want future generations to know.

• Conducting Family Interviews

     I am grateful to have tape recorded interviews of both of my Grandmothers before they died. I have also recorded interviews of both of my parents. And where are these interviews? Still on the recording devices that I used.  Both Grandmother's interviews have been transferred from cassette tape to audio files on my computer but I want to transcribe them as well as the ones from my parents. For Christmas I received the Dragon Speech Recognition program. My goal is to use this to transcribe all my family interviews.  

    There are others that I need to interview as well. My brother, Aunts and Uncles and Cousins can share their family memories to add to the story.

   There are many interview question ideas that can be found on line. Here is an example from The Armchair Genealogist.  

    With these ideas from the last two weeks, I am well on my way to  a genealogy make-over!

    Are you taking the Genealogy Do-Over Challenge? Share your ideas! I would love to hear them. 

Are we kin? Please contact me. Together we can find our people!

Thanks so much for stopping by.