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Tuesday 19 April 2016

Genealogical Musings

Was it really 4 months since I last blogged?  No point in wondering where the time went because we know Christmas got in the way and then I was busy making decisions what to do about this Do Over for my family history.  It didn't help that the software company was pulling the plug on my software; that my attempts to change some of the event types to match those in Ancestry was an absolute disaster and all of a sudden I had a new contact to exchange family genealogy on my maternal side.  I wanted to research more to exchange, answer her questions and yet sort out new software at the same time - not easy.  I was also trying to sort out all my genealogy images into a new system on the laptop too.  I don't do things by halves!!

Somehow I managed to juggle the new research and yet get new software too (Family Historian) but I have only been tinkering with the software and not really started using it yet.  I need to bite the bullet but something is delaying me......... well, three things really.

Firstly I signed up for a six week free online genealogy class with Future Learn but that is finishing this week so I can't use that excuse again (maybe I can use another excuse that I have signed up for another class starting next week !!).

Secondly I really want to create a direct line ancestor journal to pass on to my children and I might be better only entering those people into the new software first, creating any charts needed and then expanding the software. 

Thirdly the dilemma of importing a gedcom and sorting out the problems or do I just re-enter afresh and give things a good check over as I do that.  Hmmmmm.....Go-over becomes Do_over.
I want to keep an expanded paper file for me that has all the information I know about my direct line ancestors, rather than the abbreviated version.  If either of the children are interested in later life then they can have the full version when I have to give up research.  Part of me also wants to keep a paper list of basic details or maybe a card index file of anyone in my tree.....yes I am collecting as many distant relatives as I can.  At least with paper based records it is a valid alternative to the electronic though you can't beat the software for all the reports and charts it produces at the click of a button.  I am struggling with how to organise my expanded paper file though.  I want to make it by relationship; so having all my grandparents in one, all great grandparents in another, great great in another and so forth.

So have my musings helped me make decisions ...... no, not really.  I just need to stop some of the other hobbies and apply myself to the family history :)