Saturday, February 28, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/28/09

February is over...time sure flies when I'm having fun doing genealogy research, blogging, playing with the grandkids, etc. I have the Family History Fair to attend on 7 March, four CVGS meetings, an SDGS meeting, a CGSSD meeting, two chats, a presentation in March at North SD County Genealogical Society, about 110 blog posts to write, and a column to write. This rolling genea-blogger is gathering no moss, that's for sure!

We left before 7 a.m. for the monthly swim group breakfast, and were home by 8:30. I had scheduled Genealogy Search Engines: FamilySearch Record Search - Post 2: Wild Card Search to post while I was gone. When we got back, I read my email, blogs and Facebook, then started work on my ProGen class homework. This involved picking one person, writing down all of the sources of information available for the person, analyzing and categorizing the source and information according to the chart in the book Professional Genealogy. I ate lunch at my desk, and managed to get 13 sources done for Devier J. Lamphere Smith. I'll do the fact analysis, based on the source categorization and source content, later. Linda wanted to have a "date night" so we left at 2:15 p.m. for Balboa Park.

We stopped at the library first, but got to the parking lot of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park at 2:45 p.m. for a 3 p.m. IMAX show. She went in to get tickets, and I searched for a parking space. 20 minutes later, I finally timed one right, went in, and she was nowhere to be found. I people-watched, played some of the science games, and she came out of the show at 3:40. We wandered around the Science Center watching kids play, and we played too, it was fun. We left at 4:10 for dinner at Hob Nob Cafe - one of our fave places in San Diego. Excellent food and service, and the prices are good too. We were home by 5:45. I watched TV while Linda did her email work, and I came on the computer at 7 p.m.

I quickly wrote up the Saturday Night Fun - Leap Year Day Events, then read email, blogs and Facebook, and then read some political news. I checked FamilySearch Record Search and Footnote for some indexing things, and then wrote a post for Sunday morning, then wrote Ancestry.com Indexing Quirks - 1860 Birthplaces based on an experience this morning. Then this post, and I'm done!

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blogs, and 4.5 hours doing ProGen homework.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/27/09

Tami, Lolo and Audrey were here overnight but went home today after lunch. We went off to the SD Zoo Wild Animal Park east of Escondido in the morning, so I didn't get on the computer until after we got home at 2 p.m.

I did schedule Working with the MyHeritage Search Engine to post this morning. When we got back from the WAP, I read email, blogs and checked in on Facebook. I noted several good Examiner articles by Thomas, so I posted Thomas MacEntee is Genealogy and Technology Examiner to lead others to his work. I also posted California Consumer Guide to Funeral and Cemetery Purchases on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit blog. I went in to watch TV, read the paper, and eat dinner at 5, and was back on the computer by 7 p.m.

I read email, blogs, Facebook and Twitter, made a genealogy report from my database and sent it via email, and wrote ProGen group in the newspaper and then found the WorldHistory.com demo videos and enjoyed them. I modified my presentation to add Genseek and WorldHistory screens at the end - kind of a "what's coming soon" feature! That's it after this post - not much besides blogging today.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on videos and presentation, and 0.5 hour in my database and making a genealogy report to email.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/26/09

Tami, Lolo and Audrey are still here - so I did not have a full day of genealogy, although Tami really tried to give me some free hours, which I appreciate. But I had a lot of fun with the girls today - they were really good and fun!

After Lolo and I had our breakfast (we share a banana and have frozen waffles with butter) and watched the Disney Channel shows for awhile, I came in to check my email and blogs after Tami got up. I had written Genea-Gazing Into the Crystal Ball last night, and it posted this morning. I'm surprised that it has only one comment (which is a great one!) - I figured it would set off many comments and some blog posts. Oh well. I went looking for comic strips with genealogy themes, noticed the Ancestry ads, so I posted They're everywhere! and then wrote about the FamilyHistoryOnline.net web site disappearing. I had lunch, the girls came home, I went to the bank, and when I came back they were napping, so I wrote Genealogy Search Engines: FamilySearch Record Search - Post 1: Basic Search, and set it to post later in the afternoon. When the girls woke up, Lolo played on the computer, I took a nap, and Tami left for her class tonight.

We took the girls to Rubio's for dinner with friends, and they both ate well (Lolo likes the fish taco and baked beans and chips, Audrey had the delicious Gerber's green beans in a plastic tin - the kid scarfed it!). We were home by 6 p.m. and I got the girls bathed, in their jammies, and in bed (Audrey by 7, Lolo by 8). Tami came home at 8:30 and marveled at our prowess! I was back on the computer at 8 p.m., and wondered what I could write for tomorrow, since we're going off to the Wild Animal Park in the morning. I finally settled on, well, you'll see tomorrow.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour looking at comics, and 3.0 hours writing blog posts.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/25/09

Lolo (age 4 years) was her overnight, and Tami and Audrey (10 months old) came at lunch time, so I didn't get a lot of genealogy done today.

I wrote posts last night on Family Photographs - Post 44: Harvey Edgar Carringer and Genealogy Search Engines: Footnote.com - Post 3: Advanced Search in anticipation of not having much time in the morning. After breakfast, Lolo played games on the computer for awhile, and I finally got to read my email and blogs when Linda came home at 10 a.m. I got ready for the CVGS meeting and left at 11:45 for the library.

It was so nice to be able to sit in the audience and not have to manage the society meeting! I enjoyed talking to folks before and after the meeting. Susi Pentico presented her talk on the Lost Colony. I was home by 2:15, and got a little Facebook, email and blog time in before Audrey woke up at 3. Everybody else was up by 4:15, and I caught a little nap before we went out to Panera Bread for dinner. When we got home at 6:15, I helped with Lolo in the bath and bedtime. I managed to write "The Lost Colony" presentation at CVGS today and posted it on Genea-Musings and the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. I started a post for tomorrow morning about the future of genealogy...maybe I'll edit it more in the morning! Then this post and I'm done.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 2.0 hours at the CVGS meeting.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/24/09

Life intervenes sometimes when you least expect it. We were all set for Tami, Lolo and Audrey to come on Wednesday. However, Linda had to go get Lolo this afternoon because of schedule problems, so she was here from nap time on.

I was on the computer by 8 a.m., read my email and blogs, checked Facebook, and wrote Tombstone Tuesday - Alpheus Smith in Medfield MA. I added some updates to the Who's #21 post too. I got cleaned up and ready to go out, and was at the FHC by 10:45. I found the deeds on the two films, and was headed home by 11:45. I stopped at Glen Abbey Cemetery to take a picture for a query, but the sun was too bright and I couldn't get the picture my correspondent wants (this is the third time I've tried) - I need a morning or a cloudy afternoon, I guess. I was home by 12:30, had lunch and was reading email and blogs when Linda brought Lolo home. I came back and read some of Evidence Explained for the ProGen homework, then worked on Genealogy Search Engines: Footnote.com - Post 2: Simple Search for an hour. When Lolo got up at 3, my blogging time was over. We went out to ride her bike, played in the family room, watched Diego on TV, and I even got a short nap before dinner.

After dinner, she watched TV and played while I researched and wrote Use Google Language Tools to aid Hispanic Research, then she had a bath and I read a book to her, rocked and sang my song to her, and tried to put her down at 8:30. At 10:15, she's still awake! During all of the up-and-down, I wrote two posts for Wednesday because I figure my morning will be taken by feeding and caring for Lolo before I go off to the CVGS Program.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 3.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on ProGen homework, 1.0 hour at the FHC, and 0.5 hour at the cemetery.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/23/09

I'm having so much fun blogging away about fun and semi-important things...that I don't take time to finish the two client projects, or the presentation handout due, or the ProGen assignment, or ... what else is there?

I was on the computer at 8 a.m. this morning - read my email and blogs, checked in on Twitter and Facebook, then researched and posted PERSI - An Under-Utilized Reosurce. I worked on the Who Are the #21s? post (and scheduled it for the afternoon) and the Q&A for the Genealogy Search Engine post for awhile, then got ready to go out, ate lunch, and left for the library at 11:50.

At the library, I read more of the latest Everton's Genealogical Helper, kibitzed with John, Dearl, Gary, Ann and Ginnie, and headed home by 2 p.m. I worked for almost three hours on the handout and the presentation for 10 March. Linda needed the computer at 4:30, so I went in and watched TV news, took a nap, read the paper, and Barbara came for dinner at 5:30. I was back to the computer at 6:30, sent the handout to Pauline, and a flyer to John. I did a bit more research on the Footnote Search and wrote Genealogy Search Engines - Footnote - Post 1 before going in to watch 24. At 10 I came back, added some names to the #21 post, and wrote this post after email and blog reading and Facebook checking.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 2.0 hours at CVGS, 2.5 hours on the presentation and handout, and 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/22/09

This was a really fun genealogy day for me.

I was up early, and read my email and blogs before getting ready for church. It was super to see how many tried the Saturday Night Fun challenge - it's catching on, finally! I posted "Using Google in Your Genealogy" with Gena Ortega at CGSSD on Saturday and got ready to go. We left at 9:30 a.m. and I was home by 11:30 a.m. I wrote the Best of the Genea-blogs post last night and set it for noon today.

I logged onto the CoverItLIVE! web site and the Scanfest chat was already in progress. I jumped right in, and then had to figure out what to scan. I chose my Aunt Marion's photo album since it has mostly California family pictures sent to her over 60 years. By the end of the chat, I had 17 pages of the album scanned, about 100 pictures that need to be cropped and saved as individual photos with descriptive labels. At the end of the chat, I wrote Scanfest was on Ancestories1 blog. I need to finish up my presentation and handout for 10 March, so I worked for three hours on the presentation, modifying the slides, adding content, etc. It looks a lot better now, and has bigger text box comments and better titles. I added material for the FHLC, Maps and City Directories, and edited quite a few topic pages. At 5:30, it was time for dinner.

After dinner, we watched About San Diego with Ken Kramer, and I came back and read email, blogs and Facebook. I answered some emails, sent more Footnote pages to Pam, and wrote about the CVGS 2/25 Program with Susi Pentico on both Genea-Musings and the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe. I did a little online research for my cousin Al in Massachusetts on his Harvey challenge, without much success. Then this post, and I'm done for the night.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.5 hours on the Scanfest chat, 1.0 hour doing online research, and 3.5 hours working on the presentation.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/21/09

This was a fun genealogy day for me. You'll see why...read on.

I posted The Value of Indexing Imaged Pages this morning before reading email and blogs, and before I left for my men's breakfast and Bible study in National City. I left early and headed for UCSD in La Jolla for the CGSSD meeting at 9 a.m. I was a little late, but caught most of Gary Hoffman's Web-Based Genealogy seminar and then really enjoyed Gena Ortega's "Use Google in Your Genealogy." I had lunch with Gena, John Kracha, Joan Lowrey and Barbara Renick, and we had a fun time talking about research, hardware, software, web sites, etc. It was great to see Gena in action again - she is a great presenter. I was home by 2 p.m.

I checked email and blogs, then Facebook, and posted "Web-Based Genealogy" with Gary Hoffman at CGSSD Today. Linda came home, so I watched TV news and took a nap before we went out to Daphne's and coldstone Creamery for dinner. We were home by 6:30, and I wrote Saturday Night Fun - Who's Number 21 and two blog posts for tomorrow. I checked Facebook, and answered some emails, then wrote this post and I'm done for the night.

Genealogy today was FUN - 8.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, and 4.5 hours at the CGSSD meeting and lunch.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/20/09

I had all of those wonderful plans to really advance the research ball today ... and fumbled it away. Life intervened, I'm afraid, and took a big bite out of my day.

I read my email, my blogs and checked in on Facebook before writing The wizard of Id Nails It to start the day off with a chuckle. I got cleaned up to go out later, and when I came back I had the bright idea to see if the latest Everton's Helper had been posted online yet. Yes! Finally! I downloaded it and read some of it, then posted Everton's Genealogical Helper goes Quarterly - has anybody else posted that yet? I wonder why Leland didn't blog about it recently? Or even tell his readers that the latest EGH was available to read and download - subscribers have had to try to find it online without a notification. After that, I went to Costco for lunch and a toy drool, then picked up George for our weekly 3 mile walk on the bayfront - a perfect day today, sunny, about 68F. I stopped at the library for a book on the way home, got here at 1:15 p.m., and checked email before going off to church for Sara's memorial service. We got home after 4 p.m.

I wrote the Genealogy Search Engines: Ancestry.com - Post 4: New Search, Fuzzy Matches and then had to go off to Lolita's to pick up dinner - Linda was too tired to do anything but veg tonight. We ate, watched the news, and I was back after 6:30 p.m. to read email, read blogs, check Facebook and create more screen shots for my Search extravaganza - I did Footnote and FamilySearch Record Search tonight. I played on Facebook a bit - uploaded the Geni.com application so I have at least some family tree information on my page. I wrote a post for tomorrow morning, and then this post and I'm going to go read my genea-mystery book some more.

Genealogy today was 6.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 1.0 hour reading EGH, 1.0 hour on Footnote and FSRS, 0.5 hour on Ancestry messing around, 1.0 hour on Facebook, etc.

Left for the future are my 3/10 presentation, my 3/5 ProGen homework, more Search posts, Project M and Project L, etc. The floggings will continue until the morale improves, I guess.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/19/09

This was an interesting genealogy day - blogging, cemetery walking, TGF chat, downloading, testing, etc. Different than most!

I was on the computer early by 7:20 a.m., read my email and blogs, and didn't know what to post until I saw James Tanner's post about FamilySearch Record Search's new interface, so I wrote LDS Record Search Changes and added some screen shots. I got cleaned up and went off to the dentist to have my new molar installed. I was done by 9:45 - it feels really tight, not sure it won't have to be adjusted.

Rather than head home for a dreary morning of blogging about something, I went to Glen Abbey Cemetery to take some pictures for a CVGS query. Then I went off to La Vista to see if David d. smith are buried there - nope! I took the opportunity to take more pictures of interesting graves, but the camera batteries were exhausted, so I headed home, stopped at McDonald's for lunch, and was home by 11:30 a.m. I read email, blogs and Facebook, then installed new batteries in the camera, uploaded my photos to the computer, and sorted them into file folders. I posted Mormon Battalion Memorial at Fort Rosecrans and Civil War Soldiers buried at La Vista Cemetery in National City CA on the South San Diego County Graveyard Rabbit blog.

Then it was time for some Ancestry Search blogging, so I wrote and posted Genealogy Search Engines: Ancestry.com - Post 3: New Search, Exact Matches on Genea-Musings. That took awhile, and in the meantime Linda came home. I went and uploaded some photos from Disneyland to Facebook, and added the Friends Wheel application to Facebook. At 4:30, I came in to read the paper, watch TV and take a nap, then had dinner and Linda went out to her church group. I posted about Lots of Facebook Friends and Twitter Tweeters and got ready for the TGF Chat on Windows Live Messenger.

We had five chatting tonight, but Lori called at the start and I talked to her for 15 minutes while trying to type on the chat. The chat was over at 8 p.m., and I read email and blogs, answered some emails, checked Facebook, then captured some RevWar Pension File pages for Pam and emailed them to her, and explored World Vital Records databases for awhile. You can't print out complete book pages, apparently. That's frustrating! Then I wrote this post and I'm going to go watch ER at 10 p.m.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Facebook, 1.5 hours at the cemeteries, 0.5 hour uploading and sorting pictures, 0.5 hour on Footnote, 0.5 hour on WVR, and 1.0 hour on the TGF chat.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/18/09

Blogging and CVGS today was about the extent of my useful activities - oh, I answered some email, helped a colleague and worked a bit on the presentation.

I was on the computer by 8 a.m., and read email, blogs and Facebook before finally accepting Meitzler's challenge and wrote Whither Facebook's TOS? about the changes in Facebook's terms of use. Before I could finish my rant, I found out that they recanted, at least for awhile. I had to edit the post quickly! I got cleaned up, and came back and wrote Family Photographs - Post 43: The DD Smith Family - not a wordless post on Wednesday. Then I wrote the CGSSD Meeting post for Saturday, visited GenealogyBank to see the improvements, and posted GenealogyBank adds new Search features. I grabbed lunch and ran off to the library for the CVGS Computer Group.

At the library, we had a problem getting some of the computers to work. We asked for help, and the tech came after 20 minutes to log on the ones that were not working. I went in to help Marie with her problem, and we went out to use my laptop on the library wireless network. Well, the signal strength was strong, but there was no connection. After 15 minutes of frustration, I asked the tech about it, and he walked around the library asking if people had a connection, and nobody did! Nobody else had complained - amazing! It got fixed, but we wasted a good half hour and never did get Marie's problem worked on. I went back to the Computer Lab and listened for awhile - Gary visited several map sites. I was home by 2 pm. When I got home, Linda was on the computer so I read the paper, watched TV and took a nap.

I came back to the computer at 3, read email, blogs and Facebook, and worked on the post Genealogy Search Engines: Ancestry.com - Post 2: Old Search, Fuzzy Matches. I checked the NEHGS site for Pam's Benjamin Sherman and didn't find anything, then checked Footnote for RevWar Pension files and found him mentioned in Isaac Johnson's pension file. I saved the pages and emailed them to Pam. I went in at 5 to watch the news, Linda did more church work on the computer, and at 5:30 we left for dinner with the neighbors at SouPlantation. We were home by 7:30 p.m. and Linda used the computer again.

I was on it by 8 p.m., and after checking email, blogs and Facebook, I worked for an hour on the presentation. It's almost done now. I need to check for more "new" web sites to add - just remembered one!!! Then I wrote this post and I'm done.

Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours writing blog posts (too many!), 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 1.0 hour looking for Pam's stuff, 2.0 hours on CVGS at the library (nothing accomplished!), and 1.0 hour on the presentation.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/17/09

It rained overnight and I stayed home again and had a fairly full genealogy day and actually feel like I accomplished something.

After reading email and blogs, I posted Tombstone Tuesday - Elizabeth (Dill) Smith about my mystery lady, and found another fact that I had missed before. Of course, it conflicts with the other facts I have...so I'm not sure I advanced the ball on it, but I thought about the problem even more! My computer connection went down for awhile, so I worked on my Project L client database and when it came back, I started on my Ancestry Search comparisons. I did screen captures for all four searches, put them in an OpenOffice presentation, and saved the images as JPGs in my file folder. I wrote Evaluating the Search Engines - Evaluation Criteria to introduce what I'm trying to do. Then I wrote Search Engines: Ancestry.com - Post 1: Old Search, Exact Matches to post in the afternoon. I ate lunch , then checked email, blogs and Facebook.

In the afternoon, I answered several emails, coordinated some church work, coordinated my NSDCGS talk with the Program chair, and checked Ancestry databases. I don't know where that time went, frankly...at 3:30 Linda wanted the computer so I went in and read the paper, watched TV and took my nap. We had dinner just after 5, so I was back on the computer at 6.

More email, blogs to read, Facebook to check, and I decided to work on my Genealogy Web Sites You Can Use presentation for NSDCGS on 10 March. I need to finish it by 3/24 so that the handout can be printed. I spent almost three hours working through over 100 slides - mostly screen shots. I got more than 50% done, added a few slides, deleted WebTree and FamilyHistoryLink because they don't work, and can finish it up pretty quickly. I need to find my "new" web sites to add and update my handout too. I checked email, blogs and Facebook again, and wrote this post.

Facebook crashed my Internet Explorer three times today - I dread even clicking on the link now! What a PITA! I'll reboot and seei f that helps.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour creating Ancestry screen shots, 1.0 hour doing Project L database work, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Facebook, and 3.0 hours working on my presentation.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/16/09

I finally had a long genealogy day planned, and life overtook all of my plans to work on a client report and work on my databases and presentation. Harrummpphh. It ended up being blogging, TGSG and Facebook. Oh well.

I was on the computer at 8 a.m. after a good night's sleep and breakfast, read my email, blogs and Facebook and settled in for a long day of blogging and working. I posted Second Bloggers Summit at 2009 SCGS Jamboree. I wasn't on the list - kinda POed about it. Oh well, stiffupperlip and all that. I wrote "Sadness, reality attach themselves to unclaimed persons list" and set it to post later in the morning. I went in and got cleaned up, then worked on our bank accounts for almost three hours. Lunch time - chocchip cookies, bologna and fruit cup at the genea-desque.

I wrote Answers to MyHeritage questions and then wrote four posts on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog wrapping up the Survey results - see the summary post here. I posted this via Twitter to Facebook, then answered some emails. At 3:15, Linda needed the desktop computer so I went in to watch the TV news for awhile, and came back at 4 p.m. I was ready to start my client work and she informed me that we were going out soon and having dinner at our friends' house after stopping at two other homes first. We had a nice dinner, and were home just after 7 p.m. That put a crimp in all my plans. To top it off, she needed the computer again until 7:35 p.m!

I checked email, blogs and Facebook, and wrote 2009 APG Professional Management Conference Speakers on Genea-Musings. I sent an email to the CVGS group about the Family History Fair registration and to the Program Chair about a speaker. Then I remembered that the TGSG chat was Thursday night, and I needed to study the article. I finally found the list of articles on the TGSG GG (Google Group) and went through the convoluted process of finding the NGSQ issues on the new NGS web site. I downloaded several issues so that I didn't have to do that again! At 9, it was time for Jack Bauer on 24, so I came back at 10 to the computer to write this post, check email and blogs, and Facebook too.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours writing 9 blog posts, 1.5 hour on TGSG things, 0.5 hour on CVGS activities, and 1.0 hour on Twitter/Facebook. I got no chance at all to work on the client report or my databases or presentation. Harrummppphh.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/15/09

This was not a big genealogy day - because I felt cruddy all night and morning. I went back to bed at 9, woke up at 10, and started writing the Best of the Genea-Blogs post. I read email, blogs and Facebook off and on all day. I napped several more times all day. I finished Extreme Measures by Vince Flynn.

In the afternoon, I recalled that I needed to write the iGene Awards for Genea-Musings post so I did that. I even watched 60 minutes and Desperate Housewives.

That's it - genealogy today was 4.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook and 2.5 hours writing blog posts.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/14/09

We got back from Disneyland on Friday night but I was too tired to do much genealogy stuff. Today was a bit of blogging, ran to Costco to buy flowers and the CVS to get some stuff, then off to the SDGS meeting, home at 3, we went to dinner at the Butcher Shop at 4, home by 6, and I feel crappy. I worked a bit on my Genealogy Web Site presentation for March. Chills, stuffed, maybe I got the bug that Audrey and Tami had. Linda too.

Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 3.0 hours at SDGS, 1.0 hour on the presentation, and 0.5 hour on T/FB. I'm going to bed now...

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/11/09

I was up early today, and on the computer by 7:30 a.m. I read my email and blogs, checked in on Facebook, and posted Family Photographs - Post 42: Lyle in 1908 which had some interesting costumes in it. I wrote the Joel Weintraub post and set it for the afternoon. I went in and got cleaned up, and when I came back I signed up for the Family History Fair on 7 March and printed off some information about it, then wrote a post to publish on Friday about it. I checked Ancestry.com, and noted several new US content databases, and checked each of them to see if there was something useful. My Project M has a Confederate Civil War soldier and his Pension application was in the Georgia database just put up today. I printed off the five pages for show-and-tell. I gathered up all my papers for the Research Group and headed out at 11:40 a.m.

I got to the library, and the Research Group meeting started at 12:05. We had 13 today including three guests. The meeting lasted until 2, and I stayed another hour to talk to Kathleen about the newsletter. I stopped at the drug store for a Valentine's Day card and was home by 3:45. I sent the Genealogy News email off to the CVGS email list, then posted it on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. I wrote the Research Group Summary and posted it also. At 5, I went in to read the paper and we took our elderly neighbors out to dinner at Panera Bread at 5:30 p.m.. We were home by 7:15 p.m.

I checked email, blogs, Twitter and Facebook, then posted Genealogy News Summary and CVGS Research Group Report on Genea-Musings. I realized that tomorrow is Abe Lincoln's birthday - am I related to him? YES!!! Cool. I wrote a post that will publish just after midnight tonight about my cousinhood relationship with Honest Abe. That's enough for tonight - this post and I'm done!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on T/FB, 0.5 hour on new Ancestry databases, and 4.0 hours on CVGS activities.

We're off to Disneyland in the morning to celebrate Lolo's 4th birthday, so The Geneaholic will be dark for at least one night. We should be home on Friday night.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/10/09

This was an interesting day - a useful phone call, a minor emergency, and some searching for ancestors.

I was on the computer by 8 a.m., and read my email, blogs and checked in on Facebook. I posted my Tombstone Tuesday post, then got cleaned up for the day. I had a 10 a.m. telephone call with Tony from A.com to talk about search engines and techniques. That lasted an hour - I gave him my impressions of A.com old and new search, and "how I do it." After that, I decided to test old vs. new and exact vs. ranked on one person - and put some screens in an OO presentation for use in Genea-Musings posts. I ate lunch on the computer, and wrote Testing different search engines - my perspective. Then I started compiling the monthly Genealogy News for CVGS. The computer froze once and IE crashed twice today, so I did a full scan with MacAfee and it found no problems. Frustrating...

Linda came home after 2 p.m. having injured her foot. After awhile, she called the doctor and we went down to Urgent Care for an X-ray. It's not broken, just bruised, but she's supposed to keep it stabilized and stay off it (sure she will!). We went to Rubio's for dinner and were home by 5:30. At 6, I came in and finished my Genealogy News report and decided to write something for the Smile for the Camera carnival due today - so I wrote All dressed up. Then I wrote an email to my client summarizing my findings on Project P. At 9, I looked for a good Search candidate for comparison between A, HQO, F and FSRS. I have several candidates, but how to choose the one that doesn't penalize one or another for indexing errors? I figured out that my A.com screens can't be used because they are 1870 and not 1860, and I couldn't find the family I was using in the 1860 census. Arrgghhh. Finally, this post.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blogs, 3.0 hours on Ancestry Search, 1.0 on F/FSRS search, 0.5 hour on T/FB, and 2.0 hours on Project P.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/09/09

I had a hard time getting started today - did email, read blogs, checked Facebook, looked at A.com new databases (no US content again), and finally posted Genealogy in the 21st Century - Predictions trying to excite readers to use the Learning Center on A.com more. I wrote the GenSmarts post but scheduled it for after noon. I must have done something useful - perhaps worked on the Project P information before I had lunch and went off to the library just before noon. My daughter called and said the four-year-old dropped two F-bombs today, which I laughed about - the 'rents have to clean up their language!
When I left the house it was dry outside, but two miles down the road I ran into the front as it passed through - torrential rain for about 15 minutes. I sat in the parking lot waiting it out. Dearl and Gary were at the library for Table Talk. I spent most of my time hunting for four obituaries in the SD Union index and found only one of them, but it was a good one. Gave me a burial place and maiden name and told me only one son was living out of four children. I checked more city directories and was home just after two.

I read my faves, posted the OGS Conference news, then did some more census work for Project P and tried to put all of my info together. I found the Julian burial data with the three ancestral families of Mr. P, and searched the CA DI for siblings and found another maiden name for one of the grandparents of Mr. P. There are no entries for any of these families in WorldConnect, and not much on Google search. At 5, I went in to watch the Obama presser, then we took food to the lady with pneumonia, and came back to eat dinner. Linda used the computer, so I used the laptop to read my blogs.

At 7:30 p.m., I was back on and wrote two posts for later in the week (since we're off to Disneyland on Thursday). At 9, I went in to watch 24, but the digital signal was crappy - I have little clue about what happened. I need to read the Dave Barry summary, I guess. Back at 10:15 after the dishes, and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on T/FB, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on CVGS things, 3.0 hours on Project P research.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/08/09

A typical genealogy Sunday - not much time spent on genealogy due to real life.

I did read my email before going off to church, but we didn't get home until 12:30 p.m. because of the Meet Your Deacon snack-fest. I sampled many Deacons' wares! Then we delivered flowers to a sick-at-home person. I read the blogs, and posted the weekly Best of the Genea-blogs, then shamelessly touted it on Twitter/Facebook. I checked Facebook too, then worked awhile on my Project P client research. At 4 p.m., we headed off to Coronado for dinner at The Brigantine and the play at Lamb's Players at 6 p.m.

We were home by 8:30, but Linda needed to do her email. I read the paper and watched PBS, then Desperate Housewives. At 10 I came in and read email, blogs, Facebook and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 4.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on T/FB, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, and 1.5 hours doing client research.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/07/09

I have this terrible feeling that I squandered most of the day doing things that were time-wasters. I need some discipline, I fear. No whips or canes, you know, but at least a to-do list and a minder.

I did email and blogs before going off to my men's Bible study breakfast at 8 a.m. in National City. There was a great rainbow to the north as the sun was shining in the southeast and the clouds were leaking to the north. After breakfast, I stopped by the bank for cash to use at the FHC, and went off to the FHC and was there by 10 a.m. (just missed the accident on the freeway, it happened a minute before I passed through). At the FHC, I found the one deed on the Westmoreland County PA deed film, saved it to the USB drive, and looked through some SD County Directories for the Potter family before I came home. The rain came down in torrents while on I-805 just south of State 94 - had to slow to 25 just to see and avoid big puddles). It was dry at home...go figure. All weather is local.

When I got home, I had lunch and read email, blogs and Facebook, then posted Searching for Mary's Parents - Post 2 to bring my Westmoreland research up-to-date. I find that, by doing this, I now have a record of my research online for others to read and offer help on, and I can remember what I did without relying on my memory or my handwritten notes, which are minimal. I wrote two more blog posts for future dates, since we're going away next week for a Disneyland visit with the granddaughters. I spent a lot of time on Twitter and Facebook, and even did the High School Survey meme on Facebook. At 5, I went in to read the paper, watch TV and have dinner.

I was back on the computer at 6:30, and sent some emails off about CVGS, and posted Saturday Night Fun - Your High School Years based on the meme, but modified. I decided to look for some Lanphere/Lamphere (and variants) in Jefferson County NY, and identified a couple who died before 1949 there who may be the birth parents of my Devier J. Lamphere Smith. Or he may have come from Lewis County NY, which is next to Jeffco. I checked Ancestry, WorldConnect, and FamilySearch for Hiram, Lewis and Jeremiah Lamphere who were the Jeffco guys, and didn't find much. There is little help in anything published, I fear. This will be another job for probate records, I think. I read my DAR murder mystery book while Linda did her email for awhile, then came back to write this post.

Genealogy today was 7.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours writing blogs, 1.0 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 0.5 hour on CVGS things, 1.5 hour at the FHC doing research, and 1.0 hour doing online research on Lampheres.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/06/09

It started out as a rainy day in San Diego. I was up early, fed and dressed, read my email and posted about the Family History Expo in St. George before I went off for an 8:30 a.m. dentist appointment to fix my broken tooth. I was home after 10 a.m. with a numb cheek and a temporary crown on #14. I read my blogs, checked in on Facebook and Twitter, and looked at Legacy for source citation helps. I posted about the San Pasqual Battle (1846) Memorial at Fort Rosecrans on the SSDC Graveyard Rabbit blog.

After lunch, I posted about Teeth and Dentistry over time. I worked on the Legacy 7 source citations for awhile - did a Bible record and put the screen shots in an OpenOffice presentation, then made JPG files of all the screen shots. I wrote Legacy 7 Source Citations - First Look with 12 screen shots to document the step-by-step of the process. Legacy's templates seem easier to use than FTM 2009. I touted it on Twitter and Facebook, then answered notes on Facebook for awhile. I answered several emails from the library about our request for better wi-fi signals in the Conference Room and Library. It was dinner time, so I watched the news, read the paper and we ate at home.

After dinner, I did some homework on my Westmoreland County PA deeds - I listed the early ones I want to see for the Houk/Hoke/Hawk/Hough names. I wrote a post for Saturday morning, then wrote five posts about the CVGS program survey and member survey taken last month - some will appear on future days on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. And finally, this post and I'll check email, blogs and Facebook and be done for the night.

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 3.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour working on CVGS issues, 1.0 hour working in Legacy source citations, and 1.5 hours working on the deed index.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/05/09

Now what did I do today? Sometimes I can't remember all of the details. Let's see, Thursday - the highlight was the walk on the bayfront with George, followed by the much-needed haircut.

In the morning, I read email and blogs and Facebook, posted Selected Family Tree site traffic statistics, then wrote I Use the Internet for Genealogy Research by ... thanks to John's post - and set it for later in the morning. I read and downloaded the Rootsweb beginner's guide and forms - may be useful for CVGS down the road. I checked Ancestry.com, and then downloaded the FTM 2009 patch that included the Source citation templates. Then off for the walk and haircut - I was home by 1:15 p.m.

I tested the source citations, captured screen shots on OpenOffice, then saved them as images so that I could upload them into Blogger in the post FTM 2009 Source Citations - First Look. This took awhile to finish because I had to switch back and forth between the images and FTM 2009 and blogger to make sure I was getting it right. At 4 p.m., I went in to watch the news, read the paper and take a nap. We left at 5 p.m. for dinner with Kurt and Ruth, our elderly neighbors. It was raining. We went to Marie Callender's for dinner, and were home just after 7 p.m.

I read email, blogs, Facebook and Twitter, and at 8 participated in the monthly ProGen chat. This month was about transcripts and abstracts, and we discussed genealogy software too. After the hour, I checked on the Family History Expo site and wrote a post for tomorrow morning. I have a dentist appointment at 8:30 and won't be able to blog until after I return home. Then I watched ER and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on T/FB, 0.5 hour on beginners guides, 2.5 hours working in FTM 2009 sources, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 1.5 hours on the ProGen chat.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/04/09

I was on the computer at 8 a.m., read my email and blogs, checked Facebook, then posted Family Photographs - Post 41: Carringer house. Went in and got cleaned up, came back and printed off pages for the CVGS Board meeting. I worked a bit on my ProGen homework, but gave up quickly. Posted about the "Webmasters Guide to TNG 7.0" Book and left to get lunch, stop at the post office, and go to the library.

We had our CVGS Board meeting, I presented the April seminar plan, the 2008 annual report, and the survey results in addition to my own research group report. I checked the shelves to see if we have Ryskamp books, and we do - 3 of them! I was home by 3 p.m. Checked email, blogs and Facebook, then posted Dynastree's US Surname Distribution Maps, and then worked on Linda's church stuff for awhile. At 5:30, I went in for TV and dinner.

I was back to work at 7 p.m. doing more typing/proofing for Linda's church lists, then sent them to the church staff. I printed off my Project P work to date, sorted out what census records I'm missing, and spent time in the 1870 and 1880 census records and found about 10 family records. At 10:25, I stopped and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 0.5 hour on ProGen work, 3.0 hours on CVGS work, and 2.0 hours on Project P.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/03/09

I was surprised by the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune today about the Unclaimed Persons office in the San Diego Medical Examiner's office. I read it, then got on the computer and wrote San Diego John Doe is George D. Schott about the work the Unclaimed Person Facebook group did to find the family. I went in and got cleaned up, checked in on Facebook, tweeted about the Schott article, and worked a bit on CVGS member survey results. At 11:15, I went to Olive Garden for lunch with friends. I was home by 1 p.m.

I posted Tombstone Tuesday - Henry White and family then worked more on the CVGS survey results. I downloaded the January 2009 NEHGS Register and scanned it for useful information - there's more on my Kent family in England. I finished the CVGS survey results and sent them off to the Board for review and comment. At 5:30 p.m., I went in to watch TV, take a short nap and have dinner.

I was back on the computer by 6:30, and worked on the CVGS Annual Report, finished the draft and sent it off to the Board. I posted New Ancestry Content coming in February. Then it was time for my ProGen homework assignment - transcribing and abstracting a will record. I used the Ranslow Smith will transcription, and did the abstract. I sent it off to the Group. Then it was back to Facebook and I did Thomas' Quickies note and tagged a bunch of people. Where did the time go? It's 10 p.m. and I'm tired.

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on T/FB, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on the NEHGS site, 1.0 hour on the ProGen assignment, and 4.0 hours on CVGS work.

Monday, February 2, 2009

Genealogy Journal - 02/02/09

I was up early this morning, and on the computer before 8 a.m. I posted Got Great Ephemera? Tell Marty! and then Subscription Genealogy Sites traffic statistics before getting cleaned up and ready for the day. After checking in on Facebook, I wrote Finding the Source on Ancestry's City Directories after an email from Pam Warren about her problem. I did a test and saw one problem (but Pam has a second problem, unfortunately!), so I set it to post in the early afternoon. I found the GenSeek.com pages and almost made screen shots of them but didn't. Should have! I gathered up my notes on Mexican research in Spanish and after lunch headed off to the library for Table Talk.

The young lady from Tijuana didn't make it, unfortunately. I used the laptop to show the guys the Genseek.com page and the FamilySearch wiki page - the GenSeek.com page had already disappeared from the Internet. I read Tamura's web page about it and noted the pages he had saved. I spent almost an hour working in the San Diego City Directories for a query, then went home and emailed the correspondent with the information. I posted about the Research Trip to the FHC and Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - February 2009 on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog. More email, blogs, and Facebook, then a check for new databases on Ancestry and WVR and I stopped for dinner.

After dinner, I was back on the computer and wrote A Sneak Peek at Genseek.com but I had to drive hits to Tamura's site because I missed out on the screen shots. I updated the CVGS seminar proposal and flyers for the CVGS board meeting on Wednesday, then wrote my CVGS newsletter articles and sent them to the editor. I checked my 2008 seminar presentation and need to figure out what to keep, what to add, and what to delete from it so that it is semi-original. At 9 p.m., I went in to watch 24 and I read the SDGS newsletter and Chapter 16 of Professional Genealogy (Transcripts and Abstracts), for my homework on Thursday, during the commercials.

I came in and read email and blogs, checked Facebook and wrote this post. Seven blog posts today - not a record, but close!

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Facebook, 3.0 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour checking out Genseek.com, 4.0 hours on CVGS activities, and 0.5 hour reading the ProGen chapter.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Super Bowl Journal - 02/01/09

I did not get much done on my genealogy research today due to church and the game.

Blogger posted 2008 FamilySearch Traffic Statistics before I had breakfast. I read my email and blogs before church, and we were home by 11:45 a.m. I read blogs, checked Facebook, and wrote Best of the Genea-Blogs for the week. I tweeted it, and then went in to watch the Obama interview and then the Pre-Game show. I took a short nap, and awoke just before God Bless America.

I predicted a 30-24 Steelers win yesterday on Facebook, and it was pretty close, 27-23. A good game - nice to see some offense in the 4th quarter. I don't remember many commercials - the Doritos ad was great, the Clydesdales was good, I missed the second GoDaddy ad. I hear that www.hulu.com has all of them.

After the game, I came back and read email, blogs and Facebook, then worked on my Project P database - had some genealogy data to input to Legacy 7. I played with Legacy reports and found that it will create an MSWord document with the field codes for the names so that I can create an index. That's one of the things I really wanted in my next software package - Legacy gets an A for having that feature.

Genealogy today was 5.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Facebook and 2.0 hours working on Project P.