Thursday, March 11, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 11 March 2010

This will be the last genealogy day post for awhile - Linda and I are off for three weeks on vacation. I may use this blog to post highlights of our days just for later reference. Linda has her suitcase packed, and I don't, but I have my book bag packed with iPod, digital camera, Flip video camera and some books. We have 24 hours of travel from Friday night to Sunday afternoon...not sure how much sleep we'll get going over. I'll be cranky, I fear.

* Read emails, blogs and Twitter. Unsubbed from the TGF list for now to minimize emails. Wrote Census Records on Footnote.com FREE for awhile . Went looking for Treasure Chest items and had to reduce recent scans from TIFs to JPGs. Wrote Treasure Chest Thursday - Church Marriage Record and three other posts for the Thursday posts.

* Got cleaned up, wrote First Carnival of Genealogical Societies Published and set it for later in the afternoon. I think I wrote some more posts for the three weeks I'll be gone, but there isn't one yet for everyday.

* Had lunch at home, then went off to walk with George on the bayfront. Went to mall to get anniversary card, look for jewelry and airplane eye-muffs. Found only the card. Drat. Will have to buy jewelry for her on the trip. Home by 2 p.m.

* Read everything, answered some email, proofed new FORUM draft copy and sent to editor, and went out to cut front lawn. Back in at 4:15 and don't remember what I did until I went in at 5 p.m. to watch TV news, take a nap and have dinner.

* Back online at 7:15 p.m., read everything and worked on FORUM column for awhile. Gathered stuff for bookbag. Wrote post for Friday noon, and wrote this post. Maybe 8 blog posts today - slacking off!

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.5 hours writing column and proofing copy, and 4.0 hours writing blog posts.

Goodbye, genea-blog world, until The Geneaholic gets out of Rehab...

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 10 March 2010

Two days and counting.... got the letter to family done, and called travel folks about airplane seats - assigned at the airport. Damn! Middle seats here we come - for 15 hours. Maybe I can put my head in Linda's lap?

* Read email (only 45 list items today), blogs and Twitter before getting down to blogging business - wrote (Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 94: Emily Auble, age 1 and SDGS Program on Saturday, 13 March: Wayne Anderson before getting cleaned up.

* Gathered papers up, went off to McDonalds for lunch and then to library for CVGS Research Group meeting. Had 14 - three good problems and several good questions. Not much show and tell today. Found some paperback books at library for trip. Home by 2:30 p.m.

* Wrote up CVGS Research Group 3/10/10 Summary and wrote several more "advance" posts for the next three weeks. Checked Gmail accounts too. Wandered around internet a bit, saw nothing interesting to blog about.

* Went in at 5:15 to put out trash, watch TV, eat dinner, wash dishes, and back to computer at 7 p.m. Read everything, did a little database work, wrote email to family about trip, then remembered that the Smile deadline was tonight - so wrote Give their face a place - Ada Woodward.

* Checked on Twitter and Facebook, wrote this post and ready to go read and watch TV. Already getting into the Aloha spirit!

Genealogy today was 8.0 hours today, but who's counting? 1.0 hour doing email, 1.0 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours at CVGS Research Group, 3.0 hours writing blog posts, and 0.5 hour on social networks.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 9 March 2010

Three days and counting... found the 240 to 120 volt converter! Broke the bathroom vanity drawer getting it out, though. Linda is packed. forgot to call travel agency about airplane seats. Found out all hotels but one have a pool. All have Internet.

* Read email (only 85 list posts), blogs and Twitter, then posted Roots Television saved from genea-oblivion and researched and wrote First Look at New Footnote.com Viewer.

* Got cleaned up, back online to write The 2010 Census Questions - and why they are asked and set it for early afternoon. Found the converter, but broke one side of the vanity drawer. Gathered pieces, decided to repair it, but no super glue in the house. Friend suggested Gorilla Glue for wood-to-wood.

* Wrote seven posts for Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe, including New or Updated Genealogy Databases - March, Post 1 and CVGS at the Escondido Family History Fair.

* Had lunch at home, worked in database for awhile. Answered a number of emails trying to burn down the stack.

* Went to Home Depot at 2 p.m. to get glue, home at 2:45 and had first repair done soon after. Cut some splints, but let glue dry first.

* Back online, answered more email, some because the correspondents answered quickly. Went in at 5:15 to watch TV and eat dinner. Attached splints to drawer side, then put drawer side back on drawer and installed it. The flaw is well hidden!

* Back online at 7 p.m., read everything, wrote Using GenSmarts - Post 5: Queries and went checking out family tree sites again, looking for the one that best suits my requirements. None do! Wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 3.0 hours doing email, 1.0 hour reading blogs, 4.0 hours writing blog posts (12 total), 1.5 hours on family trees, and 0.5 hour on social networks.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 8 March 2010

Four more days... still lots of work to do. Got one major task covered today...many more to go.

* Checked email, blogs and Twitter and wrote Amanuensis Monday - the Will of John Prescott (1604-1681) and Documenting 10 Generations Revisited then got cleaned up. Tried to make 10-generation fan chart in RootsMagic and Legacy - Legacy did OK, RM didn't. Fan charts are not available. Arggh. Made new GEDCOM and transferred to RM4 and LFT7.

* Wrote three more posts for the next three weeks before writing Pictures from Escondido Family History Fair and setting it for early afternoon. Had a quick lunch and off to the library.

* Went to CVGS Table Talk at the library, John was helping Mary Lou and I contributed a bit. Was home by 1:15 p.m.

* Got out the iPod and tried to remember how iTunes worked. Tried to download GenGuys podcasts but that didn't work for some reason. Finally figured out how to get them from iTunes. Charged the iPod, updated the software and had to delete all of what was on the iPod. Loaded the Podcasts, Photos and Music but it was a struggle off and on all afternoon.

* Researched and wrote Fearless Females - Diaries, Journals and Letters and wrote three more posts for the weeks we're gone, then went in for dinner and to read the paper.

* Back online at 6:30 p.m., and struggled more with the iPod. Finally got it ready to go. Worked in Family ChArtist for about two hours - then wrote First Pass at Family ChArtist. Had to get GEDCOM from RootsMagic database. Pretty good, some hiccups, some limitations, but I'm sure that it will improve over time.

* Went in at 9 p.m. to watch 24, then washed dishes, and back to write this post. About 12 blog posts today!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 1.5 hours at CVGS Table Talk, 2.0 hours working in Family ChArtist, 1.0 hour messing with software GEDCOMs and charts, and 3.0 hours writing blog posts.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 7 March 2010

Starting to feel the deadline pressure - the goal is to finish my FORUM column and blog on G-M and CVGC for the rest of March by next Friday...finished one big job today, and got started on the column.

* Read email, blogs and Twitter, and noted that At the Escondido Family History Fair posted (written last night). Started Best of the Genea-Blogs - 28 February - 6 March 2010 before church - left at 9:30 a.m.

* Home at 11:35, finished Best of post, had quick lunch, gathered up CVGS newsletter stuff and out the door at 12:15 p.m. to UPS Store.

* Susi and Virginia helped with the CVGS newsletter publishing - home by 1 p.m.

* Read everything, sent newsletter to members, did a little database work on some Seaver families, wrote the synopsis for my CGSSD talk in May and sent it off, wrote our tour guide with questions, and started in on FGS FORUM column for summer issue, due 31 March. Worked until 5 p.m.

* Went in to watch TV, eat dinner, read paper, back to desktop at 7 p.m.

* Looked through database for good Amanuensis Monday items, have lots of transcribed wills. Gotta be careful - should only post the ones I've transcribed. Decided to write about 10 generation pedigree charts in Can you document all names back 10 generations? Got wrapped around the counting axle and revised several times...knew I shouldn't have tried it! It's about right, I think, and conveys what I wanted to say.

* Checked Facebook, and wrote this post, and done for the night!

Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours researching and writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on CVGS newsletter, 1.5 hours working in database, 2.0 hours on FGS column.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 6 March 2010

A very full genealogy day - fun too!

* Up early to go to the Escondido Family History Fair, read email, got cleaned up, left at 7:15 a.m. to go to parking garage for CVGS carpool. We left at 7:30, Gary drove, got there at 8:15 a.m. Surname Saturday - BUCK (of Massachusetts) posted in the morning.

* Helped set up table at Fair, talked to folks, went off to hear Rencher, then Rober, lunch at the table, Renick and Renick. Will post about it on Sunday. Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your own WDYTYA? posted after noon.

* Home at 5:40 p.m., power had been off, so turned computer on, read the paper, had dinner, back online at 7 p.m.

* Read everything, worked on CVGS newsletter - got it done and master copy printed - will publish it on Sunday.

* Wrote SNGF - The Stars of My WDYTYA? Show and then post about Family History Fair for Sunday, checked Facebook and wrote this post.

Genealogy today was 15.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 10.0 hours to/at/from Family History Fair, 2.5 hours on CVGS newsletter, and 1.5 hours writing blog posts.

Friday, March 5, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 5 March 2010

Finally had a decent genealogy day ... and WDYTYA was icing on the cake, so to speak.

* Read email (only 35 list posts - yay!), blogs and Twitter before posting Follow Friday - Creative Gene. Wrote Fearless Females - March 5: How did they meet? about how my parents met. Had to search for cousin Marcia's notes from 1998-9. Success! Interesting too. Spent some time looking through all of my saved emails from 1996-1999 time frame.

* Had lunch, gathered up stuff and off to the bank and gas station at 11:45 a.m., home by 12:30 p.m.

* Worked in GenSmarts for awhile, then wrote Using GenSmarts - Post 4: Research Locations.

* Added more content to CVGS newsletter, installed 2009 TurboTax and tried to get seat assignments from Qantas for trip next week. Failed - we're part of a group already assigned a block.

* Went in at 5 p.m. to watch TV, read the paper and eat dinner. Back online at 6:30 p.m. to work on CVGS newsletter - still needs editing and polishing.

* Went in at 8 p.m. to watch WDYTYA. Washed dishes afterward, came back to computer and wrote two posts for Saturday and Who Do You Think You Are? Episode 1 Recap, then this post.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 1.0 hour reading old emails, 1.0 hour in GenSmarts, 3.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.5 hours working on CVGS newsletter, and 1.0 hour watching WDYTYA.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Randy's Family History Days - 3-4 March 2010

Too exhausted to write a post last night, because of grandgirls here since Tuesday morning. They went home tonight. Exhilarausted again, but wonderful family history moments and memories.

Wednesday, 3 March:

* Minded grandgirls until 10 a.m., then read email and blogs. (Not So) Wordless Wednesday - Post 93: Catherine Buntin posted in the morning, and Fearless Females - March 3: Unusual Names after noon, both written night before.

* Had lunch, gathered up stuff at 11:20 a.m. and went off to the library for CVGS Board meeting. A marathon - home by 3 p.m.

* Nurtured grandgirls until bedtime - walk down the block, snacks, TV, games, dinner, bath, dessert, bedtime.

* Watched Faces of America episode from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., then Linda used desktop computer until 10:15. I did dishes, read paper, watched TV, fumed.

* Checked email and blogs, wrote Treasure Chest Thursday - "I'll be out to see you" for Thursday morning. Checked Facebook, went to bed.

Genealogy this day was 4.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email (85 list items), 0.5 hour reading blogs, 3.0 hours at CVGS meeting, and 0.5 hour writing blog posts.

Thursday, 4 February:

* Up again with grandgirls, nurtured them until Linda home at 12 noon. Breakfast, TV, games, snacks, walk down the block, more TV, Lolo's show, computer games. Able to read email (125 list items, arrggh) and blogs during the morning. Then Linda fixed lunch.

* Girls down at 12:30 for naps, on computer to read everything, wrote I'm Puzzled by DNA Claims on "Faces of America" in a hurry, and it showed. Had to update it to fix error.

* Girls up at 3 p.m., nurtured them for an hour until James came to take them home. Fun, but exhausting for both of us.

* Wrote Book Review: Who Do You Think You Are? based on my quick read-through - think I'm the first to review it. Eastman did it tonight also.

* Dinner time - we went to Lolita's for quick and easy and good dinner, home at 6 p .m. for Dove bar.

* Online at 6:15 p.m. to start on CVGS Newsletter for March. Got all but computer oriented material done and one article to add. Checked in on Facebook and Twitter. Wrote this blog post. Yawn!

Genealogy this day was 6.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 1.5 hours writing blog posts, and 3.0 hours working on CVGS newsletter.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 2 March 2010

Genealogy came to a crashing halt this morning at 11:15 a.m. when the grandgirls came to stay for three days while their mom recovers from a bug of some sort.

* Up early again, read email (85 list emails), blogs and Twitter, posted Tombstone Tuesday - Rebecca (Towne) Nurse (1621-1692) and wrote Fearless Females - March 2: Ancestral Photo before getting cleaned up.

* Came back and saw tweet about 1000 Years of Family History in 37 Minutes? so posted that immediately. Was watching video when the grandgirls came.

* Went out for lunch to El Pollo Loco and the girls ate well, home for naps at 1 p.m. and I got a short one too.

* Able to read everything and post Retention of 2010 US Census Data. Lolo watched TV and Audrey up at 4 p.m. Took girls for a walk and found playmates down the street. Back home we had dinner, got the girls bathed, jammied, brushed and read-to before bed. Audrey went immediately at 7:30, Lolo went in at 8:30 and is still awake at 9:45 p.m. Oh well!

* Wrote two blog posts for tomorrow morning. Then this post.

* Received the WDYTYA? book today in the mail - browsed it a bit, Genea-Musings not mentioned...several other blogs are. Hmmpphh.

Genealogy today was 5.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 0.5 hour watching videos, 3.5 hours writing blog posts.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Randy's Genealogy Day - 1 March 2010

It was a busy genealogy day - another project completed, more planned, and some writing...and the grandgirls come on Tuesday to visit!

* Up early, online by 7 a.m., read everything (55 list emails), and noted that Amanuensis Monday - Inventory of Robert Seaver (1702-1752) Estate posted. Unfortunately, the money numbers don't line up well...figured that would happen! Wrote Celebrate Women's History Month - blogging prompts and set it for late morning.

* Got cleaned up, grabbed laptop bag and off at 9:15 a.m. for Mission Valley for last OASIS class of this series. Got set up, students there by 10:15, gave presentation, worked for about an hour on their research problems and questions. Stopped by office to check in and make sure I'm doing it in June - yep!

* Stopped at McDonalds for lunch, then to Chula Vista Library to talk to CVGS colleagues about summer events, and home by 2 p.m.

* Read everything, wrote Fearless Females - Abigail (Vaux) Smith and wrote some emails about CVGS plans, some family tree correspondents, and some software subjects.

* Went in at 5 p.m. to watch TV, read paper and eat dinner. Back online at 6:30 p.m. to read everything, then write Genealogy Days in Chula Vista - March 2010 and one other post on CVGenealogy Cafe, and Using GenSmarts - Post 3: To-Do List Actions. Had trouble with images for awhile on Blogger. Checked in on Facebook.

* Modified my web page to include OASIS handouts and presentations. Google changed Sites editing features - couldn't figure out how to link to a document, finally figured it out. Frustrating.

* Went in at 9 p.m. to watch 24, and back online at 10:15 p.m. to write this post. Wrote 6 blog posts today.

Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 2.5 hours at OASIS class, 1.0 hour at CVGS meeting, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, and 1.5 hours working on website.