This was an interesting day - I got a lot done toward my 5/16 presentation about Ancestry.com and then found a puzzling quirk in Ancestry searches.
After reading email and blogs and Twitter, I posted What Should I Say About Ancestry.com? thinking my readers might be able to help me out some. The response has been civil and helpful and interesting - I hope A.com reads it. I then wrote A Victorian House in San Diego - turned into a box for the Carnival of genealogy, but set it to post late in the afternoon. I got cleaned up, and checked in on Facebook, and Ancestry new databases (not much new US Content recently), had lunch and headed out for my walk with George on the bayfront. I was home by 1 p.m.
It was time to get serious about my Ancestry 101 presentation, so I made a format for the presentation, and over the next four hours I had almost 50 slides done - mostly screen captures from the Family Tree and Search sections of Ancestry. I still have plenty to do for the other sections. I will need to go back over it and highlight things, but I'm pleased with the progress so far. I'll be OK as long as A.com doesn't change their page format on me in the next two weeks! I found a quirk in the New vs. Old Search and captured some screens to test it out. At 5 p.m. I went in and watched the news, read the paper, and we had dinner.
I was back at the keyboard at 6:30, and wrote Ancestry.com Quirk - Different Results for Old Search and New Search. I tested it again and the problem is still there. Strange! Then it was time for the Padres game ... we went ahead 3-1 and 5-4, but the Dodgers beat up our bullpen to win it 8-5. We're now 11-11. I was back at the keyboard at 10:20 p.m., read everything, checked the A.com quirk (still there) and wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 8.5 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 checking out Ancestry problems, and 4.0 hours working on the A.com presentation.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/29/09
We're almost to May, and I have three speaking engagements to prepare for. Yikes! Gotta get started, because the grandkids will be here in two weeks for a week.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, I posted Family Photographs - Post 53: Was Della driving? and More on Better Source Citations. I listened to Lisa's Genealogy Gems Podcast #64 too. Pam emailed me her notes for the OASIS class, so I copied them into an MSWord file and started editing it. There may be something missing, so I emailed her about it. I'm just 12 days away from the first class so I need to get that act together! I ate lunch and went off to the library for the 12 noon CVGS Program meeting. Shirley Becker talked about Digital Documentation.
I was home by 2:15 p.m., and read everything and tried to find something interesting to blog about. I worked on the class notes some more too. At 4 p.m., I went in to read the paper, watch TV and take a nap. At 5 p.m. we left for dinner with our neighbors - went to Rubio's. We were home by 7 p.m. I read everything, checked some Ancestry functions, attached some documents to people in my tree just to see how that works, put my mtDNA results into the Ancestry DNA page, and found no matches. Oh well. Then I wrote "Digital Documentation" - CVGS Program Summary about the program today. After browsing Twitter and Facebook, I wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 0.5 hour listening to podcasts, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours at CVGS, 2.0 hours working on class notes, and 1.0 hour working in Ancestry.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, I posted Family Photographs - Post 53: Was Della driving? and More on Better Source Citations. I listened to Lisa's Genealogy Gems Podcast #64 too. Pam emailed me her notes for the OASIS class, so I copied them into an MSWord file and started editing it. There may be something missing, so I emailed her about it. I'm just 12 days away from the first class so I need to get that act together! I ate lunch and went off to the library for the 12 noon CVGS Program meeting. Shirley Becker talked about Digital Documentation.
I was home by 2:15 p.m., and read everything and tried to find something interesting to blog about. I worked on the class notes some more too. At 4 p.m., I went in to read the paper, watch TV and take a nap. At 5 p.m. we left for dinner with our neighbors - went to Rubio's. We were home by 7 p.m. I read everything, checked some Ancestry functions, attached some documents to people in my tree just to see how that works, put my mtDNA results into the Ancestry DNA page, and found no matches. Oh well. Then I wrote "Digital Documentation" - CVGS Program Summary about the program today. After browsing Twitter and Facebook, I wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 0.5 hour listening to podcasts, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours at CVGS, 2.0 hours working on class notes, and 1.0 hour working in Ancestry.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/28/09
It was Audrey's first birthday today, and we missed it. Tami said she pulled herself up and stood up today. Cool. The second year is my favorite! I get to chase them. Lucas and Logan called tonight and we had a good talk.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, I posted about Happy Dance, Ah-ha, Eureka, Geneagasm Moments and then did some reading and playing with Ancestry and WorldVitalRecords - even captured some Barbour Collection pages. I got cleaned up, but stayed home and had lunch, then researched and posted Tombstone Tuesday - David Auble (1817-1894) in Terre Haute, Indiana. I'm almost out of gravestone photos of my ancestors. There are lots that I know where they are but haven't photographed, and I'm not ready for another trip yet. I posted CVGS Program on 29 April - Shirley Becker on "Computer Document Organization" and then Are You Reading "The Examiner" Genealogy Columns? I was bored with blogging, so I did something I've wanted to do for awhile - I made "head shots" of many of my family members and ancestors so that I can add them to my software program and be able to make Photo Trees. Finally, I wrote "The Census Taker Cometh." Excellent article.
At 5 p.m., I went in to watch TV, read the paper, and we had dinner while watching the Padres game. We won 4-3 coming from behind (now 11-9 in the young season). At 9 p.m., I came back and read everything, tweeted a bit, edited the Examiner post, checked in on Facebook, and then wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours working on the photos, 1.0 hour on ancestry and WVR, and 3.5 hours writing blog posts.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, I posted about Happy Dance, Ah-ha, Eureka, Geneagasm Moments and then did some reading and playing with Ancestry and WorldVitalRecords - even captured some Barbour Collection pages. I got cleaned up, but stayed home and had lunch, then researched and posted Tombstone Tuesday - David Auble (1817-1894) in Terre Haute, Indiana. I'm almost out of gravestone photos of my ancestors. There are lots that I know where they are but haven't photographed, and I'm not ready for another trip yet. I posted CVGS Program on 29 April - Shirley Becker on "Computer Document Organization" and then Are You Reading "The Examiner" Genealogy Columns? I was bored with blogging, so I did something I've wanted to do for awhile - I made "head shots" of many of my family members and ancestors so that I can add them to my software program and be able to make Photo Trees. Finally, I wrote "The Census Taker Cometh." Excellent article.
At 5 p.m., I went in to watch TV, read the paper, and we had dinner while watching the Padres game. We won 4-3 coming from behind (now 11-9 in the young season). At 9 p.m., I came back and read everything, tweeted a bit, edited the Examiner post, checked in on Facebook, and then wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours working on the photos, 1.0 hour on ancestry and WVR, and 3.5 hours writing blog posts.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/27/09
It was nice to have a day to catch up on reading and blogging and resting.
I was up really early because Linda's alarm went off at 5:15 a.m. so she could takeo ur neighbor to the airport. After breakfast, I was on the computer before 7 a.m. and read email, blogs and Twitter, then posted RAOGK - Find the family of orphaned pictures from Brian's link. I got cleaned up and then put together Working in RootsMagic 4 - Summary of Posts at long last, and then worked on Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 16: Creating Lists - Part 5. In a groove, I posted five items to my Randy's Busy Life blog and then wrote Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nestor on the SSDGC Graveyard Rabbit blog, which I've woefully neglected the last two months. I went exploring for new genealogy websites and almost blogged about one of them. Lunch time - I ate while blogging, then took off for the library at 12 noon for CVGS Table Talk.
Table Talk was uneventful, and I dozed off reading things due to my early wakeup. I went home early, although I picked up another Jeffrey Deaver book for my evening reading. I was home by 2 p.m., read everything, then decided to write and post Book Review - "Social Networking for Genealogists" - which I read several weeks ago but haven't found the time to write about. When I was done, I dozed off at the keyboard, so I went in and took a nap and we had dinner while watching the Padres game on TV. The Pads lost 12-7 to Colorado - damn pitching is terrible. A fellow called twice during the game asking for help making a powerpoint show of his family history - I ran through some basic things with him and he will come to the library next Monday for more help. I watched 24 after the game, and then read everything and wrote this post, my 11th blog post of the day (but only 6 were genealogy related)!
Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Facebook, 1.5 hours on CVGS activities, 1.0 hour exploring several web sites, and 4.0 hours writing blogs posts.
I was up really early because Linda's alarm went off at 5:15 a.m. so she could takeo ur neighbor to the airport. After breakfast, I was on the computer before 7 a.m. and read email, blogs and Twitter, then posted RAOGK - Find the family of orphaned pictures from Brian's link. I got cleaned up and then put together Working in RootsMagic 4 - Summary of Posts at long last, and then worked on Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 16: Creating Lists - Part 5. In a groove, I posted five items to my Randy's Busy Life blog and then wrote Mount Olivet Cemetery in Nestor on the SSDGC Graveyard Rabbit blog, which I've woefully neglected the last two months. I went exploring for new genealogy websites and almost blogged about one of them. Lunch time - I ate while blogging, then took off for the library at 12 noon for CVGS Table Talk.
Table Talk was uneventful, and I dozed off reading things due to my early wakeup. I went home early, although I picked up another Jeffrey Deaver book for my evening reading. I was home by 2 p.m., read everything, then decided to write and post Book Review - "Social Networking for Genealogists" - which I read several weeks ago but haven't found the time to write about. When I was done, I dozed off at the keyboard, so I went in and took a nap and we had dinner while watching the Padres game on TV. The Pads lost 12-7 to Colorado - damn pitching is terrible. A fellow called twice during the game asking for help making a powerpoint show of his family history - I ran through some basic things with him and he will come to the library next Monday for more help. I watched 24 after the game, and then read everything and wrote this post, my 11th blog post of the day (but only 6 were genealogy related)!
Genealogy today was 8.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Facebook, 1.5 hours on CVGS activities, 1.0 hour exploring several web sites, and 4.0 hours writing blogs posts.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/26/09
Got a good nights sleep and was rarin' to go ... to church. Then home for genealogy fun.
After breakfast and before church, I read my email and blogs and Twitter, and posted the Best of the Genea-Blogs post written last night. Off to church a 9:30, and home by 11:40 a.m., and jumped right into the Scanfest that started at 11. I lasted until 2 p.m., and got 30 scans of about 55 pictures from my grandfather's box done - these are mostly orphan pictures put into a plastic bag 20 years ago - some good ones. There are plenty more pictures from four generations to scan. At 2, I went in to watch the Padres game - they lost 8-3 to the Pirates - and took a little nap.
At 3:30, I came back to the computer and wrote three posts on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog - Genealogy Software Review Summary, CVGS Spring Saturday Seminar Review - Part 1: "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search" and CVGS Spring Saturday Seminar Review - Part 2: "Solving Your Brickwall Problems" Panel . It was dinner time, so I had my Dinty Moore beef stew since Linda was out with her friend, and came back to the computer to read everything, tweet and answer some email. At 9, I went in and watched Desperate Housewives, and daughter Lori called to coordinate her visit in May with our schedules. Then I wrote this post and I'm done.
Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Facebook, 2.5 hours on the Scanfest, and 3.0 hours writing blog posts.
After breakfast and before church, I read my email and blogs and Twitter, and posted the Best of the Genea-Blogs post written last night. Off to church a 9:30, and home by 11:40 a.m., and jumped right into the Scanfest that started at 11. I lasted until 2 p.m., and got 30 scans of about 55 pictures from my grandfather's box done - these are mostly orphan pictures put into a plastic bag 20 years ago - some good ones. There are plenty more pictures from four generations to scan. At 2, I went in to watch the Padres game - they lost 8-3 to the Pirates - and took a little nap.
At 3:30, I came back to the computer and wrote three posts on the Chula Vista Genealogy Cafe blog - Genealogy Software Review Summary, CVGS Spring Saturday Seminar Review - Part 1: "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search" and CVGS Spring Saturday Seminar Review - Part 2: "Solving Your Brickwall Problems" Panel . It was dinner time, so I had my Dinty Moore beef stew since Linda was out with her friend, and came back to the computer to read everything, tweet and answer some email. At 9, I went in and watched Desperate Housewives, and daughter Lori called to coordinate her visit in May with our schedules. Then I wrote this post and I'm done.
Genealogy today was 7.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter and Facebook, 2.5 hours on the Scanfest, and 3.0 hours writing blog posts.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/25/09
The seminar day was here and I was ready! I never sleep well the night before a presentation, and I didn't last night.
I was up early, had breakfast and came in after 7 a.m. to read email, read blog posts and Twitter and make sure I was ready for the day. The post Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 15: Creating Lists - Part 4 went up this morning but I wrote it last night. I wrote the Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Where's Your Date Calculator? post and scheduled it for the afternoon since I was going to be busy all afternoon. Went in and got cleaned up, came back and scrolled through the presentation again, gathered up the research problem statements and left at 9:20 for the library.
We couldn't get into the library early for some reasons, so had to set up after the 10 a.m. opening. Gary got the projector and computer hooked up, I got the presentations transferred to his computer, and we started the seminar on time. After a short introduction, Gary introduced me and I spent 80 minutes going through 120 slides about "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search." I don't know if the audience was exhausted, but I was! I had many compliments on the talk, which I really appreciated! We had lunch - I talked to several people out on one of the benches in the sun. At 1 p.m., we set up the table on the stage and started the "Solving Your Brickwall Problems" segment of the seminar - Gary was moderator and four of us were panelists. Six problems were presented verbally and on charts on the screen by the "owners" of the problems, and the panelists provided help and guidance, and commiseration, on the problems. I will post on the two sessions later. This was over at 3 p.m., and I was home by 3:45 p.m. I read everything, and went in for a nap and to watch TV. We had dinner and I spent a while working on the "Best of..." post for Sunday.
At 7 p.m., I went in and watched my Padres lose 10-1 to the Pirates in a terrible game (for me anyway - worst pitched game of the year by us, and best pitched game by an opponent). I read the paper, then read my book, toyed with the idea of typing seminar notes on the laptop, but didn't. The game was mercifully over at 9:45, and I came in to finish the "Best of ..." post, write this and read everything.
Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 5.5 hours on the CVGS seminar.
I was up early, had breakfast and came in after 7 a.m. to read email, read blog posts and Twitter and make sure I was ready for the day. The post Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 15: Creating Lists - Part 4 went up this morning but I wrote it last night. I wrote the Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Where's Your Date Calculator? post and scheduled it for the afternoon since I was going to be busy all afternoon. Went in and got cleaned up, came back and scrolled through the presentation again, gathered up the research problem statements and left at 9:20 for the library.
We couldn't get into the library early for some reasons, so had to set up after the 10 a.m. opening. Gary got the projector and computer hooked up, I got the presentations transferred to his computer, and we started the seminar on time. After a short introduction, Gary introduced me and I spent 80 minutes going through 120 slides about "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search." I don't know if the audience was exhausted, but I was! I had many compliments on the talk, which I really appreciated! We had lunch - I talked to several people out on one of the benches in the sun. At 1 p.m., we set up the table on the stage and started the "Solving Your Brickwall Problems" segment of the seminar - Gary was moderator and four of us were panelists. Six problems were presented verbally and on charts on the screen by the "owners" of the problems, and the panelists provided help and guidance, and commiseration, on the problems. I will post on the two sessions later. This was over at 3 p.m., and I was home by 3:45 p.m. I read everything, and went in for a nap and to watch TV. We had dinner and I spent a while working on the "Best of..." post for Sunday.
At 7 p.m., I went in and watched my Padres lose 10-1 to the Pirates in a terrible game (for me anyway - worst pitched game of the year by us, and best pitched game by an opponent). I read the paper, then read my book, toyed with the idea of typing seminar notes on the laptop, but didn't. The game was mercifully over at 9:45, and I came in to finish the "Best of ..." post, write this and read everything.
Genealogy today was 9.0 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, and 5.5 hours on the CVGS seminar.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/24/09
One more day until the CVGS seminar - I'm ready, I think. I spent most of today gettng ready, not only for the seminar activities, but having most of my Saturday time taken by the seminar. That means planning ahead for SNGF among other things. We were planning on going to the Padres game, but have scratched that.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, your hurried reporter wrote Adding Quality Source Citations to Genealogy Software Through Technology in an effort to regain his mojo after fumbling badly on the earlier post - he didn't understand what Mark was proposing. Now he does, and appreciates Mark's vision. Then your intrepid reporter figured he should make a presentation of the CVGS seminar problem statements, so he did that and sent them by email to the panel moderator. He had to go to the bank and get gas, so a lunch at the world famous McDonald's Restaurant was in order.
Back home by noon, your exhaustive reporter read everything plus Facebook, and then wrote Have you checked USGenNet.org Databases? after doing just that for his Lam/Lanphere/-phier/-phear/-fear/etc. He wrote a response to Ancestry questions prepared for Thursday's telecon. Next, he worked on a Research Summary and To-Do list, in order to present himself as an organized researcher (heh heh) and added them to the "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search" presentation. At the least, preparing the presentation has been reasonably exhaustive! After an email from a colleague, your exhausted reporter wrote Special Offer on Footnote for NEHGS Subscribers. What happened to the Ancestry/NEHGS deal? Is that no longer available? Drat. Planning ahead, he wrote another RootsMagic post for Saturday morning posting. At 5, we went down to the noisy but good Mr. V's Italian restaurant and he gustaciously ate spaghetti and meatballs for $3.95 on their special.
We were home by 6:30, and Linda used the desktop computer until the Padres game started at 7, so your happy reporter set up the laptop on my TV table and transferred the presentation and other files to the laptop from the flash drive. Uh-oh - he needs to write the Best of post before Sunday (due to Scanfest) and do a little research on the seminar research problems. Your fanatical reporter did that watching the Padres game - got the Best of post half finished (can do the other half on Saturday night watching the Padres game since we're not going after all). The Padres won 4-3 in 11 innings, so at 10:45 he came in and read email before going off to bed reasonably exhausted.
Genealogy today was 10.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 3.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Ancestry questions, and 5.0 hours on CVGS seminar preparations - presentations and research problems.
After reading email, blogs and Twitter, your hurried reporter wrote Adding Quality Source Citations to Genealogy Software Through Technology in an effort to regain his mojo after fumbling badly on the earlier post - he didn't understand what Mark was proposing. Now he does, and appreciates Mark's vision. Then your intrepid reporter figured he should make a presentation of the CVGS seminar problem statements, so he did that and sent them by email to the panel moderator. He had to go to the bank and get gas, so a lunch at the world famous McDonald's Restaurant was in order.
Back home by noon, your exhaustive reporter read everything plus Facebook, and then wrote Have you checked USGenNet.org Databases? after doing just that for his Lam/Lanphere/-phier/-phear/-fear/etc. He wrote a response to Ancestry questions prepared for Thursday's telecon. Next, he worked on a Research Summary and To-Do list, in order to present himself as an organized researcher (heh heh) and added them to the "Doing a Reasonably Exhaustive Search" presentation. At the least, preparing the presentation has been reasonably exhaustive! After an email from a colleague, your exhausted reporter wrote Special Offer on Footnote for NEHGS Subscribers. What happened to the Ancestry/NEHGS deal? Is that no longer available? Drat. Planning ahead, he wrote another RootsMagic post for Saturday morning posting. At 5, we went down to the noisy but good Mr. V's Italian restaurant and he gustaciously ate spaghetti and meatballs for $3.95 on their special.
We were home by 6:30, and Linda used the desktop computer until the Padres game started at 7, so your happy reporter set up the laptop on my TV table and transferred the presentation and other files to the laptop from the flash drive. Uh-oh - he needs to write the Best of post before Sunday (due to Scanfest) and do a little research on the seminar research problems. Your fanatical reporter did that watching the Padres game - got the Best of post half finished (can do the other half on Saturday night watching the Padres game since we're not going after all). The Padres won 4-3 in 11 innings, so at 10:45 he came in and read email before going off to bed reasonably exhausted.
Genealogy today was 10.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blog posts, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 3.0 hours writing blog posts, 1.0 hour on Ancestry questions, and 5.0 hours on CVGS seminar preparations - presentations and research problems.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/23/09
I'm only two days away from the seminar, and now I'm almost ready to present it. This was a full genealogy day on a number of fronts.
After reading email and blogs and Twitter, I worked on answering questions posed by an Ancestry rep in preparation for a telephone call at 11 a.m. The cal went over an hour and we had a good conversation, but didn't answer all of the questions. We may connect again next week. I had lunch, got cleaned up and came back to the computer. I wrote Using Ancestry.com's Hot Keys about the "New Search" feature - I really like it, and it makes using New Search my preference since I can get to the search box with one keystroke and no clicks, with some limitations.
I received another research problem for the seminar, so I edited the file and sent them all off to the panel again. I worked for awhile on the research problems - trying to find suggestions for further research by checking for FHLC entries, and online records, etc. I didn't finish but was really sleepy at 4:30 so I gave in and napped in my recliner for 30 minutes while watching TV (or not). I read the paper and we had dinner, and I was back on the computer at 7 p.m.
I downloaded the pictures from last night, and wrote When Genea-bloggers meet... Then it was working on the seminar syllabus which I finished and sent off to be copied. I worked on several more research problems too, and then on the presentation. I'm almost finished with it now - I added the Senate bill summary and need to add my summary tables and I'm done. Over 110 slides now - for an 80 minute (really fast) talk. Then I wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on Ancestry telecon, and 4.0 hours on CVGS seminar handout, research problems and presentation.
After reading email and blogs and Twitter, I worked on answering questions posed by an Ancestry rep in preparation for a telephone call at 11 a.m. The cal went over an hour and we had a good conversation, but didn't answer all of the questions. We may connect again next week. I had lunch, got cleaned up and came back to the computer. I wrote Using Ancestry.com's Hot Keys about the "New Search" feature - I really like it, and it makes using New Search my preference since I can get to the search box with one keystroke and no clicks, with some limitations.
I received another research problem for the seminar, so I edited the file and sent them all off to the panel again. I worked for awhile on the research problems - trying to find suggestions for further research by checking for FHLC entries, and online records, etc. I didn't finish but was really sleepy at 4:30 so I gave in and napped in my recliner for 30 minutes while watching TV (or not). I read the paper and we had dinner, and I was back on the computer at 7 p.m.
I downloaded the pictures from last night, and wrote When Genea-bloggers meet... Then it was working on the seminar syllabus which I finished and sent off to be copied. I worked on several more research problems too, and then on the presentation. I'm almost finished with it now - I added the Senate bill summary and need to add my summary tables and I'm done. Over 110 slides now - for an 80 minute (really fast) talk. Then I wrote this post.
Genealogy today was 10.0 hours - 1.0 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on Ancestry telecon, and 4.0 hours on CVGS seminar handout, research problems and presentation.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/22/09
Ah, a good day for me and genealogy. I gave a presentation and had a great dinner and conversation with my wife and another genea-blogger.
I didn't sleep well last night (perhaps the heat, perhaps anticipating the presentation?) and was up before 6 a.m. to have breakfast, read the paper and watch TV. At 7:15 a.m. I came in to read my email, blogs, and Twitter. Quickly wrote Family Photographs - Post 52: Ellen at the beach and Cape Cod History and Genealogy web site. I got the laptop set up and transferred files to it so that I could use it at the CVGS meeting at noon. Then I went through the three programs using a feature list to make sure I didn't miss anything important. I checked Ancestry's new databases, and saw the US to Canada Border Crossings database, tried it and found it was not in the US collection. I wrote Why does Ancestry.com do this? - it says US! It has US people in it, not Canadians. Why shouldn't it be in both collections? Ate lunch and left for the library.
The library opened at 12 noon and I got set up in the Conference Room. I couldn't make my laptop look "right" on the screen and messing with the Display numbers didn't help. We had 11 people, and I did the Genealogy Software Review showing features of Family Tree Maker 2009, Legacy Family Tree 7 and RootsMagic 4. I ended just after 2 pm. - not bad, that was my target time. I was home by 2:30 p.m.
After reading everything, I wrote Electronic Genealogy Magazine Publication. I checked Facebook for awhile, and answered a few emails. At 4:15, I went in and got ready to go out to dinner. We had a 5 pm. meeting time at the unknown genea-blogger's hotel. We were there right at 5 and she walked out to meet us. We went to Hob Nob Hill in San Diego and had an ice dinner, with much sharing and laughter and questions - Linda sat on one side of her and I sat opposite her, so we double-teamed her. She gave as well as she got, I think. It was fun getting to know her in person rather than just by blogging, email and Facebook. After dinner, we drove through Balboa Park, along the Bay front, Shelter Island, Point Loma and Ocean Beach before heading back to her hotel. We were home by 8 p.m. Can anyone guess who she is?
Linda did her email for awhile, and at 9:15 I got on to read everything and type this post.
Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 3.5 hours on the software presentation, and 2.5 hours sharing with the mystery genea-blogger.
I didn't sleep well last night (perhaps the heat, perhaps anticipating the presentation?) and was up before 6 a.m. to have breakfast, read the paper and watch TV. At 7:15 a.m. I came in to read my email, blogs, and Twitter. Quickly wrote Family Photographs - Post 52: Ellen at the beach and Cape Cod History and Genealogy web site. I got the laptop set up and transferred files to it so that I could use it at the CVGS meeting at noon. Then I went through the three programs using a feature list to make sure I didn't miss anything important. I checked Ancestry's new databases, and saw the US to Canada Border Crossings database, tried it and found it was not in the US collection. I wrote Why does Ancestry.com do this? - it says US! It has US people in it, not Canadians. Why shouldn't it be in both collections? Ate lunch and left for the library.
The library opened at 12 noon and I got set up in the Conference Room. I couldn't make my laptop look "right" on the screen and messing with the Display numbers didn't help. We had 11 people, and I did the Genealogy Software Review showing features of Family Tree Maker 2009, Legacy Family Tree 7 and RootsMagic 4. I ended just after 2 pm. - not bad, that was my target time. I was home by 2:30 p.m.
After reading everything, I wrote Electronic Genealogy Magazine Publication. I checked Facebook for awhile, and answered a few emails. At 4:15, I went in and got ready to go out to dinner. We had a 5 pm. meeting time at the unknown genea-blogger's hotel. We were there right at 5 and she walked out to meet us. We went to Hob Nob Hill in San Diego and had an ice dinner, with much sharing and laughter and questions - Linda sat on one side of her and I sat opposite her, so we double-teamed her. She gave as well as she got, I think. It was fun getting to know her in person rather than just by blogging, email and Facebook. After dinner, we drove through Balboa Park, along the Bay front, Shelter Island, Point Loma and Ocean Beach before heading back to her hotel. We were home by 8 p.m. Can anyone guess who she is?
Linda did her email for awhile, and at 9:15 I got on to read everything and type this post.
Genealogy today was 9.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.0 hours writing blog posts, 3.5 hours on the software presentation, and 2.5 hours sharing with the mystery genea-blogger.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Genealogy Journal - 04/21/09
Well, I have few memories of what I did today, but I'm sure I'll remember something about the day.
After doing email and reading blogs and Twitter, I posted Tombstone Tuesday - Joanna Sawtell (1701-1786) in Groton MA, got cleaned up and then researched and wrote Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 14: Creating Lists - Part 3. I spent an hour making a PowerPoint for my software presentation on Wednesday and copying it to the flash drive. I had lunch, and worked a bit on the CVGS seminar problems, and then on the presentation and handout. I got the handout almost finished, and improved the presentation in the process. I have too many slides and need to find a good place to end it and come up with a finishing hook. In the process of looking for Lam/Lanpheres/etc. in the online book services, I ran across a fascinating autobiography and wrote about it in Internet Archive search reveals a fascinating book of life in the 1800's. I saved it in my Lamphear surname file.
At 4, I went in and watched news, read the paper and took a nap. We left after 5 p.m. for dinner with our elderly neighbors - celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at The Galley at the Marina. They loved the ice cream sundae freebie! We were home by 7:30, and the Padres game was on. I got the laptop out and tested everything I could for tomorrow. I ran a scan of the laptop and came up with two problems, so that worked. The Padres lost 8-3 (Pads now 9-5). At 10 p.m., I came in to read everything and to write this post.
Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on the software presentation, 1.5 hour on the Saturday seminar, and 1.0 hour doing online research and reading.
After doing email and reading blogs and Twitter, I posted Tombstone Tuesday - Joanna Sawtell (1701-1786) in Groton MA, got cleaned up and then researched and wrote Working in RootsMagic 4 - Post 14: Creating Lists - Part 3. I spent an hour making a PowerPoint for my software presentation on Wednesday and copying it to the flash drive. I had lunch, and worked a bit on the CVGS seminar problems, and then on the presentation and handout. I got the handout almost finished, and improved the presentation in the process. I have too many slides and need to find a good place to end it and come up with a finishing hook. In the process of looking for Lam/Lanpheres/etc. in the online book services, I ran across a fascinating autobiography and wrote about it in Internet Archive search reveals a fascinating book of life in the 1800's. I saved it in my Lamphear surname file.
At 4, I went in and watched news, read the paper and took a nap. We left after 5 p.m. for dinner with our elderly neighbors - celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at The Galley at the Marina. They loved the ice cream sundae freebie! We were home by 7:30, and the Padres game was on. I got the laptop out and tested everything I could for tomorrow. I ran a scan of the laptop and came up with two problems, so that worked. The Padres lost 8-3 (Pads now 9-5). At 10 p.m., I came in to read everything and to write this post.
Genealogy today was 8.5 hours - 0.5 hour doing email, 0.5 hour reading blogs, 0.5 hour on Twitter/Facebook, 2.5 hours writing blog posts, 2.0 hours on the software presentation, 1.5 hour on the Saturday seminar, and 1.0 hour doing online research and reading.
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