Welcome to 2020!
This year I had difficulty keeping up with my family history research and writing on this blog. I have been very busy with business and family, and then I added on researching my husband’s family and writing at Entering the Pale. But I have been writing The Family Kalamazoo for seven years and still have so much research to do and so many photos to share.
Sometimes when a project seems daunting it is helpful to break it down into smaller pieces. I have decided on a way to break it down for me. I hope it won’t be too boring for you to follow along with my 2020 project.
Each week I will take one individual who I am directly descended from to work on. I will begin with my grandparents, checking over the following:
- my computer files
- my tree on Ancestry
- copying that portion of the tree elsewhere (not decided yet)
Then I will use this blog to:
- share any new info I discover
- report on my organization efforts
- list big gaps that still need figuring out
For the individuals I have no photos of to post, I will instead post an unknown photo with any clues I have about its identity.
For years now, I have kept 2 to-do lists every day of my life. I have one list that is “permanent”–items that must be done every day or almost every day. Then I always have another list of other tasks I have to accomplish. Since I tend to work well within that structure, I hope the one I’ve designed above works for me!
I am notorious (in my own mind haha) for going off on tangents, collecting all kinds of info on people who are not related or are distantly related. I love those journeys. But for this year, I plan to try to stick to the plan. Wish me luck, please.
Any thoughts or ideas to add? Please share!
Yours truly with Mom and Dad
In front of our apartment on John Street in Kalamazoo
The Family Kalamazoo 
The plan you’ve outlined sounds very workable!
Thanks, Liz. I sure hope so. If it’s not manageable enough I could break the pieces down even smaller ;)!
I’ve been known to do that. It works!
It sounds like a good plan, and I look forward to reading what you write. I sometimes wonder where I am going with my own blog. I am researching relatively distant relatives these days, and as much as I enjoy the research and writing, I sometimes feel I am drifting. Focusing on closer and more direct relatives sounds like a great way to go. Good luck! And happy New Year!
You are so organized, though, and manage to pull together so much info and move in such a thorough way. And it’s all so interesting. But what I’ve found with my directs is that I miss so much of the obvious because they ARE closer, if that makes sense. So this will force me to look at the main branches of my tree to see what I need to do yet, etc. Happy New Year to you, too, Amy, and to your family.
Thanks for the kind words. I do want to get back to my direct ancestors because I researched them when I was a newbie. And now that my father is gone, I want to tell more stories about him and his parents and grandparents. But I have to complete the Goldschmidts and possibly two other lines before I come back. Eventually…..
Hah, well, that will be a little while then . . . .
Having a plan is important, but allowing yourself to go “off script” is also a good thing. Those tangents can lead to real juicy surprises. Have a great year, Luanne!
Ugh, don’t tempt me. Hahaha, I am always off on the hunt for the juicy surprises ;). How are you feeling now, Eilene? Making some improvement? I hope your year starts good and gets better and better!
Oh, I’m doing okay – impatient, as always.
Yesterday, I was combing through some obscure West Virginia records for my Pierce bio and ran across one for a man in my gold rush book that I know from Ohio and Indiana. How weird! It could be a different person, but it’s an unusual name. This is how distraction begins!
You are right! But what fun! OK, try to stay patient (eeks)!
I think your plan is spot on for the new year. I have felt the drift and have been feeling a bit directionally challenged with my blog. I need to get on board, get organized and get researching. No matter what direction you go in I always enjoy reading your posts 🙂
Ah thanks, Sharon. Back atcha. Yes, the drift. I love that: directionally challenged. I know what you mean! I am hoping my plan sets me toward learning the most important parts of my tree. Then I can go back. I KNOW how important it is to learn about everyone’s siblings, but honestly, I need to get my directs in good shape before I find the stuff that comes with the siblings.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, James!
Happy New Year! That is so cute!
It’s a great plan, Luanne. I know you can do it!
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Happy New Year!!!
Luanne, Your plan sounds good to me, but sometimes its hard to stick to every single day. But you will get there. I have one problem with the Henry Waruf line though, I find him owning Ramona in themed to late 1800’s and then there are about ten or twelve names who are either running the place from time to time, but yet his name is still on the property when the city of portage bought it. I know that he was into his dog raising and the gun shop and him shooting days, but it sure is hard to keep straight. I haven’t been to active on my book this last few months been under the weather and am having some hand surgery this month, on top of my old PC crashing, had to get a new one and so I am a little on the slow side. Hopefully within a couple three months I will be ready to take it to the get it published. So I hope you have a wonderful 2020 and stay on the healthy side. Take care and Thanks for all your help. God Bless. Paula
This seems a good plan. Tangents happen 🙂
Haha, they tend to happen a lot to me! Thanks, Derrick.
That seems like a really good plan. I understand the impetus to be distracted by tangents — the story of my life 😬
LOL me too!!!! Su, what is going on with the fires? The news we are starting to get is super scary.
They are getting worse, and it’s only the start of fire season. I’m really worrying about friends and family — not so much because they are in the path of fires but because the air quality is so poor. Even here in New Zealand we are seeing and feeling the effects as the wind blows ash across the Tasman.
I heard that the smoke coming off Australia was bigger than all of Europe. It’s so awful. Scary and devastating for people. And they say it’s absolutely the WORST for the animals.
Your plan sounds wonderful (though I won’t worry if you go off on a few tangents). Sometimes I think that I discover the most interesting things when I get distracted by something that wasn’t my main area of focus.
Don’t tempt me! That’s how I ended up in the position of missing so many basics!
Good luck with whatever paths you stumble or stride along. The best made plans are always subject to the stories you find.
Hah, that is certainly true!
As they say, sounds like a plan!