Week 1 of Genealogy Do-Over

I was having problems thinking these things through, but thanks to Thomas and others I finally figured it out so here are my goals. 

First I had to realize that like doing a major cleaning or organizing project, I will make a bigger mess before I am done. I have to get use to the fact that I will need to generate more paperwork in order to keep better track of what I am doing, what I have done and what I need to do. Sounds kind of like a research log, so I need to come up with a type of log that I can and will use. 

1) Setting previous Research aside - this is easy since everything is so disorganized to begin with. I will continue working on the New York Land records. This is a project that is gathering deeds found in Cayuga County during the first half of the 1800's for the Maynard/Minard/Miner Surname. This is mainly transcribing the records. I will wait to do the full analysis until later.

2) Preparing to Research - 

• Make a new file folder on my desktop for Research Notebooks: Dear Myrtle had a good idea on how to organize 8 weeks of research. (Wacky Wednesday Information Overload at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMHpg0Y8inQ ). My excel notebooks will be for 6 weeks, since I am currently on a 6 weeks plus a few days Pituitary Cycle and every 6 weeks I have a few really bad days and am able to do very little. This will help me to be able to have a schedule and still have the flexibility. It will also allow for re adjusting my schedule on a routine basis. 
• When I need background noise to turn on music and not the TV
• Learn about how to use Dropbox so as I clean up my files and enter it in my database I can move them into Dropbox for storage and away of keeping a visual track of what I have done.
• Find a place for my copy of Evidence Explained and put it back there when I am done with it. So I do not keep losing it.
• Start a notebook to put the notes, hints, blogs and research helps I print out. 

3) Establishing Base Practices and Guidelines - 

• Open up my Excel Notebook for that week's research plans 
• Open Roots Magic
• Open Dropbox
• Do not be afraid to have several folders open and several websites open at once
• When I am done, file any papers I printed out that session.
• While researching have a spiral notebook to write down any new to-do items or new ideas that come up.
• During down week up-date my paper research note book - This will mean print out my to do lists I made during my active weeks and add it to my paper research notebook.

Those are my thoughts. I will be adjusting these as time goes by.