Deal With Your Past

Well, I asked for it, and it arrived in my inbox today — the topics for the first week of Thomas MacEntee’s Genealogy Do-Over. They are simple enough, but oh so hard to contemplate. The first step is to set aside previous research. This will involve different things, depending on where one’s research exists. For me, that means several formats and locations:

• my database in Reunion

• my digital files on Dropbox, including scans of certificates, assorted notes, forms, and logs

• my scanned photos, managed in Aperture — these are family photos, but also more scans of documents, and even photos of microfilms

• hundreds of notes, references to online searches, to-do lists, and probably much more, in Evernote

• digitized interviews with family members dating back decades, stored in iTunes

• original photos and slides, some filed, but hundreds only roughly organized, in boxes around me in my office

• paper files, including more notes(!), certificates, diaries, letters, etc. — these are also mostly filed, but there are some scary piles as well

Whew! The main reason for “setting aside” is to avoid accepting previous assumptions, carelessly applied sources, or facts unsupported by any research at all. As Thomas points out, that doesn’t mean throwing away valuable resources, such as certificates and other goodies. I’ve thought a lot about how to approach this because I know that many of the sources I’ve collected have citations that are close enough to be fixable to the standard I am after. I started the fixing work earlier this year and, along the way, I developed a good workflow for capturing new sources and their citation information. I won’t ditch that work, but I need to look at each discovery anew.

What I will do is create a brand new database in Reunion. I have resisted this idea because I hate retyping anything, but it seems like the best option if I am to commit to this do-over.

It’s not surprising that Thomas MacEntee’s proposed Genealogy Do-Over has been popular with hundreds of people, even before we get going. As we approach the start in the new year, he has posted some Golden Rules, both his own and those of blogger Alona Tester. I don’t disagree with either list; in fact, they are excellent reminders of how we should be thinking about this project, and our research generally.

So here are my own Golden Rules for the coming year and the many hours I see it taking to rebuild all of my family tree:

1. Go slowly and savour each discovery. I remember the thrill I have had in the past with each nugget of information I uncovered. I think there will be moments how to order a prednisone taper like that ahead of me and I want to appreciate them.

2. Fresh thinking requires a fresh mind. I need to get enough sleep and take enough walks in the woods to let my brain be creative. Sitting at the computer alone is not going to cut it.

3. People before things, living before dead. I use this mantra when I need to prioritize just about anything. The people in my life, in this project, and in the wider world, are more important than papers, certificates and even books. And the living people and pets around me deserve my time and attention every day. I need to keep a healthy balance between working the project and living my life. 

That’s it! What’s next, Thomas?

In my day job, I advise companies about their web properties, including their website and sometimes their presence in social media. Many of the forward-thinking companies take advantage of blogging platforms to publicize information of interest to their customers, using a blog publishing calendar, an essential tool for planning and managing these efforts. Geneablogger Miriam Robbins is just as organized, and she kindly has shared her genealogy blog post calendar. She writes that she has road-tested this already over the past year, with great results. This fits very well with my own desire to write more often, and to cover topics methodically, just as I advise my corporate clients. Thank you, Miriam. 

Inevitably, as we try to hunt down our ancestors, we come across people bearing the surname we’re seeking, but who are not identifiably related to us. Some people simply discard these finds. I hate to do that, particularly for a relatively uncommon surname, since I am hopeful of finding a connection in the future. My research on the GRADWELL line has been order prednisone for pets somewhat frustrating because there are a whole lot of them in an area far removed from where mine are known to have lived. My solution is to create a one-name study project. Now I can systematically research the name and maintain my research for future connections and for others interested in the name.

Edward William GRADWELL 1869-1905